Suggest a room option of removing map 3 from the pool

[RoyceLin]

After hundreds of game, playing with or against Map 3 (Silver Lake) is not fun any more. Many times just after the first or second break, we already know Map 3 will win, and the game doesn’t allow surrendering at all, so it is like trash time for the next hour.

I am not going to argue whether Map 3 is significantly better than other maps. I believe per-map and per-skill-level win rate stats will be more persuasive, but it is not available now. Based on some posts from boardgamegeek and experience from my friends and me, many skilled player don’t like map 3.

I suggest a new room option of removing map 3 from the game. There is a caveat that now we only have 7 maps, so it only support 3 people if we use the “choose 1 from 2 map” methods, or 4 people if one map is randomly assigned to each player. Either way is totally fine to me. I believe such option would be great for players like me that would like to enjoy the game Map-3-free.

Until then, I am anxious every time I am to start a new game. If a skilled opponent chooses map 3, it is like wasting another 90 minutes (only if they play fast). That trauma feeling starts to prevent me from even wanting to start a new game now.

Thanks!

[Pinstar1]

A fun option would be to implement a "Pick or Ban" rule.

Before being given their maps, each player is allowed to choose "Pick" or "Ban"

If you choose "Ban", you pick one of the 8 maps and remove it from the pool. As a result of exerting your ban, you are then randomly assigned only one map, and you have to play it.

Players who choose "Pick" don't get to ban anything, but are offered 2 maps (from among those not banned) to pick from, the way the game currently works now.

[HoopyFroodJay]

A fun option would be to implement a "Pick or Ban" rule.

Before being given their maps, each player is allowed to choose "Pick" or "Ban"

If you choose "Ban", you pick one of the 8 maps and remove it from the pool. As a result of exerting your ban, you are then randomly assigned only one map, and you have to play it.

Players who choose "Pick" don't get to ban anything, but are offered 2 maps (from among those not banned) to pick from, the way the game currently works now.

That sounds like a fantastic system. I'll try this at some point in a game (doesn't neccessarily have to be Ark Nova).

[D20Headshot]

You can actually select an option where all players play with the same random map. I only play this way now after been so frustrated by Silver Lake.
If win / loss ratios are available by zoo map (potentially also by range of ELO), I'd be very interested !

[Dr3iZack]

I always chose the option with the same random map for all players, but it selects Plan 1 more than 50 %, so I would love to have a ban-option...

[Remkar]

I always chose the option with the same random map for all players, but it selects Plan 1 more than 50 %, so I would love to have a ban-option...

That's not true at all...

You've played that way 5 times, and you've had 5 different maps selected. (Map 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7).

[mturton]

I don't get the sense that it is that powerful. Is it possible to set up a player poll to ask about which maps are the most unbalanced?

[davypi]

I don't get the sense that it is that powerful. Is it possible to set up a player poll to ask about which maps are the most unbalanced?

You mean like this one?
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2848276/best-zoo-map

[mturton]

Thanks!