Playability: 5
Map plays great and without any glitches, I found. Movement is severely limited with the narrow crossings.
Balance: 4
I found that the farmland was a little too plentiful. Each supply of stone and iron are on a different raised plateau away from the central area. This is a nice design and the resources are not over-done in quantity either. Nice all around map.
Creativity: 3
The designer did well keeping this four player map from becoming a common 'one in each corner' map. It has character. But room for improvement, so keep the maps coming - Ya Did Good! One item of note, the author didnt over do it on the bushes or trees!
Map Design: 4
Took a basic type (4 player divided) and made a good playing map with a confined communal crossing in the center. I always run into these maps on gamespy. If someone plants assassins in the center, they are an invisible blockade. Also lines of towers will be eventually built and mangonels make it hard to march troops in the center. But you cant win by artillery alone! I was going to give this a 3, but you got me with the cliffs surrounding the center. Nice work.
Story/Instructions: 1
Tip: Just pick a historical castle or battle and then "short-form-it" (own words) the history for a story. Make sure it fits the map. I give more points for a short and detailed original story, though. And the 5's I give are for long works of story, background, and history combined with characters.
Additional Comments:
If all first map postings were this quality, then we would be in business. Strikingly good map with a basic concept (confined center 4 player divided). You didnt try to fit too much on this map.
[Edited on 08/28/05 @ 08:23 AM]
Desert_Snowman File Author
Posted on 08/28/05 @ 10:41 AM
I think it's a little uneven on some of the corners and I'm sure I put way too much oasis but I build castles of about 300 people so I need it. I'm also gettin stronghold 2 for my birthday, yay. I'm thinkin about submitting this one invasion map, but it is sorta dumb cause the invasions are like 5-10 years apary so i might tweak it a bit. it would probobly be better as a eyecandy map with invasions so im waiting on any comment if i should submit that or not. I learned all that I made this map with some elements from other people's maps so thank them for those little elements. I also put in the grassland to make it look more like europe and less like the desert. Thanks for your great review lollard!