Metaverse/Ladder Possibility

from Stardock Forums
How about creating a metaverse ranking ladder based solely on pregenerated maps?

This way there is a level playing field for everyone.
Release a map, have X period of time to generate scores from it and then rank based on that period.

Then release another one, or allow people to generate them somehow and use those. And keep that seperate from the standard metaverse that uses random maps.

No issues with someone ctrl-n to death for a better position, etc.

I think it would be a lot more interesting that way.
146 views 6 replies
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I've seen a couple of others mention this, usually in conjunction with preceived faults of the Meta-Verse.

Sounds good to me.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
We need it!

~SDC~
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Great idea, but for this to be 'interesting' you would
have to allow people to pick their own racial makeup
for this pregenerated map. This is currently not
supported and I do not know how much work it would
require, though it need not be impossible.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
I think what you describe, Staffa, is doable.

That data has to be in the saved game files. They are hex based (not plain-text), but parsing them out would not be insurmountable.

Then you'd just have to whip up a GUI to allow the player to set their government, spend their 10 points, and then save. Boot up GalCiv, point it at the edited file, and away you go.

All of the above is only theory at this point, of course. I've made some initial forays into reading in the hex files, I'm fairly confident it can be done- but you never know for sure until you really sink your teeth into it.

The modding community could do this, or Stardock can. The big disadvantage to us doing it is without a file map, parsing out the hex files is a painful process. Now if Stardock felt generous and published the file format, things would go much easier. Could be they view that format as proprietary, though. Or don't want people running around and using that knowledge to fix up their saved games before submitting it to the Metaverse.

It always comes back to the Metaverse. That thing's a modder's worst nightmare.

~SDC~