Symmetric Planets

I wouldn't mind trying this. It never worked in games with static maps because people would just memorize them. That's not an option in PA

As far as i can see this issue will solve itself as soon as we can build / edit our own planets. And a fair map doesn't have to be perfectly symmetrical, just even in terms of resources.


Unless i'm mistaken Jon Mavor is uber_neutrino.

So.. is a real map editor a confirmed feature? I assumed making our own planets always meant the current system where you can just adjust the sliders.

Pretty sure they said they expect someone to make a custom map editor. So, it's not planned by uber, but they will make sure it is possible.

I think everyone agrees that fairness is a good thing to strive for.. it is a question of what you sacrifice for it. Personally I would think the interesting gameplay that you get with random, asymmetrical maps outweighs minor balance issues. Even chess is not balanced (white is favored), which is why tournament wins are not decided by single matches.

I just realised what we need. A signal to call the vanguard with for proofreading our statements. Like that bat-searchlight thingy gotham use to call batman with. Or are their spider-senses strong enough? Hello vanguards... Come out and plaaay...

Will be cool if we can choose between Symetrical and Asymetrical planets

I have to say that the spawn points are completely fair right now...every one of them have enough mex points to get two factories up. By then you should already have scouted and claimed other mex clusters before any battle starts. Don't stay zoomed into your base and claim that as "your base". This is why I like TA over most other RTS games out there, map control was how you win, not turtling.

Expand. Control. Dominate. Obliterate. There is absolutely nothing wrong or unbalanced about the current spawns because there is no corner to back into...just scout the enemy base and expand to where he is not. The strategy aspect of this game comes to whether you are able to hold your own against your enemy with the amount of land that you control.

So in short I completely disagree with the OP on this topic.

In terms of a single match, I don't think PA will ever be a competitive eSport -- not without the ability to hand-craft symmetrical maps.

But over the course of many matches you can certainly get a feel for how players rank. You might beat me this time purely because you had a better start spot but over the course of 10 games we can probably figure out who's really the best. A lot of strategy games involve random elements and adapting to the situation as it unfolds is part of what can separate the good players from the bad.

My advice is to just avoid playing on small maps. The smaller the map, the more important your start location is. On a larger map it should tend to wash out a lot more.

It's 'not a priority' - I very much doubt it will be in for launch, but depending on demand I'd say there is a fair possibility of either:

- A player-made map editor
- An Uber-made map editor

At some point in the non-too-distant future.

What's with bashing on the ideas guys? First flat maps then symmetrical maps?

It is a fine option decision. Tournaments probably will use it. Or even flat maps. Or even hand crafted terrain maps with strategic points of control/choke/defense/opening.

We technically could mod these ideas into the game. No matter how one sided the argument, somebody will get fed up and plug code into the game to make planets generate a half and instead use that same half into the other half.

I like the idea of symmetrical planets. It could be an option in the planet editor, if we get one.

1. Front of the planet mirrored so the other side is the same.
2. Front and back of the planet identical. Does mess with the edges a bit.
3. Northern hemisphere mirrored so the southern hemisphere is the same.
4. A quarter of the planet mirrored a couple times. 4 player ffa.


If planet modification is possible assigning spawn locations should be possible as well. This way you could make a single spawn location for both players on the opposite sides of the planet.

Personally, I want as much customazation and editing options as possible.

Variety and options are good, but in a world of limited development resources you have to make choices.. and considering that basically every other RTS in existence has a) flat and b) symmetrical maps, it is not that hard to see why someone would want something different from PA. It's like someone came along and said "Hey I got this great idea.. why don't we make this game exactly like everything else on the market?"

Theoretically, people have an idea of how maps can be hand made if necessary by a mod, even if it doesn't come with dev work or release.

That would satisfy the tournament crowd. That would also, by using mesh subtraction on well over half the planet, make flat maps possible.

So, it is nearly sure to be a reality in some form. If development was limited i too would cut this corner. I just find the idea has important merit as to why it's good. It isn't trying to insult the game, it is just trying to make competitive games possible. Fair enough.

Balance can be provided both in a symmetrical and in an asymmetrical way. Look at fighting games. By no means are two different characters perfectly balanced yet the competition is fierce and seldom will both players select the same character.

Often in the fighting game tournaments players will show some aspect of a character, that would be considered an underdog, and stomp their opponent.

Every victory or defeat can not be chalked up to the start of the match. Most often the victory comes from later on.

Magic The Gathering tournaments are played world wide and the starting conditions of each of those matches are as far from symmetrical as you can get. Each player constructs their deck with a specific strategy in mind and the player who successfully executes their strategy usually wins.

Watch some of the PA play videos and you will see plenty of examples of victory that was seized from a disadvantaged position.

I think it is a discredit to competitive play to say that the only way to have a competitive match is if everything is the same.

Now I am going to go off topic a little bit. The first mod I would love to see is a mod that allows you to customize your unit roster then take that unit roster into battle.
For a more complete concept look here.
https://forums.uberent.com/threads/modular-units.53577/page-2#post-829187

Not being able to know the lay of the land would not make sense. It takes no stretch of the imagination to assume any commander entering a system would survey the planets and have a understanding of terrain before landing.

Additionally if you could only see your landing zone you would be very disappointed to find you were on a small island or perhaps boxed into a canyon with no way to expand other than air fabbers.

I think you're confusing what is fair. Lots of RTS have different factions. So having different decks in Magic or different characters in fighting games is perfectly normal. However they all have the same starting postions, e.g. in Magic you have the same initial Health, and in fighting games one person doesn't have a positional advantage.

Magic have different starting conditions in that the players have different decks and the current deck match-up might be completely unfair. I might have designed a deck specifically to counter your deck. In Magic the deck building is part of the strategy and metagame.

Different decks doesn't equal different starting conditions. All players have the same starting conditions in that they have the freedom to build their deck as they want.

That is the same thing as saying it doesn't matter if character X is OP against character Y or that Zerg is OP against Protoss because the players can chose their starting character or race.

Edit:Not to mention that you actually have to pay real money to buy Magic cards.