Concept for new map: lost desert

[5t3v3]

Hi, I was thinking about trying to make a new map, based on the old maze in zelda1 on NES 8bit; but I think I might run into some technical difficulties with the concept, so I thought I'd propose it here so people could brainstorm about it. The idea is to have a fairly large open desert where people would tend to get lost. To help disorientate you, at the edges of the map are portals that take you to the opposite side. So if you run straightforward all the time you're in an infinite loop. Additional portals will be placed along the map to make it even harder. I made a quick sketch. Each pair of letters representing both sides of a portal. The blue square could be a temple entrance or oasis or some other place of interest.



Some other things I have thought about:

* Maybe you could buy directions from an NPC (3 steps N, 5 steps S, and so on)
* Maybe we could change the map every week or month (we wouldn't actually need more then one map; we could work out some system so that every month when entering this map you start at a different location, that should render last months directions useless)
*I've been thinking on whether or not there or should be monsters in such a map. If there are monsters, they would help you orientate your position by their location when stepping trough portals. On the other hand if there aren't any monsters, you can't die, and if you can't die, and get lost, how would you ever get back?

[Jaxad0127]

How are the players going to leave the map?

Monsters are fine as long as they're too common to cause that problem.

The inner portals (non edge) could also be randomized periodically.

Unless the map itself is also changed periodically, this might not be a good idea. Making each square it's own map and randomizing them (changing their position and swapping them out for others) would help.

[5t3v3]

How are the players going to leave the map?

I'm considering two possibilities:
1. There could be some portals at the edges bringing you home,
2. There are only two ways back either get to the place of interest where there is also an NPC that spawns you home, or die and respawn home.

The inner portals (non edge) could also be randomized periodically.

Yeah I like that, it would definitely make it confusing. But then we'd have to find a way to safeguard the directions from these random portals (perhaps exclude the path that one should take from a list of coordinates where portals can randomly occur)

Unless the map itself is also changed periodically, this might not be a good idea. Making each square it's own map and randomizing them (changing their position and swapping them out for others) would help.

I'm not sure I understood you well, you mean like, making 4 similar quadrants and spawning to a different quadrant every week/month? Yeah I guess that could work, but we'd have to confine the random portals to one quadrant, so you don't get transported to the wrong quadrant.

[Jaxad0127]

I'm not sure I understood you well, you mean like, making 4 similar quadrants and spawning to a different quadrant every week/month? Yeah I guess that could work, but we'd have to confine the random portals to one quadrant, so you don't get transported to the wrong quadrant.

The grid you gave has 48 squares. We make like 60 maps that are interchangeable and randomly arrange 48 of them. Repeat every so often.

Another idea is to take two opposite portals (like the E's) and use them as entrances/exits. The inner portals could also be done as caves.

[Crush]

we don't need 60 individual maps for this. We could put all the squares on one map and use warps that lead to another square on the same map. Would make the transitions smoother (although still noticeable) and make it easier to maintain.

A randomly changing labyrinth was, by the way, the concept we have for the afterlife.

[5t3v3]

we don't need 60 individual maps for this. We could put all the squares on one map and use warps that lead to another square on the same map. Would make the transitions smoother (although still noticeable) and make it easier to maintain.

Yeah, that's what meant by quadrants on the same map. Separated areas divided by enough collision tiles so you can't see the other area. Perhaps even copy the exact cactus-pattern so you can't tell which quadrant you're in

A randomly changing labyrinth was, by the way, the concept we have for the afterlife.

Yeah I read that, but based on the few details that were revealed, I kind of imagined that it would have been a completely different concept. (changing walls, no chance of dieing, different exits'...). Idk, if you think two kind of maze's are abundant I can have peace with that. But I still think this one might add value to the game

[ElvenProgrammer]

But I still think this one might add value to the game

I agree, nice initiative.

[5t3v3]

Some technical questions,

How do portals work? If you set a portal between point A and B, will that automatically work in both directions? Or do you need two portals:one from point A to point B and one from point B to point A?

What is the maximum size for a map? wiki says: around 200x200 tiles is good in practice, though the theoretical maximum is 2048x2048. Will the max size might slow things down allot? Which max size is recommendable?

[Crush]

You have to define two portals.

AFAIK noone has really tried maps larger than 200x200 yet.

[5t3v3]

You have to define two portals.

Ah, that's great news, leads to a lot more confusing possibilities, like several portals leading to the same place and portals leading you away but not taking you back.