Random maps discussion and balance

what about adding some seeds to the seed folder - presumably that would allow them to be called in game.  If this could be trialed then users could report whether the maps are reasonable or not.  If they are reasonable, adding them to the seeds folder will give more maps very quickly for everyone.

I remember tales from CIV players about starting on 1-square islands...

I take it the possibility of getting utterly unplayable maps is accepted when weighed against the importance of randomness and replayability. The formula has worked well so far.

Master of Magic did the same things sometimes. I found an ai opponent who was on one piece of terrain and blocked by an impassable mountain.

I don't have a problem with that if it happens to me I just start a new game. I've been put on islands in CIV that I could only get 3 settlers down and did ok in the game.

Even if they allowed the maps to spen by 90 degrees that would add some replayability of the same maps. That's what Matrixgames did with Panzer Command:Kharkov. I think Mad Minutes 2nd Manassas does this as well.

Anything is better than having to rely on player generated ones. We've all seen the candyland ones they can make. Chekcerboard and zig zag and crap like that.

Anyways where is this folder and should I really delete files in it or just rename the folder?

@Ross - I would just rename or move it as opposed to deleting, just so you can undo it later.

I am at work so I havent tried it yet, but someone should post up the name of the directory we need to move/rename.

Also, can someone just try random generating say, 5 maps, and telling us the result of how they came out ? 

Okay, the thread title was not that great but sometimes it's necessary to get some attention, especially on the first day.

Now, on topic: The generated maps are quite bad, in my opinion. Not one or two tiles islands, but still.... why not try it yourself? Add "cheat" behind the shortcut call and then uncover the map with ctrl-u. Only takes a few seconds to generate a few maps and check them out.

It is not possible to simply add seeds. Those "seeds" are not really seeds (seed = number from which something is generated) but xml files where the complete map is stored. So you need to create a new map and then you can probably put it in that folder.

Edit: Long explanation:

The folder is data/maps. In which there are a bunch of xml-files with "seed" in their name. Move those somewhere safe so the folder is empty (apart from the tactics map folder) and start a new game.

To activate cheat mode and uncover the map:

Change your shortcut to say

D:\Elemental\Elemental.exe cheat

(of course your game will be installed somewhere else, so change the path accordingly). After you start the game, just press ctrl-u and scroll all the way out to see the map.

Shirley did in the thread in the Support forum. Check there; page 2 of the thread, IIRC.

- Ash

Before this thread gets locked or deleted as well, I'd like to ask you a question, Frogboy:

When you say that "the maps *are* randomly generated, only the landmass is taken from the seed files", then please (I am not sarcastic here, genuinely curious) tell me what exactly is randomly generated. Because to me, a map *is* the landmass. You know, the shape of the continents and the landscape features (mountains, forests,...). And all these are not random. The only thing that seems to be random are the resources, goody huts and "wild units". And those are not the map, they are the stuff that is distributed on the map.

And seriously, look at Civ or even Master of Magic and tell me with a straight face that the maps in Elemental are similarly random-generated.

Ok

When I get home I will check it out.  Maybe post some screenshots of a couple maps if they are representative.  Thanks for the cheat tip.  I knew there was something like that but you just saved me some searching.

This couldn't happen in Civ IV however (well, on most map scripts anyway) because there's code to look up for a decent landmass to put the player on.

Some might manage to get blocked by peaks though.

By Elemental IV I'm sure such issues will be addressed.