New Random Map idea, for Single/Multi-players alike

from Sins Forums

A new randomly generated map that uses a tree (Top down view) like pattern.  There would be 5-10 "trees" of varying size, with one highly phase jump connected planet in the middle of each tree, known as the "hub" planet. The overall cluster would have a few random interconnections but nothing as substantial as the central tree hub.  This generates a few planets of extreme importance in each empire, that will require fortification.  At the same time, all these hub planets would be connected to each other in one large ring, being on of the 3-5 connections connecting these trees to the other planet trees in the game.  A maximum of 2 players homeworlds could be placed on the same tree.

This map would promote heavy fighting and early starbasing for all races (although vasari would have a huge advantage if they aren't balanced.

These hub planets would be an average of 3-5 jumps away from a players HW(which would still have the standard small cluster of planets around it).  The player homeworld would be placed randomly along one of the hub's phase jumps, so your home planet could even be randomly placed near a star, which could alter your opponents scouting strategy substantially(because there are no predictable start locations).

Also, these trees would be randomly connected 3-5 ways to other trees to create second order of importance defensible worlds.  The HW of the player would be hidden among one of the many connections on the hub planet, making it difficult to scout early as there are so many options, possibly forcing more early game scout production.  Note, spamming scouts early however, has disadvantages, as players who scout your hub world early would have a high likelyhood of determining which phase lane your home planet is connected to.

Overall, this map would lend itself to discovering key choke points early and fortifying them, while expanding, yet there would be no standard "eco spots" per se because there are so many phase lane options that unless an opponent gets lucky early on, they will have time to get up a good economy.

These games would lend themselves to high powered games as economies would have more time to develop, scouting would be much harder with only a few central hub planets, perhaps people may even research phase jump inhibitor bypass technology on their scouts (gasp!!!!).

This gives players their own "min empire space", yet if they lose the critical hub planet, their empire would be opened up like a tin can vs a sword.  At the same time, the player's opponent could secure their hub planet and choose to instead try to take the 3-5 defensible border worlds connecting the trees together at random points.

thoughts, comments?

 

 

 

 

6,217 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Well as it is now, the game only support true random maps in a roughly circular pattern.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 1
Well as it is now, the game only support true random maps in a roughly circular pattern.

Well, aren't random maps both very interesting to single players and multiplayers alike?

Improving the programming of these would highly improve re-playability for both groups.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting sareth01, reply 2


Well, aren't random maps both very interesting to single players and multiplayers alike?

Improving the programming of these would highly improve re-playability for both groups.

It could, but what we've seen with the new maps are simply taking advantage of previous but underused features. I doubt a radical change in the map formats will occur, considering we haven't even got our auto downloading maps yet, which was requested before the beta and actually put on their "if we have time list". That would be much more helpful than another type of random map IMO.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

I think you would like the new map called "Kabel", sareth. It came with the last major update. It is great for 5 vs 5 games yet I don't ever see anyone play it in MP, which is kind of a shame.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Teun-A-Roonius, reply 5
I think you would like the new map called "Kabel", sareth. It came with the last major update. It is great for 5 vs 5 games yet I don't ever see anyone play it in MP, which is kind of a shame.

Yeah, premade maps are just too distrusted still, despite all the new premade maps having fixed team positions which would eliminate unfairness from extra suicide/economy positions. That may slowly change, hard to tell.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Teun-A-Roonius, reply 5
I think you would like the new map called "Kabel", sareth. It came with the last major update. It is great for 5 vs 5 games yet I don't ever see anyone play it in MP, which is kind of a shame.

Its true i haven't played one of those maps in a while, perhaps I will when I feel like hosting a game.

I'd say those maps are more single player friendly however.  Random maps are both multiplayer and single player friendly.  This thread is half a post about the idea, and half a post trying to inspire more development in the area of random maps so that both communities get a win-win situation.