Randomization

1) Contents
  • Definition
  • Example of a random maze
  • Obvious premises
  • Relevant rules
  • Limitations of random mazes
  • Common mistakes
    2)     Back to index
    Definition:
    Maze layout that changes randomly
    Example of a random maze (basic)
    What the player sees If he was omniscient 
    ClanMazeRoom
  Hi! You are now in our clan maze.
  (Glowing)A portal lies here.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NSWUD>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom
South: ClanMazeRoom
West: ClanMazeRoom
Up: ClanMazeRoom
Down: ClanMazeRoom

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Scan
Nothing to see here, might as well move on.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Hunt clanshop
You couldn't find a path to clanshop.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Wayfind portal
Portal leads to ThisClan

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NSWUD>North
ClanMazeRoom
  Hi! You are now in our clan maze.
  (Glowing)A portal lies here.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Wayfind portal
Portal leads to ThisClan

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom
East: ClanMazeRoom
South: ClanMazeRoom
West: ClanMazeRoom
Up: ClanMazeRoom

The clanhall has repopped
100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NEWUD>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom
East: ClanMazeRoom
West: ClanMazeRoom
Up: ClanMazeRoom
Down: ClanMazeRoom

    ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:10)
  Hi! You are now in our clan maze.
  (Glowing)A portal lies here.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NSWUD>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:11)
South: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:12)
West: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:13)
Up: ClanMazeRoom(Jail)
Down: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:14)

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Scan
Nothing to see here, might as well move on.
   (North is actually a Noscan mob)
100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Hunt clanshop
You couldn't find a path to clanshop.
   (Shop is through a portal)
100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Wayfind portal
Portal leads to ThisClan(Leads to jail)

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NSWUD>North
ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:11)
  Hi! You are now in our clan maze.
  (Glowing)A portal lies here.

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Wayfind portal
Portal leads to ThisClan(Leads to clanhall)

100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NESWU>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:14)
East: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:15)
South: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:12)
West: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:10)
Up: ClanMazeRoom(Jail)

The clanhall has repopped
100hp 50mn 50mv Exits:NEWUD>Exits
North: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:12)
East: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:15)
West: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:14)
Up: ClanMazeRoom(Jail)
Down: ClanMazeRoom(Vnum:10)

    ©1999 - Pooh
    Obvious premises
  • Only random exits will change (Don't laugh - the criteria for these are strict)
  • The layout will change only on repop
  • All exits and rooms have to be indistinguishable for it to work (same desc, mobs, objects, exits, etc)
  • The difficulty is multiplicative: I.e. 2-steps = 6 x 6, 3-steps = 6 x 6 x 6. (Instead of 6+6 or 6+6+6)

    Relevant rules:
    Help clandefense:
  • Random Exits (Maze): Can only be in rooms with no doors.
  • One-way: Can Not have door.
  • Portals: Can lead to any room in the clan area. Can be no more then 6 portals in an given room.

    Limitations
  • Marking: Methods in distinguishing 1 room from another
         - Most commonly by using people to "sit", then scanning for them
         - Further elaborated under <Swarming, Sitting & Marking>

  • Flooding: Filling the maze with Markers (usually Sitting raiders)
         - Basic idea: If you fill up every room & try every portal, you will find the right one!
         - Further elaborated under <Swarming, Sitting & Marking>

  • No intrinsic key-trapping:
         - The key-holder will just wait while the mappers mark the safe route
         - Needs to be combined with key-trapping methods (later)

  • Clan guards:
         - Applicable only if you use the diffuse clanguard system/have guards in the maze.
         - These guard upgrades have to be made simultaneously to maintain homogeneity.
         - This can be both politically difficult *wink* and financially taxing.
         - Also, you need some random maze guards just for show, and don't need to be killed.
    Common mistakes:
  • Depending totally on random exits, and forgetting a portal before mobs or the CHall.
         - Hunt will get the raiders through
  • Thinking in terms of only 1 raider, instead of the usual 6+ raiders who will mark.
         - Methods such as key-trapping, etc. See later pages.
  • Having 5 exits lead to jail, and only 1 correct exit, for a 1-in-6 chance.
         - 1 jail sitter will reduce that to a 1-in-1.
  • Putting 6 portals in 1 room as a random tactic.
         - Portals do NOT randomly repop. "2.portal" is always "2.portal"
  • Having doors in the "random" room.
         - Rooms with doors do NOT randomly repop.
  • Putting 1 portal to clan hall, and 5 to other areas.
         - Wayfind.
  • Thinking like a Defender, and putting the exit at the END of the random maze. (Not really a "mistake")
         - Consider not having the exit at the END. But then this gets us into a reverse-psychology thing.

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