Monsters! - Battle for the Powerstones

[Gilligan]

*an honored wizard

[dolomite13]

I know this map has been in play for quite a while now but I have been considering how much I really hate how lightening bolt and the spells work in general. I have been studying game design and theory quite a bit for the past few years and was thinking it may be time to to a slight revamp to this map. At least to the two spells.

Basically the dead end that lightening bolt is, is simply not fun... when your down to just that territory it becomes a grind to have to take your turn. I would rather get rid of that dead end and change it to killer. And I would like to add the ability to assault back to the powerstone that the spells are attached to so that you can reinforce out back to the powerstone, which helps a bit with mind blast but mainly helps with that dead end on lightening bolt.

They are currently

- "Mind Blast" can assault any runebound monster. Killer 3.
- "Lightning Bolt" can bombard any powerstone or shield.

I was thinking they may be better utilized like this.

- "Mind Blast" can assault any runebound monster and its powerstone.
- "Lightning Bolt" can bombard any powerstone or shield and assault its powerstone.
- Both spells are Killer 3 and reset to 3 every turn when held.

Any thoughts from the foundry folks about this possible change to gameplay?

I would also like to take a clean up pass on the graphics as I have learned a lot about photoshop since doing this map.

=D13=

[MoB Deadly]

Hold 5 blue wizards for a bonus of +4.
Wizards 1,2,3,4 are together, but wizard 5 is lost in the woods and surrounded by the red wizards. So W5 region does not touch any of the other blue wizards.

Let your imagination run wild.

[dolomite13]

Hold 5 blue wizards for a bonus of +4.
Wizards 1,2,3,4 are together, but wizard 5 is lost in the woods and surrounded by the red wizards. So W5 region does not touch any of the other blue wizards.

Let your imagination run wild.

[EricPhail]

How about just adding a losing condition - you must hold a territory on the main map or you are defeated?
It solves your useless turns problem without making any major changes to a know and played map

[Dukasaur]

I know this map has been in play for quite a while now but I have been considering how much I really hate how lightening bolt and the spells work in general. I have been studying game design and theory quite a bit for the past few years and was thinking it may be time to to a slight revamp to this map. At least to the two spells.

Basically the dead end that lightening bolt is, is simply not fun... when your down to just that territory it becomes a grind to have to take your turn. I would rather get rid of that dead end and change it to killer. And I would like to add the ability to assault back to the powerstone that the spells are attached to so that you can reinforce out back to the powerstone, which helps a bit with mind blast but mainly helps with that dead end on lightening bolt.

They are currently

- "Mind Blast" can assault any runebound monster. Killer 3.
- "Lightning Bolt" can bombard any powerstone or shield.

I was thinking they may be better utilized like this.

- "Mind Blast" can assault any runebound monster and its powerstone.
- "Lightning Bolt" can bombard any powerstone or shield and assault its powerstone.
- Both spells are Killer 3 and reset to 3 every turn when held.

Any thoughts from the foundry folks about this possible change to gameplay?

I would also like to take a clean up pass on the graphics as I have learned a lot about photoshop since doing this map.

=D13=

I actually like how the spells work now.

I would definitely not like them both to reset to neutral. Keeping a lightning bolt as an oracle in a foggy game is one of my favourite strategies.

A graphics revamp for it is a nice idea, but please don't change the game play. It's brilliant just the way it is!

[chapcrap]

I agree with Dukasaur.

The bolt should not reset. As for the proposed attacking changes, having the Mind Blast attack it's own powerstone is pointless if it resets and I'm fine with having the Lightning Bolt attack it's own powerstone, but that is also pointless if it resets.

[dolomite13]

How about just adding a losing condition - you must hold a territory on the main map or you are defeated?
It solves your useless turns problem without making any major changes to a know and played map

Oooo that might be the way to go...

I actually like how the spells work now.
I would definitely not like them both to reset to neutral. Keeping a lightning bolt as an oracle in a foggy game is one of my favourite strategies.
A graphics revamp for it is a nice idea, but please don't change the game play. It's brilliant just the way it is!

My main concern was getting stuck on the lightening bolt and having to play your turns out ... Eric's comment above would solve the problem as I see it and not change the overall strategy at all.

I would love to add "must hold a monster or wizard or you are eliminated" to the game and clean up the graphics a bit if it's OK with the foundry forman.

=D13=

[-=- Tanarri -=-]

How about just adding a losing condition - you must hold a territory on the main map or you are defeated?
It solves your useless turns problem without making any major changes to a know and played map

Oooo that might be the way to go...

I actually like how the spells work now.
I would definitely not like them both to reset to neutral. Keeping a lightning bolt as an oracle in a foggy game is one of my favourite strategies.
A graphics revamp for it is a nice idea, but please don't change the game play. It's brilliant just the way it is!

My main concern was getting stuck on the lightening bolt and having to play your turns out ... Eric's comment above would solve the problem as I see it and not change the overall strategy at all.

I would love to add "must hold a monster or wizard or you are eliminated" to the game and clean up the graphics a bit if it's OK with the foundry forman.

=D13=

I like the idea of both adding the losing condition and the graphics update. I've been in games in the past where I've been stuck on Lightning Bolt and it's definitely not fun, especially since you're seen as not being a threat and are usually left there for turns while the player killing everyone else takes care of cleaning up the rest of the map.

[codierose]

just one question is the map broke

[IcePack]

Im in favor of no GP revamp, but graphics and something to eliminate the one LB issue you mentioned would be ok..

[dolomite13]

just one question is the map broke

Not really ... except that someone could end up with a lot of forces stranded on lightening bolt and if they deadbeat due to disinterest it could take days to move a game along.... This has been the biggest criticism of the map and is something that can be solved with the one minor proposed change.

=D13=

[Dako]

GP is fine, and losing condition is a good idea. Graphics are fine to me, but if you have some ideas in mind than just show them ;).

[chapcrap]

I think you ignored what I said about the Lightning Bolt and Mind Blast though. If they reset, there is no point to have them attack the powerstone that attacks them. It's a pointless function.

I am fine with looking into a losing condition, but I think that does change the team game aspect as far as strategy goes. It changes all games for that matter. So, I would not implement that without a lot of discussion first.

[dolomite13]

Once I get Conquer 500 into live play and Krazy Kingdoms into Beta I will return and we can pick up discussion further.

Thanks for all of the great feedback =)

=D13=

[greenoaks]

leave it as is

[Sun_Tzu]

I entirely agree that the LB should be able to reenter the game somehow, preferably through it's own powerstone or another. I am in a Trench Monster Escalating game right now (It was random map). One person is left stranded on a powerstone with 5000+ troops, no one can move to another area without taking a powerstone and holding it for a turn, and that other stranded player has nothing to do but destroy anything that enters a powerstone. It's a complete stalemate. I have never played a game with such high numbers on the board, nor have I ever seen a stalemate. Check it out. 14801186

[Donelladan]

The game isn't a stalemate because of pink.
You could all advance on your powerstone at the same time and he couldn't do much. Not the plan on anyone to do so but still feasible.

[Sun_Tzu]

Ha ha, if I can convince everyone to move onto a powerstone at the same time.

[Wizard2010]

Hi Dolomite,

It's been so long since there's been a post to this thread, I suppose I shouldn't expect a reply.

I'm currently in an 8-person game of "Monsters" which is escalating and has a round limited of 100. Most of us don't know what we're as far as advanced play is concerned but we'll muddle through. The game # is 15278606; and my question is on player elimination: As you can see the red player only has one territory left but that territory is Lightning - so he has no presence on the board itself, just Lightning. Is there a way to attack Lightning? otherwise, as he says in the comments section, he can stay put and build and win after 100 rounds w/o threat of attack.

Thanks,

Wizard2010

[Donelladan]

You can attack the lightning spell from the corresponding powerstone.

In the game you linked, if you want to kill red, you need to take P8.

[dyrtydog]

my first time that I was sober playing this map--It is hard to get to the wizards which should be a losing condition....unless nuclear spoils.

[riskllama]

terrible map. you should stop playing it immediately.

[dolomite13]

terrible map. you should stop playing it immediately.

Yes you probably should.

I would recommend not playing any map you don't like.

=D13=