My issues are specific with tiny and small maps. These maps greatly exagerate the impact of the events. If you have not played on a small or tiny map I respectfully suggest you do before telling me how much more fun the game is with these events as they are. I have yet to complete a tiny map game without it being determined by an event, not by my actions. This is my underlying issue.

I am a big fan of the computer version of "advanced civilization". In that game massive events sweep through turn by turn greatly changing play. Skill in that game is learning to guide your civ through the upheavels. I am all for that.. it creates all kinds of interesting scenarios. What I am NOT for are events that determine the outcome of the game without your skill being involved. Ones that either buff a computer player to an extreme no small map empire can deal with, or ones that devestate an empire in a way no small map empire can deal with.

The following are the exagertaing factors of a small/tiny map:

1) Everyone has fewer systems. The loss of a single system greatly reduces your production

2) Lower production from smaller empires = lower tech level for a given turn. Its just math. If your empire is half the size, the event will be occuring vs tech of half the level it would normally be occuring.

3) Smaller economy = smaller fleets. When an event does occur, you have fewer of the lower tech ships. THis is just economics.. one cant afford to maintain fleets the size you would have on hand in a larger map.

4) Trade routes make up a very high percentage of your economy. Events that spawn ships that destroy your frieghters can cause your economy to flat line very quickly. Much of my strategy is insuring this does not happen in conflicts with other players.

Suggestions to improve events:
1) Base event availability on a composite of tech/population/military on the board instead of a turn level. This will insure that events pop up based on measures independent of map size.. and would generally push events further out on small maps.

2) Scale the military results of the occuring event to reflect the average fleet on the map.

3) Immunize home systems on tiny maps from system events. Loss of home system can often end a game before it starts. On a tiny map you can find yourself with only 2-3 systems, 4-6 you are doing very well (and likely bought the planet quality advantage).

4) Timeout/end_condition on events.. like the zoo one.. on a tiny map maybe after they eat X ships/systems they swim away "off map". This would minimize the rampaging fleet aspect. Perhaps in general there should be a chance they choose to travel off map whenever in an edge sector. This will occur far more often on tiny maps then large maps.

My two cents. I LIKE events. I just want to see events appropriate for the map size. This game has HUGE potential for small mappers like myself. I love a game I can play durning the 2-3 hr in the evening when I may be watching news or documentaries or whatever.. but I want to play without the sword of damocles hanging over my head. When I lose, I want to say "I should have done xxx", not "Oh, I rolled snake eyes, game over".

Perhaps what we really need is a set of events specifically for tiny/small maps... designed for the strengths and weaknesses of those map types.

Regards,

Artuk

~SDC~