Map Generation (Kroah 2.2)

[Big Head Zach]

The standard map is a grid of squares with 5 rows and 9 columns. The center square (3,5) is the location of the Store, leaving 44 squares to be used for production purposes.

The remaining 4 squares in column 5 (2 above and 2 below the Store) are the river valley. While their apparent dryness may look unconvincing, these 4 squares yield the highest BPV for Food (4, irrigation agriculture and fishing), and the second highest BPV for Energy (2, hydroelectric generators). They cannot be used to mine for Smithore or Crystite (the ground is too moist and erosion-prone*). Movement through the valley is slowed because of the variations in elevation.

By default, the remaining 40 land areas are called flatlands, or plains. They are best used for collecting Energy (3), yield slightly lower BPV for Food (2), and a marginal amount of Smithore (1).

Mountains**
10 Plains spaces on the map will be filled with 1-3 mountain peaks, signifying rough terrain and greater quantities of Smithore. Each mountain peak in a square increases its BPV for Smithore by 1; a Mountain space with 3 peaks gives the highest Smithore average (4). Mountain squares provide only 1 BPV for Food and Energy MULEs installed there. Like the river valley, the elevated terrain makes movement through mountain squares difficult.

For each row, the game randomly chooses one square on either side of the river valley to become a Mountain square. The game then divides each row into quarters (aka "quarter-rows"), and then randomly decides to put a mountain peak on either the left-side square, or the right-side square. If there are already 3 peaks on one side of the row, the 4th peak is automatically placed on the opposite side's square.

This means that for each row, there is a 37.5% chance you will have a 2-2 configuration, a 31.25% chance of a 3-1 configuration, and a 31.25% chance of a 1-3 configuration.

To compute the number of distinct maps with respect to production (i.e. taking into account the configurations of land which are visually different but having the same production), the configurations are enumerated for 1 row:

with 1 mountain on the left, 3 mountains on the right: 16 configurations
with 2 mountains on the left, 2 mountains on the right: 16 configurations
with 3 mountains on the left, 1 mountain on the right: 16 configurations

That's 16+16+16=48 configurations for 1 row and a total of 48⁵ = 254,803,968 configurations for the 5 rows of the map (each configuration does not have the same probability to occur).

Crystite
Crystite's potential on any given square is not visually detectable - its rich veins lie well underneath the surface, so players must either install a Crystite MULE and hope for the best***, or they can take assays first****, which gives them a qualitative measure of that square's Crystite BPV. Assay results are public knowledge, but do not remain on the map except for the assaying player.

Crystite deposits can be described as "blooming flowers"; they originate on a single square and then spread out in all directions, lessening in potential the further out you go.

The game selects 4 random squares on the map (which includes the river valley and the Store) to be the "blooming points" for Crystite. If the blooming point is a mine-able square (not the river valley or the Store), then it gets a Crystite BPV of 3, which the assay droid reports as "High".

Each square that is orthogonally-adjacent to a blooming point (whether the blooming point is mineable or not) receives a Crystite BPV of 2, assayed as "Medium".

Continuing to branch out, any orthogonally-adjacent squares to a Medium have a Crystite BPV of 1, or "Low".

If two blooming patterns overlap, then any given square in the overlapping portion will have the maximum of the two BPV's it has been assigned.

Crystite can additionally appear on the map as the result of a Meteor Strike; the meteor destroys anything in the square it lands in, but increases the Crystite BPV of that square to 4 (assayed as "Very High"). Meteors never strike a High or Very High Crystite square.

* Version 1.0 does allow mining in the river valley (yielding 0 BPV for Smithore and Crystite) - this will be changed to the original design in version 1.1

** Mountain distribution as of version 1.0 is an unknown process, but definitely exceeds 10 squares and/or 20 peaks, and is not indicative of the above.

*** Originally, Crystite BPV was not revealed until production started. Version 1.0 shows it immediately upon installation of a MULE; Version 1.1 restores this to the original spec.

**** Originally, assays were free and required enough time to mark the plot and return to the office; in version 1.0, assays cost $50, and you only need to spend 2 seconds on the plot to get a reading.
What Does This Mean?

• Version 1.0: Planet MULE already introduces a new type of terrain: desert. Deserts are dry and inhospitable for life; they provide 0 BPV for Food, and 1 BPV for Smithore, but the high winds and level surface area make it ideal for collecting Energy (a BPV of 4).
• Version 1.0: Varying the amount of mountain peaks and the number of squares mountains appear in greatly affects the value, availability, and long-term strategy of Smithore. With more squares available, the potential for more players to get involved in Smithore mining (and/or the increase of potential EOS/LCT bonuses resulting from those additional plots) can reduce the likelihood of a shortage, keeping prices low. With more peaks, the overall BPV of Smithore on the map also increases.
• The options for additional terrain types with bizarre, new BPV combinations are numerous, including the idea of murky swamps, frozen tundras, glaciers, etc. Perhaps there might be spaces that are *gasp!* unpleasant or unsuitable for MULEs, yet someone may have to claim them for the equity?
• Other "weather-related" global events besides Planetquakes, Acid Rain Storms, Sunspots, and Meteor Strikes may alter the landscape in new ways.

[GabrielPope]

The variation in the number of mountains doesn't really have much impact on smithore. When you can load up 12 plains and get an average production of 72 smithore/turn, having 2 or 3 extra BPV is a pretty small contribution.

[machinus]

Totally agree with Gabriel. Mountains don't really affect smithore output. Leave them the way they are.

If you want to fix the game, make valuation actually work and add bonuses for crystite.

[Jaradakar]

I agree with Big Head Zach.

Every extra smithore unit decreases the value they each have or allows for an even greater fluctuation when price fixing.

Less mountains equals more value on any specific mountain range.  Also the whole "trying to get the game as close to the original as possible".

Anyway my 2 cents.

[Big Head Zach]

Every extra smithore unit decreases the value they each have or allows for an even greater fluctuation when price fixing.

Exactly. If you're hoarding Smithore and I know you're going to vastly outhoard me, I'm going to do my best to make sure that margin between us is minimized financially. I'm going to sell my Smithore to the store in hopes that a shortage doesn't occur. You'll still be making more money than me, but only ~ $50 more per unit rather than $250.

I sincerely doubt someone would have 12 Smithore plots until the end of the game, unless they had sacrificed quite a lot of cash buying inflated Food/Energy from others, and buying up land like crazy. It's possible, but right now I'm questioning whether it's more of an achievement and less of a winning strategy.

(Also another reason why 1.1 will fix things - with Pirates not taking Smithore, there are only two events which cause sudden Smithore shortages: the 2 Fire In Store in the "deck".)

[machinus]

I agree with Big Head Zach.

Every extra smithore unit decreases the value they each have or allows for an even greater fluctuation when price fixing.

Less mountains equals more value on any specific mountain range.  Also the whole "trying to get the game as close to the original as possible".

Anyway my 2 cents.

I don't think you guys understand the smithore strategy at all.

At the end of the game I make 80-100 ore per turn. Only 10 of that comes from the mountains themselves; 70 is from LCT and 10 is from EOS. Even if you reduce the number of mountains by half you will still be removing only about 5 smithore per turn in the late game.

And in the early game, everyone gets the 2/3 mountains anyway, so you will not be stopping the early game mechanics.

[Big Head Zach]

What you also have to consider is Energy-to-production ratios, as well. And yes, in the late game when you have your 72+ Smithore engine running, you don't really care (and I won't either, since I'll have my 1.1-fixed 72+ Crystite engine running).

But early on, you really don't want to be plunking down Smithore MULEs on plains, even for the bonus (which is far reduced from the end-game scenario's bonus already mentioned). It's the difference between 1 Energy to power one extra plot giving you 3 extra Smithore (early game), and 12 extra Smithore (late game).

"Front-loading" BPV by having more mountains/peaks mitigates this cost. And unless you're playing against the goofy AI, anyone seeing someone go full Smithore is going to be charging out the pooper for Energy/Food.

(This all being said, I still approve of an option which lets players "tweak" the makeup of their maps; longer river valley, higher mountains, more mountains, more desert, bigger Crystite blooms, etc. In the same breath, I also request options to tweak how much Smithore it takes to build a MULE, and whether it actually does take a full turn to make them - I think I may have remembered hearing that the game manual was actually incorrect on that point...)

[machinus]

But early on, you really don't want to be plunking down Smithore MULEs on plains, even for the bonus (which is far reduced from the end-game scenario's bonus already mentioned). It's the difference between 1 Energy to power one extra plot giving you 3 extra Smithore (early game), and 12 extra Smithore (late game).

I put mules on plains all the time in the early game...what do you mean? It works just fine. +1 EOS and +1 LCT means I get plenty of ore. I don't even think the mountain bonus is as important as location factors, honestly.

"Front-loading" BPV by having more mountains/peaks mitigates this cost. And unless you're playing against the goofy AI, anyone seeing someone go full Smithore is going to be charging out the pooper for Energy/Food.

What? I don't think I undestand what you mean by front loading...

[Big Head Zach]

But early on, you really don't want to be plunking down Smithore MULEs on plains, even for the bonus (which is far reduced from the end-game scenario's bonus already mentioned). It's the difference between 1 Energy to power one extra plot giving you 3 extra Smithore (early game), and 12 extra Smithore (late game).

I put mules on plains all the time in the early game...what do you mean? It works just fine. +1 EOS and +1 LCT means I get plenty of ore. I don't even think the mountain bonus is as important as location factors, honestly.

What I'm saying is that EOS/LCT bonuses are small in the early game, and become big in the late. You're effectively getting less output for a single Energy early on, when in later rounds the benefits are greatly increased for powering that one extra plot.

And if Planetquake happens, most of your Plains Smithore MULEs end up producing 1 or less.

"Front-loading" BPV by having more mountains/peaks mitigates this cost. And unless you're playing against the goofy AI, anyone seeing someone go full Smithore is going to be charging out the pooper for Energy/Food.

What? I don't think I undestand what you mean by front loading...

Having more mountains (and more peaks overall) means that players fare much better in the early game because the Energy cost is much lower per Smithore BPV, and you're installing fewer MULEs. That's why the mountains matter at all. If everyone can get into the Smithore game for the same amount of risk/reward, why bother having them?

All in all, I think there's a metagame that's been disturbed (like ripples in a pool) because of the influx of new players, and that the AI insists on flooring Energy prices. I think we'll see the market balance out once people learn how to control their production (and therefore keep the Store where they want it).

Anxiously awaiting 1.1 testing...

[machinus]

But early on, you really don't want to be plunking down Smithore MULEs on plains, even for the bonus (which is far reduced from the end-game scenario's bonus already mentioned). It's the difference between 1 Energy to power one extra plot giving you 3 extra Smithore (early game), and 12 extra Smithore (late game).

I put mules on plains all the time in the early game...what do you mean? It works just fine. +1 EOS and +1 LCT means I get plenty of ore. I don't even think the mountain bonus is as important as location factors, honestly.

What I'm saying is that EOS/LCT bonuses are small in the early game, and become big in the late. You're effectively getting less output for a single Energy early on, when in later rounds the benefits are greatly increased for powering that one extra plot.

And if Planetquake happens, most of your Plains Smithore MULEs end up producing 1 or less.

My ore plots get +2 starting on turn 3-4, since they get +1 EOS and +1 LCT. That's 9-12 production without considering terrain bonuses. If I am playing game with other experienced players, I am likely to have about 3-4 mountain bonus. Again, reducing the total number of mountains in the entire game will only reduce this one or two production, which doesn't seem like it's going to change anything.

"Front-loading" BPV by having more mountains/peaks mitigates this cost. And unless you're playing against the goofy AI, anyone seeing someone go full Smithore is going to be charging out the pooper for Energy/Food.

What? I don't think I undestand what you mean by front loading...

Having more mountains (and more peaks overall) means that players fare much better in the early game because the Energy cost is much lower per Smithore BPV, and you're installing fewer MULEs. That's why the mountains matter at all. If everyone can get into the Smithore game for the same amount of risk/reward, why bother having them?

I don't see where you are going with this energy thing...as I said the mountain bonus is really only relevant when you play against the A.I. which doesn't mind selling you food and energy. Against regular players there doesn't seem to me to be anything wrong with the number of mountains in the game. Food and energy production and location factors are way more critical for success. And as we have already said, fixing the pirates, making the economy more dynamic, and adding crystite bonuses should basically take care of the strategic imbalance that exists.

[Big Head Zach]

Against regular players there doesn't seem to me to be anything wrong with the number of mountains in the game. Food and energy production and location factors are way more critical for success. And as we have already said, fixing the pirates, making the economy more dynamic, and adding crystite bonuses should basically take care of the strategic imbalance that exists.

Agreed on all points. The intent of the original post was to indicate the original version's function, not necessarily to debate the overpoweredness of the current Smithore paradigm. But imagine a planet where it's ALL mountains, and very few plains. There, MULEs are plentiful, and the man with the solar panels is king, not the Smithore miner. Similar things could be said for a planet without a river valley. All of these scenarios are interesting variants which a future version will explore.

[machinus]

Against regular players there doesn't seem to me to be anything wrong with the number of mountains in the game. Food and energy production and location factors are way more critical for success. And as we have already said, fixing the pirates, making the economy more dynamic, and adding crystite bonuses should basically take care of the strategic imbalance that exists.

Agreed on all points. The intent of the original post was to indicate the original version's function, not necessarily to debate the overpoweredness of the current Smithore paradigm. But imagine a planet where it's ALL mountains, and very few plains. There, MULEs are plentiful, and the man with the solar panels is king, not the Smithore miner. Similar things could be said for a planet without a river valley. All of these scenarios are interesting variants which a future version will explore.

Yes, I'm learning a lot from these game files. It sounded like you were making recommendations to balance the game, among them reducing the number of mountains, which I disagree with. Fixing the A.I. will involve making them bargain for resources, not making it harder for players to produce smithore. I think the amount of smithore that is produced might even be low sometimes, as it is easy to make artifical shortages. If only one thing had to be fixed in the entire game, it would need to be streamlining the factors that affect the price of smithore.

Different maps sounds interesting, but I think it would be really hard to make them fun with the current plot production statistics. Deserts are rarely worth taking since they produce only one less than plains, which can be easily overcome with EOS (you don't even need LCT). And there are only four river tiles, so usually everyone picks one up since the second is worthless. Really terrain adjustment will never as a strong an effect on the game as supply/demand mechanics.

In general I think we should wait on game balancing until the original game is fully restored and WORKING (no crashes or hangs), with maybe a few fixes for annoying stuff. Also A.I. improvement should be allowed right away since what matters is gameplay with 4 players

[Big Head Zach]

Yes, I'm learning a lot from these game files. It sounded like you were making recommendations to balance the game, among them reducing the number of mountains, which I disagree with. Fixing the A.I. will involve making them bargain for resources, not making it harder for players to produce smithore. I think the amount of smithore that is produced might even be low sometimes, as it is easy to make artifical shortages. If only one thing had to be fixed in the entire game, it would need to be streamlining the factors that affect the price of smithore.

My main reason for discussing it at all, is to prevent the game from becoming completely formulaic and "solvable", excluding the occasional hiccups caused by Planetquakes and Fire in Store.

If I can do the same thing every game and win (or have it comes down to who randomly grabbed what, i.e. rock-paper-scissors scenario), then it ceases to be fun for me. I'd rather have a game that forces me to be aware at all times, and adapt to what's going on.

Different maps sounds interesting, but I think it would be really hard to make them fun with the current plot production statistics. Deserts are rarely worth taking since they produce only one less than plains, which can be easily overcome with EOS (you don't even need LCT). And there are only four river tiles, so usually everyone picks one up since the second is worthless. Really terrain adjustment will never as a strong an effect on the game as supply/demand mechanics.

But for EOS you have to claim adjacent spaces, which (in the long term) may be terrible/suboptimal for Smithore/Crystite production. It becomes a matter of how best to exploit the land you've acquired, and then (in the first place) know where the long-term profits are going to come from. Having an early big-producer can give you a boost and make you more self-sufficient during the inevitable store sellout. There's a definite "gear-shift" in the game where you go from acquiring self-sufficiency (or symbiotic trade agreements with other players) to being a mass-producer of Smithore/Crystite. How and when you perform that gear-shifting is what separates a beginning player from a veteran player.

Remember, barring land auctions, you're going to acquire 11 plots during the game. Your goal is to end up producing as much of whatever good is most valuable during the last 1/4 of the game. Changes in terrain balance can affect that.

In general I think we should wait on game balancing until the original game is fully restored and WORKING (no crashes or hangs), with maybe a few fixes for annoying stuff. Also A.I. improvement should be allowed right away since what matters is gameplay with 4 players

Also agreed, which includes knowing how the map is generated in the original game...and we've come full circle.

[machinus]

But for EOS you have to claim adjacent spaces, which (in the long term) may be terrible/suboptimal for Smithore/Crystite production. It becomes a matter of how best to exploit the land you've acquired, and then (in the first place) know where the long-term profits are going to come from. Having an early big-producer can give you a boost and make you more self-sufficient during the inevitable store sellout. There's a definite "gear-shift" in the game where you go from acquiring self-sufficiency (or symbiotic trade agreements with other players) to being a mass-producer of Smithore/Crystite. How and when you perform that gear-shifting is what separates a beginning player from a veteran player.

Remember, barring land auctions, you're going to acquire 11 plots during the game. Your goal is to end up producing as much of whatever good is most valuable during the last 1/4 of the game. Changes in terrain balance can affect that.

Long term profits can only come from smithore in the current game. A good player will setup their own food and energy plots so you won't need to pay through the nose for them, and once this happens players will usually sell extras rather than letting them go to waste.

If you play smart in the early game you can snag 1-2 extra plots, meaning you can get at least +3 LCT for your smithore plots. As for your plots being bad for EOS...all I can say is that the map is very open, and it is extremely easy to get all your lands adjacent with intelligent land positioning. I rarely have solitary plots playing with human players or A.I. I don't think it would even be possible to stop this from happening, it is just too wide open.

Also, the store sellout is not inevitable. I'm not sure that saving up ore is wise in the early game anyway, but even if other players do so, you can choose not to if you like.

[GabrielPope]

I'm with you on trying to make gameplay more varied, but moving back towards the originals is not necessarily going to further that goal.

Also, even in the early game EOS is a very huge factor. If I grab a 3x mountain, an adjacent plains tile is worth as much as a distant 2x mountain. Plus it has the flexibility to produce decent food/energy if necessary.