the problem right now with the galaxy generation is the variance within players.

so far we played at least 15 multiplayer games, regardless of difficulty levels, our experience is that:


- somebody can start with: 2-3 well suited planets with titanium, hyperium and some luxuries. 3-4 well suited systems with plenty of other deposits, nearby with 1-2 minor cizilization with zero threat of pirates

- the other one gets opposite: 1 suited planet, zero deposit, no colonizable planets within 4-5 jumps, no minor civiliaztion to capture, and 2 pirate lairs to spawn within 2 jumps.


since in a game 2 of us gets perfect starts and the other 3-4 players get terrible start, after 50 turns the differents are triple in empire size, income, sience stc.

there is no room for out-smarting each other, it's only matter who's got the luckier start.


the solution is that keep the randomness and the variance within galaxy generation, but the players should get the same value of starting positions, the value sums up with the following parameters:

- weighted system values of home, 1, 2, 3 or 4 jumps system contains: FIDS, strategic and luxory deposits

- minor civilization accessibility

- pirate limitations


in practice:


Basic balance:

- if I get a good home system and nearby systems in all aspects I shouldn't have 2-3 minor civilization to exploit, and must have more pirate threat, or

- if I get a moderate some system, should have easily colonizable nearby systems, and moderate minor/pirate connections, or

- if I get a bad home system, I should have good colonizable systems, and with 1-2 minor civs to capture with much less pirate activity


FIDS balance:

- some player should have more food-heavy systems to grow big empire early

- some player should have more industry-heavy systems to depend on fast improvements and lots of low-tech ships

- some player should have more science-heavy systems to science-up early and have superior technolgies to blance the lacking of other FIDS components

- or some balanced mixture of the above


Faction balance:

- if I play as unfallen I shouldn't get only 1 connection from home to a nebula, then 2 gas system with a pirate on lava planets.

- if I play as vodyani I shouldn't have to travel 10 turns to get a minor civ, then have a pirate lair between us, with 0 colonizable system within 5 jumps

- if I play as riftborn I shouldn't have 1 colonizable home planet with 2 points of industry and 0 industry planets within 5 jumps...

and so on.. while my friends got perfect starts, so never happens that somebody got 300 points with 4 colonies after 25 turns while the other 70 points with only home system with 0 tech, industry and dust income...


this way we still have the randomness, the replayability, but the start won't determinate the outcome of our multiplayer game just have to adjust our playstyle, and it stays competitive every time we start again


right now we play the multiplayer like this:  after 5-10 turns everybody agrees that the start is moderate and playable for everybody, or we just restart the game until everybody fine, but always will be somebody to have a perfect start, and most probably he will win the whole game no matter what


we really need some solution to enjoy this game, thanks for reading! :)


neterw