No way to position the start spots for each player on a custom map?

[JRock]

I'd like to be able to select where each of the 1-8 players starts on the map - is it possible to add start spots to the map editor? That way people don't start in the middle of a forest or with most of their deployment area hacked off by a lake or whatever.

Thanks.

[GilJaysmith]

Quote Originally posted by JRock:
I'd like to be able to select where each of the 1-8 players starts on the map - is it possible to add start spots to the map editor? That way people don't start in the middle of a forest or with most of their deployment area hacked off by a lake or whatever.
[/QUOTE]


No support for this. The best you can do is exploit the following information to design your maps...

This is where the eight circles are located... their positions are calculated as percentages of the map size:

Position 50%, 25%, radius 35% (bottom middle)
Position 50%, 75%, radius 25% (top middle)
Position 25%, 75%, radius 15% (top left)
Position 75%, 75%, radius 15% (top right)
Position 19%, 50%, radius 15% (left middle)
Position 81%, 50%, radius 15% (right middle)
Position 18%, 18%, radius 15% (bottom left)
Position 82%, 18%, radius 15% (bottom right)

Generally the attackers beam up in the north and the defenders in the south, although obviously if you fight 7v1 then the defender will get bottom-middle and the attackers everywhere else.

On non-river stratmap games the positions are rotated for variety, so you might find yourself attacking from the southwest rather than the north. This doesn't happen in MP games.

On coastal maps these positions are all shoved over to the left slightly. (We still only support eastern coasts.)

On river maps the positions are shifted up or down to ensure that attackers always deploy to the north and defenders to the south of the river. This is why playing MP on Bannockburn is risky because the river is far to the south and there might be nowhere for the defenders to deploy. This falls under the old "some maps may be unsuitable for multiplayer" disclaimer.

On castle maps the attackers have slightly smaller home circles slightly further away from the castle, but any of them can deploy pretty much anywhere they want; the circles are just for the initial troop beam-in.

Gil ~ CA

[JRock]

Disappointing, but interesting. Thanks for the info.

[giskard]

That explains some of a stupid starting points I have seen online.

One game my team was lined up along the west side of the map and the enemy had 3 teams alone the north. I was side on to 3 teams and took the lot on by my lone some.

I forget the map name though.

A second game I starteding some trees and it took me ages to setup my troops because of that. Some players started to complain about the excessive setup time too.

But what can you do when your surrounded by trees on all sides with just one tiny clearing to place troops in.

I have to say I was disappointed by the editor. Its a pain to use. A sad excuse for an editor indeed.

Giskard