New LOM Map - (Max. Map Size)

[mummra]

Pictured: The Realm of Chaos

Greetings,

Here is a Lord of Magic Special Edition map which I began to work on a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I never finished the map; I guess I just lost interest in it and gave up.

This map uses the MAXIMUM size possible in order to create a long, slow-paced game. The key to victory is the control the land-bridges that traverse the great sea. The map requires the latest version of Boaster's GS Mod to work and will not function properly without it installed.

Each faith's landscaping and realm is more or less complete, but the dungeon placement that exists on the map is far from permanent. DO NOT TURN ON RANDOM DUNGEON GENERATION or the map will likely CRASH your game when loading!

The map is not finished, however it IS still fully playable. I just don't have the will or patience to go through and refine/finish dungeon placement and finish touching-up the landscaping. There is also still plenty of water that has to be filled in, but I'm really done messing with it... at least for now.

If you want to finish the map and share it with others PLEASE get my consent first.

Attachments:

[orzie]

Very cool, there were some guys in a while back who wanted to play the largest map ever. I'm glad you are still into LOMSE.
Can't wait to check the map when I will be at home.

[myrddin]

First off, very cool to see an old name in LOMSE content creation back. Not that this is my forum, but if I may say so, welcome back. I hope you'll stick around for a little while, as several interesting developments are pending.

Secondly, regarding the map itself, it certainly looks more playable than I would have thought, due to the high amount of water. Each faith's territory is broken into fairly bite-size parcels of land that actually do not seem that much bigger than the territories in the standard Urak map (at least when compared to the enormous ocean). However, their vertical placement and connection with the land bridges you mentioned gives a sense of the grand scale of the map. The geography is interesting, particularly in death territory, and there is a good mix of sprites and terrain. And within the boundless ocean, a few stray islands provide a necessary variety for the mariner.

It is in fact, a great map, and if I were to say that it lacks anything it would be high elevation, (which is sort of the trademark of most of my maps, so I am biased of course), although that is of course understandable on a map that has such a high proportion of water. Definitely a gem to add to the currrent collection in the thread for maps. As you mention, it is incomplete, but were you to add a few finishing touches (I am rather too busy currently, but I all I think it *needs* are more encounters for some faiths), I, and probably many others would be glad to give this map a spin.

So fine work, and to the extent that you are still interested in playing and contributing to LOMSE, I can recommend that you stay tuned for Orzie's quest within the next couple months (I am alpha-testing, and it is looking very promising thus far). I will also be creating a quest that I think will be fairly engaging. Any help you would care to contribute (mostly in the form of suggestions, things you would like to see in the quests, etc, as I realize you are probably busy like most of us) would be appreciated.

[orzie]

These are the words

[Boaster]

1024x1024 map is the size of 64 standard maps in one game.

If would be interesting if there were a way to combine separate maps into one colossal map

[orzie]

Feb 22, 2013 22:35:12 GMT -6 Boaster said:

1024x1024 map is the size of 64 standard maps in one game.

If would be interesting if there were a way to combine separate maps into one colossal map

I assume that a severe hex-edtor knowledge can help in this case, combining the map elements manually into one file. However, I'm an amateur in such kind of things, and I don't even know the very mechanics of hex-editing, so just as a theory.

[myrddin]

I assume that a severe hex-edtor knowledge can help in this case, combining the map elements manually into one file. However, I'm an amateur in such kind of things, and I don't even know the very mechanics of hex-editing, so just as a theory.

As a self-proclaimed person-who-knows-a-little-about-hex-editing, I can say that as far as terrain goes, this is possible. I can think of one definitely time-consuming and difficult way that would certainly work, as well as a much easier way that might work. As far as sprites go, I don't believe this would work. Sprites reference certain locations on a grid, which would all be quite thoroughly messed up by moving them onto a larger grid.

Terrain mapping, on the other hand, simply uses as many groups of values as the map has squares, although they are arranged in such a way that in moving data from a smaller to a larger map, you would have to rearrange it thoroughly and leave spaces (the first method), or simply patch the maps together, a la Frankenstein's monster (second method). Otherwise, an entire 64X64 square map would merely be a few jumbled diagonal lines on a 1024 square map.

[mummra]

Feb 22, 2013 22:14:35 GMT -6 myrddin said:

First off, very cool to see an old name in LOMSE content creation back. Not that this is my forum, but if I may say so, welcome back. I hope you'll stick around for a little while, as several interesting developments are pending.

Secondly, regarding the map itself, it certainly looks more playable than I would have thought, due to the high amount of water. Each faith's territory is broken into fairly bite-size parcels of land that actually do not seem that much bigger than the territories in the standard Urak map (at least when compared to the enormous ocean). However, their vertical placement and connection with the land bridges you mentioned gives a sense of the grand scale of the map. The geography is interesting, particularly in death territory, and there is a good mix of sprites and terrain. And within the boundless ocean, a few stray islands provide a necessary variety for the mariner.

It is in fact, a great map, and if I were to say that it lacks anything it would be high elevation, (which is sort of the trademark of most of my maps, so I am biased of course), although that is of course understandable on a map that has such a high proportion of water. Definitely a gem to add to the currrent collection in the thread for maps. As you mention, it is incomplete, but were you to add a few finishing touches (I am rather too busy currently, but I all I think it *needs* are more encounters for some faiths), I, and probably many others would be glad to give this map a spin.

So fine work, and to the extent that you are still interested in playing and contributing to LOMSE, I can recommend that you stay tuned for Orzie's quest within the next couple months (I am alpha-testing, and it is looking very promising thus far). I will also be creating a quest that I think will be fairly engaging. Any help you would care to contribute (mostly in the form of suggestions, things you would like to see in the quests, etc, as I realize you are probably busy like most of us) would be appreciated.

Thank you for your kind words... and for making me feel extremely old ;-)

I originally intended for there to be a great deal more land on this map, however it was still going to have a "flooded world" appearance, and massive elevations wouldn't have fit with so well with that theme.

The scope of a 1024x1024 map is EPIC to say the least; but I think there is still far more than a typical map's-worth of land to explore.

To be honest, I am actually quite fond of the terraforming on this map; each realm looks lush, detailed, and natural. Though I never achieved the level of map-making that Wildezword did, I am still proud of what I did get done here.

I thought the terrain of the Death region was fitting... especially since the faith is lead by an "Arch Demon." I was wondering if anyone would notice ;-)

Some friends and I used to bounce around a few great maps on SIGS (Later Won.Net) as well. I will have to see if I can dig them up and share them. I'd say at least a few of them are worth revisiting and putting into this forum which, as you implied, has become an LOM museum of sorts.

[orzie]

Thank you for your kind words... and for making me feel extremely old ;-)

Myrddin is just a relatively new LOM player, which indeed is kinda rare nowadays I play LOM starting from 2001 with a Russian pirate version, but I can't name myself old in my 21

The scope of a 1024x1024 map is EPIC to say the least; but I think there is still far more than a typical map's-worth of land to explore.

True, now I know which map to choose the next when I will be up to play some singleplayer.

Some friends and I used to bounce around a few great maps on SIGS (Later Won.Net) as well. I will have to see if I can dig them up and share them. I'd say at least a few of them are worth revisiting and putting into this forum which, as you implied, has become an LOM museum of sorts.

That would be very cool! If you have an account on Urakforums with admin's approval to World Builders subforum, you might be able to get some maps from there as well. Unfortunately, I registered too late and I will never get a membership - that board is dead.
Also, I've sent you a private message with a some sort of a potential offer, check your PM inbox.

[myrddin]

Thank you for your kind words... and for making me feel extremely old ;-)

Hey, anytime. People these days are always looking for an excuse to feel old, so let's say rather, that you are experienced. For me, at least, I won't feel old until I'm too old to breathe. ;D

I originally intended for there to be a great deal more land on this map, however it was still going to have a "flooded world" appearance, and massive elevations wouldn't have fit with so well with that theme.

True enough. In my mind, the problem with a max size map mostly made of land is that you could potentially spend many, many turns lost in the wilderness or on unfriendly (less movement points) terrain. A map like this has a grand scale, but without the potential for needless slogging through barren wastes looking for your enemies. Of course, if you go to sea, that's another matter.

To be honest, I am actually quite fond of the terraforming on this map; each realm looks lush, detailed, and natural. Though I never achieved the level of map-making that Wildezword did, I am still proud of what I did get done here.

Hear, hear. Wildezword was excellent, but he's probably got two full-time landscaping jobs so he has no time for LOM.

I thought the terrain of the Death region was fitting... especially since the faith is lead by an "Arch Demon." I was wondering if anyone would notice ;-)

Yes, quite so. Although it is harder to notice on the minimum magnification because it is where the map wraps.

Myrddin is just a relatively new LOM player, which indeed is kinda rare nowadays I play LOM starting from 2001 with a Russian pirate version, but I can't name myself old in my 21

Yup. I remember one of my brothers playing the DEMO back in the day (maybe 2000 to 2003), and oddly, that little snippet appealed to me to the point that I bought it in 2010, I believe. I always thought Balkoth looked kind of like a jester in the animations, but I guess he's grown on me.