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Narrowing Your Focus
Once you have chosen the size of the planet, your next big decision will be what type of game you wish to encourage. Are you gearing the map more toward economy or more toward warfare? If you decide to focus the map on a particular aspect of Alpha Centauri, remember that when providing resources, units, and other essential commodities.
Giving each player certain units from the outset could be one way to steer the game in a particular direction. For instance, if you are hoping for a game filled with warfare, you could provide each player with some basic combat units at the start of the game. Or, if you are looking for a game filled with discovery and research, you could scatter bonus technologies around the land.
NOTE
Be careful when providing units for your players. Keep things balanced at the beginning; you don't want one player to gain a quick advantage because he has superior starting units.
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Though you don't absolutely need to have a theme for your map, you should try to keep the game within a certain focus to make it unique and intriguing for the players. Giving them free reign in wide-open spaces might make your game no different than just playing a random map. Try constructing a storyline for your map or initiating some alliances right from the beginning.
Distributing Resources
Without nutrients, minerals, or energy, a game of Alpha Centauri won't last very long. Each player needs an equal area of resources upon which to build his empire. Don't stick one player with abundant forest or rocky tiles while giving another player nothing but fungus squares.
The initial bases are only the beginning. You must provide ample resources around the map so each player can expand and construct new bases. You don't necessarily need to place these resources in a symmetrical pattern, but you should try to give each player an equal shot at securing the most resource-heavy areas. The same goes for special bonus resource tiles; place these carefully and try not to give one player or a certain area an advantage.
NOTE
Place a few special "treasure" spots around your map. If players suspect that there might be good construction areas scattered around, they'll be encouraged to explore. When players explore, they meet others, and the meat of the game - diplomacy and conflict - will ensue.
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Next -
Logical Landscapes, Conservative Bonuses, and Assigning Starting Positions
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