Gandalf's Random Circus

[Gandalf Parker]

I dont know how many looked at things like the GoAround http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion/

This is definetly a different kindof game for Dom 1. There are places on the map that
you will HAVE to go around. And you have a definate advantage in that area
over the stupid AI so feel free to crank up their settings. It was generated with the dommap program
http://www.ont.com/~keldon/dommap.html (thanks Keldon) The .map file was modified with my program. Sorry, no executable on that yet although there is a neat java utility at
http://members.aol.com/mp0werd/web/DomMapGen.html

ANYWAY.... Im thinking about adding another Category to that site for a daily creation. A Randomz map. Well Id actually be better off probably making it 3 for S/M/L. Ive still never found anything I liked for compiling my source code for a randomizer (write me as Gandalf on techno-mage if you want to discuss that).

The way I picture it is having randomzs.zip with a small map TGA and MAP. Same for medium and large maps. The routine would regenerate the randomized MAP file and re-zip the file each day. That much I could do in a day if I just chose a half-decent random generated TGA to use.

Im not sure tho whether to work at adding a random name generator for each of the provinces? Or getting the routine to accept a fresh randomly generated TGA each day. Im kindof getting back into this for preparation of Dom 2 with its new map features.

Comments? Maybe this could have been a poll...
1) Good idea and I want names
2) good idea and I want fresh maps
3) sounds ok, I might take a look at it
4) dont waste your time you are the only one interested in wildly randomized games where the independents kick everyones tail

[ October 09, 2003, 17:43: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Gandalf Parker]

OK maybe that was unclear. I keep forgetting how much stuff was so deeply discussed already in the newsGroups.

Some variations Ive tried are.....

Each province gets 1 extra commander randomly selected from the entire set of units, monsters, summons, and pretenders. There is also a random number such as 4-9 troops assigned to that commander. The troops are selected randomly but very close to the numeric of the commander so that chances are high of getting different but the same "kind" of unit as the commander. Random magic equipment is also assigned to the commander. NOTE: this includes the players home province so the early announcements of prophets are VERY interesting to read. And sometimes you REALLY luck out on what you get to start turn 1 with.

A variation is the same as above but with an effort to create 2 different ways of doing the random assignment. An initial random decides if the entire set including summons and pretenders is used, or a smaller set of units which include fairly standard independent units. This way the really big surprises are more rare.

Another variation included the above PLUS created special provinces all over the map. The province gained a randomly selected special race such as woodsman, lizardman, raptor. Then a random number decided whether to give the province a temple, lab, random type of castle, or any combination including a possibility for all 3.

Yet another variation included all of the above and created a special opponent. In this case I took Man and made him the "King of Independents". Half of the special provinces that were placed were given to Man to own right from the start of the game. To balance that he was given a deity which would die instantly and pretty much stay dead the whole game. Also his special home sites were deleted so he received none of the special Avalon units. This left him with a large adequate selection of units but none that were much different than the independent province units.

After forgetting what I had done and accidentally selecting Man to play on that map, I decided it was kindof fun to start out that way. Now a new variant is to have each race start with randomly selected special provinces all over the map. I havent tried it yet but Im considering 6-12 provinces. Possibly being even as far as how many have castles, how many have temples and labs. On a small or medium map this could be referred to as a "fast start" random game.

Further variant can, as I mentioned, include names for each province that are pronouncable and not duplicated.

Comments now?

[ October 10, 2003, 01:21: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Psitticine]

I'd be in favor of it. The more maps available, the more options, and that ain't bad!

I also like the idea of a random name assigner. The maps would be rather sterile if they were either just numbered provinces or had the exact same names over and over again.

So, I guess that means I choose "1" from the list of options.

[LordArioch]

Some of those variants sound very interesting to play with also I must note.

[Daynarr]

Sounds really interesting. I will vote for 1 as well.

[Pocus]

good ideas Gandalf, and your utility can be the start to a random map generator (you will have to deal with the RMG cult then).

[Gandalf Parker]

Oh Im a charter member of RMG Cult.

Actually my programming level is not up to the full RMG. I can do the simple text things in sloppy and embarrasing basic code but not a TGA file. But since the source code for DomMap is available Im hoping that someone will take that and modify it otherwise my stuff will be stuck in Dom 1 mode.

I suppose I could make a Dom 2 Version for whatever is the biggest map that comes with the game but that would get old. Eventually someone would have to create a random tga generator.

[ October 10, 2003, 12:02: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Gandalf Parker]

WOW did no one ever tell me that my "small" maps and my "medium" maps were the same size? I didnt ever bother to look myself since I prefer huge maps.

OK the large maps try to get to 450 land and 50 sea provinces. It usually fails ending up with the 50 sea and around 375-380 land. The mediums were 140 land and 20 sea (basically 10 provinces each with a little over). The small maps NOW are 70 land and 10 sea. This basically gives 5 provinces each with alittle over if all the races are playing. I will take a look at them but that seems really tiny to me.

The problem is that Im not the right person to judge. I dont like the little maps. Keep in mind that these are for the random-luck games. Other people are manually creating the balanced chess-board style maps.

How does that seem to you people? So how does 500, 160, 80 provinces sound as map sizes?
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion...humbnails.html
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion...humbnails.html
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion...humbnails.html

[ October 12, 2003, 15:01: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Daynarr]

Ugh, 500 sounds BIG.

Maybe adding something in between 500 and 160, like 250-300?

[Daynarr]

Hmm, by looking at those maps I'd say you could almost use them in Dom II without any changes. The only thing that could be the problem are those dots in upper left corner. The rest seems to be just fine. If you could make RMG that wont make those dots you could have Dom II RMG. At least it looks that way to me.

[ October 12, 2003, 15:14: Message edited by: Daynarr ]