new map: Margauza

[brunom]

I think it's the first time I post two maps at the same time...

Hellia is a finished product, I think, with a proper paint job and everything running smoothly. This one, on the other hand, is a trickier one. In fact, I started it first and played it a few times, but met with a brick wall at a point. Hence, posting the scenario as a pre-beta. There's no paint in it other than the original topographic detail I use during development and I definitely need some help/ideas to make this one an enjoyable scenario with great playability. But... here's the details:

Margauza is a colony just settling down in its own independent government, following freedom fight and internal civil war. The player will have nothing to do with this instability - it is resolved at the start of the scenario.
What the player needs to do is to revive a small railroad company and make it nationwide. His success is measured by the amount of exported goods the country manages to export and the percentage of towns he connects with this network.

My issue is with playability.. There's something wrong that I can't quite pinpoint. This is where I desperately need your help. Please test this and share you thoughts, mainly about these questions:
- Did it seem that there were different strategies possible?
- Did you find the goals reasonable, too easy, too difficult or just "out of tune the scenario"?
- Would you suggest a different set of goals?
- Was the process of gaining access to the different states too awkward or easy to understand? Do you think it adds any interest to the scenario or a simple pay-up-front condition is preferable?
- Overall, what was the feel?

Thanks in advance for your replies.
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[Hawk]

Clicking on the ledger crashes the game for me.
Under Event Validation I found this. I wonder if that has anything to do with the crashing?

Click on image to view full size

Then in one of the mentioned events (same thing with both events):

Click on image to view full size

I was trying to see how long you have to complete the goals.

[Blackhawk]

To add to what Hawk said it does crash when you go to the ledger as there is the invalid city.

Also those events test against only 11 cities and you have 14 cities in the North Coast. Missing are Valsant, Anais, and Manikou. Whether you need the Bruggle connects to Delphos condition may be a bit redundant as the initial railroad is already built between the cities, but I suppose there is a rare possibility someone breaks that connection.

[brunom]

Yep, I realized that I had that version messed up a couple of hours after posting it. But I was without internet connection for the afternoon.

Being with a laptop, with some time and without a "link to the world", I went and rewrote a few things, including fixing that ledger malfunction. Gee, I even placed some overall layers of coloring with some success.

So, just forget the previous version (removed) and check this one.
B

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[RayofSunshine]

Well Brunom,
What do I think of the scenario overall? Well, as Tony the Tiger would say, "It's GGGRRRAATE".

But I had a few problems. Mostly with the dam economies. Not your fault, but it seems that I not only run into a Recession right in the beginning, and then in the last number of years at the end. I don't know why I did not get fired, as my CO revenue was -$2,6K in the red, and I almost lost all my stocks.

I have a note for those knowledgeable. A notice arises as to the "larger rolling" stock, and adjust to larger engines.
In this scenario I was using Class 500 for short haul and Class A1 for long haul. I started to switch to the Northern and Challenger 4-6-6-4, with a few F3, but didn't touch the CP7s. Wouldn't these last couple be considered heavies?

A problem which may have caused my "demize". I custom hauled 9 lumber to Gabrielle. However, ""any"" lumber which I hauled to Gabrielle did not give me any revenue. Hence I had to switch consist to only 4 "any cargo" with only 4 lumber, so as to get at least 1/2 a haul for revenue. Now considering that Gabrielle was a goal requirement, I would believe some revenue would be considered.

Trying to haul passengers to Kali to avoid a penalty could only be by a "custom" consist. For a few years, I was penalized, until I realized, by checking all the cities in the Northern Territory, that ""nobody"" was showing a supply for Kali. Hence the custom loading, but I did not check to see if any revenue was given for them.

I never did get to Blanchard. I tried to negotiate, and never heard from them again. I chose B. a $2M up front, and $700k yearly.

I laid track around the northern point to get into the East Coast, as at the time, I did not have access to the Central which would have been the short cut, but over the mountains. (the love of playing scenarios )

And speaking of mountains. The mountains have manageable inclines, which I find a part of the challenge . It is those "buggers" which are a "brick wall" and only a tunnel gives access for any progress.

Another great scenario, and although I did not get the Gold, I found it to be a very enjoyable challenger.

[Blackhawk]

My issue is with playability.. There's something wrong that I can't quite pinpoint. This is where I desperately need your help. Please test this and share you thoughts, mainly about these questions:

I'm not sure what exactly you felt was wrong with the playability. For me it felt like after maybe ~15 years I was pretty much "done" with the scenario and I was just left waiting for the load hauls to be completed (which were completed after 24-25 years). I expanded as I needed to but once I had the main routes done I just waited til my load hauls were done to finish enough connections to the cities as I had a large stockpile of cash on hand to complete the connections.

- Did it seem that there were different strategies possible?

I tried to first built to Kali thinking I would get access to the West quickly, but PAX are very rare so I built out east to Port Gauza, then I built track around the coast to Orange and built South. (I'll likely give more detail in a subsequent post of my play-test)

I imagine there can be some different strategies, like going down to the Central or Eastern Region first. Or focusing on industry or rails. As with connected track scenarios though some of the strategy choices are limited.

- Did you find the goals reasonable, too easy, too difficult or just "out of tune the scenario"?

They seemed reasonable from what I could tell. I went with rubber and alcohol rather than coffee and meat. I had 109 coffee and 210 rubber after 25 years. I probably could have had more coffee if I connected to some of the coffee farms better, but for me it seemed like rubber was the better choice as a tire factory placed in New Bruggel would help demand and be very profitable.
As for alcohol/meat, I actually had 229 alcohol and 0 meat. Maybe I got good placement for sugar farms/produce and bad placement for cattle? If I would have had to haul meat it would have been very difficult.

- Would you suggest a different set of goals?

This one is hard for me as you've often said I'm a more advanced player so it is difficult for me to know what is difficult but attainable by the average player and what is just too far out of reach.

I thought the goals that were there were fine for at first, but eventually after the rails are built I felt like I was just waiting for the trains to haul the cargoes. Something like an industry profits requirement, or express/freight profits requirement. Whether it's just have more than X amount or if it's have a yearly amount of X at least 5 times in your company's history, or maybe a YTD loads hauled. Something that gives incentive to keep building out the track rather than waiting until the end. If PNW became a goal it would have slowed my progress since I kept issuing stock for quick money, although I'm not really a big fan of PNW as I like to worry about the railroad rather than my own finances. I suppose personal stock wealth could be another possibility, and disable buying/selling on margin so then the player would be less inclined to issue stock non-stop.

I'd say a subordinate goal could be creating a electric line somewhere between 2 cities, but if I remember correctly 1.05's ability to detect electric track is broken.

- Was the process of gaining access to the different states too awkward or easy to understand? Do you think it adds any interest to the scenario or a simple pay-up-front condition is preferable?

It was easy to understand if you could remember it all as it was a lot of information to try and remember. I guess I could have written down the information but I just went back into the editor to reread the information. Maybe a refresher every few years until the territories are all open would be helpful?

- Overall, what was the feel?

It's a nice looking map that seemed to require some careful utilization at times of the resources. I would have liked being able to build an auto plant to help use up all the tires I was making but that wasn't available to build. Also without iron on the map there was a limited amount of steel which meant building anything that required steel was unlikely.

[Blackhawk]

Things I noticed:

-Presenting territories - States "However, from that date on, every year, if you have already track laid in Western Lands but passengers are not delivered to Blanchard, you pay a penalty of 250k"
-It may sound a little better as "However, once you have laid track in the Western lands, you must deliver PAX to Blanchard each year or pay penalty of 250k."

-As I stated above it's a lot to remember on how to get access to all the territories or what actions will cost you. Ex. any track in the central region will cost you 500k, but you can build in the east for free as long as you don't connect to New Antwep or Gabriella.

-To me the stock price starts off a little high in the scenario as it's around 100. You can issue stock and get 180-200k in the first year from issuing stock, but then the next year the stock price drops a bit as the company hasn't made a profit big enough to justify that high stock price.

-Early on there was an weapons factory in Bruggle, but there was no demand anywhere for weapons. Eventually Port Gauza demanded some once I got it connected. Early in the scenario it would have been nice to have somewhere to ship these as it would have meant something extra to haul for a profit. Well guess this is more just something I noticed rather than an actual issue with the scenario.

-The -33% PAX modifier definitely made it harder to get a passenger to Kali. I think I had Kali to Port Gauza or Orange connected before I finally got someone wanting to go to Kali.

-Open EC event - Inauguration is misspelled.

-By Lake Johann as the cities expanded they were in the "water" as it looks like part of the lake is just painted on and isn't actually water.

-Pre-open GV: I was offered the chance to go into Gauza valley before I even connected Blanchard (like the initial description said I had to) This event tests to see if Kali is connected when it should probably be Blanchard instead.

-Re-ask GV - % is used instead of a $. I'm not sure if this was the intended result or not but if I say postpone this until next year to Pre-Open GV, I now only get to re-ask GV and I get told my options are wait another year, option 1 or option 2. I guess I've sort of negotiated in that I've now got 2 options rather than just 1, but I don't get the option to "negotiate" like I did in Pre-open GV, which would have given the 3rd option.

[Blackhawk]

Well where to start, the first thing I did in the game was to build a tire factory in New Bruggle, then buy a Class 500 to run between Bruggle and Delphos. Next I worked my way up to Saxony, then Kali. I built a distillery a little east of Port Gauza by some sugar farms. Then I started expanding my track from Delphos eastward towards Port Gauza. That's when I realized I had access to the Central Plateau and so I found a good place there to build a textile mill.

I then built more industry (oil refinery in Bruggle, lumber mills and a paper mill in the East near Gabrielle, lumber mill and distillery by Troy, meat packing plant near Newarden) At the same time I slowly worked on connecting Valsant to Orange by going around the mountain. Then built down the East coast, by-passing New Antwerp and building through but not putting a station in Gabrielle. However, once it was a new year I built a station in Gabrielle and started hauling lumber from the mountains a little southwest of Gabrielle where I built a lumber yard next to some logging camps. I then finished connecting the East coast all the way down to Fort Bruggle.

I'd say be sure to watch the northern coast still and watch for when new rubber farms appear and start hauling from those as well to get the haul count done faster. I also eventually upgraded my tire factory to help use up all the rubber that was going to New Bruggle.

By now I had all the connections set up to meet the haulage goals so now it was time to just work on getting the Gauza Valley to open up. I built down into the central region and connected 3 of the 5 cities there, then went into the Western region when I had a large amount of money so I could connect Kali to Blanchard and multiple other cities to try and meet the PAX requirement without being fined. Although the 250k fine by this point in the game had no real effect on me.

Once I finally accepted access into the Gauza valley (around 1939) I went with the 2million 300k a year option as that made the most sense. It was the cheapest option over 10 years and I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to need to finish the game. I then built 3 distilleries in the Gauza Valley after I got access, which would make more than enough profit to pay for the 300k yearly fee. However I didn't build any track until I had completed all the haulage goals, then before the end of the year I just made the necessary connections to have enough cities connected.

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I used primarily Class 500s. Once the Zephyr came out I bought a few of those and replaced 3 of my 15+ yr old Class 500s with Zephyrs as these were on the main branch around New Bruggle-Delphos so the increased acceleration seemed like a good way to help reduce congestion. I also bought 1 F3. I had the scenario finished before the Class 1A's were out so I didn't get the chance to use those. At the end I had a total of 38 locomotives as I had 29 cities connected. (before the very end when I connected another 10 cities)

As Ray said it was difficult to find a PAX wanting to go to Kali but eventually one found it's way there. I was in no rush to get to the Western lands as I was busy building down the East Coast, but by the time I was done with the east coast a passenger found his way to Kali. After I connected Blanchard to several Western cities I didn't usually have a problem with getting a PAX there. Occasionally there was a year where I would be fined, but I didn't worry about trying to make sure a PAX was sent there or not from the surrounding cities.

I didn't really have issues with sending lumber to Gabrielle. When I sent lumber there from the southwestern mountains it was always at a profit, however, if I tried to send some from around Hamer then it was sometimes able to ship and other times not profitable. However, most of my lumber was coming from the mountains southwest of Gabrielle so it wasn't really a problem. I also built a furniture factory in Gabrielle and upgraded it as well to use up the lumber faster. For the most part I didn't usually need custom consists for hauling lumber or alcohol to Port Gauza. I did use some custom consists for the rubber, not that they were necessary, but because I wanted specific trains making the stops at the outlaying farms and the cities/farms on the way back to New Bruggle.

[brunom]

My problem with this map is exactly what happened to both of you. About 2/3 of the map spark exactly NO INTEREST from the player.. The Gauza valley, which was supposed to be the "gem" for the player, isn't interesting at all. The player will achieve its goals laying a railway network in crescent shape, from Kali to Gabrielle (give or take), following the coast, and not mind at all about inland.

In a way, I guess this fits right with the history/geography I envisioned for the country - it's clear why colonists never moved inland.

My problem with playability is that the map isn't balanced. There's a lot of cash to be made in the coast (Ray, just don't overspend in the first years, the economy starts slow, but the cities grow and production/demand ratios are balanced) and the player will spend his last years laying track that is pointless for any other goal than "connect X cities".

My original plan was to have geological surveys done in the inland mountains some years into the game and large bauxite/iron deposits discovered. However, as I planned the goals, this seemed secondary and I didn't bother to code it in. I guess I need to reconsider it. I will also, definitely, reduce the amount of rubber and sugar farms in the coast, by creating some marshy lowlands (I'm thinking mangroves), and, given the new economics, maybe redo the ports a bit and the goals a lot. This will require time to experiment - and time is going to be scarce the next few weeks...

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About the game play, I think the way the initial conditions are set and the goals required, there isn't a better option than stretching the existing line eastwards (eventually to Port Gauza and the East coast) first, while investing in Industry where profitable. Linking Delphos and one of the cities in the Central Plateau early in the game normally yields good money too
I am all for electric locos when possible, and in this game, unlike Blackhawk, I upgrade with all my heart and run a hectic double track between New Bruggel and Port Gauza. What I typically do in a different manner as well, in comparison to you folks, is to connect Port Gauza to the Gauza valley when possible and only from there, across the lower part of the range (passing by Lake Johann), reach Gabrielle - hauling meat and grain across that is quite profitable as well.

Again (and again, and again.. ) Thank you for the testing and the comments

And, as a prize, I will reveal another nearly-baked project (see new thread)...
BM

[RayofSunshine]

Now Blackhawk was able to get access to Blanchard. That leaves a question. Why did not the "Ruler" return with a new "negotiation" after I give my "proposition" of the "$2M now, and $700k each year thereafter"? That Western territory never bacame available.
Some of your "changes" sound of interest Brunom, and am looking forward to further versions.

[Blackhawk]

If I remember correctly, the West opened up at the end of the year once a passenger was sent to Kali.

And the negotiations are for the Gauza Valley. Which technically according to the intro of the different countries early on in the map, says you aren't supposed to be able to get into Gauza Valley until after you connect cities in the 3 other territories (Blanchard, I think New Antwerp, and the city that starts with O in the central plataeu), but the negotiations trigger after Kali, New Antwerp, and the O city are connected.

Once you send a passenger to Kali, you should get access to the Western area, and be able to build down to Blanchard, but if you build any track in the west you'll have to send a passenger to Blanchard or pay 250k.

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I think the goals as they are now aren't bad, it's just something needs to be added as a reason to go into the valley. You're idea of iron being discovered and maybe some sort of iron/steel goal may help solve that problem.

[brunom]

So the trigger for the negotiations concerning Gauza Valley is wrong, next version will have it fixed.

Next version will also have a "Gauza Aluminum Company" setting up a mill somewhere inland and have several bauxite mines pop up. It would be very nice to have the company own those new mines, kind of like the National Coal scenario, but I don't know if this is doable halfway into the game...
Second option, more likely, is to make that bauxite-aluminum-goods production line set up from start and switch the goals to deliver at Port Gauza from A"lcohol OR Meat" to "Goods OR Meat" - that's force the player to lay rail into the Gauza.

... hmm ... that would be an easier way to sort my problem ... I'll definitely give it a go.
B

[brunom]

Major changes concerning this map.

I was just reworking the territory access phrasing and conditions to fix the issue we had spotted when I got fed up with it. To be honest, I realized that those access conditions were too complex for funny, too restrictive for interesting. So I deleted them all. Access is now purchasable in the normal way.

Then I looked into adding bauxite and aluminum to the game, to make the inland a little more interesting. For this I created a company called Gauza Aluminum which owns some mines, an electric plant (producing aluminum requires enormous amounts of electricity in real life) and an upgraded mill.
This sounded so right, I just created more industry based companies. A few, with different territory access, so that the player can merge with them with a purpose.

However those companies were investing in railroads and that was messing up with the victory conditions as I had wrote them. So I included limited track in the game and they won't build track.

But then I revised the victory conditions a bit, and decided that it wouldn't be so bad if those investors could start railroad branches of their own. So, I mixed it all again, and had a go.. It worked fine, but it turns out a difficult scenario - I got Bronze, but just barely, still, I like this one more now.

B

For review:

[Blackhawk]

Next version will also have a "Gauza Aluminum Company" setting up a mill somewhere inland and have several bauxite mines pop up. It would be very nice to have the company own those new mines, kind of like the National Coal scenario, but I don't know if this is doable halfway into the game...
Second option, more likely, is to make that bauxite-aluminum-goods production line set up from start and switch the goals to deliver at Port Gauza from A"lcohol OR Meat" to "Goods OR Meat" - that's force the player to lay rail into the Gauza.

I thought I responded to this but I guess I forgot to. And at this point it's a little late but I'll say my ideas on it anyway for possible future reference. You may be able to create a territory and event place the mines and as long as the territory is large enough to encompass the radius of where the mine may be placed. So then you could probably add the mines mid-scenario and then have them then put under the control of the GAL. The event placing takes out some of the randomness of where the mines appear but it's one way of going about it. Of course this might not work as well with an industry in a city but something in the open areas may work just fine. I suppose if you wanted randomness in where the mines appear you could use 2 or 3 different "event placed" events and use the probability condition in RT3 to randomize which set of "event placed" mines would appear.

Another possibility would be to manually place some of the mines before the scenario starts, have GAL own them, and then have these mines in their own territory. Then write an event doing -100% or -200% farm/mine production in that territory until the time you want the actual discovery of bauxite.

Well with that said I'll take a look at the revised version of the map when I get a chance.

[RayofSunshine]

This scenario version is some what different than the previous.
In the previous I was some how awarded access to the GV when I purchased the EC territory. In this version, I had to purchase all of the to get access. That gave me to wonder if I would be able to attain adequate revenue for the purchases of territories, especially the GV at $5M. But it did work out with some planning.
I did manage to get the Gold with 6 years to spare, although was surprised, as I was in the final attempt to obtain the 75% of cities in the GV territory. Then I read my notes, to find that it was a 75% OVERALL.
I believe tha it is the adequate type of engines which make the difference. Good incline haulers, as well as a good speed with full consists.
Only played in the Medium level, so don't know if I would be able to attain Gold in the Hard or Expert, as well as being able to attain the Gold in less time than the time duration given.
Good scenario with its terrain for the challenges.

[low_grade]

Dang it... the message at the beginning saying that you will be able to gain access to other territories eventually threw me off. Kept waiting for some event to trigger, then decided I'd have to take over companies to get access. Turns out when I check here you can just buy access, didn't notice that on my territories screen in the company page. That ought to change things up.

Though honestly, for a serious challenge, I was thinking of restarting and trying harder to watch my trains carefully, etc., to build my company up as quick as possible and get enough cash to be able to buy out the other companies. The Farm one and the Southern States together would give access to all. I think this scenario could be challenging enough to be really great when taken this way. Think I'll restart anyway and just ignore purchasing into the other territories and see how it goes!