[Abandoned] - Skyscrapers

[sully800]

Similar in theme to yours mibi, but this will be very different in execution.

Update: The image is now my own creation and fits the appropriate map dimensions. Added several more buildings as discussed. I decided not to include any building that has not reached its final height, so that rules out the Freedom Tower, the Chicago Spire and all the Middle Eastern dreams. If and when those are built they can be added in a second addition to this map, similar to Feudal Epic after Feudal War.

I also simplified the number of army shadows and arranged them in a regular pattern. Added a simple background and title which I think looks pretty nice. Also I learned a lot of photoshop basics!

[bigimg]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/575/skyscapers2mg2.jpg[/bigimg]

To do:
-label each building
-start labeling the army circles though that might take a little while
-determine where to include starting neutrals to organize the game flow

[sailorseal]

Now add bonuses and make it clear what territ attacks what.
Idea is awesome! Graphics need work...

[Kaplowitz]

Take the army circles out...

[Incandenza]

One quick thing: you might want to change the name of the map to, say, Skyline, since you have a couple of non-skyscraper structures in there...

Plus you might want to get rid of the building at far right (is that taipei 101?), as it's so much taller than the others that it's kinda throwing off the spacing of the map.

[lozzini]

One quick thing: you might want to change the name of the map to, say, Skyline, since you have a couple of non-skyscraper structures in there...

Plus you might want to get rid of the building at far right (is that taipei 101?), as it's so much taller than the others that it's kinda throwing off the spacing of the map.

i think that extra height is good, as it makes a lot of spare space at the top of the map for a key

[sully800]

One quick thing: you might want to change the name of the map to, say, Skyline, since you have a couple of non-skyscraper structures in there...

Plus you might want to get rid of the building at far right (is that taipei 101?), as it's so much taller than the others that it's kinda throwing off the spacing of the map.

i think that extra height is good, as it makes a lot of spare space at the top of the map for a key

Exactly. I need space for a key and title anyway, and there is no room on either side of the map based on the dimension limitations, so I intend to include that all in the top. That building is the Burj Dubai by the way, which was just topped out in January at its final height of 818m. It is so much taller than all other structures (including the CN tower which is not a building and including the radio mast in South Dakota which is supported by guy wires and was previously the tallest structure) that I really wanted to include it in this map. This is a very current building that will change the way we think about skyscrapers, so I think scaling it next to the Empire State Building and the Sears tower and the Gherkin will give people perspective on what "tall" really means

Now add bonuses and make it clear what territ attacks what.
Idea is awesome! Graphics need work...
Now add bonuses and make it clear what territ attacks what.
Idea is awesome! Graphics need work...

Yep, that's the next step. I need to label the territories and show the attack routes so the gameplay can be discussed, because right now it is a blank slate.

Take the army circles out...

I hate the way army circles look, but I don't think there is any way this map would work without them. If you were gray you would never be able to see your armies if they are on one of the buildings, and if I place them in the sky cyan would have the same problem. Have any maps been made without circles since there have been 9 colors? It seems impossible to make all of the different colors visible

One quick thing: you might want to change the name of the map to, say, Skyline, since you have a couple of non-skyscraper structures in there...

That is my internal debate right now. I wanted to include the CN tower and the Eiffel Tower because they are world famous and from countries that would not otherwise be included. However they are not technically "buildings" and therefore not technically skyscapers either - just super tall towers. I don't particularly like the word skyline as a substitute, but maybe there is a word that would be more fitting. My goal is to highlight tall structures that are well known, and were once the tallest or close to the tallest in a given category. Plus, people from Toronto vehemently claimed they had the tallest skyscraper until 2008, so maybe it all depends on perspective.

[Gypsys Kiss]

When I first looked at this I thought 'urghhhhhh' and then you added the 'Gherkin' and I thought 'Oh my God URGHHHHHHHH', but i went away, forgot and came back and wonder of wonders, I quite like it.

How set are you on the postions of the beasts? If the big boy on the right is a problem, can you put it in the middle. The Gherkin and Eifel can go somewhere either side, being the two smallest. Then you can have the key one one side and the title on t'other. It will be more symetrical like this, but then not many skylines are symetrical.

As for the title, how about 'Cityscape'

[sully800]

When I first looked at this I thought 'urghhhhhh' and then you added the 'Gherkin' and I thought 'Oh my God URGHHHHHHHH', but i went away, forgot and came back and wonder of wonders, I quite like it.

How set are you on the postions of the beasts? If the big boy on the right is a problem, can you put it in the middle. The Gherkin and Eifel can go somewhere either side, being the two smallest. Then you can have the key one one side and the title on t'other. It will be more symetrical like this, but then not many skylines are symetrical.

As for the title, how about 'Cityscape'

Moving them around is no problem. I was already planning on rearranging the Eiffel Tower and Gherkin since they appear as voids in the skyline and they are currently close together.

I think the Burj Dubai (the big boy) needs to stay on the side or else it will divide the sky into two segments. That would make things much more difficult for displaying the bonuses, title, instructions etc.

Cityscape sounds like a good option!

[yeti_c]

Cityscape = boring.

"Skyscrapers" works for me - does it definitely mean office block? - Why can't a tall tower be a skyscraper... - it scrapes the sky doesn't it?

Would like to see the 'big boy' with more than just a single line?!

C.

[barterer2002]

A couple of thoughts Sully.

1). I wonder if you've got too much here. Currently (counting the circles) you're at 138 terts most of which are going to only be able to attack up and down the building from what I see. Unless there are some cross building attacks that I'm not seeing the gameplay on here is going to be longer than Conqerman with chokepoints on every building

2). I like the poster you're basing it off of that tells me the name and location of each of the buildings. The current version of the map has taken that out but from my point of view that's a valuable piece of information that should be put back in because I'll confess, I haven't paid attention to the latest "my building is taller than yours" over the past decade and part of the real interest-at least from my perspective-is knowing what the buildings are and where they are.

3). As far as naming the map, I liked Skyscraper but if you want to change it World Architecture seems more appropriate than Cityscape since this isn't really any of the world's cities.

[yeti_c]

3). As far as naming the map, I liked Skyscraper but if you want to change it World Architecture seems more appropriate than Cityscape since this isn't really any of the world's cities.

Definitely...

C.

[a.sub]

can you add things like airplanes?

as for the army circles, if you had a few buildings zoomed in you could make it so the army numbers were in the windows. but you would have to remove tall buildings, and things like the eifel tower.
so i guess its not really worth it

[ustus]

if you had some attack routes (planes, parachutes, electrical wiring, etc.) stretching from building to building other than on ground level it would make this map more playable. I like the idea, but each terit can only attack two others except at the ground level. That makes it harder to play and a little less interesting to play. I won't take part in the name discussion.... i have no good suggestions there.....

anyway, good luck, i like the look so far, as well as the concept.

[barterer2002]

Its hard to figure out an attack route between buildings while at the same time keeping the feel for the map you're looking for. I'm wondering if you could add in some relevant items that could cross attack. For instance, the Empire State buliding has a Blimp Dock that could be a tert that could attack similar features of other buildings such as the bridge on the Pedronis Towers or the Observation deck on the Shangai World Finance Building.

[cena-rules]

How about a road across the bottom to connect up the towers?

[MrBenn]

The biggest issue looks like it's going to be inter-tower connectivity... I don't think adding aeroplanes will be much help, particularly as aeroplanes and tall towers has overtones of 9/11...

[a.sub]

The biggest issue looks like it's going to be inter-tower connectivity... I don't think adding aeroplanes will be much help, particularly as aeroplanes and tall towers has overtones of 9/11...

i assume a terrorist joke would be inappropriate right now?

[sully800]

I do not want to add airplanes, because it will only create thoughts of terrorism. Attacking different towers already might conjure up those thoughts, but planes attacking towers goes too far in my opinion.

Here is an update of the current graphics with territory labels. The gameplay is still not well refined I know. I plan on distributing neutral armies every couple of stories throughout the buildings so you can attack a certain zone of floors before trying to conquer an entire tower. My thoughts on the beacons and ground territories are listed at the top of the map.

[bigimg]http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7594/skyscapers3.jpg[/bigimg]

[a.sub]

do all ground floors attack all other ground floors?

[rishaed]

yep and just wondering if you have to hold the beacons to get the tower bonus, b/c if so it would be impossible to get a bonus

[sully800]

do all ground floors attack all other ground floors?

Yes all ground floors connect to each other. I will clarify.

yep and just wondering if you have to hold the beacons to get the tower bonus, b/c if so it would be impossible to get a bonus

And no, you don't need to hold the beacons to get a bonus for each tower. I will clarify that as well.

Should I split the Petronas towers into two separate bonus groups? I feel like the numbering for them is strange since there are two towers. I plan on getting rid of the connecting territory between them due to space issues. I will keep the attack routes and just drop the territory which gives the map an even 148.

[sully800]

Whoops! The legend should read "beacons can assault all other beacons and bombard any other territory". Will change in the next draft.

[Kaplowitz]

[bigimg]http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7594/skyscapers3.jpg[/bigimg]

Looking really nice!

Some suggestions:
Clowds, birds, sun?
Beacons can bombard other towers that are smaller
Remove Petrona 12 and just add a connection there.
Order Petrona like:

23 24
21 22
19 20
17 18
15 16
13 14
11 12
9-----10
7 8
5 6
3 4
1.....2

[RjBeals]

Nice title. You surely need some cotton style clouds though. And the army circles really bring this map down. Why don't you try to use shapes that blend in more with the buildings? Not that this is your building style, but it may spark some ideas?

[sully800]

Looking really nice!

Thanks!

Some suggestions:
Clowds, birds, sun?

I will add such details in the the coming drafts. If you notice the latest version has a gradient in the sky which I think improved the overall look.

Beacons can bombard other towers that are smaller

That's an interesting idea. It gives you more incentive for holding the tallest towers, and that is kind of the point of this map. I'm afraid it might get confusing with some of the current labeling (Petronas and Eiffel numbers are not on the same levels as all other towers so they may need adjustment)

Remove Petrona 12 and just add a connection there.
Order Petrona like:

23 24
21 22
19 20
17 18
15 16
13 14
11 12
9-----10
7 8
5 6
3 4
1.....2

I will remove the current Petronas 12, leaving just the connection. My fear with your numbering suggestion is that it will look like 1 and 2 connect, 3 and 4 connect, etc. but the connections will actually just run vertically. That is why I am leaning toward a Petronas NE continent and a Petronas SW continent, each with territories 1-11