new map: Hellia Empire

[brunom]

Word of warning: I am extremely proud of this map. Its making was smooth like never before, and everything went better than I expected.. the topography, the coloring, the playability (even making up city names resulted in a few nice "new words")

And, now, self-praise apart, here's what matters...


Empire of Hellia: The player will have to build an extensive network, supplying some key goods (some of them quite rare) to three specific locations. While doing this he needs to keep an eye on his PNW, which is a goal for the medals (although the target values are very manageable). The way the player goes about expansion is pretty open, and the choice of locomotives allows for a steam system or a electric system. The economy is rich and varied and clearly demanding railways across the map.

I have played this scenario a few times already (and enjoyed it so much!! did I say I am proud of this map already?...) and resolved the few programming glitches and economic unbalances I found. Thus, I consider this to be a Release Candidate already, and not a simple Beta. However, I am obviously open to change stuff, depending on your reports.

So, download at will. And please post your comments, game-play, misfortunes, overall reviews, etc... You know everything is much much appreciated by the creator.

Have fun!
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[Hawk]

I guess it's safe to assume Lasar is the imperial capital and the other 7 cities are the provincial capitals?

Is it grain or rice - or - grain and rice?

[Blackhawk]

Well thing I noticed, in the briefing you say loose (opposite of tight) when you mean lose (not win).

Hawk I think the requirements of whether to haul 50 grain or 50 rice to a port vary depending on what the port requires. If it demands rice then it's 50 rice, if it demands grain then 50 grain. A quick mention of this in the briefing may help clarify that issue.

[brunom]

Yes, it is safe to assume Lasar is the Imperial City... I meant to write a "Historical Background" event to pop up at Game Start, but completely forgot.

Yes, it is also true that you are required to haul Grain or Rice depending on what the port requires.. The ledger specifies this, it isn't so clear in the briefing because I needed to save space. (Incidentally, I thought of having all the three ports requiring Grain - if, once you test it, you have an opinion about this, please share, nothing in the scenario is definitive yet)

Yes, I keep writing loose instead of lose. It is one of those words... but I promise I'll change it and that I'll try and remember in the future. Thanks for noticing it, Blackhawk.

B

[RayofSunshine]

This is a very interesting scenario Brunom,
And I am finding that there are some what "hidden" requirements, which requires a player to adjust to different avenues of logic.

First off, Vara has a port requiring "steel". Also a Munitions Factory which also requires "steel". From what my playing has determined,, the Port takes priority, as my engine with a "custom" consist for "weapons" just sets there, while the "supply of demand" continues to decrease.

Then there is the need for the "demand" for "lumber" for the "weapons". Well, the city of Chilatsi has a "Toy Factory". Hence any hauls that direction from Vara decreases the supply of lumber, which is hauled from Buthasen, the closest "lumber mill".

To help conplicate hauls, Impoarnoti Port also demands "steel". So any consist that direction has to be "custom", as any other consist loads up on the steel from Vara, decreasing the supply of steel for the Munitions Factory.

Hence, I believe that a player would have to use a different down line city, and will require the purchasing of a Munitions Factory. Steel can be hauled to Vara from Larnak, and then transferred to the city with the Munitions Factory, but don't run any trains from it back to Vara, or you will loose the steel.

The goals may sound easy enough, but a player has to really adjust to the "supply and demand" of this scenario.
Enjoyable , but keeps a player thinking.

[RayofSunshine]

WELL, I found out a big problem, which I may have missed. I BELIEVE that the Munitions Factory initially, although I didn't go back to check, required "lumber and steel". In the 30s, and I finally checked, that the MF at Vara was not requiring "steel and rubber", and the new MF which I purchased as a test, now requires "steel and chemicals". Sort of gives a player a "back hand" in a routine, but does add to the required attention of the game.

[RayofSunshine]

There is some change in "menu". That mention notice for the "ingredients" for the Munition Factory from "lumber to rubber" is not given until 1940. However, I purchased a MF in the mid 30s, and it had already been changed from "lumber to chemicals". BUT, it was not for "weaons" but "ammunitin", which is not acceptible for a goal. I made a mistake in the purchase of the MF anyway, as there was a "Tool & Die" in the area of Nunchin, which again, ate up the steel, which is necessary for the "munitions".
SO, a word of suggestion. Look for the cities with the "rubber" ingredient. Although "lumber" is acceptible for a time, but at this point, I don't know for what duration.I would have to check for a test of it.

[RayofSunshine]

Well, another Dumb, dah, Dumb, dah.

The requirement is for WEAPONS, and not MUNITIONS. The old brain is not working like it should. But seeing that I save scenarios like a beta, I save the scenarios in sections, SO, when I do testing of a sort, I can go back to the previous "save" that was played. That way I can also correct such dumb things.

But I will report, that I had not had any program problems, which is a plus.

[Blackhawk]

My complaints:
To me the ports seemed a little far away from the centers of the cities in Kunfati and Majinduri. As I could not find a spot to to build a station that would cover the port as well as the city. Well I think I did in Kunfati, but after the city starts growing all the new growth was outside of the station's radius.

I'd like to know how much time I have left in the scenario. I saw that the ledger displays the time after 20 years have gone by, but before that there was nothing that stated how much time I had. The briefing says you have 40 years but after I was a few years into the scenario that doesn't really help me much as I forgot what year I started in. As it would be a tight squeeze to fit the time into the ledger early on, I'd suggest that in the briefing rather than saying you have "40 years from now" say you have until the end of 1946 (or whatever the year was). Just a minor thing and maybe others keep track of the years better than I do but it's always nice to be able to check something quick and see how much time you have left.

By Narrum there is a square of the wrong territory (Lasar)

My Run-Through of the Scenario

I thought of connecting Lasar to Kunfati but it appeared to me that there wasn't enough cargo to be profitable. So I decided to take out a loan and build a textile mill in Kunfati. I then built another textile mill in Ademjari, this was successful for a couple years, then the cotton started to be shipped away by the port somewhere, but a 2 years later the demand returned. During this time I was buying up stock and having my company buy-back stock.

When the chance for a free territory came I took access into Purnima. The first track I laid was from Purnima to Lefarnna to Haadakar. I then bought a brewery, and built a lumber mill further up north in the Purnima territory. I connected this track down through a couple towns to Lasar and then to Kunfati.

I don't remember the exact time line of the rest but connected down to Majindurai and build a tire factory there as the rubber was stock piling. My trains then took the steel and tires from there to a weapons factory I built back in Lasar. (This is were I manufactured the majority of the weapons required for the goals)
Before I built the weapons factory I think I had started my western expansion and built from Haadark to Narrum - Jubaindi - Jabarandi. The million dollars for connecting to the key cities was very helpful. It pretty much canceled out the cost of having to buy access into the territory. So I often tried to refrain from buying access into a territory until I knew I had enough money to connect to the key city shortly thereafter.

The next thing I did was build a steel plant outside of Larnak and run a little track to a nearby iron mine. Coal was flowing to Larnak on the river so I just had to supply the iron and shortly after the steel mill was making good money. I then left this part of the map alone for awhile (other than building another brewery off by some grain fields west of Kratbana.

I then started to connect Imparnoti - Sahandor - Deppan and some rice farms in between. Then I connected Imparnoti to Onamari and my mainline back in Purnima. After that there really isn't too much else to say. Just finish making the final connections, manage your personal wealth, and invest in industries. Once the economy turned around and interest rates were down to 5-6% I had 9million in bonds taken out as I spent the money on expansion and reinvestment in industries. Most of the grain farms were giving about a 10% return on the investment money (ex. cost 500k to buy, but had a yearly profit of 48k) so I even bought some farms as I was still making more money in profits off of them than I was paying interest on a bond for them.

I finished after 30-31 years. But after having a net worth in the 50 million range during a boom, i went into a recession and went down to only 38 million, so since I had 22 million in cash on hand I just bought back the rest of the stock and became the sole owner of the stock and a net wealth in the mid 40s.


Overall a pretty good scenario. I was skeptical at first of whether or not the cargoes would ship well to the ports as some ports had breweries making alcohol at the same time I needed to supply it with alcohol, but usually the cargo shipped just fine. My biggest difficulty was probably sending grain to the ports. I made sure to have trains spread the grain/alcohol from the port cities to nearby cities to help distribute the cargo so the price isn't as badly effected. The scenario turned out to be easier than I thought it was given 1. 40 years is a lot of time to accomplish the goals and 2. at first I thought I had to supply every key town with the required cargoes, not just the 3 ports. I was also worried I was spending too much time early on buying back stock while slowly expanding rather than solely expanding but it all worked out.

[Blackhawk]

Ray as you discovered the scenario calls for weapons not munitions.

If I remember correctly the munitions factory will make ammo with just steel, but sometime maybe in the 1930s you get a message from the game saying chemicals are now required, not just optional, to make ammo.

For the weapons factory, early on you can make weapons with lumber and steel or tires and steel, but mid-way through the game the lumber + steel option is dropped. I don't remember there being a message about this. I did have a weapons factory at one time that was trying to make money by lumber and steel but eventually went into the red, most likely because of this cargo change and I didn't notice it.

I'd say in this scenario you definitely will want to take advantage of the ports where the rubber piles up and build a tire factory.

[RayofSunshine]

Technically, I screwed up starting with not paying attention to a number of things. Munitions instead of Weapons. And hauling "rubber" from Kuona to Majiodurai for "tires" rather than using closer 'rubber' from ports closer to my Weapons Factory in Nanchin.

I ended up with a BZ, when I had the Gold "in the palm of the hand", and then in 1940, everything went down hill. Had all the requirements, except the PNW which was at $31, and the down hill trend depleting it to $13.

I never saw so many lengthy Recessions with a few Depressions during the game. And although I was switching out engines at 20 years, they were crashing like flies in the 40s.

But I had a lot of fun trying to get the Gold. This is a very interesting scenario. A person just has to pay a little more attention to "what they are doing".

And Blackhawk. I see your point on having some idea of a time duration, however, depending on the length of time I keep the initial engines, I just click on them, to see how many years they have been in service. *th_up*!

[Blackhawk]

And Blackhawk. I see your point on having some idea of a time duration, however, depending on the length of time I keep the initial engines, I just click on them, to see how many years they have been in service. *th_up*!

I ended up checking back on my saved games to see when the scenario started to discover when the scenario actually ended. I save my games usually with a few letters of the map followed by the year afterward so I was able to find out when the scenario started. I do like the idea of using the trains to see how long they have been running for but in my case I didn't build any trains until 4-5 years into the scenario.

[brunom]

I'll sort that detail with the "time left" line in the ledger.. I used a different system lately (setting up a yearly countdown takes only a couple of lines) but I was a bit lazy to include it at one point and then it just stood as it was. But I'll rework it and I'll have another look at the cities and ports locations - but in the south the mismatch between main cities and ports is intended.

Now, as for your run-through Blackhawk, I am amazed with it. I was already convinced you were a player at least 10 times better than me. But it might be closer to 100x.
I designed the scenario, I lined up the goals (which I figured were difficult) and in my several tests I never managed to get gold. Even silver was a distant target sometimes. You are sure you played it in 1.05, aren't you?

I don't the large majority of the players will finish with 9 years to go. Or I hope they don't, because it means that I am a lousy player (which might be true anyhow) and that I am making scenarios that are too easy (and thus have lousy playability / re-playability)... There were 9 downloads of this beta, so I am expecting a few more run-troughs / reports. After that I will reset (or not) the medal goals.

B

[brunom]

Ray, linking Kuona to Majindurai... it has occurred to me a few times at first look... but it always seemed too much railway, across too many mountains, for too little profit.

Knowing how much you dislike the ups and downs of a mountain range, I am amazed that you actually used that link. Did you connect directly or through Pramkar?

Which, by the way, reminds me of a question I'd like your views on (everyone who had a look at the map, that is): How does the geography look? Specially, did you had a look at the Ulantel Highlands (the huge range separating Hellia from the West) - did it look "natural/pretty" ? Was it any fun laying track in that area?

B

[Hawk]

I've been trying to get back to this map, but I've been so busy lately trying to get two web sites updated that I just haven't had time.
I may force myself some time this weekend.

[RayofSunshine]

Brunom,
You have me at a disadvantage at this point regarding hauling "rubber' via Pramdar, but did go thru to my Tire Factory in Majiedurai.

No, the mountian range is fine. But it just goes to show you how desperate I was for "rubber". I missed the ports which had the rubber, so as to have a closer Tire Factory to supply my Weapons Factory in Nanchin.

I believe it a very interesting concept of imagination in this scenario creation. Blackhawk is just one of those genius players, who is able to relate faster in terms of a system. Most of us are not of that level of talent. Me? I just like to play, even when there isn't any medals goals.

You can change whatever, to make it a more interesting challenge, as everyone has their own system, and everyone do not qualify as a "High Leveled Tycoon".

[Blackhawk]

Ray, linking Kuona to Majindurai... it has occurred to me a few times at first look... but it always seemed too much railway, across too many mountains, for too little profit.

Knowing how much you dislike the ups and downs of a mountain range, I am amazed that you actually used that link. Did you connect directly or through Pramkar?

Which, by the way, reminds me of a question I'd like your views on (everyone who had a look at the map, that is): How does the geography look? Specially, did you had a look at the Ulantel Highlands (the huge range separating Hellia from the West) - did it look "natural/pretty" ? Was it any fun laying track in that area?

B

I generally avoided the mountains whenever possible and used the rubber from the port instead. The Ulantel Highlands looked like a natural mountain range and were painted pretty well. As for if it was any fun building over them, I can't comment as I connected the last providence city in the mountains at the very end when I wouldn't have to deal with traveling over a lot of mountains. I thought about building up through the valley to a town that had a steel mill but there was enough steel coming to the port city so I didn't bother going over the mountains.

[brunom]

First of all, thanks for all the comments Blackhawk, from your many recent posts.

There's some geology reasoning underlying the map, which I think makes it believable. The Ulantel Highlands as well as the Ganaesh Ridge are the contact points between a small tectonic plate on the rise, which is the bulk of Hellia and two larger plates in both West and East - Ulantel (useless info, I know).

I wanted to make the Ulantel Highlands "juicy" so that the player would be interested in railroading in them, instead of forcing it with some "out of context" goal like connecting X cities, or hauling specific amount of goods to the region.
That's why I created a nice internal economy for them, with warehouses outputting clothing, produce and furniture. Also, the amount of lumber and rubber accessible from the gateway to the western jungle (Kuona) should be enticing. Ray went for it, you didn't, that's a 50% share.

There's two things that spring to my mind to make Ulantel more interesting - one is to thin down rubber supply elsewhere, (forcing the player who left the weaponry hauls for later in the game to be desperate to reach Kuona), the other is to re-allocate the majority of the coal mines to the region (although that make the Eastern side of the map far less interesting). I'll have a look at this when I have the time. In the meanwhile, I am still waiting for one or two more reviews (there are 9 downloads).

BM

[brunom]

Made some small changes to this, namely:

Improved the ledger,
Added more coal in the middle of Ulantel Mts,
Thined down the rubber supply in the main ports, thus increasing the importance of Kuona,
Placed one small city in northern Jabarandai province.
Tuned seeding probabilities a bit, for gameplay (breweries in particular will spawn less in the grain producing region)
Hand placed houses spreaded around Ulantel Mts.. for fun, mostly.

Small changes should affect how hard the goals are and some choices for the player, but nothing substantial. All the minor faults mentioned by the Ray and Blackhawk were fixed as well.

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[RayofSunshine]

There are some changes, which I do believe that it makes for a little more interesting game. I did manage to get the Gold again. However, those last few years are a "battle" The economy keeps dropping, and it plays hell for a player to maintain an adequate amount of PNW for $40M. Best to have a "good" safety margin prior to the 40s, which will lighten the burden of trying to manipulate the "dividend" and "buying stock", as the economy slides.
I also had 3 Weapon Factories, in order to maintain a good flow of weapons for the requirement.
Believe this a good final.