Random faction/settings/map

[Kap]

This is for ticket #170

"Add a button (probably available only to the GC) to randomize the faction, settings and map.

Randomize faction should be straight forward, but settings and map could do with an option to limit the pool it chooses from. Like "don't take into account maps with more than x sectors" etc. Same with settings so the absurd money options like "outrageous" is not on the random pool.

All of this should be set to "random" and the players will only know what the game selected until the game started."

Something like this would do, random button at the right. Also showing, option to manually select the random setting of faction:


For the settings screen, example on the money settings. Same deal with the other settings like treasures, map, etc.:


When you press the "Random" button, located below the flush button in the first picture, all factions/settings/map would be changed to their random option. Additionally, one should be able to set the faction/settings/map to random manually and individually for situations where you only want a random faction but on a set map and settings. You could do without the global "Random" button really and just leave it all to be set manually. The ability to set the pool from where the random option chooses from would be cool too, to avoid it from selecting settings like too much money or whatever, but that's extra.

[Imago]

is there anyone against this enhancement? http://trac.alleg.net/ticket/170

[Xeretov]

So long as randomizing only selects sane money settings I'm all for it.

Edit: And maps like Awesome are excluded too. Or just taken out of the rotation altogether.

[Freyja]

Many have been asking for random factions awhile and since this is only an option, it should gain wide enoough support.

Random settings hasn't been as large of an interest for, though if it's relatively not to far off what is normal it shouldn't be a problem, especially since it's only an option.

More work (too much effort perhaps); A step further may be that when the radomization occurs is that the devs could include code to take team factions into account (even random ones since the game would know before it had to finalize the game settings). Sort of like, oh, hey, both teams are giga, ok let's randomize on the high side, 1.5-1.75 instead of .75-1.25, could be interesting.

Side note; Can we add some more settings options, rarely do I see .75, a .85 or .9 would be nice- call it low and call .75 very low. Others?

[Mastametz]

I am for the implementation of randomization features. However, in the interest of conservatively implementing changes, I think Random Faction should be the first thing implemented. (Because we don't have to worry about "excluding" certain factions) Map and settings randomization will require a lot more work because everyone will have to decide what maps and settings are reasonable to be part of "random".

[Koln]

Random settings would be fun, and the only exclusion i'd leave out of the random selection would be stupid money setting (10 initial miners, plentiful, out9 games aren't fun) and maps, just as someone has said before. I'd forget about changing randomizing with selected factions, hey if you're planning a Bios turtle and randomizer selected no home rocks, bad luck for you.

Also I'd leave random faction as a commander choice, not enforced by the GC.

[notjarvis]

Randomized maps might be fun (as long as you exclude stupid maps).


You have no idea how many alephs are in the initial sectors until someone works out what map it is!


But as others said - a Random Faction seting would be a nice start.