I remember diablo alot. It seems that the multiple versions of the same dungeon is the way it was. Though some aspects of the different versions were always the same. In the second diablo game the jail level 1 was a good example. There was always the secret corner straight up at the top.

I liked the random Maps in Age of Empires.
Or other RTS.

Imagine Civilization without random maps....

This really makes the replayability much greater.

using Random maps in 3dGS, need either a model-terrainlevel approach,
or using flexible map-entities.
Bsp block-levels are of coures fixed.

And in a random map, it is not about making every element random.
It is more about making the structure of the map random
You could do this by aligning a variety of ready made
sublevels into a bigger one by randomly placing them.
The main work is to make the sublevels work together with
randomly placed other sublevels that are attached.
(choosing the right entrances).

Random map yould be done. But there is no general sollution.
It really depends on the gameplay.

Have a look at Oblivion's TES Construction Set. The buildings are not random. I did some modding on the game.

I'm actually working on something that has a world like Oblivion. At the moment it is smaller, BUT, i'm working on making it completely random. So far it is working, but I use a lot of scripting and terrain.

In my opinion, it would be way to much a waste of time to script up the engine so that it makes levels for you. Not to mention it might do stupid things like texture a block you don't see. I say make one good level instead of trying to make tons of random levels. The random caves and stuff were cool at the start when you really didn't know anything anyways. Later when you had to make your way to the bosses over and over and over, it got stupid.

Yes, that can get really, well, stupid. The way I am doing it is to make a random "world" when the player starts a new game and then when he saves and loads, his game loads that same "world" in which he started. So after the player starts playing there is no more randomized level creation, but every time he starts a new game it is a different "world". A good random story line is where it is going to be hard to script.

Yep, that's what I had in mind. Randomize world generation, then leave the world static until the game ends and a new world is generated. Increases replay potential IMHO for RPG's and such.

I'd like to do that for my current space project, place planets, starbases and other interesting items at random locations, generate a new start location for your favorite baddies, and off you go to explore "where no man has gone before"...

Cheers!
Mark

If of course you insist on this being a good idea, then you should check out one of the AUMs that has a dungeon generator. Basically you would have 2 figure out a complex way to make it randomly build dungeons, or just simply do what diablo did, and make 10 different dungeons (evil satan laugh) lol

Yeah, and if done correctly it'll mean a new game experience every 'Start New Game' .. Could be a interesting approach for indie developers indeed!

Cheers