I was wondering if the random map script of the nomad map has been altered with the introduction of the DE version of AoE.
I used to play on nomad maps with my friends in the HD version regularly and it seems the resource distribution between the HD and the DE version is different.
In the DE version, there’re fewer and smaller gold and stone spots and herdables are scattered completely.
Can somebody confirm these changes? Why have they been performed?
And: Is it possible to transfer the random map script of the HD version to the DE?
Thanks!
Yes, there have been changes. You can copy the nomad script from D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Age2HD\resources_common\drs\gamedata_x2 if you want to use it in DE.
Land generation looks largely the same. Resource generation as been outsourced to a separate file, so it’s more work to compare the changes. I suppose I could check.
Thank you very much for your reply. That worked. Great.
Now me and my friends can enjoy nomad as we used to.
And yes, land generation isn’t an “issue”, that actually seems to be unchanged. But the resources are.
Copied the HD script to the DE version and instantly got the “correct” resource distribution back.
Sheeps are back in smalls herds of 2 or 4 as usual and there’re more and larger gold and stone spots again. Great.
Do you know, why this script was changed that way in the DE version? Any clue?
I don’t know the motivation.
However, they updated all the maps. And all the maps now refer to a single file that contains all the resource generation. This makes it easier for them to tweak overall resources in the future and allowed them to add the new animals etc. more easily to everything. For the standard maps, the new resource distribution attempts to be “fairer” by reducing variation between the players. As I said, I haven’t looked specifically for what they did to the part of the resources that is used by nomad.
Also, they have added support for new game modes such as “Empire Wars” which requires being able to modify the resources when that mode is selected (you will notice that the HD nomad script doesn’t do anything special for emprie wars, while the new nomad does).
Ultimately, the resource distribution changes you refer to were likely motivated by by a desire to balance things. There isn’t any official statement though.
From the developers point of view I fully understand this step; and I also think that the standard maps needed some improvement in terms of fairer resource distribution. Honestly I haven’t looked into empires wars yet, but it makes sense to control all this from a separate file.
For me, personally, the HD nomad recource distribution, where you could end up starting in a region with 4 large stone spots and no gold spot, almost no food, made playing nomad very interesting and challenging to me. So, as I said, I’m very happy to have the HD version back.
Yes sure. I’m fine with the fact that they changed nomad that way. For ranked games you need fair conditions. So it was absolutely reasonable to change it.
Anyway, I’m happy, that I can play it the old way again, though.
Edit: But! I’d expect the devs to inform about such rather severe changes to a random map script… at least in an ideal world.
