Oh you know what map I'm talking about. "World Nations 2012." Go to the Open Games tab and you're bound to find this map. Most world diplomacy games are played on this map, and it's everywhere. And if you don't know what map I'm referencing, maybe you need a refresher. It looks a little like something you'd find on a spaceship. It's terrible:



Let me give you a few reasons why this map sucks. Like, really bad.

1.) What is this? Maps should have clean, authentic shapes, not something out of a modern Call of Duty game. For gods sake, Norway looks like a weapon, and Denmark looks like Germany's ponytail. Don't even get me started on Japan. What is that? An alien banana? It doesn't even begin to look like a real area of land. Please, keep real world maps looking like just that: real world maps. And another thing: It's all black and gray. Why? It makes it look dull and boring. Make the bonuses different colors, and make things stand out.

2.) Oh God. The bonuses. Why? Just why? There is a reason that bonuses exist. And that reason is not to have one on every single territory on the map. It's ridiculous. But here's the kicker: not only does EVERY territory have its own bonus, *cringe* but they're not even balanced! Why on Earth is Michigan worth more than Portugal, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, New Zealand and 3 times as much (yes, 3) as Slovakia, Iceland, and half of the African countries? Why is Taiwan worth 50 (as much as Norway) while Finland is worth 30? TAIWAN IS WORTH MORE THAN FINLAND. None of this is politically, economically, or geographically correct. It's not even correct by means of population. The bonus issue in conjunction with the color issue makes things very, very confusing. I am pretty decent at geography, but the first couple times I played this, I had to use a map to find out what territories were part of my country. This can ruin games because nobody knows what the heck is going on.

3.) Don't even bother getting your hopes up for a diplo game on this map. If you are not China, Russia, or USA, quit. You lose. Like I said before, the map is so unbalanced. One of these countries' territories is as much as some people's entire slot. At least make it like "Modern Europe" (https://www.warlight.net/Map/11077-Modern-Europe) where Bulgaria, for example is worth 100 armies to make up for it making the majority of a certain slots' territories. But even that doesn't have a bonus on every territory. *another cringe*

4.) All in all, with all due respect to the creator, this map is awful. I hate it. And it wouldn't be half as bad if it wasn't used for every game that uses the entire world. I just can't stress it enough: stop. Please. I can't look at this map anymore. I'm tired of it. You don't even have to change the eye-straining shapes. Just make the bonuses multi-territoried, color coded, and balanced. Don't make an island country off the coast of China that means nothing to the person controlling China (because of their unbalanced income) five times as much as countries like Iceland. This map is the very bane of my existence.

Regards,
Sir Eddysan

Edited 7/26/2015 11:05:53

Totally agree. Not much point in playing if you're not the USA, Russia or China. Though ancient scenarios (tiny tribes scattered around) are a good idea, you don't often see them.

1. I'm not arguing here, there was some oversimplifying. However, as a map maker myself, is can be hard sometimes to come in under the quite small limit that Warlight imposes on you.

2. There is absolutely NO reason why this map should have "Standard" bonuses; What then would separate it from other world maps? How would diplomacy games be played effectively on it? Also, you can change the bonus values to whatever your greedy little heart desires. THIS SHOULD NOT AFFECT YOUR OPINION OF THE MAP!

3. Diplomacy games are actually very diverse. Sure Superpowers have an obvious advantage, but I have literally only gotten the chance to be a superpower once or twice. Whereas I win basically all of the dilomacy games I play. It's very possible to win while playing as a middle power, such as japan, India, Germany/anywhere else i europe, australia, Canada, Brazil, you get the point.

I personally love the map. However i don't play diplo and i'm one of those who doesn't give 2 figs as to whether a map is pretty or accurate, i judge it by gameplay only and find it rocks for a pure FFA. No bonuses to worry about, its simply outmanoevering your opponant and hoping that you don't meet 4 of them at the same time. There's a lot of luck with picks, balancing the appeal of the better areas with the chance that area will be crowded. The bonus system used by this map though really does just lead to a full blown attacking war which really FFAs should be in my opinion

Edited 7/26/2015 11:37:42

Someone's seen too many Semice senario's...
1. A bunch of those diplos' are played on the '14 map made by Red Menace.
2. Nearly every map can be fixed, bar the tiny ones, to play reasonably well, if not brilliant. If you want to make actual bonuses, make one territory in every ten worth either twenty or thirty and all the rest worth 0.

I thought you were talking about Medium Earth

FTFY: Diplofags' Favorite Map (but I hate it!)

Yeah, my favorite map is ME or MME. I assure you, no shitty map of that size would ever be the favored map of anyone with a brain.

I prefer the map "The World(1.3k)
It is the largest world map on Warlight and is accurate too and the bounses are good.Try it out.You can just filter to Real Maps then to more territorries and you will find it on the first page

I think diplomacy 2012 is one of the best world maps for alternative gameplay purposes.

To keep it short

-Hits a territory sweet spot of 300-700.
-Interesting territory layout.

These make it the go-to map for a bland world diplomacy.

It does have many other possible users. I've made several scenarios for the maps based on things that aren't modern world.

@Ryan I do have a few scenerios for the map focusing on small, separated Napa growing and interacting each other.

As for balance issues, island nations like Britain and Japan are screwed. They're awful and don't offer much expansion. I usually balance this by giving Japan and Britaina lot of income.

1: You being picky (not just you, mapmakers are often like this as well.)

2: The idea here is that you don't need to collect a traditional "bonus" because you are still getting resources out of the land you have. You don't suddenly get a bonus when you get Bulgaria. This map was made with this idea in mind - there a few others like it and this kind is standard for diplomacies. That said, there are many geographical innacuarcies, but as long as you're good at geography, it's really easy to tell which territories are yours.

3: Maps for custom scenarii aren't unbalanced, scenarii are. And the most popular scenarii for this map are unbalanced duophilic unrealistic scenarii that have been around for a very long time. The 1913 scenario and the new World War 2 are better, though.

4: Did you hear about World Nations 2014? It's even worse.

Genghis makes good points.

@Жұқтыру I didn't think it got any worse, but you have proven me wrong. Also, I realize I was a bit picky but I just can't stand this map to begin with, so I guess that kinda impacted my tolerance for impurities in the format from the start. :P