Gathering wood is very micro-heavy

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

10 hours ago, wraitii said:

 

I think I added the gatherer count limit back then, and I'm fairly sure I picked 8 at the time because about 8 units fit around a tree.

 

Yes this seems right. I increased them to 10 in DE for the same reason. Look like at somepoint distance between units was reduced. Anyway I reduced it downto 5 and it looks and works good.

[wraitii]

Quote

Look like at somepoint distance between units was reduced

Yup, I believe I did that too

Some screenshots to describe my annoyances with Random maps.

Here's Ardennes RM: there are easy-to-dropsite forests, with lots of wood. The micro is actually relatively limited here, it's nice, you can focus on other stuff.

Here's the Sahel skirmish map. Though Sahel has limited wood, the Skirmish map offers natural areas for a dropsite.

Here's, in contrast, the Sahel RM. It has no such area.

Other examples or terrible RM generation: Hyrcanian shore is not supposed to have limited wood, but there are no good dropsite zones in this area:

Finally Persian Highlands, which almost-gets-it-right-but-not-quite:

 

IMO most RMs should be reworked so that trees are clumped a little more. It wouldn't really hurt aesthetics if done carefully, and it would increase playability a lot. Note that this problem is compounded by the need to have CCs for territory, since those are horribly slow and costly so they need to be worth it.

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

And people wonder why I prefer the skirmish maps over the rms counterpart.  You're right, care should be made to make the resources "clump." Also see in the Sahel skirmish map the stone mines are arange in a way to make good placement of storehouse.

[drsingh]

1... Yes . For more aggreageted forests. But still maintain some few single trees spread about to give more natural environment. + Single trees should get wiped out when placing building foundations.

Also similar thing needs to be done with huntable animals. They should spawn in groups. And move in herd, when anyone is attacked.

2... I'd say 3. Since there are a lot of trees. There's no need to have more than that to get clumped on a single tree. Also many times at the edge of the map or edge of forest, the gatherers get idled waiting in line. since there is space for only one or two gatherers around it. The more spread about gatherers will chop through individual trees slower and the gathering speed (depending on drop distance) remains fairly constant for longer time.

3. I'm not sure what this means. Is it same as 1?

4. No. Should put this off till very late. Try with other changes first. Since this might not be needed. More wood will mean gatherers can be kept in a defensive location for much longer period. And to balance if the number of trees is decreased on the map, then the game environment will lose its current natural appeal and would appear plastic.

5. No. not needed. Doesnt make sense. And creates problems with carrying capacity upgrades. Only place where a different carrying capacity is suited is for cavalry while carrying meat from hunts.

[Servo]

Even numbers 2 or 4 for uniform cuts