Identical Map Generation (not random!!)

[Raskal]

I've had the maps mentioned by SuperBeaver twice. The first time I played the game and about 3 days later a few games later. Standard Size 7 Civs Temperate Normal

 

[thedaian]

So, are all the people who get the same maps using the Play Now option? It's rather eerie as to the effect of it. Seeing the exact same map generated multiple times....

I will say this much, the games I've played, the maps do end up very similiar. However, given that the map styles are DESIGNED to be similier each time you play, I can understand this.

 

[Raskal]

No I always use Custom Game and got the same duplicate maps like SuperBeaver.

 

[snepp]

No I always use Custom Game and got the same duplicate maps like SuperBeaver.

Same for me, Custom Game.

 

[Yps]

Same for me, Custom Game.

Yepp. Custome game, continents, huge.

And I got the same maps of whom we have some screenshot here...

 

[XF Clohvn]

I've played atleast 3 of those maps you posted Sirian, one of them 3 times. I hope we get this figured out

 

[Dignitas]

I keep getting the same maps too, but only when I use the "Play Now" button. Never happened with the "Custom Game" Option so far. I think that's a better workaround.

No, i didn't edit my .ini file.

 

[Fintilgin]

I'm having the same issue. I played that map on the last page too, my first game. I didn't touch any .ini files, I just booted the game after installation and used the custom game settings to play a continents map.

 

[Eyemaze]

in the ini file you can set the random seed. It is set at 0 which it says is default. Has anyone tried changing that number to something else and seeing what results you get?

 

[netWilk]

You can see what random seed Civ 4 is using if you have logging enabled.
The seed is recorded in the init.log file. If the seed doesn't seem to change between different executions of the game, that is your problem.

 

[Yps]

I'm having the same issue. I played that map on the last page too, my first game. I didn't touch any .ini files, I just booted the game after installation and used the custom game settings to play a continents map.

LOL

That's the same map I got ten(!!!!!!) times in a row via customized game.

 

[doyen]

Damn. I'm just got an identical map again. I checked my ini file, and my random seed is definately set to zero.

 

[Sirian]

Those of you having trouble, please consider the manual workaround (that I posted earlier in the thread) for the moment, so you can be sure to have a good time Civving while the Firaxis team is working on the next patch. If you set a new seed, you can be sure you will get a new map!

That's not ideal, but it's better than suffering!


- Sirian

 

[LeoV]

I have bought Civ4 this weekend and played 3 games as following:

1st game: default settings, same map as you guys have
2nd game: different settings, different map
3rd game: default settings, AGAIN same infamous map as posted in this thread

No messing with INF file, the seeds were and are set to 0.


I am a programmer, and to me it sounds like some folks started getting "random" results after prolonged system uptime. Maybe CIV gets its random seed from high-order bits of the system uptime counter? Those bits would be all zero for a certain amount of PC uptime, and later they would start to carry non-0 values.

For example (using decimal notation for simplicity):

System uptime is 0000 0000 0098 2341 milliseconds (suppose the bug uses the second 4-digit set as its seed, for whatever reason) -- we get a random seed of 0000.

System uptime is 0000 0012 0984 4313 milliseconsd -- we would get a random seed of 0012, which is different, and explains why some people "started" getting random maps after a while.

Anyway, this is just a stab at why this might happen... I have seen bugs like this before.
Thanks for listening.
Leo

 

[doyen]

Just for additional information for people, I am attaching my screenshot of me winning on this map (that I keep getting). Note that I am located on the northeast continent. Two other guys have posted their pictures, and they were on the south continent and the west continent respectively. Apparently, although the maps are identical, the starting locations may vary.

 

[SwedishChef]

Just to add one more data point, I'm virtually certain I just played exactly the same map as the first graphic posted in this thread. If it wasn't identical, which I think it was, it was close enough to not be readily distinguishable - same three continents with the same shapes in the same positions...

 

[Jabah]

Same problem here.
Install civIV, didn't touch anything (didn't even dare to change the path & directory...).

First game, random civ (spain) everything standard, get the same map as some of you (same as RB2b SG with same starting point for those who need pictures).

I will try another one later (after work) with the same options.

Otherwise I will try Sirian advise...

If the MapRand is not set to 0, then that's likely your problem. Set it to 0 and try again. If it -is- set to 0, then set it to a random number pulled out of thin air: something large, like five or six or eight digits. Reset it each time you want to replay on the same map script. Again, this is only meant as a temporary workaround until a more permanent solution can be found.

This issue is a bit of a head scratcher, as no sign of anything of this kind has ever showed up for me -- and still didn't in my testing just now. I've run hundreds upon hundreds of tests, including sometimes thirty in a row on identical settings, and never seen a duplicate. The random number generator is not my direct responsibility, though, so all I can do is pass on your reports.

- Sirian

Jabah

 

[Fallblau]

Hey Sirian...

Just a thought... If the "Tilted Axis" map gives the truly Random map that a lot of us are looking for (i.e. random map type), would it be possible to modify that script so that the axis *isn't* tilted, and then call it "Sirian's Super-Duper Truly Random Civ Map" or something...

Just wondering... Unfortunately, all these thoughts come to me at work when I'd get my naughty bits smacked with a hammer for having a game installed, and not when I'm actually at home with the game...

 

[netWilk]

To everyone who keeps experiencing the duplicate problem, can you post the random seeds that Civ 4 has used when you got the map?

It is in the init.log file. Let's see if the problem is the same random seed or something else.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

I bought the German Gamestar magazine today. Their civ4 review features exatly the map superbeaverinc posted on the first page.

I guess "random" has a different meaning nowadays than it had during my mathematic lectures.