Custom map difficulty levels

[Pilchard123]

I was just thinking that you could have only a single copy of a map, but it contained more than one map. If that makes sense.

I shall explain: You start with a very basic map, perhaps only two asteroids, one called EASY, one called HARD, and 10 seedlings, no trees. If you plant a tree on either of the asteroids, a map is set up, changed according to which 'roid was planted. I'll demonstrate sometime (got less time now I'm starting my A-levels), but for now, here's some pseudo-code as a stop-gap.

If <tree is planted on EASY> then
generate <map1>
else
generate <map2>
end if

You coud potentially make a whole campaign like this, it would just be a bit of a marathon, since you can't save levels. (hint, hint)

[Bonobo]

This would bring amazing new possibilities, methinks.

And yes, ability to save games would be great. (Says me who can just suspend the virtual machine I’m playing in )

[Terrial]

Ah, like start the level with just the few asteroids with each one corresponding to a different difficulty level, and then once you plant on one, the level erases those asteroids and generates the level?

[Pilchard123]

Ah, like start the level with just the few asteroids with each one corresponding to a different difficulty level, and then once you plant on one, the level erases those asteroids and generates the level?

Yup. Chain plant-delete-generates for a campaign.

[Terrial]

You should totally make a level with that! I really wish I could be making levels too, but college is just throwing way too much homework my way.

[spywhere]

It seem to be good idea. I'll try it when I have some free times.

You should totally make a level with that! I really wish I could be making levels too, but college is just throwing way too much homework my way.

Yeah, me too. It so bad...
But the life in the college would be good... 

[Mihhaelo]

Sounds good, but tedious to code since the planets have to be made in LevelSetup. Would involve lots of manual SendDistances, and moving unused asteroids out of range.

[AWS]

its a nice idea...but i think using to make 'campaigns' or strings of levels defeats the purpose. is that not merely the campaign single levels, but in a linked, chained-up style?

would it not be better to use such code for generating different enemy AI behaviours, world events, or other general ingame occurances? taht would make individual levels far greater in scope/ possibility, do away with the need to laboriously code vaious behaviours, and allow for greater, and more unqiue in-game interactions.
eg, depending on your choice of tree to plant, or other non-tree-planting action, something is triggered elsewhere, like a comet that delivers seeds, or an immediate attack of similar numbers of seeds as whatever you have on that particular roid.

To me at least, the idea of so much procedurally generated script cuts back on randomness or individual level parculiarities that this same code could be used to enhance in more far-reaching ways than making strings of levels.

It just occured to me that it could be used better than the orginal poster initially suggested is all im saying..

it's all good, baby!



AWS