33 replies to this topic

[pbiggz]

Rebas Kradd, on 05 July 2015 - 08:13 PM, said:

I think you overestimate the community on that one. The community will absolutely lose their s*** over even one unbalanced map. And if you're talking about generating a new map every time someone drops, that's going to require hundreds of maps, immense download times, and huge download sizes. Not practical.

I agree that the unfamiliarity would provide an interesting dynamic, but not everyone sees it that way. It's bad practice for a developer to intentionally create imbalanced maps.

There are ways to procedurally generate maps without download times, for example, assembling them out of premade chunks. In this way, each map is in some respects, entirely random, and at the same time the devs have a large degree of control over the final product. And I disagree with you, the community already goes apeshit because the maps we have are garbage, they would rather have an in depth complex game where scouting is rewarded and every drop is different. Arena balance for maps only works for arena typed matches. In a game mode like CW, you need variety. Im sure we both agree that there is a problem with maps currently, but you seem to think that PGI has the capacity to repair those problems on its own. Even if their upper management cared enough to fix it, they don't have the man power.

[EvilCow]

Custom maps were such an issue in MW4, maps and modding killed the game after just 10 years...

[Bulvar Jorgensson]

Modular Maps people....PGI have say

ALPINE PEAKS......they Re-jig it say 10 times calling it ALPINE PEAKS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7,8 and so on.

then when we all drop oh look we have dropped on Alpine Peaks Map 3, oh hell that has way more Hills and cover than ALPINE PEAKS 2 or 5.......dang I wanted ALPINE PEAKS 8 as that has a Space port in the centre area.

These maps combined with all the other would mean move variety than we have now, yes not idea in the sense that there are no random OMFG this battleground is so unforgiving, but certainly it would mean players can have 100's of maps instead of 8 or is it 7 in PUG games.

As to CW maps same principle I am guessing all the hard work has been done on the initial maps. So can the gates not be moved/removed, Turret Death lanes introduced, a whole host of other tweeks to the maps (in the short term).

At least until someone comes up with a dynamic map construction tool that works time after time (which must be possible, if not by PGI the maybe someone they could ask for help from to launch this game into the WOW/WOT league of player base).

[pbiggz]

EvilCow, on 06 July 2015 - 01:38 AM, said:

Custom maps were such an issue in MW4, maps and modding killed the game after just 10 years...

That doesn't make any sense. Most games lose their playerbase after 3 or 4 years. maps and modding kept MW4 ALIVE for 10 years, not the opposite.

Bulvar Jorgensson, on 06 July 2015 - 03:05 AM, said:

Modular Maps people....PGI have say

ALPINE PEAKS......they Re-jig it say 10 times calling it ALPINE PEAKS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7,8 and so on.

then when we all drop oh look we have dropped on Alpine Peaks Map 3, oh hell that has way more Hills and cover than ALPINE PEAKS 2 or 5.......dang I wanted ALPINE PEAKS 8 as that has a Space port in the centre area.

These maps combined with all the other would mean move variety than we have now, yes not idea in the sense that there are no random OMFG this battleground is so unforgiving, but certainly it would mean players can have 100's of maps instead of 8 or is it 7 in PUG games.

As to CW maps same principle I am guessing all the hard work has been done on the initial maps. So can the gates not be moved/removed, Turret Death lanes introduced, a whole host of other tweeks to the maps (in the short term).

At least until someone comes up with a dynamic map construction tool that works time after time (which must be possible, if not by PGI the maybe someone they could ask for help from to launch this game into the WOW/WOT league of player base).

That also doesn't make any sense. If the map only appears in a few preset combinations and you're told about what they are BEFORE the drop then it isn't random. Random is when the modules can appear in almost any combination and YOU DO NOT KNOW what you're gonna get BEFORE the match starts. All you know is the weather conditions.

[Summon3r]

such a shame this stuff goes 100% ignored... nice post though OP

[sycocys]

Summon3r, on 06 July 2015 - 07:51 AM, said:

such a shame this stuff goes 100% ignored... nice post though OP

seconded

[NUJRSYDEVIL]

Remember StarCraft and how much fun it was to make and use user-created maps?

Pepperidge Farm remembers...


Games have no soul anymore

[Rebas Kradd]

pbiggz, on 05 July 2015 - 08:41 PM, said:

There are ways to procedurally generate maps without download times, for example, assembling them out of premade chunks

The client still has to download the map.

pbiggz, on 05 July 2015 - 08:41 PM, said:

Im sure we both agree that there is a problem with maps currently, but you seem to think that PGI has the capacity to repair those problems on its own. Even if their upper management cared enough to fix it, they don't have the man power.

This is hilarious, given that they just went over and completely revamped River City. Did you notice that?

[Trev Firestorm]

Rebas Kradd, on 06 July 2015 - 11:22 AM, said:

The client still has to download the map.

Not really a problem for space or speed, you would already have the assets downloaded and (depending on method) you get exponentially more maps than download cost.

Rebas Kradd, on 06 July 2015 - 11:22 AM, said:

This is hilarious, given that they just went over and completely revamped River City. Did you notice that?

PGI has... issues... but it seems they may finally be addressing them.

Ideally CW with procedural maps would also have a more fleshed out campaign/galaxy map allowing key battles using the hand crafted maps (capital cities and other key sites type deal).

Edited by Trev Firestorm, 06 July 2015 - 11:58 AM.

[regis mk5]

Vellron2005, on 02 July 2015 - 02:29 AM, said:

To bad, cose procedural generation would mean the possability to create planet-wide maps, and true Battletech planetary conquest..

Better yet ... Mechwarrior on a planetside 2 scale ... awesome!!

[Rasc4l]

OP has excellent points. If PGI could somehow pull off even one, allowing community access to create maps or even better the procedural generation, I think that would extend MWO's lifespan 5-10 fold. And of course, ensure PGI's financial future.

[Gremlich Johns]

Umm, we recommended things like Community made maps in closed Beta. Now that it's Open Beta, do you think PGI will listen any better?

Irrespective, the OP has some great ideas.

[EvilCow]

In War Thunder there are some solutions that could be taken in MWO:

1) Maps are generally very large, I have yet to see a boundary.
2) From 1 to 3 objectives are randomly spawned in the map at game start. Of course maps are designed to allow that, it is not procedural generation.
3) Spawn points can be selected.

This makes sure that a single map can be played in a lot of possible ways.

[TLBFestus]