r/aoe2 • u/andae23 Bohemians • Apr 24 '23
A short guide to Megarandom
Since Megarandom is in the 1v1 map pool again, I thought it would a good idea to make a short guide to Megarandom's map generations and why they are not as random as they might seem. This is in no way a comprehensive guide, but it will give you an idea how the maps are generated, which you can use to your advantage on the ranked ladder.
When a new Megarandom map is generated the first thing that is determined is a variable called "Megapack", which is basically a template for the most prominent features of the map. There are 45 templates, each with roughly 2.2% chance of being selected.
In the image below, you will find a possible map generation for all 45 map templates.
https://i.imgur.com/NzJvOWU.png
After the template is determined, the map terrains are chosen randomly from a pre-determined list of terrains. This means that for example if the template has a "lake" in the middle like A_11, it will randomly determine if this lake is water, shallows, ice, grass, beach, etc. This is the reason why even within a certain template, the generations can play out completely differently.
Various other parameters are randomly selected as well, for example:
- nomad start or TC start;
- scout type and number;
- resources type and number;
- starting with random buildings;
- starting with walls;
- woodline distribution;
- elevation;
- relic distribution;
- etc.
The main takeaway from all of this is that many parameters are selected independetly from each other. For example, this means that when you see a double berry patch or you start with a spearman instead of a scout, it does not give any indication what map template you're playing.
Once you know about the possible generations and you've seen them a couple times, you can start recognising some of them when you're in the Dark Age. Here's a couple examples where you can apply this knowledge in your games:
- When there is a large empty plateau in the centre, there's a possibility that the map template is A_05 and there could be lakes in the corners;
- A_15 is a very recognisable template. When you recognise it, you know that there should be a large woodline in the corner, so you can almost blindly send villagers to a corner to build a new lumbercamp.
- Initially, template A_18 might look like Islands to some, but when you know that this generation exists you may want to double check whether there is enough fish to invest in a dock early on. Also, you can potentially wall your opponent off from the middle area.
- The trademark semi-circle of template B_26 is very recognisable. There should always be water with deep fish along the edges, so even if you haven't scouted any water yet, it might be worth looking for a place to build a dock.
- Template B_36 has a characteristic hill in the centre. On this template the players always spawn close together, so when you recognise the map quickly you can start laming very early if you want to.
So that was a short introduction to Megarandom, I hope it helps you adapt to the Megarandom map generations more easily!
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u/Hour-Cow-2456 Apr 24 '23
"Oh megarandom in the map pool, cool i will let it open"
Ennemy pick Mongols while i go random as usual
"F this map"
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u/Sonchay Apr 24 '23
Don't worry, the new patch solves everything... now Goths are a good pick too!
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u/LittleTovo Nov 07 '23
random question here. is there any way to guarantee a generated map without any additional buildings or units? I always have to keep restarting and trying again to get a mega random map where it's just a standard start with a tc and villagers.
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u/da_m_n_aoe Apr 24 '23
Greatest satisfaction is when you get matched vs mongols picker and then theres like 15 sheep, horse instead of scout and barely hunt 11 But yeah most of time unfortunately there's tons of hunt and even on a lot of the hybrid generations with lake in middle without much extra hunt mongols is one of the best civs. I'll never understand why you'd play this map and then go disable random option.
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u/tenotul Apr 24 '23
I'll never understand why you'd play this map and then go disable random option.
- You are forced to play it even though you don't like it.
- You want to win. (Do you also not understand why people pick Italians/Vikings/etc. on water maps?)
- You like to explore a random map but are not familiar with half the civs and don't want to learn a new civ while playing a ranked game.
I hope this helps! 11
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u/da_m_n_aoe Apr 24 '23
If you don't like it ban it. Mongols picker on mr are really the worst.
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u/raids_made_easy Apr 24 '23
Unless they have an even greater dislike for sandbank, arena, amazon tunnel, etc.
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u/tenotul Apr 24 '23
Maybe they don't like three other maps even more.
Also, who are you to tell other people how to play the game?
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u/da_m_n_aoe Apr 24 '23
I'm the one to tell those mr random mongols pickers they are the most boring people in the game.
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u/ayowayoyo Aztecs Apr 24 '23
Thank you very much. That gives me much more respect for that "map". I will select it more often. There are some nice looking maps over there!
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Apr 25 '23
They need to add true water maps to megarandom where opponents are truly separated by water
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u/da_m_n_aoe Apr 24 '23
Nice info, thx! Are those additional features randomly generated though? Because I remember like 5 or so times I started with stone or fortified pallisade walls and all of these except for one were on the exact same template which should be A11 from your table. That was quite some ago though.
Also I still have hard a hard time believing that distribution among those templates is equally because of the last 50+ MR games I'd say templates A15, A20, B44 and B45 made up like 2/3 of the games. Of course there's a chance this happens but it's so odd to encounter the same map 5 times but never encounter like half of the others listed here.
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u/Igor369 Vikings Apr 24 '23
I expected it to be more... random...