Editing Greg Fulton/Fanstratics Newsletters/11 (section)

== Fanstratics Feature: Community Map Editor & Random Map Generator ==
Some of you may be a little surprised by my listing ‘Community Map Editor & Random Map Generator’ amongst the ‘new’ features for Fanstratics.  Why?  Simple.  People keep asking, “Will there be a Map Editor?”  Obviously, “Yes.”

I will do what I can to make an easy to use community Map Editor, very similar to the HoMM3 editor.  As for the Random Map Generator, there have been numerous advances in algorithmic content manipulation since 1999, and I really want to do some deep research before I finalize my plan.  So, at this stage, I cannot say how the RMG will operate.

When will the Map Editor and Random Map Generator be released?

Before I answer this question, I must first tip my hat to ‘Timothy’ (you know who you are), who wrote and pointed out a mistake I made in an earlier Newsletter.  Specifically, I said, “HoMM3’s map editor and random map generator were released with its first expansion pack ‘Armageddon’s Blade’.  For Fanstratics, I expect to rollout both a Community Map Editor and a Random Map Generator, well after the game’s official public release.”

This was incorrect.  HoMM3’s Map Editor was initially released with Restoration of Erathia.  HoMM3’s Random Map Generator was released with Armageddon’s Blade.

My goal for Fanstratics is the same.  Release the Map Editor with the base game, followed by the Random Map Generator sometime thereafter.

It may be too early to ask, but still, “Will HoMM3 have a limit of 8 players with more than 8 factions?  Will there be a similar limit in Fanstratics?”

Yes.  In Fanstratics the maximum number of players will be eight, and the maximum number of Adventure Heroes on the Adventure Map will be eight.  As for Factions, nine are being developed, but one, two, or three more could be added with DLC, assuming the game is successful.