Random maps?

Doxs · Post by **Doxs** » 13 Sep 2005, 23:01

Would it be possible to use a random map generator to make maps so that you can play on random maps instead of the well known maps we play today.

Perhaps something in the line of http://www.world-machine.com/ ?

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 13 Sep 2005, 23:36

Doxs wrote:Would it be possible to use a random map generator to make maps so that you can play on random maps instead of the well known maps we play today.

Perhaps something in the line of http://www.world-machine.com/ ?

If we had our own free world machine or terregen client mappers would be in heaven. I really don't think it's a realistic expectation though. SY's already build and are still maintaining a game engine, they have no reason to go into such a huge new project like this.

Gnomre · Post by **Gnomre** » 13 Sep 2005, 23:50

It'd probably be too difficult to randomly generate a playable map anyway...

Kuroneko · Post by **Kuroneko** » 14 Sep 2005, 00:30

Gnome wrote:It'd probably be too difficult to randomly generate a playable map anyway...

Keyword being 'playable'. :)

SinbadEV · Post by **SinbadEV** » 14 Sep 2005, 00:30

Simple Solution would be to have random metal maps with even distribution, but it would alter gameplay on any map it's attached to... would only work on mostly flat maps... but most of them are that way

GrOuNd_ZeRo · Post by **GrOuNd_ZeRo** » 14 Sep 2005, 03:26

in the future we'll probably have a dedicated map maker ala generals...but the current system is actually quite interesting.

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 14 Sep 2005, 04:54

GrOuNd_ZeRo wrote:in the future we'll probably have a dedicated map maker ala generals...but the current system is actually quite interesting.

The current system is really cool except for some frustrating missing features.

Doxs · Post by **Doxs** » 14 Sep 2005, 12:39

I just asked for the technical possibility, I didnt demand anything and I know there are more pressing matters.

Maelstrom · Post by **Maelstrom** » 14 Sep 2005, 17:06

The problem would be the sheer size of the maps. This alone would make painting a randomly generated map a time consuming process, and thats not including adding in nice, logical hills, and the textures for them. It would just not be very good to include this in a pre-game automated progress. Then dont forget about having to send the newly completed map to everyone elses computers, which would add another long while (especially for those poor suckers on 56k). It was a good idea, but it really isnt possible.

On the other side, it would be possible to make something like TerraGen as a seperate program to generate maps, and then distribute the good ones via FileUniverse or something. But this would have to be a seperate program, and wouldn't be quite what your looking for.

Torrasque · Post by **Torrasque** » 14 Sep 2005, 17:16

A random heightmap , with some algo don't take a lot of time to generate.
The texture can be a generic 256*256 repetitive texture.
The metal placement don't take a lot of time too.

But the compilaton will.(I think the same time as mapConv...but perhaps with a small repetitive 256*256 texture, it can be quick???)

And maelstorm, your 56k argument is wrong.
Just make that every computer make the same map, using the same seed for random numbers.

aGorm · Post by **aGorm** » 14 Sep 2005, 18:28

Is there somthing wrong with the current maps?

Or atleast.. do you realy thing a computer could randomly generate one better?

aGorm

Torrasque · Post by **Torrasque** » 14 Sep 2005, 20:17

aGorm wrote:Is there somthing wrong with the current maps?

Or atleast.. do you realy thing a computer could randomly generate one better?

aGorm

I'm not keen of random map generator. But people ask if it technically possible, and I think it's technically possible (with a lot of work) and say why.

IMSabbel · Post by **IMSabbel** » 14 Sep 2005, 20:25

Of course its technically possible.

Just make a perlin noise highfield, slap some tripple sinus plasma on the metalmap, randomly place x thermal vents and set the startpositions with a minium distance from each other...

(but i wouldnt want to play on it)

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 14 Sep 2005, 20:27

IMSabbel wrote:tripple sinus plasma

Huh?

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 14 Sep 2005, 21:23

FizWizz wrote:
IMSabbel wrote:tripple sinus plasma
Huh?

It's a photoshop filter I belive...

Randomly generates a feild of "plasma" on the image.

Warlord Zsinj · Post by **Warlord Zsinj** » 15 Sep 2005, 09:59

You could probably hook a fractal into the heightmap generator, but as Gnome said, it would take heaps of effort, and would never be as good as a handmade map, and would likely be regularly unfair for each side.

aGorm · Post by **aGorm** » 15 Sep 2005, 14:57

Hence my point... not that i was trying to rubish the idea Torrasque, mearly pointing out its flaw.

aGorm

Spring RTS Engine

Random maps?

Random maps?

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