Subject: Re: Ressource-Algorythm

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Hello Sandman,

I've prepared a max.ini for v1.04 retail that contains all the debug mode switches. You can find it in the "M.A.X. 1.04 Dev Informations" topic. Simply put the max.ini into the MAX install directory, run the MAX setup.exe to set your sound card, and enable the followings:
debug=1 <- turn on the debug mode
all_visible=1 <- see entire map, even stealth units (infiltrator, submarines)

Here are the relevant debug mode switches for the resource generation algorithm (take note, Alien derelicts are also treated as resources!):

RAW MATERIALS
raw_normal_low=1
raw_normal_high=5
raw_concentrate_low=16
raw_concentrate_high=16
raw_concentrate_seperation=19
raw_concentrate_diffusion=4

FUEL
fuel_normal_low=2
fuel_normal_high=4
fuel_concentrate_low=16
fuel_concentrate_high=16
fuel_concentrate_seperation=20
fuel_concentrate_diffusion=4

GOLD
gold_normal_low=0
gold_normal_high=1
gold_concentrate_low=12
gold_concentrate_high=16
gold_concentrate_seperation=26
gold_concentrate_diffusion=4

GLOBAL FOR RESOURCES
mixed_resource_seperation=33
min_resources=12
max_resources=23

ALIEN DERELICTS
alien_seperation=50
alien_unit_value=30

The given parameter values are taken from the v1.04 retail MAX executable. If no ini file can be found, these are the default values used by the executable.

- As you can see, there are generation parameters combined and single for all resources:
MIN , MAX , SEPARATION , DIFFUSION
- The base normal min-max values are given as a start point for the calculations of different resource density settings
- The base min-max values for a cloud is also given.

If you think it would be useful, you can play with the settings during a new game setup, and the base parameters here, which are the core parameters used by the original game. If I will have time, I will try to reconstruct the original v1.04 retail / v1.56 beta algorithm for resource generation in the hopes that it will be useful to the MAXR project.

Some additional info:
- The resource generation algorithm takes into account the placement of the player/computer bases. So the resource map and the alien units are only generated after all players chose their sites for making evil destructive machinery
- The game places much more resources near to the player sites and for more, as I seen the amount of resources placed in the area of the base center is nearly the same for all players. So you were right, there is a balancing to provide nearly the same starting conditions for all players. Still, I think balancing the resources throughout the whole map would be a wrong turn to take as if all players has the same amount of raw resources in their territory we might loose the "advantages" provided by a good terrain. We loose strategic importance for getting the resources we need.
- I attached 3 screenshots that shows how random can be the resource generation algorithm of the original MAX v1.04 retail.

best regards,
mague

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