Will there be a random map generator?

[Swisspike]

...what the title says.

[humancalledbob]

Sure hope so, that will really extend the life of the game.

[jo.bader]

no, a random map generator or a random battle generator does not make sense to this game. when you like to have a look into the workshop or screenshots you find several pictures of complex maps. These maps can be arranged with the in-game map editor. Scenarios can be created with the in-game scenario editor.

[Hammer]

I am very disappointed. This is something you should add at a later date as DLC.

[ReamedBySteem]

Originally posted by jo.bader:

no, a random map generator or a random battle generator does not make sense to this game. when you like to have a look into the workshop or screenshots you find several pictures of complex maps. These maps can be arranged with the in-game map editor. Scenarios can be created with the in-game scenario editor.

Dear, handsome dev. Any chance of a full campaign, ala Steel Panthers[?] or is it going to be more like Battle Academy with...i dunno, little mini historical conflicts. I mean I get it's just American and Russians and Germans at the mo, but COULD we have a from Normandy to Berlin type deal, as opposed to a fighting in the bocage or kursk set of mini battles?

[jo.bader]

Originally posted by ReamedBySteem:

Dear, handsome dev. Any chance of a full campaign, ala Steel Panthers[?] or is it going to be more like Battle Academy with...i dunno, little mini historical conflicts. I mean I get it's just American and Russians and Germans at the mo, but COULD we have a from Normandy to Berlin type deal, as opposed to a fighting in the bocage or kursk set of mini battles?

there will be a campaign editor and shifted maps. Means you see your surviving units in the next scenario

[Meteor2]

Originally posted by Hammer:

I am very disappointed. This is something you should add at a later date as DLC.

I agree. My concern ist, that the scenarios are more like a puzzle and not like an open sandbox. If you do not XYZ in the first turn, you will have no chsnce to get a win in the given turn numbers ... Very limited replayability?

[jo.bader]

Originally posted by Meteor2:

I agree. My concern ist, that the scenarios are more like a puzzle and not like an open sandbox. If you do not XYZ in the first turn, you will have no chsnce to get a win in the given turn numbers ... Very limited replayability?

you may have these concerns, but they are completely unnecessary. no two playthroughs of a scenario are alike. and of course it's not a puzzle.

[[1stWTVIR] Topgumby]

I'm going to vote in favor or a random scenario generator, or at least the availability to have the ai generate random force pools for existing maps.

I'm not suggesting that workshop scenarios won't be plentiful, or that a scenario generator is a must have, but it does add value to the game. I have many fond memories of generated battles on other games of similar scale.

[Hammer]

Games of this type without random scenario generators have a history of not doing that well. Add one as quick DLC.

[Axeking]

Originally posted by 1stTX Cpl. MSgtE:

I'm going to vote in favor or a random scenario generator, or at least the availability to have the ai generate random force pools for existing maps.

I'm not suggesting that workshop scenarios won't be plentiful, or that a scenario generator is a must have, but it does add value to the game. I have many fond memories of generated battles on other games of similar scale.

Similar scale, but nowhere near the same complexity. Really, once you get to see - there won't really be a need for a scenario generator.

Building one to work is easy. To work well - completely different story. There are a lot of factors that impact a scenario generator - even if it only allocates forces. It still has to position them around the randomly located VP locations - to either attack or defend these. And in such a way that makes sense.

There is probably nearly as much work to make such a scenario generator (that uses existing maps) that produces viable scenarios as in making the rest of the game combined...

There is a lot of other things I'd like to see first. French, Italians, British and Japanese for starters. Plus Jungle and desert terrain... :-)

When we have that stuff, then it might be time to go look for such a generator.

[Meteor2]

When I remember the good old black and white times, Steel panthers comes into my mind.
We played nearly only random campaigns here. But that for long, long times.
These system was, with all shortcomings, absolutely phantastic with limitless possibilities.
Limitation to fixed scenarios could be a serious problem for a long life span.

[Saigon]

No random map gen? BIG -1
My bet is the dev is too lazy to make it.

I don't want to play the same mission over and over again and say. "WOW THE ENEMY FLANKED LEFT INSTEAD OF RIGHT!"
I'm so hyped about this game and now I'm concerned

[[1stWTVIR] Topgumby]

I am in complete agreement that properly designed human made scenarios will always be better than generated random terrain, but there is a place for simple objective "exit the map on the North, defend this hex" sort of affairs with small or modest force pools, with a set amount to spend on units and support adds a lot of value for many players.

[jo.bader]

Originally posted by 1stTX Cpl. MSgtE:

I am in complete agreement that properly designed human made scenarios will always be better than generated random terrain, but there is a place for simple objective "exit the map on the North, defend this hex" sort of affairs with small or modest force pools, with a set amount to spend on units and support adds a lot of value for many players.

just this game is not simple as Steal Panthers.

[Axeking]

And the "simple' scenario as described would take a lot of extra work to build. Nothing has point values for force strength. No formations exist, and really, placement on the map makes a huge difference in difficulty (and fun factor) of a scenario.

Something like Steel Panthers was built from a very different design point of view than Second Front. SF is lower level - really dealing with individual squads and vehicles, not companies or battalions.

Its not impossible to build something like this - but given that nothing exists for it yet, it would be a massive amount of effort... and a whole lot more to make it good.