Random or Procedural Generation on the Maps?

[JerHenning]

From what I can tell the maps are designed so that you play the same "areas" each time that have the same layout, same map. I believe there are multiple spawn points and I see random spawn on items, etc. Are there any plans in the future to have the maps randomly generated, meaning each play through would have different towns, land masses, etc?

Very interested in the game, I just feel that playing the same map each play through might limit replayability, but again this is coming from someone that has not played it. Anyone have some input regarding this?

[harley9699]

Wow, didn't realize they weren't! (Haven't fired this one up yet). Interesting.

[JerHenning]

Yeah, really the only thing holding me back from a purchase at this point. If that is a change coming, then I would be interested.

[mind81]

This is one of the most frequent requests. Id say for such game such feature is absolute must. Who would want to play over and over a map where you know every bush?

Pretty sure they understand this and add will randomly generated maps.

[JerHenning]

Originally posted by mindw0rk:

This is one of the most frequent requests. Id say for such game it is extremely important feature. Since what wants to play over and over a map where you know every bush?

Exactly, I feel like after enough playthroughs then it will be run here, leave run here. Almost a loot pattern that only offers up new loot, in different places.

[MycroftCanadaNS]

Originally posted by Kormos:

Yeah, really the only thing holding me back from a purchase at this point. If that is a change coming, then I would be interested.

Hmmm... The maps are hand crafted, and you have to understand as well here that we will have up to 10 maps to play which means they will all be connected.

You can choose which map to start your game, and still have to travel between each one. In turn having it this way is like having one large map, even larger than Chernarus when it's all done.

Having it procedurally generated would make all the maps look the same, and would get very boring after awhile.

Imagine for a moment you are struggling to survive, and you happen to come across a stream or lake you recognize, believe me you will feel relieved that you finally recognize something that could save your life.

If it was procedurally generated you can kiss all that goodbye.

For me, Hand crafted is the way to go....

[Thagomizer]

I agree with Mycroft. I prefer hand crafted, as long as there are a good number of them. The 10 that he mentioned would likely be more than enough to make it feel vast and worth replaying.

[harley9699]

Ten's fine, if they're Huge. Otherwise, it'll need more...and/or random placements, poi's...something. Any predictability makes it stale that much quicker. We put a Lot of hours into 7Days before their random gen, that map got really old, really quickly. Random gen makes it almost a new game.

[MycroftCanadaNS]

Originally posted by harley9699:

Ten's fine, if they're Huge. Otherwise, it'll need more...and/or random placements, poi's...something. Any predictability makes it stale that much quicker. We put a Lot of hours into 7Days before their random gen, that map got really old, really quickly. Random gen makes it almost a new game.

Believe me 10 maps will be good enough not to mention the other seasons they will be releasing along with I hope the ability to create your own maps, and have them connected to the original 10, now that would be really nice.

[ent|ty]

Originally posted by Kormos:

Originally posted by mindw0rk:

This is one of the most frequent requests. Id say for such game it is extremely important feature. Since what wants to play over and over a map where you know every bush?

Exactly, I feel like after enough playthroughs then it will be run here, leave run here. Almost a loot pattern that only offers up new loot, in different places.

Thats all it is in the end. Now that the wolves have taken center stage, thats all the sandbox is about now.. avoiding, fighting and dying to the patrolling wolves.

[JerHenning]

Originally posted by Mycroft (Canada, NS):

Originally posted by Kormos:

Yeah, really the only thing holding me back from a purchase at this point. If that is a change coming, then I would be interested.

Hmmm... The maps are hand crafted, and you have to understand as well here that we will have up to 10 maps to play which means they will all be connected.

You can choose which map to start your game, and still have to travel between each one. In turn having it this way is like having one large map, even larger than Chernarus when it's all done.

Having it procedurally generated would make all the maps look the same, and would get very boring after awhile.

Imagine for a moment you are struggling to survive, and you happen to come across a stream or lake you recognize, believe me you will feel relieved that you finally recognize something that could save your life.

If it was procedurally generated you can kiss all that goodbye.

For me, Hand crafted is the way to go....

Great points, so all the smaller maps will make a larger map. Might check it out then, thanks for the information.

[Smokie]

Yeah I found static maps to be boring very quickly and diminishes replay value. Static maps are not that good because after you play them for awhile you know the landscape, where all the structures are and know exactly which direction, how long of a walk and what type of loot you're going to get. You develop a routine gameplay that is static...that is not fun and makes me not want to replay the game.

[JerHenning]

Originally posted by Smokie:

Yeah I found static maps to be boring very quickly and diminishes replay value. Static maps are not that good because after you play them for awhile you know the landscape, where all the structures are and know exactly which direction, how long of a walk and what type of loot you're going to get. You develop a routine gameplay that is static...that is not fun and makes me not want to replay the game.

My concern mainly, lots of the videos I see regarding it revolve around the sets of houses or areas as well.

[Smokie]

Originally posted by Kormos:

My concern mainly, lots of the videos I see regarding it revolve around the sets of houses or areas as well.

Yup thats what I noticed. But they are adding 10 maps seamlessly together. I don't know how that would play out but would be a temp fix for the static maps. Even with this method I can see myself developing the same routine over time. Considering the survival aspect and it isn't that easy to survive you cannot stay in the same area as you have to keep moving looking for more food mostly...this is the type of gameplay that leads to routine as your forced to move on because the area or region has been looted and is now no use.

[bodhisoma]

I agree with those who are asking for procedural maps. Not "instead of" but as an option.

There are those who like the familiarity of static maps, the "oh, thank god!" when desperate and finally finding a landmark they recognize. Others want the experience, and challenge, of being dropped into a world they know nothing about at the start.

I've already purchased but with each discovery I find myself a little bit sad that I'll never discover that feature again. Finding the trapper's shelter last night was possibly the most rewarding gaming experience I've ever had but now I know precisely how to get there, and I'll never get to enjoy that moment again.

That's how life is, but it doesn't have to be that way in a game.

[HansZarkov]

Originally posted by MycroftCanadaNS:

Originally posted by Kormos:

Yeah, really the only thing holding me back from a purchase at this point. If that is a change coming, then I would be interested.

Hmmm... The maps are hand crafted, and you have to understand as well here that we will have up to 10 maps to play which means they will all be connected.

You can choose which map to start your game, and still have to travel between each one. In turn having it this way is like having one large map, even larger than Chernarus when it's all done.

Having it procedurally generated would make all the maps look the same, and would get very boring after awhile.

Imagine for a moment you are struggling to survive, and you happen to come across a stream or lake you recognize, believe me you will feel relieved that you finally recognize something that could save your life.

If it was procedurally generated you can kiss all that goodbye.

For me, Hand crafted is the way to go....

I disagree that if maps were procedural that you would loose the ability to recognize something that could save your life.

Recognition comes after you have played in a area for long enough and explored it over and over. Even if it were different each time you made a game, this would still happen as you played the new game. The down side to non procedural is even on a new game the more you have played the more you will be familiar with the maps and know where to go, which way to travel etc.

This game is great and don’t get me wrong, currently I’m about 45% complete on the maps and they seem vast and large enough that I get lost all the time. But I would rather see at a minimum a random pool of maps the game would build the world on at random. Think each area has a pool of 3 or 4 maps and one is randomly chosen. This way you have the best of both worlds, in custom crafted maps and surprise and replay value each time you make a game.

The best would be clever and well thought out procedural generation, this seems to be extremely difficult to pull off good in 3D games. Games like Diablo 1 and X-com (the original) did it the best but they were not 3d and everything was built in a 2d grid system. I think it’s a lost art but I think its possible to do it good in 3d but you have to limit it vastly so that it’s a collection of modules that fit together yet still can be made to look good.
We’ll see. So far I’m loving this game tho.