Not too long ago someone posted on Reddit asking about procedurally generated maps. The person who posted wanted them, and someone from EHG said they wanted to make it happen. I’ve been thinking about this over the last few days because I set myself a goal to get my first character to level 100 before the 1.0 releases (and got it with 2 days to spare).
While running these last few days I found that I was quite happy that the echoes did NOT seem to be procedurally generated, because I could tell that almost all maps were designed such that you could completely clear entire maps with very little backtracking (if any at all), and I remember the need to backtrack being a complaint of procedurally generated maps in other ARPGs.
I liked that I could put up a video on my second monitor, and put my brain on autopilot while finishing that grind to 100. But while I was doing it I did keep thinking about that post, and I realized the arenas are procedurally generated - or at least the barriers are randomized enough to make it so you have to treat them as if they were. I liked knowing there was this balance of content, and I’d like to see that continue.
One of the reasons I’ve decided to support LE is because of the QoL stuff and the respect for players’ time. I’m one of the players who have too many other responsibilities to be able to play too much. I can set some time aside now and then, but for the most part I just log on for 30-60 minutes before bed to mindlessly grind while waiting for my sleep meds to kick in. I LIKE that I can do that, and then have other times when I want to be a more active player. Having the ability to choose is great.
I believe all monolith maps, and individual echoes are in fact procedurally generated because it never gets old as I’ve played like 50 or 60 echoes already, and it’s always a fresh brand new map which is extremely impressive cause it never gets boring.
I read that all the echo webs are procedurally generated which would explain why it never gets boring as I’ve never played an arpg this awesome, and I was worried I’d get bored with the end game but sure enough it’s still so much fun mainly because every single echo I play it’s a brand new map !
The web seems procedurally generated, and maybe some maps are, but there are definitely some that are not. But as I mentioned, I’m actually happy about that because they’re well designed, without much (or any) need to cross the same section of the map twice. And you’re also not required to completely clear each map either, which is also different from some other ARPGs.
So if you’re only staying in the map long enough to kill the boss and maybe fill the progress bar then you may never notice it, because they start you at a random spawn point every time you open a new map.
I only noticed it because when I wrote it I was only focused on grinding for XP to hit lvl 100, and I had no need for extra gear or gold because it was a week before the new cycle. So instead of leaving the maps I was completely clearing every map. If you’re not doing that then yeah, you might never even see it.
The other thing I noticed - and was amused by - is that your spawn location is also a monster spawn location. Apparently there are a set number of them around each map, and when you load in it randomly picks one and puts you there instead of a mob. But you may rerun that map again later, spawn somewhere else, and then notice that the place you’d previously spawned now has a mob. That’s backend stuff, but it was fun noticing it.
