Galaxy gen being random is alright in Single player the way AI is now, but maybe just add a multiplayer option to have a "balanced start?". Maybe reduce variability in starting system and constellation (balance out size, planet counts, etc.)? Could be a potential way forward.

Seems devs already did something about this.. but there is still room for improvement.

DarthMelkor wrote:

Agreed, something may have to be done about this. Start balancing is pretty much needed when you go MP. The start option in Sins of a Solar Empire comes to mind when there is a guaranteed 1 easy to conquer asteroid with standard resources next to starting plant on all random maps. 

Against AI, this can be played around as they are at the moment. Really is a problem when playing against humans

It was the same in Endless Legend.

At some point, most of MP games were played on "many anomalies" settings to flatten differences of map generation.

Agreed, something may have to be done about this. Start balancing is pretty much needed when you go MP. The start option in Sins of a Solar Empire comes to mind when there is a guaranteed 1 easy to conquer asteroid with standard resources next to starting plant on all random maps. 

Against AI, this can be played around as they are at the moment. Really is a problem when playing against humans

I don't play multiplayer at all really, but I'm very sympathetic to the situation koxsos describes above. Less variance in home systems would be very welcome. It doesn't have ot be fixed. Just a bit less variance.

Currently the home system choices are normal and chaotic. Normal is pretty good but rather bland and chaotic can screw you over hard while giving someone else a significant advantage. My main complaint is on the former. I noticed that I consistantly get 4 planets in my home system and it's probably by design but 4 planets is perfect my suggestion.

Is it possible to force the home system to contain 1 hot, 1 temperate, 1 cold, and 1 random gas planet for all home systems? While one could argue that is even more bland it seems more natural and offers good diversity for populations and specializations later on and solidifies the balance of the home system.

I do not wish by any means discount the whole "improvise, adapt, overcome" nature of RNG galaxy.
But would like to avoid following situation:

Player 1 = starting planet + snow + ash + toxic. Not riftborn, snow has redsang. No other curiosities.
Player 2 = starting planet + ocean with titanium and hyperium + arid with jadonyx + lava.

Also player 1 might have a perfect 5 planet system two systems away, while player 2 might have a crap constellation. But that is not guaranteed and probably irrelevant to the calculation.

Ofc luxuries and their different power levels across game speeds is an issue by itself.

But let's adress starting system balancing with an option like "perfect starting system balancing" where everyone get's a decent start, not a dream start, not a bad start, but decent start.
Ofc we have to consider racial starting system bonus traits in this - for instance riftborn with guaranteed deposits would lose out big on everyone getting them.
But at the same time, they win big when resource abundance is set to low and some constelation do not have hyperium at all.

Playing necromancer on an old thread isn't a bad thing here, in my opinion. Starting balance varies tremendously even on the standard settings... perhaps there could be, in addition to the quite random normal/standard start options, an actually balanced 'balanced' option with something like four planets: starting world, a t1 (fertile or temperate), t2, and t3 planet, and one guaranteed strategic and luxury on the t1 planet.

*casts post revival 9 months later*
Still relevant, still no perfect balancing option.
Some have curiosities, T1 strategics, multiple fertile planets. Some don't. 

I will not pretend to understand the formula behind such "normal" balance, but if the problem is riftborn, I would just reverse the process as their planet tree is.

Can't wait to see what's coming our way.

We will share it at one point, we're building it up at the moment, based on all the feedback and ideas so we're not ready yet :) (https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space-2/blogs/532-penny-for-your-thoughts)

Cheers,

Meedoc wrote:

Hello,

The "normal" option will provide balance Home System between empires. For your suggestion, we could add an additional option "exhaustive home system"; I'll add that to the improve list! 

Cheers,

Just curious here... Can you guys show this improve list? ;D

Hello,

The "normal" option will provide balance Home System between empires. For your suggestion, we could add an additional option "exhaustive home system"; I'll add that to the improve list! 

Cheers,

Balanced homesystem setting would be nice as getting lucky with good planets can give you huge advantage. Would be great to have for multiplayer.

The homeworld planets are fixed for races so you would have: 1 fixed race home planet, 1 hot planet, 1 cold planet, 1 temperate planet, 1 sterile, 1 fertile, 1 neutral for a total of 4 planets that cover all types.