CWBP 2 Deciding the map

[Neyjour]

I really like Falconius' idea. Here's another option that expands on that, but slightly different.

Blue is mapped first. So you get to choose from a large square, a smaller square, or an even smaller rectangle (for pieces that fall around the very outer edge of the map).
Red cannot be claimed until all the blue areas around its (relevant) borders have been mapped.

[Ghostman]

That could cause inconsistensies with the spots where the corners of two blue squares touch.

I'd rather that we don't use predefined mapping areas at all, but instead allow plots to be requested in more of a freeform manner. Perhaps we could use a very dense grid that divides the world into lots of tiny squares? Or maybe a hex grid? That way someone who wants to map a particular geographic area could request a plot made up of the relevant small squares/hexes. To prevent anyone hogging up too much space or otherwise causing problems we could state some simple rules such as "a claimed plot may only include up to so-and-so many tiles" and "all the tiles of the claimed plot must be contiguous". And if we want to have buffer zones between maps to prevent inconsistensies arising on their borders, we could disallow claiming tiles that directly neighbour already claimed areas.

[Falconius]

Unfortunately Ghostman I think that makes it more complicated than it strictly has to be. I too would be attracted to such a system except for the complications in managing it and arranging it. That is why I suggest making bigger plots with buffers and allowing people to map as much or as little in that plot as they like before unlocking it again. This would would achieve the same effect that you desire but make it much more simple and manageable, it also solves the problems your rules try to address.

Again a key point to my proposal, and really the whole point behind it, is that one does not have to map the whole square. The plots merely allow them a work site to freely develop as they wish without interference.