Is it common for randomly generated maps to be missing resources?

[Immortal7777]

I am finding that units or structures cannot be built because even after taking over the entire world and seeing every scrap of land, Specific resources just don't exist which is just terrible. It's getting to the point where I will have edit them into my own maps, Any other way to fix this? Or is it just a flaw with the random maps on a mod?

 

[justanick]

On unmodded games such occurances are at least highly unlikely.

 

[tjs282]

Can we assume that you properly set appearance-ratios and valid terrains for all the 'missing' resources?

And/or that you have not added more resources than the game can cope with? I seem to recall reading somewhere that the map generator will only assign a maximum percentage (5%?) of the total tiles as "resource-tiles", so if there are too many resources (of any type) in a .biq -- and especially too many resources with high appearance-ratios -- the game may simply not find enough 'available' tiles left over to distribute the rarer resources.

Finally, the appearance ratios are always applied with respect to the total number of civs on the map at game-start. So if you generated a map containing only 2 Civs out of the 31(?) available in the .biq, that will also contribute to resource-rarity (though I'm pretty sure there's always at least one of each in the epic game -- even if it's on a 1-tile Mountain-island that can never be Settled...).

 

[Immortal7777]

Ah that makes sense, there are 41 unique resources in this mod, most of which being luxury items. I am using the Dragonia mod For reference. I did generate a random map and use the civ editor to add them all in and it worked when I used it like that. It's just rather inconvenient because so many units are contingent on certain resources. I got really unlucky last game because it was missing practically all of the strategic resources confining the entire world to what could be compared to knights being the top unit for every civ

 

[Buttercup]

90% of threads on games older than 5 years old:
"What's the deal with this thing" - "Have you modded anything?" - "Yes" -
"What's the deal with this thing" - "Haven't you modded that out?" -

 

[Spoonwood]

90% of threads on games older than 5 years old:
"What's the deal with this thing" - "Have you modded anything?" - "Yes" -
"What's the deal with this thing" - "Haven't you modded that out?" -

I feel confident in saying that you exaggerate here. I would hesitate to even say that 40% of threads on games over 5 years old work out that way.

That said, I think I would agree that the frequency of such threads compared to other threads does increase over time, since new strategic ideas don't come up as often, and some other reasons.

 

[Buttercup]

Yes, I must admit I was exaggerating. And I don't mean to disparage people who play great modded games, just more of a comment on how the General Discussion forum tends to start reading more like the Creation and Customisation forum as time passes.

 

[timerover51]

When it comes to my mods, I generally get massive amounts of luxury resources. When I say massive, I mean massive, like 20 Elephants in one cluster, or 15 mountains with Gems in another group. I do not get that with either bonus resources or strategic resources. I will see if I can get some screen shots.

 

[tjs282]

Having Lux-resources clustered but Bonus- and Strat-resources spread out is normal: that's hardcoded in the map-generator.

And since how many of each Lux- and Strat-resource you get is roughly proportional to how many Civs are set to spawn, if you play Huge+ maps with all 31 Civs, large Lux-clusters are to be expected.

 

[timerover51]

Having Lux-resources clustered but Bonus- and Strat-resources spread out is normal: that's hardcoded in the map-generator.

And since how many of each Lux- and Strat-resource you get is roughly proportional to how many Civs are set to spawn, if you play Huge+ maps with all 31 Civs, large Lux-clusters are to be expected.

That does pretty well to describe the maps that I normally play on.

 

[timerover51]

Some sample images of my luxury resource clusters. These are mainly from a custom map using TETurkhan's Test of Time scenario as a basis.

I have some more as well, but this should show what you can get. Periodically, I have clusters of bonus resources as well.

Yes, those are dinosaurs in the first image. I did use Test of Time, which has some dinosaurs, and I like dinosaurs in my scenarios when available. The Test of Time T-Rex is quite impressive as long as it is going after someone else. I do hate it when they visit my new cities, but if you play with dinosaurs, you will probably get bitten.

 

[Theov]

Wgat are the scenario settings and map? Because that looks like an awful lot clumped together.

 

[timerover51]

It is a custom map based on the Play the World Test of Time scenario. Map size is 300 X 240, 80% water Archipelago, normal temperate climate, 4 billion years old, with raging Barbarians. The world seed is 21031951. Here is the bix file. You will need the Test of Time mod to view it properly. I am using Pounder's Resource file as modified by Vuldacon for the resources.

 

[tjs282]

If it's a .bix, that might be at least partly why the resource-distribution looks so abundantly clustered.

The map-generator rules were apparently slightly different in PtW, and (IIRC) there was closer to a 1:1 correspondence between number of Civs and number of each Lux-resource placed.

Plus, resources are placed per inhabited landmass, so an 80% Archi-map may also force more clustering.

 

[Fergei]

I don't know about resources, but max water archipelago maps are frequently completely broken due to the absence of freshwater. So it wouldn't amaze me if these maps also had issues with resources (even tthough they will be governed by different code).

 

[timerover51]

I don't know about resources, but max water archipelago maps are frequently completely broken due to the absence of freshwater. So it wouldn't amaze me if these maps also had issues with resources (even tthough they will be governed by different code).

I generate a lot of 70% and 80% water archipelago maps, and I have never had problems with fresh water issues, no with resources either. My map size is, for now, 300 X 240, which may make a difference.

 

[Fergei]

Yeah, for clarity I was finding this during a period of making maps for multiplayer gakes (max 8 Civs) so will have been standard map size. I would be focussing on all Civs having a viable starting position which is why I will have paid extra attention to island starts with no freshwater. I've no idea if this would be replicated on larger maps as I'm more of a 60%, Archi kind of a guy on single player.