Suggestion: Very Small Maps

from Sins Forums
I've been playing from near the time Sins was released, and I think it is great, and getting better with every patch.  There is basically one single reason, however, that I play the game once or twice per week, rather than every day.  That is: most evenings I don't have time for a 3 hour game.  Even two hours cuts in to the number of games that I play.  Don't get me wrong, I love the medium maps and the slow pace of the game, but practicalities are practicalities. 

So I'd like to put in a request for more maps along the scope of Point Blank, which I can complete in well under an hour, usually.  Yes, I could make my own maps, that's true, however, specifically, I'd like to request a "Very Small Random Map" generator, and if you go along with the idea of making maps for games to last under an hour (keeping everything else the same), you might add some extra stock maps as well.

One way to vary stock maps would be to have us begin the game in various stages of development, like starting the came with two civic research stations, or two military research station, or more, such that we could begin some advanced researches right away, which would add strategic depth to a fast game.

Or, we could be given 2-3 planets/asteroids to start with, and how we go about developing them, and which of our opponents we decide to attack, and how we defend ours, would have a strategic bearing on a very short (<1 hour) game.

There could also be very short multiplayer maps, where maybe four players just get one planet, and then otherwise two asteroids to contend over, or something like that.

Since it's planet acquisition and development that slows things down, a stock or random very small map would give us a very small system, in a moderately advanced stage of development.

Adding an arrary of "very small" maps would not take anything away from the game as it is, and perhaps it might open things up for more players, and more kinds of play.  If I am not the only one out there whose play of Sins would be enhanced by this, then I submit this to the developers for their consideration.
19,425 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Your general concept is good.I would like to see far more options for map generation. I would like to see shapes like in SOTS.

But I would also like to see the game developed for long term play as well. There is a trend these days to taylor games for the short period of online play. I would like to see an option for a slower playing version so that strategy other than combat was an issue. For me the game at present seems to be timed around short online matches.

But a you rightly say often we have around one hour for a very short match.

More play options would be nice. Along with all the other requests I suppose that are just wishful thinking.

Cheers MarkL
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
Use the map generator if you want random small ones..

It's really really really really easy.


You can make it so you start with 2-3 planets and have like a string of roids between you.
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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
The map generator idea is cool, I should give it a go, but also random maps are fun and random small maps take more than an hour for me, upwards of two. If with the generator you can add structures and start out with colonized planets other than your home world then I shouldn't have much to complain about. I was also thinking maybe something where we could capture research stations like we colonize empty metal or crystal mines, and maybe capture artifacts floating in space too. This is just a thought to move things along, and add new strategic elements, if one wants to. And it wouldn't have to be "canon" play that demands much rebalancing efforts, but just an option for those short on time. Otherwise I wouldn't want to change the structure of the game very much like high starting resources.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
Yes, a good idea!


Just another nudge though, you can make a custom map "randomize" the solar system settings each time you play.

So you could make a 1 star map, with 5 or 7 planets, randomized each time you load up!



Id like to see new scenarios with the very small map, but im totally out of ideas on what else they could do to mix it up. Maybe 1 choke point for both sides to fight over?

I have no good ideas for this one, seems like the smaller the system sizes, the smaller the scenarios you can create. :(
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
K I gave the map generator a try... but even when I just made it with a sun, and no planet groups, and two players, it was still too big. I want some *VERY* small maps. :)

Seriously, the map generator seems designed for making larger maps rather than smaller ones.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
The random maps ARE map generator made basically..

You can make something exactly the same with it.

Fearzone, you need to adjust the max orbit radius and blah blah.. play around with the sliders, you'll figure it out.

You can make the starts practically touching the sun.