Hi,

Given all the tools and scripting languages available now to generate custom maps in pure code, I am curious why there is the lack of dynamic maps that have variations automatically generated. Note I will call out the potential power of EUDs, but I'm ignoring that for this discussion. Anything is possible if you can do arbitrary code execution (ACE) and at that point just make your own game/mod.

An aside, I view custom games primary purpose is to give players an interesting experience/story. The goal is not to create some sweat fest competitive alternative to vanilla StarCraft. Balancing is actually very hard, and making a perfectly fair game distracts from what I think map making is about.

For example, maybe instead of your map supporting 8 human players, you generate 3-4 different copies of the map with 1, 2, 3, etc. number of computer players/NPCs to help fill empty lobbies. You'd have to write logic for each additional computer player, but once done this can be scaled as needed.

Or, your map has a large pool of possible quests for the players to do. Rather than do the randomization and selection in game (this is possible but could get complicated and unwieldy), allow players to "generate" a possible variation of your map that will have a different set of quest lines. This would make each experience potentially quite unique.

You could go further, such as generating different layouts/terrains of your map, while keeping the core systems/triggers the same.

The tools all exist for this today. Yet I have never witnessed a map with multiple generated variations. If you're a map maker, what has stopped you from considering adding dynamism and replayability this way?

One question would be distribution. You'd either a website that outputs a random variation of your map, or you simply generate many variations beforehand and host these as you'd like. Finally, you could also let players generate their own version locally (via Python, etc.).

I also know some people despise "randomness" or RNG or randomly generated things. I think it adds unpredictability to your games in a good way, as long as it's not Picasso-esque random nonesense. This keeps players interested and surprised on what may come next as they play your map.

The primary use cases I see for this are:

* variable computer/human players
* different sets of complex quest lines (from a pool you've coded up beforehand)
* variations on terrain/layout of your map (same code, but different terrain, etc.)

Not a huge number of active mapmakers left. Nor are there are huge number of SC players left, particularly UMS players. Distribution for a single map is challenging enough. SC players tend to be lazy, they don't want to learn a lot of new dynamics, and they certainly don't want to have to go hunt down a map at some website. Additionally, producing even one quality map is quite the endeavor. If you're interested in the idea, I'd encourage you to be the first to try it out, and see how it goes for you. It does seem like an interesting concept.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Mar 10 2025, 2:58 am by Ultraviolet.