This is the version I am currently play testing. An uncompressed and full size version will be posted to the files section after the play test is done. As promised, I will also be posting the Photo Shop file for this somewhere that accepts large downloads. Many thanks to IntvGene for his original, and his generosity in posting his original PSD files as well.

wow!

those connection costs in the grey section are high.

I loved this board when it was first being constructed - graphically it is superb but the problem has always been the linearity of regions. There are few if any real ways to by pass someone who has blocked you in compared to other boards.

There must be connections over the top that reduices the linear nature of the original, but costs are high and will be used less than other connections. I feel the board as was could suffer from who goes first grabs the best patch - nice one in the middle with lost of connections going out!

I'd be tempted to stomach the nonsensicality of long distance costs not being high and hack them down so everyone wants to move north - have land rates very low - lots of ice and polar bears!

How are the regions decided in less than 6 player games - is grey ALWAYS in play as the starting rule? that'd make things interesting!

CHRIS

If you think the costs are high now, you should have seen my first draft! I think I had Inuvik -> Iqaluit at 42 or so. This was to keep the links in the North appropriately higher than those in the West. But it left a region that absolutely no one wanted to play in.

I adjusted the costs in the West down a bit, which gave me room to lower the North to the current levels.

I had just realized recently that the Victoria -> Prince George link is redundant -- you can go Victoria -> Vancouver -> Prince George for the same cost. I'm either going to take that out, or move the link to Prince Rupert. Either way will give me the excuse I need to drop the links in the North further by an electro or two, which could make all the difference.

I too like the idea of using the North as a bypass when blocked out of a region. The high costs may mean that this tactic won't be used until later in the game.

My buddies and I are in the middle of a PBEM of this. We're still in step 1 and everyone is fighting for room in the southern cities. No one has ventured to the North as of yet. Someone may jump over the prairies soon to compete in the West. It's quite tense, and quite fun so far.

test

For those interested, there is a slightly different version of the same map in the Power Grid images gallery. The changes are:
1 - The link from Victoria to Prince George now goes from Victoria to Prince Rupert.
2 - The SW Ontario region colour has changed to offer better contrast to the Ontario-Québec region, particularly for those who are colour blind (at least according to the vischeck filter I used).

I'm starting to use a system of 'tags' for my maps, and will keep my latest version of this map tagged as 'pgcanadacurrent'. Searching for that tag should always get you to the latest version, no matter how many more I put up.