Random Vs. Predictable...

I'm back, I've been thinking (dangerous!), and I've got an idea I must get out. Well, a concept, more like. It's on the difference and balance of having a map and/or gametype that is both random and predictable. Let me explain:

When was the last time that you stepped out of your door, and, instead of your foot falling to the ground, your entire body shot up into the sky? Hopefully never. This effect, this pull towards the ground, is called gravity. We depend on it, but we almost never actually think about it (unless you're a nerdy rocket guy, and then it's just what you get paid to do). In a contrary fashion, when was the last time you stepped outside your door and everything from then on happened just like it did the day before, and the day before, and so on, even down to the words people said, the food you ate, etc.? This is called predictability, and too much of it is extremely boring. However, we also rely on minimal amounts of it to function.

If any of you are still reading, you're probably saying, "What the crap is this moron rambling on about?" Well, here's how this applies to Forging: in order for your map to be truly excellent, one thing that helps a ton is finding a great balance between "random and predictable."

What I mean is this: you don't want to have a CTF in which there is one set path to the flag which every must take (offense and defense), but you also don't want the flag to be in a random location each time (not possible, but you get the point). Basically, there's a very fine line in between being able to guess what will happen and being surprised that is essential to find. Having a different person spawn as the zombie, for instance, is a great random event. It provides excitement, momentary confusion, intensity, jealousy, and so on...all the great things within a video game. A horrible random events, however, would be the game choosing randomly where the map geometry goes, where all the weapons spawn, what weapons are on the level, who's on whose team, etc.

The reason that level of randomness takes the fun out of a game is because it nullifies a player's ability to become knowledgeable about a level, gametype, weapon placement, or flag route. It basically levels the playing field entirely; those who have worked hard at learning a map are suddenly put on the same mental level as those who haven't practiced at all. I'm not saying that new map geometry or different weapons is a bad thing; I'm just saying that you have to find a balance. Take Tunnel Raid 2.0 (my favorite map), for instance. You don't have to worry about where the active camo will spawn, do you? You might have to worry about when it spawns, who will get it, what its effects on the game will be...but not where it spawns.

It boils down to intelligent map design. A player should come off one of your games feeling like he just played a map that should have been included in the original game. It ought to be professional. Tweaking a map until you gain this balance is one of those things that contributes to the whole well-made feel. Try and create maps that can have many outcomes, but not infinite outcomes, in other words (unless your map is striving to be as randomly creative as possible, which is a very hard thing to achieve without looking incompetent). Provide a level that will surprise people with interesting and different things, but not confuse them. It's about balance!

As this was a fairly "random" (hah, pun, get it?!?!?) thread, I'm fully aware to answer any questions. =P

-Thinker

 

Hah, I'm known for rambling on for quite a while. Thanks for the approval, though. =P

 

Thanks Lone. I try to think before I speak (messed up there far too many times...) in order to bring something of actual use to these boards.

And, I have noticed that your posts as well have been intelligent and productive. Huzzah for us overachievers! =D

 

Hah, let that be wisdom to all: no one word posts. Yavi tends to do that quite often, though. I'm glad: every board needs a good ninja that people love to hate.

Also...good grammar solves many of life's problems.