Hi there, today we take a look at part two of the Procedural Generation.
Let’s first take a look at the default Planet types. The RMG comes with Four Worlds types you can come across in the Star Union which can then be further customized using Quick Settings and Advanced Settings.
The Default Planet types are:
QUICK OPTIONS
Using the quick options player can configure the important feature of their play session.
World Size and Number of Players
Planets range from Small to Enormous and Number of Players vary from 2 to 12. (8 Human Players in Multiplayer)
Map setup is closely tied to the Generator. For example, the number of players is a starting point in map generation, there is also a correlation between min and max number of player and min and max planets, to avoid 12 factions starting to close together on a small map for example.
Land Mass Types
The game will ship with three main geography types
World Threat Level
World Threat Level determines how powerful the independent forces are on the world map, and how quickly they will get stronger as the game progresses. Lower threat has weaker independent armies, and those armies will not become modded until relatively late in the game. Higher threat has armies start at the same level as normal, but they will gain mods and extra reinforcements much more rapidly than normal. Be careful!
ADVANCED SETTINGS
Advanced settings are spread over multiple tables, unfolded here. You'll have more control over game rules and map generation. Just look at all these sliders and settings!
Clime Layouts
AoW3 gives control the amount of each clime, but planetfall takes it one step further. In addition, there is control over the general clime distribution across the planet also.
CREATING THE PLANET GENERATOR
Every time a map is generated a special .rmg file is created. This contains all the input needed to regenerate that exact same map. When a crash or bug is spotted this .rmg file is used to regenerate that map, this allows carefully going through the code to understand why the bug occurs.
RMG would also output information for the designers. Mostly in the form of statistics (text), but for certain other things it was more helpful to see things at a glance, for example distribution of Supply and Production nodes.
Or an overview of which sectors can be colonized, and which cannot, etc, etc.
And so, an entire variety of similar images are used to see if the distributions are as expected.
Modding
The tools allow you to play around further with the RMG than the advanced settings do:
Let’s first take a look at the default Planet types. The RMG comes with Four Worlds types you can come across in the Star Union which can then be further customized using Quick Settings and Advanced Settings.
The Default Planet types are:
- Imperial World: A world belonging the fall Star Union that is well suited for recolonization. It contains a well balanced mix or resources and remnants. This is the default scenario.
- Capital World: These former population hubs are packed with remnants and allow for a more action packed start.
- Ravaged World: This World Type was heavily hit by the collapse and has more chasms, volcanic terrain and hazards placed in the world make it a harder challenge overall.
- Frontier World: These world from the edge of the Star Union are more unspoiled by mankind. Its has more open terrain, less landmarks and is suited for empire building from the ground up.
A flying bug exploring a Feral World down a river (probably encountering other small flying bugs... the bane of a wild life camping). Mostly natural terrain, suited for settling.
Two amazon birds exploring the ruins on this Capital World. The Techno Goth Amazon looks like she might be interested in visiting the techno rave place. The anti-time splitting complex sounds interesting too...
QUICK OPTIONS
Using the quick options player can configure the important feature of their play session.
World Size and Number of Players
Planets range from Small to Enormous and Number of Players vary from 2 to 12. (8 Human Players in Multiplayer)
Map setup is closely tied to the Generator. For example, the number of players is a starting point in map generation, there is also a correlation between min and max number of player and min and max planets, to avoid 12 factions starting to close together on a small map for example.
Land Mass Types
The game will ship with three main geography types
- Pangea Worlds: All players start on a mega continent of varying shapes , surrounded by an ocean containing smaller islands.
- Continent Worlds: Players start on multiple large land masses, surrounded by smaller islands.
- Land Worlds: A world with limited water masses All players Water is limited to large lakes and rivers. Mountainous regions are the main separators.
World Threat Level
World Threat Level determines how powerful the independent forces are on the world map, and how quickly they will get stronger as the game progresses. Lower threat has weaker independent armies, and those armies will not become modded until relatively late in the game. Higher threat has armies start at the same level as normal, but they will gain mods and extra reinforcements much more rapidly than normal. Be careful!
ADVANCED SETTINGS
Advanced settings are spread over multiple tables, unfolded here. You'll have more control over game rules and map generation. Just look at all these sliders and settings!
Clime Layouts
AoW3 gives control the amount of each clime, but planetfall takes it one step further. In addition, there is control over the general clime distribution across the planet also.
- Poles: Cold climes are more prevalent towards the northern and southern borders while hot climes are near the center.
- Patches: Climes are randomly scattered in patches of several sectors.
Noise: Climes are randomly scattered in patches of single sectors.
CREATING THE PLANET GENERATOR
Every time a map is generated a special .rmg file is created. This contains all the input needed to regenerate that exact same map. When a crash or bug is spotted this .rmg file is used to regenerate that map, this allows carefully going through the code to understand why the bug occurs.
RMG would also output information for the designers. Mostly in the form of statistics (text), but for certain other things it was more helpful to see things at a glance, for example distribution of Supply and Production nodes.
Or an overview of which sectors can be colonized, and which cannot, etc, etc.
And so, an entire variety of similar images are used to see if the distributions are as expected.
Modding
The tools allow you to play around further with the RMG than the advanced settings do:
- Create your own Sectors.
- Add new clime and overlays
- Add new structures and pickups
- Add new player spawn locations / templates
- Create your own Planet templates
- Create your own Campaigns
