Benny Hills Discussion

[Ben]

I'm not going to be on Teamspeak much this month, so I'm hoping people can share their thoughts here. I'm pretty happy with my latest map, but location 6 has been quite disappointing. I've remade the location many times, and still it's not what I want it to be. The current configuration can be seen in this image:


I have a different layout in mind. It can be seen here:


I think the new one is a better idea. Without taking too much space from location 7, location 6 now has much more room. A planting woodcutter can even be made by extending to the left of the stone and just above the gold.

Any thoughts?

[Just_Harry]

Hi Ben,
first of all yes, it is a nice map by you once again!
But I dont know why loc 6 is disappointing to you. In my opinion this loc is fine. I've played multiple times on this map and it didn't seem to have a problem.
However, for me loc 7 has some space problems. (Played 3 times on this loc) Despite that it is a good location for iron-only! Made 80 Iron units at 60 pt there!

Greetings from Austria! xD

[thunder]

Hi Ben!

First of all I'm happy to see you again back into the map making! Always good to see new and interesting maps. I would say if the name of the map would not be Benny Hills then even could tell its made by Benny. My feelings are kind of mixed.
The structure of the map is reminds me RichL and NibenayB. Probably the middle part of the map is a bit closed, not as opened. Seems a good KaM map has to eliminate/separate one player doesn't matter 6 or 8P.
I played the map once top v.bot and felt on the top barely could help to its single player. I've seen the left vs. right game which had much better IMO. But those barely visible hills in the middle... ah... I still prefer the visible one, that would help a lot. But we discussed it already, it is difference of the tastes, I guess.

visible.jpg

I'm not going to say change the middle fighting zone because in my opinion not every map needs a big empty battle zone on the mid field. If somebody wants then go play 'Bonus maps' 100times after each other or tetris.
I would say the single locations would need more tools to can defend easier vs 3 players. Maybe open the 3locations even more and make the single locations more sneakier/defendable? Almost as on RL where the power locs have blocked towers so can not make them, but the distance gives the safe. Probably see what do I mean.
At some areas I feel the map a bit empty. Mainly at this area:

b.jpg

The top left corner location(3) seemed to me a small one. I'm not a big base fan and only once per decade going to make 24 farms in a game...but I barely could manage more then 6farms there. I probably would replace the ironmountain of the location 2. This could give a bit more space to loc3 so players could manage 2-3more farms on 3 with very similar wood production.
Those changes on location 6 probably made it much easier as it was. All resources in one spot and huge space with 2 bigger kind of forests. 6 would have to be comparable with 3?

Overall the map is not on Nibenay quality, but I guess players are going to like it and that's enough! My favourite part is the hill at 60-40. Finally see some very strange steps/elevations from you too

I hope to see more Benny Hills
t

[Ben]

I understand why many players dislike the idea of a location needing help. It feels better to have a "safe" map where you can camp in your base until your weapon or recruit production catches up. What I don't understand is why those same people complain about maps being campy. I will not be making this map left. vs. right. The idea is to force players out of their base. I can make the single location stronger and harder to push, but I will not make it easier to access the location from allied positions.

Those hills in the center could be changed to mountains, but I don't think I will. It should be obvious to the player where they can walk. That said, if everyone complains I can change it. As for the empty areas, I think they are okay. I use three map makers are my reference for style: Joymania (original), The Dark Lord, and Koczis. If you look at these maps, they often have some more empty spots. If you clutter the map too much, it just gets too busy and looks hard on the eyes

Hi Ben,
first of all yes, it is a nice map by you once again!
But I dont know why loc 6 is disappointing to you. In my opinion this loc is fine. I've played multiple times on this map and it didn't seem to have a problem.
However, for me loc 7 has some space problems. (Played 3 times on this loc) Despite that it is a good location for iron-only! Made 80 Iron units at 60 pt there!

Location seven does seem a little small, at least in comparrison to the locations on the top which have plenty of room. I'll look into it.

[Just_Harry]

For the games I played so far i can say. Battlefield is nice as it is right now. People are forced to pay attention for their lonely teammember and if he gets pushed either help with knights/army or push on the other side which needs good macro from the players. For the hills in the middle, maybe sometimes it is hard to see where you are able to move to and where not but this is fine for me.
Overall it's a good map which will surely be played serval times!

[Ben]

I appreciate the kind words! Could you do me a favor? Place the replays from this map into a folder, compress it, and upload it using the "upload attachment" button on the full editor menu. I'd like to see how people are playing on this map.



Note to board admin: i cannot use imgur at work. I can't even see uploaded imgur images! Forgive me for using a different upload source!

[Ben]

The "mission statement" of Benny Hills is to create an 8 player map with locations that feel like building on Rebound. The style of Rebound is to have a near "perfect" location that is very enjoyable to build on. This is slightly offset with comparably low starting food. Some locations on Benny Hills are not quite as "perfect" as I would like them to be. This update largely addresses that.

Location 8: I removed the solitude mountain south of the gold and replaced it with sand (Note: That large stone on the sand has been removed as well!)


Location 3: There is slightly more space to build in the center of the location.


Location 7: It might not seem obvious at first, but the whole location has been expanded by quite a bit. It is about 50 tiles larger!


Location 5: I moved the Storehouse close to the gold, while also making more space around the stone to accommodate room for quarries. I believe that the most significant result of this change is interestingly enough the effect it will have on woodcutters'. They will likely be much less awkward to place now that farms or industry can be built in place of where the storehouse use to be.


Battlefield: I am taking a conservative approach to changing the battlefield. To slow down the push on location 1, I have extended the mountain in center of this picture. (Note: The looks here are terrible. I'll polish/change it up but the idea is what I want focused on please)

This picture here shows a change to location 4 as well as the general scope of the battlefield. The extra cliff here puts location 4's defence a bit closer to par with location 7. This should enable the locations on the left of the map to help the lone player on the right.


Not pictured:
Location 2: Removed the forest above the stone. This location booms too hard, having no real drawbacks if you manage coal distribution appropriately.
Location 1: There is slightly more room next between the iron and stone.
Battlefield: It should now be slightly easier to access the solitude ally's base through the narrow passages.

[Just_Harry]

Hey,
is it only me or do that pictures not show on screen? I can only see the last picture.
Can you give me that map for download so i can check it in editor?
Edit: Sorry don't have any replays from Benny Hills since I'm very lazy at saving games, but the next time we play on it i can give you that replay.

[thunder]

Same here. I don't see either those pics.

[Ben]

Hey,
is it only me or do that pictures not show on screen? I can only see the last picture.
Can you give me that map for download so i can check it in editor?
Edit: Sorry don't have any replays from Benny Hills since I'm very lazy at saving games, but the next time we play on it i can give you that replay.

It's something to do with the image uploader I used since imgur is blocked at my workplace. I'll fix them asap.

EDIT: Fixed

[kungenos]

Hey

First, thx for new map.

I got one question regarding "can walk" tiles at (46, 103). Shall they be broken as the picture illustrates. It was very annoying, as troops couldn't get through, when I tried to walk there during a game.
Or maybe I just got a bad version of the map and its already fixed.

-kungen

[Ben]

Thanks for the report Kungen. That was definitely an oversight and is fixed in the next version!

[Just_Harry]

Hi Ben!
I Just stumbled across this post and I'm wondering if I could see the last version you made?

[Ben]

I will look at my map folder tomorrow to see if I have an update for you.