Planets and Random Map Generators?

[Dagobahn Eagle]

Will there be random map generators?

(I realize that if there is no generator, it's a feature there's no time to change prior to first release. I still want to hear everyones' opinions, though. Just ignore what you know about whether or not it's going to be in when answering the poll)

 

I fear some of the reason why there are "only" 20 planets with such big-looking fleets (in Stars! there could be nearly half a thousand - or more) is that they have set of planets (like in Battlefront), but vary it from campaign to campaign (also like in Battlefront).

 

I think that's really linear. What's wrong with randomly placed and even named planets? Face it, no one has a star chart of the Galaxy SW took place in, and while some people will cry "but I can't play without Hoth in there somewhere", the Hoth system wasn't the only place where fighting took place (just one of maybe 100 billion planets?). Ah, OK, maybe there could be a switch that "enabled historical planetoids" or something...

 

If there's a set campaign selection only, and no random map generator like in Stars!, that's a huge let-down. I also hear that you can't freely navigate in space, but need to follow set lanes from planetoid to planetoid. In Stars!, you could move freely in space, tracking rival fleets with on-ship and planetary scanners (two kinds: One with short range that gave you a detailed report on fleets, and one long-range one that just told you there was a fleet without giving you more than the types of ship hulls and the number of ships - and in Stars!, ships were very customizable, so just the hull type told you little).

 

Depending on the engines you gave the ships, you could give them a speed from Warp 1 (lo-o-ong ride) to Warp 10 (zooming along ripping the ship apart unless you had really good engines). There even was fuel in the game, but that's too drastic to push if it's not in already (which it isn't, I guess;)).

 

There's no way it can't also be done with a SW universe (in fact, I always dreamt of an SW Total Conversion of Stars!).

 

But my point is: This "lane system" fuels my fear that maps are not randomly generated. If that is so, the developers had better include a campaign builder of some sort, even if it's a very simple one (sorry about the bluntness..).

 

The other random map generator I'd like is for planets. Give planets multiple regions randomly. I want to contact the devs about this, probably some time after first release, to suggest that they think about it, even though it's a huge change.

 

Dagobahn Eagle.

 

PS: Just to give an example, let me describe Stars!'s map generator. First, you set the size of the universe, then the density. Next, you toggled "clumping" on or off (which decided whether or not planetoids would form groups or clusters near each others). Finally, you decided how close players would start to one another, and players were then assigned planets at random. Again, there's no way this couldn't be done with Star Wars (and if "historical planets" have to be in, you could make them special somehow still...)

 

I litteraly hiver at the thought of Stars! or Age of Empires II without random map generators. Why doesn't every game have one anyway?!

[OverlordAngelus]

I like the idea of random planets but it should be implimented with the known planets too, so you're still fighting for Coruscant, Tatooine, Hoth etc but you have random planets at the same time.

 

Also, there is a map of the Star Wars galaxy, it was included with the Star Wars Fact Files and Star Wars Insider. It was also based upon the galaxy map included with the NJO books.

 

Star Wars Galaxy Map

[Heavyarms]

Hm... at the least there should be a planet editor and a map editor, so you should be able to make your own planets and galaxies.

 

A RMG would be good if it allows you to select # of planets, only thing to think about is if planets have something involving getting tech in SP, it will be tricky for MP.

 

What I would like to see would be a galaxy domination thing, similar to Red Alert 2, in which you are given a really big galaxy, you pick a side, and you fight for one single location in the galaxy, and you start with pre-determined assets, depending on whether you are a sucessful commander and how your forces are divided, and who is winning.

[SirPantsAlot]

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MULTI CHOICE ^_^

[Falmarin]

I'd like the choice to play with the set canon map or with a random map.

[Dagobahn Eagle]

Good idea.

 

Heck, all I need is to move my fleets freely. I don't like star lanes (in any space game).

 

Randomized maps aren't much fun with star lanes...

[Master_Cain]

I must say that buildings damaged in battle will stay damaged after the battle and outside the battle you can build defences but can layout the construction of buildings - they folow and already existing plan ( this way you cannot make death-traps and kill zones by positioning your buildings ) - I am inclined to belive in less generation of things in game - still a cartain generation of positions and unimportant stuff must exist or you will learn were the rebels are starting and you will go for that planet directly. I will say 60 % not generated and 40 % generated stuff.

 

Also - No star lanes in the game mainly rotues from planet A to planet B - I still don't know if you can stop ded in space betwen planets - all I can say is that the space will be more interesting that in existing Space Games.

[FroZticles]

In a normal match you will more than likely know where the Rebels are or have a slight idea where there base is in a 1v1 match. Star Lanes and routes are basically the same thing...

[Dagobahn Eagle]

Well, what I mean is this:

 

Free travel: Everything is set on a 2D coordinate plane, and fleets can move where-ever they darn well please, at various speeds.

 

Star lanes/paths/whatever: Fleets can only move between planets, and only using set routes/paths.

 

That's the two I think we're debating.

 

[q]I must say that buildings damaged in battle will stay damaged after the battle and outside the battle you can build defences but can layout the construction of buildings - they folow and already existing plan ( this way you cannot make death-traps and kill zones by positioning your buildings ) - I am inclined to belive in less generation of things in game - still a cartain generation of positions and unimportant stuff must exist or you will learn were the rebels are starting and you will go for that planet directly. I will say 60 % not generated and 40 % generated stuff.

So what you're saying is that if a planet has a large population and, say, an airbase, then in battle there will be a city with an air base? Or do I misunderstand you completely?

[Master_Cain]

I wanted to say that planet surfaces will not be regenerated at every battle - like in other games - and also at the start of a game many planets will be standard and no generated. This subject is the most unknown in the hole of EaW previews.