Dynamic Sumo Zone Size Maps For 2-12 Players

Designed a level that creates new, exciting, and challenging Armagetron game play? Or maybe just something funky. Put it right here.
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Titanoboa
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Dynamic Sumo Zone Size Maps For 2-12 Players

Post by Titanoboa »

Hello there!

In Noodz' sumo bar servers we've recently been using a script which changes the zone size proportionally to the number of players, and it's been a hit so far. I thought I'd document the maths behind it somewhere on the forum just in case someone wants to find it later and I'm not around to answer. Also, a big shoutout to Raph and Nelg for putting the script together.

At the time of writing there are 2 sets of maps, and they can be found here.

The first series (versions 2 through 12) was a straight-forward test with each size directly proportional to the number of players based on area. (E.g. 12 players = 100%, 9 players = 75%, 6 players = 50%, 3 players = 25%). It's mostly based on Empha's original sumobar map, with the map centered around x:150 y:150.

We found that the zone was too small when there were only 2-4 players on, so it was time to put on our thinking caps and try to unrust some basic maths. I had already made myself a simple spreadsheet to copy and paste the spawnpoints from, so I kept making it messier until a solution was found. I've tried to clean it up for you guys, and here it is. If you're from the future and you're just looking to create some dynamic maps with 12 spawnpoints, all you need is to do is copy/download the sheet to somewhere you can edit it and fill in the blue cells* (A2:B15 and O3:6), copy the red area (C2:L15 - note the 4 empty columns for indentations in the map file) and paste them into your file, and finally make your zones' radii & growth according to the green cells (O13:14). Then just change the value in H1 and repeat steps "red & green" until you've covered all the different sizes. If you need more or fewer than 12 spawnpoints, adding/removing rows is simple enough.

*If your map's centre isn't at a point where x=y, you might struggle with this format.

And so, the second series (versions 0.2 through 0.12) is tailored such that the new 2 player size is similar to the old 4 player size, with the 12 player size the same as before and the rest spread evenly between them. (E.g. 12 players = 100%, 9 players = 79%, 6 players = 59%, 3 players = 39%). This one's based on vov's more modern "mega-1.4", with the map centered around x:0 y:0.

The maths is based on the equation of a straight line y=mx+b, slightly altered for our purposes to y=(A-b)(m/x)+b where y is the new area for m players, x is the number of spawnpoints, A is the full size area, and b is our aforementioned b value (0 in the first and 1384 in the second set of my maps). Any mathematicians among us might cringe at that (and rightfully so) but it's my best effort to lay it out. :)
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sinewav
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Re: Dynamic Sumo Zone Size Maps For 2-12 Players

Post by sinewav »

Great job on this, it's something I thought about years ago but never took the time to do. I'm surprised it took this long for someone to make it! Hopefully I'll get some time to check out the server. Even though I'm working from home through the pandemic and not commuting two hours a day I still don't have a lot of time. :?
Monkey
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Re: Dynamic Sumo Zone Size Maps For 2-12 Players

Post by Monkey »

I've played on these servers a lot and the settings are pretty good.
Playing since December 2006
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