I agree with ingebot, there's a lot of settings where this could work. Basically any "empire on which the sun never set" that at some point colonized America, Africa, and Asia. Denmark and Sweden could work, too.

Should there be a mechanic that lets you re-enter a theater even if you lose all your units and SCs there? If you have extra builds, you can use one to instead launch an expedition. That would put a fleet on the edge of a theater where you don't already have any SCs or units. That would allow some limited interaction between theaters but not be as drastic as allowed mass movement between them.

I have done the large map to SpeedEuropa variant and InterActive map too. I smbd want to play and test you are welcome:
https://webdiplomacy.ru/board.php?gameID=13200

"Should there be a mechanic that lets you re-enter a theater even if you lose all your units and SCs there? If you have extra builds, you can use one to instead launch an expedition. That would put a fleet on the edge of a theater where you don't already have any SCs or units."

I can't seem to find it now, but isn't there an Eighty Years' War variant set in the Spanish Netherlands where a Spanish fleet can always be built in the English Channel even if the Spanish supply centers in Flanders are lost?

Found it: variantID=32

https://vdiplomacy.net/variants.php?variantID=32

Hmm, that's a very interesting variant, seems like one of the few I've not tried yet!

There's also a variant that introduces an economy into the game where there's essentially 2 different maps, though I don't remember what it was called

Oh of course, it's called Classic - Economic lol https://vdiplomacy.com/variants.php?variantID=53

https://vdiplomacy.com/variants.php?variantID=158

I put together a new variant. Anyone have feedback or interested in testing?

Certainly interested, art looks good! You can convoy through the island chains right?

At the moment, you cannot convoy through the islands. They function as regular coastal regions.

To those who use paint.net for map making, bear with me when I ask some basic questions...

Laughably first and foremost, while the google doc says 1 pixel is sufficient for a border, whenever I use paint can to fill a shape, it doesnt seem to read its borders and fills the surrounding area too...if that makes sense. Are you using the paintbrush tool? The pencil tool? Pencil seems to have the pixelated line style im looking for but has no options for size, and the fill seems not to work with it either.

Really a simpler way to ask a lot of questions is- what are some basic formatting principles you guys use if I really just want to copy the style of the classic map/most other maps as seen on vdip? Cheers in advance

If you have antialiasing disabled and selection quality set to pixelated, reduce your fill tool's tolerance level (a sliding bar between 0-100) until none of that gets eaten up by it.
The paintbrush at a thickness of 1 works exactly like the pencil, provided you have antialiasing disabled. You can increase the thickness to 2 and it should work just like a thicker pencil.
Something else you might want to try before filling things in is selecting them with the magic wand first and then painting the selected area instead of just painting the area like one would do in MS Paint.

Hope that helps!

Definitely helps, at least Im nearly sure it does. Yeah you nailed my skill level though, MS paint has gotten me through many years, paint.net is clearly superior but damn if it doesnt have some nuances to it. Thanks a bunch. Im sure Ill be back with more questions in time.

Hi everyone!

I have an initial version of my map with all the territories, build centers, starting units, and border connections established.

Is there a way I can test the functionality of everything to make sure it works right without setting up an actual game and getting a bunch of volunteers as playtesters? I suppose I'm looking for some sort of sandbox option.

Perhaps this is only my opinion, but isn't the scenario chosen a bit inappropriate? In the context of current events it appears rather bad taste especially to make the Islamic State playable and to give Israel extemporaneous boundaries.

I appreciate your opinion and comment. I agree that this could be distasteful in the wrong light. I have been working on this variant for almost a year now offline and research non-state actors in the Middle East for a living. I believe - besides from the fun of the game - there is legitimate value im creating this scenario because it highlights the complexities in decisionmaking that the various player-countries had to weigh when working through the regional crisis at that time. Creating IS as a playable faction is admittedly a controversial choice, but I know there are multiple variants are here that let people play as, for instance, Germany in WWII variants.

I will make it clear from the beginning that this map nor I am taking absolutely no stance on current events and everything is based on de facto influence zones circa 2010, with some minor adjustments for the sake of game balance of course.

Nonetheless, I appreciate your feedback and will reflect on the scenario to make sure it remains a suitable reflection of events at that time.

Here is my variant, "Tarifa": https://i.imgur.com/ei2zLt5.jpg

I hope I didn't accidentally create something that already exists.

I'm a bit concerned I made Italy and France overpowered...

The primary goal here was to:
1) increase friction between Austria and Germany
2) increase friction between Germany and Russia
3) give Turkey and England something to talk about
4) give Italy and England something to talk about
5) turn South Italy into a fortress

Introducing....Arctic Diplomacy! https://imgur.com/a/ZS7Q93y

Do please roast me, suggestions/critiques are welcome.
To note: yes I realize the ice fluctuates each year, but the general dynamics regarding unit movement would not be heavily changed spring/fall when including ice meltage, and I for one much prefer a static map to a seasonally changing one, thus the ice stays the same through turns. And yes I realize there is nothing at the real North Pole to speak of, so in the description I'll include that a platinum stash was somehow discovered there or something for the sake of play.

Also, if you have any aesthetic suggestions by all means let me know, while I generally like how it turned out, this was just as much a mission in learning as it was map creation.
Cheers and thanks in advance.

Iceland Bestland!

Hi guys! After testing my Iberia map, I've done some slight changes (changing a bit the north of Africa and giving Granada 2 armies and a fleet instead of 2 fleets and an army). I have more ideas, but I think it's best to not change a lot at once so I can test how every individual change affects the game. But after all, I'm pretty happy with the balance of the map! I think after a few tweaks I may be able to call it a day.
If anyone wants to help me test it, I've created two more games, one with press and one gunboat:
https://www.vdiplomacy.com/board.php?gameID=58063
https://www.vdiplomacy.com/board.php?gameID=58064
Thanks!

Add some rivers inside the peninsula. It can be useful for Toledo power.

I don't hate that idea, although I don't see how would it improve Toledo's position? (The game is build anywhere, so anyone can build fleets if they get to the coast). But I think it could be cool (and historical)

I had a great time following Test 1, though I found it more interesting when there was activity in the global chat. I'm looking forward to the finished variant!

Thanks! Maybe I'll test a game or two with global chat only, that could be pretty interesting as well :)

Big Stick Diplomacy - base map:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GCbMiXuPEzxaDA0Oy4TDgpeXxKp6WN7F/view?usp=sharing

Classic - Middle East Variant https://imgur.com/a/Ox3yRvn

Worked on this a while ago, decided to simplify the changes. Think it looks pretty solid now, let me know if there are any issues

The Big Stick Diplomacy Map is really interesting

it can be very interesting. I would imagine it would consist of Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Britain, France, Belgium... Germany?

German/Italian smaller entities**?