Custom Cluster Map Designs

Neptune's Pride
1

I’ve been chatting with a couple of players in game about trying some maps that place players into small groups of 3-6, with groups separated by reasonable distances. This forces you to collaborate with (or dominate) your neighbours before exploring the other clusters.

After trying a number of combinations these are a couple that I have come up with. This is not reinventing the wheel, but I thought it worthwhile to post the star coordinates here if anyone would like to try them.

120deg Radial Clusters
Most home stars in a cluster are Range7 away from two other home stars. Each cluster requires Range13 to jump to two other clusters. This map is set up for 15 players, and works best with symmetrical star spread.

[[40.0373085421709,28.681074487337],[46.9309628132564,29.8966117310055],[21.4617179934406,39.4056966910027],[19.067576990161,45.9835450365041],[17.2509734643885,36.9746222036657],[12.7514601965827,42.3369333054985],[17.2509734643884,15.5253777963343],[12.7514601965827,10.1630666945015],[21.4617179934406,13.0943033089973],[19.067576990161,6.51645496349592],[40.0373085421709,23.818925512663],[46.9309628132564,22.6033882689945],[53.375,26.25],[12.6875,49.7409390776529],[12.6875,2.75906092234711]]

Square Clusters
This is very similar to thegrainger’s posted map (1), just with larger distances.
Home stars are Range10 apart from two other home stars. Clusters require Range13 to travel between. This map also works best with a symmetrical star spread.

[[0,0],[10.5,0],[38.5,0],[49,0],[0,10.5],[10.5,10.5],[38.5,10.5],[49,10.5],[0,38.5],[10.5,38.5],[38.5,38.5],[49,38.5],[0,49],[10.5,49],[38.5,49],[49,49]]

2

Many thanks to xjhdexter for use of your excel spreadsheet for the initial coordinates :slight_smile:

1 Like
3

I am glad that you are able to make use of my spreadsheets. :smiley:

Initially I just made some spreadsheet formulas that were messy so that only I could understand them, and there were ideas and concepts in my mind that were not written down. Then @jongrantham asked for my code to be uploaded for sharing.

So I cleaned up my spreadsheets to make them more presentable and easier to understand. I put comments in my spreadsheets to help communicate better. There are some geometry and trigonometry concepts that I still did not explain, but hopefully the equations explain themselves.

4

I setup a clusters game as well. I wish I had known about your spreadsheets! Would have saved some time.

Here is what I plotted out. I didn’t use circles and rings though. Random scatter. So the gap between each cluster should be a bit more random. All my tests showed no less than tech 14 to cross, so should be interesting.

5

Thats a cool map layout but thats the game with the 24 hour jumps! I nearly joined before I noticed it was that same game! :smile:

6

Ditto what Jay said implied about the 24 hours jumps being quite a challenge to play - I did one of those and it was nuts.

But actually, I think you NEED to have that set … because otherwise, there’s no way a “cluster winner” would be able to make jump … because the defender could see it coming, destroy any existing WG, and create other WG to rush ships in. The resupply line is going to be a … challenge!

I remember a team-based game where I recall it was 6-hour jumps and a HR6 jump was a BIG challenge against a knowledgeable defender … and there were some HR10 jumps that were only doable with the cooperation of the defender. I’ve mentioned before there should be some way to have the galaxy generation algorithm create more stars in the gaps.

BTW, am I reading the map correctly that the distance between the closest cores between clusters is 45 Light-Years? How far apart are the cores within the cluster?

P.S. Creative work @xjhdexter and @cptcrackers - one twist for future consideration is creating a FIFTH cluster in the middle that is owned by the AI’'s! :wink:

7

I’ve been mucking about with closer clusters, was considering a game with a small number of stars per player to ramp things up very quickly.

My main intention (particularly for the first map) was for use with TB games, so you wouldn’t necessarily see them coming for most of the long jump :slight_smile:

8

@Hulk, you know I didn’t think to measure the actual light years, but the typical jump between the clusters measuered with the ruler tool in my test maps was HR 15.

The problem was that if I set them any closer, the random scatter would sometimes make it so two clusrers had stars with in early reach of each other. Any further, and we could all retire before anyone could cross the gap.

I like Scape’s strategy of using the concentric circles. Keeps things extremely neat. Mine just started. Scape’s is still filling up. I’m looking forward to both.

Also, my very first game was an invitational 24 hour game, so I actually kind of like the 24 hours jumps. Way more surprises to be had :smile:

9

If anyone is interested in trying out the map at the top of this thread, here is the game:

The password is ‘play’ :slight_smile:

10

@Golden_Ace had a great idea for a real time 1 on 1 tournament where the battles were spread like this so although you are all on the same map you aren’t able to attack anyone other than your designated partner. It would mean that the game could run over a fixed time with winners declared at the end of this time before going to the next round.

Would anyone be interested in giving this a go?