Optimal Random Scenario Settings?

[Veldor]

Only played one random scenario so far and I was just curious what others have found here? Have you settled on one basic set of settings or do you vary things up a bit? I learned right off the bat many combos are just plain stupid. I had to abort around 3 games before I came up with a workable one. I did an 85x85 map with 50 percent land, 30 cities and 6 players (Forget the other settings) and it was about a 100 turn game to win. Wondering if 45 cities or whatever makes it longer/shorter and/or otherwise if anyone else has settled on something I can borrow from?

PS. For those that haven't tried it yet it was a whole new way to experience the game and it has a totally different feeling from the regular scenarios. Now I truly see what everyone else has been talking about!

[Warspite3]

I have played a few random map games with the same settings as dave74 had in his gameplay example. It is amazing how different each one is even at the same settings. I think the random maps are great!

[Veldor]

How many turns were games based on those settings running on average until victory?
I've been playing with the generator some and for discussions purposes your suggestion provides as good a start as any. Here are my thoughts:

Width & Height : 60 x 60 a bit on the small side and too crammed with that much water for 6 players? I think 80 x 80 played well.
Players : 6 definitely seems like a minimum. Id probably go a bit higher like 7 since I don't like as much water as david did.
Land : 40% I dont know about the realism here especially as maps get bigger. at 50% I had two much larger continents, around 3 medium ones and a variety of varying sized islands. And still plenty of water.
Rivers : 10x led to too few, at least 20x seems to be too many. 15% a bit more realistic?
Forests : Level 30 is the default and a good call I think.
Mountains : Level 25 is also a default and a good call for those that dont like getting too bogged down. Mountains might need a half notch up for realism though.
Towns : 40x, 30x on an 80x80 was definitely too few but provided a very different feel and balanced well with default research mod. 40x seems excessive on a 60 x 60 for me but seems like a good setting for an 80 x 80.
Roads : Level 3 Like it
CitySize : Level 3 is too many capitals and with a high city count like 40 on a 60x60 it really should be a level 2. But 40x on 80x80 seems to allow Level 3 to work so no annoying little villages while not being unrealistically crowded
ResearchMod : Level 200% = very bad. I think this crept up again because of too many cities. 30 on 80x80 it felt just slightly slow at 100% so 40 cities it ought to be perfect at 100%
Swamp : Level 5 Ok

So in the end here are my working recommendations:

Width: 80hex
Height: 80hex
Players: 7
Land: 50%
Rivers: 15%
Forests: Level 30
Mountains: Level 25
Towns: 45x
Roads: Level 3
CitySize: 3
ResearchMod: 100%
Swamp: Level 5

Thoughts?

[therockyfroggy]

Personally, there isn't an ideal setting for me. I've played with lots of different settings depending on what kind of mood I'm in. But, I haven't played on anything bigger than 60 x 60 as I don't like long games. Mostly 40 x 40 or 50 x 50 with 4 or 5 players.

[Twotribes]

I wish we could do random maps of 200 by 200 ). Biggest you can do is 100 by 100 with I believe 100 cities.

I do 100 by 100. I prefer LONG games. Against AI I had n o trouble at all. Been playing with making new units so not sure how AI+ or AI++ will go. My games with practice new units are set to cheat for me, lots of PP and production to get to what I want to test.

I did the one fair game with 5 AI opponents but they were not set to cooperate. So next I will try 2 or 3 opponents set to work together. In these random maps the key is to quickly expand, if no water involved make armored cars and rush single cars in all directions initially, then after a couple turns switch to those troops you think you will need to defend or attack with. Make sure your headquarters has trucks, as many as possible.

With water check range to over water cities, if within 10 of cities use paratroops, if over 10 make cargo vessels and small units to grab cities. DO NOT forget if you have to contend with water that headquarters has to have cargo vessels INSIDE the headquarters to ensure supply flows and goods come back from over water cities.

The AI tends to not attack cities directly in seaborne invasions, even cities with no troops. Just a heads up. This includes on AI++.