AI Dueling Map
I have finally finished the new map I have been working on. This map is based on the system layout of Master Belisarius's Death Match 2 map, but each system map has been completely reworked.
Map Use: To use put a observer as player one in the far away Zitrod system with no warp points, put AI Oppenent 1 as player two in the upper central Aldan system, and AI Opponent 2 as player three in the lower central Sutran system. Change the planet type and atmosphere to match the each players starting colony and atmosphere preferences. If you fail to do this, then some players will get additional planets that ruin the movement point and planet type balance of the map.
Goals/Changes:
A) Balance of planet type and atmosphere changed to be movement point based instead of number of systems away based.
Example: If there is a nice mineral rich rock oxygen planet 8 movement points away from the nearest home planet, then there are also nice mineral rich ANY ANY planets 8 movement points away.
B) Make the overall map symmetric to 180 degree rotation. If you picture the galaxy map and each system map inside and rotate 180 degrees about the central system between the AI opponents, then the resulting galaxy map and each system map looks identical. The AI opponents starting positions have switched sides and the human player now observes from far away on the other side, but the position of objects within the systems looks the same.
Example: If AI opponent one enters a system and turns left to find a nice juicy mineral rich ice methane planet, then AI opponent 2 can enter the equivalent system on his side of the map and turn left and find a mineral rich ice methane planet of the same juicyness.
C) Closely balance total number of facilities available for each planet type and atmosphere so the AI's are on a similar footing. There are 5 medium rock and ice planets, one of each atmosphere in every system. There are also 4 large gas planets, one of each valid atmosphere. Finally there is a tiny rock none and ice none moon like planet in each system. This gives 32 facilities per system (fps) for gas giant players and rock/ice none players, but only 28 fps for rock/ice other atmospheres. There are seven total systems on each players side so that is a 28 facility disadvantage for rock/ice other atmospheres types. So for more facility balance, 4 additional medium rock and 4 additional medium ice planets were added among the seven systems (all the average distance away with the average quality). Now rock/ice other atmospheres have 31.4 fps, gas other have 32.0, and rock/ice none have 33.7 fps. Gas player have to colonize the fewest planets for the same number of facilities while rock/ice none have to colonize the most planets. I think the overall result is closely balance, with slight biases in the same direction as they would be on random maps.
D) Add some variety in planet qualities while maintaining balance. Among the 7 systems near each player are seven types of balanced planet sets:
Planet Type, Mineral Value, Organic Value, Radioactive Value
1, 115, 115, 115
2, 30, 95, 140
3, 95, 140, 30
4, 140, 30, 95
5, 30, 30, 70
6, 30, 70, 30
7, 95, 30, 30
Type 1 planets are all in the single system away from the opponent, while type 2-4 planets are distributed among the three closest systems toward the opponent, and type 5-7 systems are distributed among the three second closet systems toward the opponent. The distribution occurs like this: rock type 2, ice type 3, and gas type 4 are in one system; then ice type 2, gas type 3, and rock type 4 are in another; and finally gas type 2, rock type 3, and ice type 4 are in the Last of the set.
E) Changed the system names so player 2(3)'s home system starts with A(S), those one away start with B(T), and two away start with D(X). The middle asteroid systems start with M.
AI Dueling Map
[ May 23, 2003, 21:36: Message edited by: cybersol ]
Re: Space Empires IV: Maps and Scenarios
Linear Mode
