Procedurally Generated Units

General Discussion
1

Since Warcraft III: Reforged is essentially a visual update to the classic game, it would be pretty cool if we could have procedurally generated units. Each footmen or grunts could look slightly distinct from one another instead of being an army of clones.

They would have to look similar to one another as a way to distinguish the unit type so they should have the same armor but it would make sense to see variations such as a slight difference in faces, height, skin tones, and even gender.

Using the Orc Grunt for example, the skin for all of them would still be green but we would see different shades of it and we could see that some of them have facial hair. Some of the Orc Grunts could also be female but with the same hit box as their male counterpart. Some of them could be short or fat or skinny while some of them could have one of their horns chopped off while some have it fully intact.

I think this would be a step in the right direction since we’re approaching 2019 and are not limited by the technology that we had in 2002.

16 Likes
2

Good idea, let’s see what they can do :smiley:

3

I mean, it sounds cool and all but even though the technology is not exactly as limited as it was in 2002 I don’t think it’s that easy to do either. But if they can implement it I’d love it.

1 Like
4

I do not really like this idea in the main game. This could be something that players themselves could implement in the custom game modes.

3 Likes
5

The can already because in SC II there are two different versions of Dark Templar where you have a 50/50 chance for each DT to be one or another version.

3 Likes
6

This is somewhat of a bad idea.
Units should stay the same for visual clarity, if possible

6 Likes
7

I don’t like this idea sadly, yes variations are cool but not for melee or they can be skins random rng filled armies won’t make sense

2 Likes
8

Procedurally generated units sounds great on paper but when you have all the metrics like visibility and readability come into the equation you might as well not do it at all, because all that will happen is shift around small details that will not stand out at all zoomed out or when you’re playing a 1on1 maxfood army. In some regard it might actually be detrimental because you’re rendering aspects of the model you can’t even see. I will admit I am not that well versed on the technical side of things so I couldn’t tell you if rendering those details would drain processing power too much, however I am fairly certain that it is processing power that should go somewhere else for more value.

Plus, I am actually very much alright with an army of clones, because as I said in another thread, Warcraft 3 has always been like a boardgame to me with the units and heroes being board pieces. While it would certainly be an endearing show of care for details, going this in-depth for your units would be unnecessary. Maybe, just maybe, if there’s time at the end of the development cycle and leftover technical resources to be allocated, sure, let’s give this a try and see how many different variations of belt buckles we can get on those units. But as far as I’m concerned these things should be way down the priority list.

3 Likes
9

Haven’t they already confirmed the pool of 14 slightly different Paladins?

10

That’s really just cosmetic skins and I’m fairly certain you decide whether or not to have them. Procedurally generated units means that during a game, a nice little slot machine is rolling in the background and creates a new unit from predefined building blocks each time you train one over he course of the match.

1 Like
11

Small differences in models as units are produced would be a really fun feature and interesting to see play out, but I’ll do you one better.

Dream scenario: Gimme a Dawn of War style army painter.

2 Likes
12

I love this idea =) If it is possible it would be nice if you could put a ratio on how often it happens, like 1 of 5 becomes a unique model or something like that. And if it could be in the campaign as well. The unique model for the footmen could be a captain, making it look like he marches oh with his men =)

13

Not a good idea from a gameplay perspective. That footman who happens to look like the brother of a Rifleman has now caused you to focus the wrong unit and so cost you a fight…

There is a reason that StarCraft II kept unit model variation down, with the only melee unit having any sort of variation being the Dark Templar which was stealthed so already highly distinct.

2 Likes
14

Cool idea.
Or at least different banner icons which you can choose

15

Hmm… I think this is an idea that sounds great on paper, but is either useless, distracting or indifferent to the player.

Sure if they made an easter egg so around one footman in a thousand would be different, that would be awesome.

But I just feel like it would be a waste of ressources. I fear that it would be either distracting, or that I would just completely not care about it. In either scenario I feel like they would’ve wasted ressources.

True in SC2 there’s two dark templars, but only two, and only dark templars. If it was the case of any unit, then it would distract. TBH I felt it a little distracted with just the dark templar :laughing:

I also feel like it removes the “iconicness” of the units. Instead of having one iconic footman, we would have 10 different.

That said, I think it would be awesome if it was like an easter egg like I mentioned earlier :grinning:

1 Like
16

It would have to be a case-to-case scenario and I would suggest this being used on limited units.

For me, I think massed units like Ghouls, Footmen, Grunts and Archers could definitely use this. Even summons like Skeletons and Treants. Then I would use it on various ‘heroic one off’ types like Mountain Giants with different crystal formations.

I wouldn’t use it on medium sized or Tier 3 units much though. Anything more competitive and aesthetics may get in the way.

17

I think this is a great idea.

18

the game already supports variations, they do it for trees, buildings, doodads, and some units. So the tech. is already in the game.

3 Likes
19

I would argue against making them too different, as then they would be difficult to distinguish. Eye/hair color, battle scars, tattoos (night elf in particular), and skin tones would be cool, but altering weight and height and gender and random will make the units difficult to distinguish when massed together. I don’t want a footman to look like a rifleman or a female priest to look like a sorcerer–See what I mean?