Making a space map

[Iconoclast]

I am currently making a custom space map for a scenario, with all new terrains.
My big dilemna is what to define open space as. Currently I started out with using Tundra, and making all units either air or land. I was going to use the outer edges and the middle as sea so the goto works.
Now I am thinking about using sea for open space, so that I can use carriers and have a random chance for a ship to die away from a system. But if I do this, I can no longer use goodies like roads, rails, irrigation, treats all spaces as roads, zone of control, etc.
What do you guys think? It is not necessary for my scenario to have carriers, and it is possible to create land units that refuel air ones. Anyone have experience with space maps with any insight for me? Any help would appreciated.

[shamrock]

I don't have experience w/ space maps, but that won't stop me from offering my opinion!

I would vote for defining open space as a type of land terrain. You lose too much of what makes civ fun and a LOT of versatility. In addition to what you mentioned, you also lose the river terrain (maybe local wormholes), and goodie huts (asteroids?, class "M" planets?, etc). Although there are a few advantages in using ocean, I don't think it's worth it overall. Besides you can probably achieve some of these ocean-specific effects via events; for instance, use the change terrain event (change to same terrain type) at random times in certain locations in "open space" to occasionally kill a ship away from a system.

[Iconoclast]

Thx for the reply.
I made a similar thread in the Scenario League and got a diff opinion.
Key for me is which terrain would be better use to make a good AI.
If I use land, I cannot use the carrier and sub abilities. These are the two biggest plus abilities I could have for this scenario, but I am not sure if they are more important that rivers, roads, goody boxes, city walls, etc. I will have to work to see which one the AI works better with. I know goto will work better with more ocean squares, but there are other ways to fix that.
Thanks for the comments and please keep them coming.

[CrazyOldBear]

I think a good idea would be to have the open space terrain as land also. Also, a good idea which I was thinking of doing myself would be to have each city as a planet? This would give a feel of an extremely large area, as a planet would take up only a single square. Also, how about different planets as teh special resources, to give a more galactical feel? You could have the same planet as a mountain as what a tribe has as a city? This would confuse the player and make him feel "further away from home."

[jcarkey]

I think land would be better. You can always look at space scenarios in CiC or FW or any other space scenarios and get advice.