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Khaelo
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
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posted October 06, 2003 04:41 AM |
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ideas in search of maps
Maps take time and skill to produce. Some of us do not have all of the talents required to make a quality map, or we're too strapped for time to actually create a masterpiece. However, this does not prevent us from coming up with map ideas. I don't know how often "real" mapmakers are in need of map ideas, but this thread can be an area for non-mapmakers to dump map ideas that they cannot bring to fruitation themselves. Maybe the ideas will be used; probably they won't, but at least they will be shared rather than wasting away in the cobwebby corner of somebody's brain.
Fire away! 
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disguised as a responsible adult
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dragonsister
Hero of Order
MapHaven administrator
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posted October 08, 2003 11:39 AM |
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And some of us just have millions of ideas and can't make them all. I have a map 'Horoscope' on the backburner ...
Some people make maps much faster than others - perhaps because they don't put as much in; but then there are some very keen players out there who play heroes several hours a day, and for whom no supply of human made maps would ever be enough.
One rule here. If you suggest an idea for a map, it is free for mapmakers to play with, distort, amend - in short, be happy if it just inspires another map to be made - and even if you make a detailed description of a map and someone makes it, you do not get to insist on any credit. If you put your idea up here, it is free.
(However, if mapmakers take more than a little inspiration from this thread, it would be courteous of them to say something like "Some inspiration for this map came from XXX" in the readme file.)
That quarrel-prevention in place, here are some map ideas I have never made time to pursue:
Sasha's Story:
A lost kitten must find her way home to her people - fast! If she's gone more than two weeks, they'll think she's dead and buy a new cat. (This may particularly suit HOMM4, using Stealth, maybe Melee, or maybe just a single Tiger.)
The Right to Read:
A campaign for Women's Lib. I don't think I know the history well enough to do a good job of it, but I had a few basic thoughts;
First map: Learning the Letters: Female heroes have to win their way to the only town with a (level 1) mage guild and/or library. (They might not be allowed any magic skills. Their opponents might not be so hindered. Careful balancing required.)
University doors: (I think the first degrees women were allowed to do were in Music.) This would probably involve a Bard working their way to a shrine or town with level 3 or 4 spells in a particular school.
A Wider View: Getting women admitted to a wider range of courses was an ongoing battle. The HOMM equivalent probably requires a town (mage guild) from each type.
Ascending the Heights: (I think in the real world this battle was fought alongside the one widening the range of courses women were admitted to, but one has to put some ordering on campaign scenarios.) Admission to postgraduate degrees such as the PhD would probably correspond to learning level 5 spells.
Equality: This goal sometimes seems to be asymptotically approached. The problem for the map to solve is that initially education was far more available to priviledged (i.e. wealthy) women than to average women. The women who blazed the trail would have been the really bright ones - who were *obviously* better than some (not necessarily all) of the males who were doing degrees. But the situation is only fair when both average women and average men have equal opportunity to study. In the HOMM context this may be represented by control of a tavern where both women and men can be recruited freely, and a series of structures where skills could be learned, possibly backed by one or more gold-mines to fund the dream of free education for all.
I am aware that the campaign I describe has a political agenda. Anyone wishing to discuss that agenda, start a thread in another, more suitable forum and post a link to that thread here. :-) *This* thread (and forum) is for stuff relevant to mapmaking!
DragonSister
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drizzit
Hired Hero
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posted September 30, 2004 02:20 PM |
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It does not seem to me that many people have been using this thread! What is wrong with its appeal? I mean, if you have an idea then give it here. Now that may sound as if i am going to steal them, actually i am not. I am busy creating a map called 'Kingdoms Come' and am editing a pre-made map named 'D'L'orean'.
This thread was actually created by a MOD who must carer about this problem at hand, so pay some respect please...
I have many ideas for map making and shall supply them all in good time, i shall be a regular user of this thread when i can spare the time.
Drizzit Do'Urden
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vlaad
Admirable
Legendary Hero
ghost of the past
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posted October 04, 2004 02:11 PM |
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In Reply To #2
All right, I admit it : I need a story!
It is an H4 XL map, RPG style.
It starts with a random hero entering the local tavern. The player can choose the second hero there, and fights his way to King's Tournament. The heroes gain several ways and can choose one of three ways to continue their journey - each way leading to a different town, where they fight neutral heroes and wandering monsters. The player can now start building up in a town of his choice and defend against computer heroes (but just one color, because of the long turns! ).
The main idea is that there is an AI superhero in the end.
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