Opinions on my map

[Korolen]

Overview of my map so far: It's based on breeding; you try to breed a good beast that will pwn in randomly selected competitions (long race, track, figure eight, death match, elimination, and endurance so far).

I think I'll have 3 beasts that get a slightly bigger amount of a certain attribute. I can't decide what models to use, though.

Also, the breeding system:
The three attributes from both parents are averaged and some randomness is added. I want it so, on average, it will go towards 10... dunno how to code this nicely (I can do JASS).
Also, each beast has a fixed amount of abilities (I'm thinking four) randomly selected from what the parent's abilities were. Should it be if both parents have an ability, then the new beast will have that ability 100% of the time, or maybe two abilities randomly selected from each parent, or possibly just four abilities randomly selected from both parents (so it's possible to get all four abilities from Mom).

One last thing: I can't think of a name that doesn't suck. Thinkin maybe Beast Bloodshed or something based off of "like begets like"

Anyone with some helpful opinions gets +rep ^_^

P.S. I'm not sure whether this thread should go in WE Help Zone or Member's Projects... if this isn't the right place go ahead and move it, admins.

 

[ArmedCitizen]

For the name I think "Beast Evolution" would be cool. Can't help you with anything else. Sorry, forgot to tell how awesome of an idea this is.
Edit (Wrote this too quickly without thinking it through ): For the ability part of the breeding you should have just four random abilities from the two parents. To me that's more realistic then the other variations.

 

[Korolen]

For the name I think "Best Evolution" would be cool.

Hmm... only prob is it's not quite evolution cuz thats over a long period of time lol

Sorry, forgot to tell how awesome of an idea this is.

tx

EDIT to respond to edit:

For the ability part of the breeding you should have just four random abilities from the two parents. To me that's more realistic then the other variations.

It is the most realistic, but is it the most fun? That's what I'm trying to decide... See, it might be more fun if the new beast gets an abilitiy 100% of the time if both parents have it, because it would make the breeding aspect less complex and more straightforward.

 

[ArmedCitizen]

How are you selecting the parents? Are they just random at the start or do you pick what beasts and what abilities and everything like that.

If you select them then I think the way to get abilities should be two abilities from each randomly selected. That would make it so people couldn't pretty much preset what they will get.

For the name how about Beasts through Time, Beast Games, Family of Fur, something along the line of families with the beast part thrown in so people know. (I bet you thought of the combination (family + animals) already but I just wanted to tell you in-case.

 

[Korolen]

Well, (for now, later i'll add in auctions after i get a working beta) you purchase a randomly generated beast. You can also specify two of your beasts to bread together. At the beginning of the next main phase (after the competition), the new beasts appear.

Oh, and you have no control over how the parents blend together.

 

[Korolen]

bump

 

[DuckieKing]

I like 100% of both parents have it and otherwise random. Also a chance to get an ability neither parent had, like a superability (evolution!). I'd want a save code in that case.
Family of Fur! Make a poll!

 

[Korolen]

I like 100% of both parents have it and otherwise random.

"and otherwise random"... you mean like randomly selected from the parents or just any random ability?

And yes, I will implement genetic mutation.

EDIT: A poll? But there's only like 2 options so far... lol

 

[AceHart]

If both parents have some ability, I would pretty much expect that particular ability on the "child" too.
Doesn't have to be 100% though. 80 will do.

If the abilities have levels, I would also expect the higher level abilities to have a higher chance to carry over.

Together with one at random.
Otherwise you're never going to see them all.

 

[Korolen]

Hmm, I never even thought about levels

Say I do make it so each unit has 4 abilities, which are randomly chosen from the parents. If both parents have an ability, then on average, it would be 50-50 that the child has the ability, right?

I think it would be more fun to breed the units if it was more predictable, so I would have to somehow skew the algorithm for choosing the abilities.

Oh, and I'd probably do something like each "slot" has a 10% chance of mutating to a random ability.

To me, this seems like the most fun way that I could do it... but what exactly would the algorithm be for choosing abilities from the parents? Not quite sure how I would implement it.

In fact, if I wanted to get even more complex, I could add wights to the abilities depending on attributes or something... I think I'll just leave this out for now, though

BTW, my current algorithm just gets two random abilities from each parent, plus one mutation ability. Pretty simple, but not very elegant in my opinion.

 

[AceHart]

> Say I do make it so each unit has 4 abilities, which are randomly chosen from the parents.
> If both parents have an ability, then on average, it would be 50-50 that the child has the ability, right?

1 in 4...


Well, let's say you have some list like
Set Values[1] = 1
Set Values[2] = 2
Set Values[3] = 3
Set Values[4] = 4

and use Set NewValue = Values[ Random integer between 1 and 4 ]
it would be pretty much random.

Now, a slightly different setup, with still the same values:
Set Values[1] = 1
Set Values[2] = 1
Set Values[3] = 1
Set Values[4] = 1
Set Values[5] = 2
Set Values[6] = 2
Set Values[7] = 2
Set Values[8] = 3
Set Values[9] = 3
Set Values[10] = 4

and Set NewValue = Values[ Random integer number between 1 and 10 ]
it would still produce only values between 1 and 4, but, 2 for example would have 3 chances in 10.
Whereas 4 only has 1 in 10.


Hence the following "algorithm":

Set ImportanceParent1 = Strength(parent 1) * 3 + Agility(parent 1) * 2 + Intelligence(parent 1) * 4
Set ImportanceParent2 = Strength(parent 2) * 3 + Agility(parent 2) * 2 + Intelligence(parent 2)
Set ImportanceTotal = ImportanceParent1 + ImportanceParent2

Set count = 0
Loop through all possible abilities:

Set count = count + 1
Set list[count] = currently picked ability
if parent 1 has that ability:
- set count = count + 1
- Set list[count] = currently picked ability (i.e. add it one more time)
- If Random(1, ImportanceTotal) <= ImportanceParent1 then ... add it one more time
if parent 2 has that ability:
- set count = count + 1
- Set list[count] = currently picked ability (i.e. add it one more time)
- If Random(1, ImportanceTotal) <= ImportanceParent2 then ... add it one more time

Optionally, add them twice according to the "importance" test.

Once done:

Repeat
- Set RandomAbility = list[Random(1, count)]
- Add to unit
until the unit has 4 different abilities.


Controlled random.

Good luck.

No, I've no idea how that would play out...

 

[Korolen]

Well, I don't know how to calculate exact probabilities... According to a quick brute force calculator I just wrote, though, it's 50-50 if one parent has it and a 81.2% chance if both parents have it. There might be a bug in my code or something, though...

However, if those are the probabilities, then I think that its fine like that .
I could also add some weighting like you said to skew them further, if I want to tweak it in that direction.

BTW, I don't get the Importance______ variables in your pseudocode... the parents should be equally important, I think.

EDIT: Those probabilities were if it chose a parent, and then chose an ability off of that parent, and then removed the ability from that parent's "pool" of abilities. It would be slightly different if both parents were combined to make a pool of 8 abilities and the abilities were chosen from that. Also, the results would be a slightly larger percentage if I made it so if both parents share an ability and it's removed from one parent's pool, its removed from the other parent's pool also.

EDIT2: I changed the code to combine pools from both parents, and to simulate random abilities on the parents, and the results were almost the same. (The chances of getting an ability when one parent has it went up 3%... I'm actually not sure how this could happen. Maybe there's something wrong with my code. BTW it's in Ruby so I don't think you'd be able to read it )

 

[Master]

That's a map idea above decent. It's very nice, and reminds me of my glory at Pet Mastery
What I could suggest is:
Name - Era of Breed

Idea - Use country breedings. When you breed in e.g Cold terrain, your pets have more Endurance (HP/Armor), or when you breed at grasslands, you get extra movement and attack speed.

 

[Korolen]

Idea - Use country breedings. When you breed in e.g Cold terrain, your pets have more Endurance (HP/Armor), or when you breed at grasslands, you get extra movement and attack speed.

Hmm, this is a good idea. Right now, all the players are just stuck together in a large, rather uniform box. You just say what units are breeding with whom, and in the next phase the new units pop up. I could still add a feature so you could chose "where the new units are raised", but I'm guessing this isn't the same as you had imagined

 

[Master]

It is better anyways when you breed in different places...it makes it more realistic.

 

[Korolen]

It is better anyways when you breed in different places...it makes it more realistic.

It does make it more realistic, but it's another layer of complexity. I think my map is already on the verge of 'too complex', so I'm going to omit this for now. If, once I host a beta on Battle.net, players want it more advanced, I'll add this.

 

[Geelottaja]

Can the beasts of different type get a "child"? If so, that'd go a bit weird
Breeders could be a name, too, though it reminds of names like binders. It's also short and easy to remember.
Is there anything else you can/need to do? For instance, eat? Things like that that you can do on your free time could also change your primary stats.

 

[Korolen]

>Can the beasts of different type get a "child"? No, multiple races cannot breed together

>Breeders could be a name, too ??? EDIT: Ohhhh a name for the map. Should be more exiting, though, don't you think?

>Is there anything else you can/need to do? Yes, hunger will be implemented. The more you feed your beasts, the longer they live, the better the fight, and the shorter your wallet becomes. Other then that, that's the only 'upkeep' the beasts have. I might add random events like sickness or escape and stuff in a later version, but after I get the game playable.

 

[AceHart]

> You just say what units are breeding with whom, and in the next phase the new units pop up

Of course, I assume that this also means different unit models?
They do not all look the same, now, don't they?

What exactly is this "phase" thing?
Or, rather, why isn't it running continuously?

 

[Korolen]

> You just say what units are breeding with whom, and in the next phase the new units pop up

Of course, I assume that this also means different unit models?
They do not all look the same, now, don't they?

What exactly is this "phase" thing?
Or, rather, why isn't it running continuously?

Well, yes, it will use the same model as it's parents... Two Dragon Turtles don't produce rabbits now, do they? I will have multiple races that look different, but they can only interbreed among their race. (I don't know what the races should be, though. Dragon Turtles, Hydras, and Arachnids are some of my favorites...)

There are two phases that alternate: the main phase and the competition. In the main phase, people chose what beasts are breeding, they enter their beasts into the competition, and they place their bets. In the competition, the beasts that entered duke it out. I was thinking I could maybe have it so there's a competition running at all times, but then people that played alot of competitions would have their prize beasts die of old age because they didn't have the time to look over their beasts and decide who to breed...