Random Landscapes

[More's the Sniper]

Any chance of more randomness in the landscapes? If I start a new game in a landscape I have already played, I know exactly where all of the resources are and the lay of the land. This is quickly becoming uninteresting.

[Yffriium]

So far, there's only plans to add a single map. It is very unlikely that they will provide a randomly generated map. There's four distinct starting locations in the game, surely you can at least get novelty and value out of each of them.

[n00B]

I agree, i tried a restart but knowing exactly where everything is was a second time less challenging. My vote for more random generated maps.

And more coffee cups.

[More's the Sniper]

Yes, some aspects are different. But even between landscapes, I know where the oil is. I really like this game, but it would be sad to have it become monotonous. I have played all four landscapes, now what?

[cswiger]

If you've played all four starting areas, I'd consider taking a break and maybe hanging out on the discussion forums to answer questions until you feel like playing Satisfactory again. At least, that's what I'm doing, although I'll probably do another run soon now that new content is landing in experimental again.

As for randomized maps, those work better for 2D world generation (c.f. Factorio). For 3D games like Satisfactory and Subnautica, a bespoke map tends to be of much higher quality than what you get from randomized 3D world gen.

The devs could probably offer randomized nodes on the existing map pretty easily, and perhaps that would help make the game more interesting for people who are getting too familiar with the existing layout.

The devs could also make their map toolchain available so that modders can create new custom maps, but as I mentioned elsewhere, I wouldn't expect that to happen before Satisfactory is released.

[Princess Luna]

You have already played on 4 maps and got to last Tier?

[rokkney]

How about a dev-crafted map every quarter? Or big map / 4 areas.. that would give 4 'new' maps .. love the game.. but yes.. i too know where everything is at.. and stop the map once the nuke plant is up..

[More's the Sniper]

Okay, I'll wait for the new maps.

[Fuzzy]

is it 4 different maps or is it the same map and the starting area is the only thing that changes?

[Nazemec]

Originally posted by Fuzzy Lumpkins:

is it 4 different maps or is it the same map and the starting area is the only thing that changes?

Currently? One map with four starting areas. You can start from any of the four and walk to the other three if you want.

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by More's the Sniper:

Any chance of more randomness in the landscapes? If I start a new game in a landscape I have already played, I know exactly where all of the resources are and the lay of the land. This is quickly becoming uninteresting.

Random? More random? What makes you think that any of the map was randomly created?
It is all completely hand built, and some of it quite cleverly done.
It was clearly a mammoth task and that is why the dev's are not likely to build another for a very long time, if ever.
For example, there are the carefully placed parkour boulders and cliff edges, that are required to be followed to reach the otherwise hidden cave entrances, which in turn lead down inside the mountain to the riches inside and the guardians that keep them.
There are the beautiful vistas and quite stunning lakes fed by waterfalls. Do you really think that was randomly done?
The 4 starter locations are areas prepared by the devs with care, and they are all on the same, extremely large map. You may start at any of these locations, but you are not obliged to use them as the site of your first foundation. In fact, there are better locations to be found and used if you're prepared to clear a path to them ;)

[Fuzzy]

@nazemec ok yeah kinda thought so but some of the wording in this thread confuzzled me. i havent gone to far out of the recommend starting area, been busy building and i hate spiders

[More's the Sniper]

It's starting to make more sense now. I must have reached some areas I'd already been to and so they were familiar. I have to agree that the landscapes are spectacular (and clever and sometimes frustrating!). I will have to try walking a bit further when I start and see if I can find some areas I haven't seen before. Thank you all for explaining this stuff. It helps.

[DJ-Hatsune]

creating a generator to make a map of that proportion is difficult well they are still in early stage fixing major bugs. i feel we should give them a bit more time and possibly group project bugs and send them data. this would encourge the designers to have more freedom .

[Vimpster]

It would be near impossible to come up with a random map generator that would create maps that are even remotely as novel as the one in the game now, sadly. That said a random generator could certainly create maps that are more realistic/natural looking. But novel makes for more interesting exploration compared to purely realistic looking maps.

[DJ-Hatsune]

Originally posted by DJ-Hatsune:

creating a generator to make a map of that proportion is difficult well they are still in early stage fixing major bugs. i feel we should give them a bit more time and possibly group project bugs and send them data. this would encourge the designers to have more freedom .

still time to join if you want just qoute this post