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I was thinking of making something like a Random Path Defence. There's a maze type terrain with lots of different paths, and the enemies randomly choose which path to take (Each unit goes through a random path, not each level goes through a random path). I think this would be cool because then the defender doesn't always know where the enemies will be going so he's forced to actually think and find out where the paths meet and where to build a good defence.

Would be good for a little while, but then once the players figure out where the "best spot" is its gg.

Well there wouldnt be a best spot, cause each time it's different. There's just a spot where it's more likely for enemies to end up.

wouldnt be to hard, just have switches that regulate where the units go, you could even have the units split up and take different paths like one unit would go one way and 3 would go the other. you could have it fork like tree defence only a lot bigger

The problem with this is that anything can happen.
If the units take one path on which no one built on, you just lost.

Also the need for randomization triggers is inmense.

What would be better is to randomize the path on which you defend. This way, you can balance it out much easier, and it's like many defenses in one. This could be done by having different sets of building patterns assinged to a different combination of random switches.

With having untis randomly go one or the other way, you could have a near impossible defense or a very easy one, and rarely will it be just right.

And thus is the problem with a random defense. KeG hit the nail right on the head. Although you could do something with the other players in the game having some sort of control over where the flow of units go.

So, for X amount of money, player X gets X amount of seconds to direct the flow of units anywhere they want. You'd need some kind of timer, or limiter to allow for players to set up. And you could do a lot of things with a defense like this. You could make it an upgrade race so that each player is increasing their ability to conrole there, and the other players flow. Or you could take it in a simpler direction and have it only use some elements of control over the other players flow. Basiclly this would be better then randomizing it, because you dont get screwed by the numbers so much as by the other players skill. You'd also have a lot of freedom as to what type of defense it is, I.E. you could use bunkers, cannons, units, pick-a-unit, or whatever you want. I was planning on making a map like I talked about above, but I dont map much any more, so theres a free idea.

Somehow, that spawned this idea. The units you're supposed to kill are "intelligent" in that they choose which path they take based on what, and how much of it, is where.

Hmm. you would need several spawnpoints, or not let building or units be accepted on terrain near the point of origin, and let it break off into 5 different paths and each path 2 more, and till you get a ggood 20 paths or something.

what saibaman8 said was a good idea, only it would be incredibly hard to direct every unit in a different direction because of an amount of units..

Sounds like my idea for 100 Gunner Defence.

All my units randomly take different paths through the arena, but it's not because they're "smart", quite the contrary, they are "stoned".

1 2 3 4 5
x x x

x x

A x x x B

x x

x x x

My arena, more or less, has men going from point A to point B, taking a random X for each column of X's to move through. Enemies go from an X at 1, to an X at 2, until they finally get to B. Enemies at B try to get to A while this is occuring, as well.

I do not know what you mean by paths, but it would be interesting to hear.

Doesn't having random spawnpoints just add a huge degree of difficulty that doesn't really need to exist?

Its like forcing a sc player to wear a blindfold while playing melee and telling them to show their skills. Its just completely pointless and dull. Its never been done because... its pointless to become..

random units everywhere? well, theres no point to creating a defense... because ill just build everywhere randomly and ill win or lose, oh joy yay, yea, I showed alot of mastery there. yea. joy.

It'd be worse then those invisible bunker defenses where all you do is build, upgrade, and watch admiringly at little flashing fire animations coming out and killing everything. No skill whatsoever.

Keg and I both said the same thing as you. But in my idea both teams have a selector and would choose where the units are spawned for the opposing team. You could also make this programable, for example the both teams choose where the first 10 units will be spawn (Spawn1,2,3,4, ect.). Those ten choices toggle switchs, and the pattern is saved for the current level, and the pattern is repeated until you have spawned all the units you want for each level. Once the level is completed the team gets to reprogram the pattern. You could also have premade patterns for single player based on toughness. Pretty much you could use this idea any number of ways in any type of defense. I have so many ideas but dont make maps anymore lol.

It would be better in my eyes, to simply make a gate defence, where some signal at intersections would signal which direction the mass of enemies would take, and then the players would have to rearrange there defences to compensate for the move. Meh, thats just what I thought at first.

Yeap, once the players found the best path, then the game would fall into tiny pieces.

I'm thinking best spot(s) would probably be the spawning point(s)... Guarenteed kills.

The great majority of defenses have unbuildable spawns. I like the idea, I'll try to make somethin of it.