Random Map Generator?

[Paranoid Jack]

I bought a UK version of S2 not long after it was released. I noticed it was finally released here in North America a couple weeks ago. Bravo!

 

While in BestBuy here in California I was looking at the box artwork and reading on the back that it has a Random Map Generator. I can't seem to find that feature in the UK version.

 

Is the Random Map Generator only available after you finish the campaign? Or is it a new feature in the US version only?

[Richard]

Random map generator? Sounds like a load of bullsh*t to me. Some encounters do have some random stuff, like one time there will be a parked truck, and the next time there won't be one... But random maps? Nah, afraid not...

[Paranoid Jack]

Which version do you have the North American (US) release, the European release, or the United Kingdom release?

[Richard]

UK version...

[Paranoid Jack]

I am planning on going by the store (BestBuy) later this evening. If it has a radom map generator in the US version I will buy a copy and let you know...

[kermix]

The maps themselves don't appear to be random per se. But there's still a fair amount of the random element in play. There's a lot of different maps for the "Random Encounters", and if you get the same map twice, the characters won't necessarily be in the same place as they were before. Also, the investigation clues in some of the missions won't be in the same place, or the same format (a character you have to capture or a classified document you have to pick up), but I'm not sure how that's determined.

 

"Random Map Generator" is probably a misnomer that the marketing department came up with as a buzzword to explain it to people instead of actually telling you how it works, which is admittedly a little more complicated to explain.

[Paranoid Jack]

Kermix, are you using a US released version or another? I went out of town for a few days and haven't bought the US release yet...

[kermix]

I managed to get a UK version, now patched to 1.2, but trust me, it's the exact same game as you'll see in the US or anywhere else, regardless of what language it reads in. I took a look at the documentation for the editor, and it had this to say:

 

All map-building operations are performed inside the editor. The editor allows variation of the map's appearance by employing a number of versions of the same object or variants of the map's parts. Ultimately, you can create a number of versions of the map to be randomly chosen from at mission startup.

 

So, technically, many of the map elements are chosen from a list, at random - and in the case of random encounters, so is the map. IMO, that's almost enough to warrant calling it an RMG, and it's a better way to do it than to try and design a "real" full-scale RMG for a game like this. It might have worked for something like Diablo, but it would be far too much extra work for a game with this level of complexity already inherent... especially if it was something that would only be provided in one version of the game, on one continent!

 

So when they tell American customers it has a "Random Map Generator", they may not be technically accurate, and the exact process may be a bit demystifying, but it would take a bit too much explanation to fit on the back of a software box. Short version: there's no need to buy the same game twice on a marketing technicality.

[Paranoid Jack]

Thx for the advice. You are most likely correct... it's probably a misnomer. Either way after runnning around Disneyland for three days I was too tired to venture out of my house yesterday. I doubt it even crossed my mind.

 

I am on one of the final maps of the game if I am not mistaken. And have yet to play more then a couple Axis levels. I think I will try my skills at making a map.

 

Do you know of any websites with user made maps? It seems there are quite a few mods in the works and several small ones already out but not much else. I would like to play some user created new scenarios/maps.

 

Thanks again for the advice.

[Paingod]

I've got the US version...

 

... I haven't seen anything remotely 'Random' in the maps, save for starting positions of troops, and even that's somewhat minimal. Depending on where the Random Encounter is, you can always bank on a certain map to spawn. I've intentionally 'camped' more interesting maps that offer more experience or item possibilities before. I've also 'camped' maps with lots of doors and windows for me to practice my Engineering skill on with the Boobytrap ability.

 

I agree - A game with structures as complicated at these ones doesn't really need the added level of difficulty in programmed randomness to it's maps. UFO: Aftermath did a fairly good job at random generation (After a few patches - and it's still not 'perfect'), but the terrain was remarkably indifferent to my efforts to destroy it, unlike this game.

[kermix]

Depending on where the Random Encounter is, you can always bank on a certain map to spawn.

 

Yeah, the random encounters get a bit repetitive if you land on the same space too often, no matter how much they switch around the starting points. I don't think they banked on people memorizing where each one shows up though. Then again, it almost makes sense that going to the same location twice would reveal the same map and terrain - except for the part about the enemy coming back there to hang out, and fixing all the buildings and everything.

 

Have you tried starting a second campaign with a different class? You might get a little variation on a few of the actual missions that way. I had one Allied mission where my objective showed up as an Allied agent, and on a different campaign it was simply a document to pick up.