MGS2 Randomizer

The first randomizer for the Master Collection version of METAL GEAR SOLID 2: Sons of Liberty!

How do I use this?

Installation

• Auto-updatable Installation: Download and run the setup.exe - after the installation completes, you will automatically download any updates to the randomizer whenever they may happen.

  OR

• Portable Installation: Download the latest Github release and run a standalone version of the MGS2 Randomizer. These are now automatically archived every time there's a new release on ClickOnce!

Usage

1. Launch the MGS2 Randomizer app.
2. Make sure the MGS2 Location is accurate to your MGS2 installation folder by using the Browse button and using the window that opens to select your installed METAL GEAR SOLID2.exe.
3. Pick your desired settings for randomization.
4. Click Randomize Game Files! After some time(more options selected means randomization will take longer) your game files will be automatically modified.
   • After randomization, in your user Documents folder, a spoilerfile will be created with the created seed #, the options you selected to create the randomization, and what items/weapons have been placed where.
5. Once you get notice that it's done, just launch MGS2 and you're good to go - no need to keep the MGS2 Randomizer app open.

What can I do with the randomizer?

1. Randomize "placed" items, not just the contents of them!
   • The PC Substance version randomizer is fantastic, but this randomizer takes it even further so you can visually see if you care about going over to the placed item.
2. Randomize starting items!
   • Tired of always starting the Tanker with the M9? Roll the dice and you might start with empty Magazines instead!
   • Note: all of the normal starting items will be placed into the randomization pool with this option enabled
3. Randomize automatically awarded items!
   • Olga may have used a USP to fight you... but you might pull Chaff grenades out of her pockets instead. And who knows, maybe Stillman will give you C4 and some bandages!
   • Note: all of the automatically awarded items will be placed into the randomization pool with this option enabled
4. Randomize the Control Units on the Tanker!
   • The normal spawns are so 2001. Why not live a little and move them around a little bit?
   • Note: the control unit placements have been manually picked so they don't spawn somewhere you can't shoot them. Each control unit has up to 6 different positions it can spawn.
5. Randomize Fatman's pre-planted Sensor A bomb locations!
   • Maybe the bomb will be where it's supposed to be, maybe it will be hidden in plain sight, or maybe it will be tucked away somewhere you rarely go!
   • Note: the bomb placements have been manually picked so they don't spawn somewhere you can't defuse them. Each bomb has between 3 and 8 new places it can spawn.
   • ⚠️ WARNING: Sensor A does NOT accurately reflect the new bomb positions. ⚠️
6. Randomize EF Connecting Bridge claymores!
   • If you're tired of not being afraid of the bridge, we've got you covered. Just so you're aware, you might run into a claymore coming right out of the door :^)
7. Randomize Guard Values!
   • Want to add even more fun, but don't mind if it's a little ridiculous? Randomize the guard values: their vision ranges, hearing ranges, hits to stun, time stunned, time tranquilized, and even their HP will be randomized! You can keep the bounds at the pre-selected range for an "ideal" experience, or let it rip and have potential for truly super-human guards!

What do the randomizer options mean?

• Randomize Pickup Spawns - This option, when enabled, will cause spawned items/weapons/ammo to be randomized according to the options selected below in this group.
• Seed Always Beatable - This option will make sure progressive weapons/items never spawn in an area you do not have access to.
• Restrict Nikita to Shell 2 - This option will make sure the Nikita always spawns somewhere in Shell 2 before the Purification Chamber, so you don't get soft-locked if you missed it and 'Seed Always Beatable' is enabled.
• All Weapons Will Spawn - This option will make sure weapons will not spawn in optional spawns, so you will have access to all of them throughout the game.
• Randomize Rations - This will add Rations to the randomization pool. (If you are playing on Extreme or above: any item that is randomized into a position where a ration normally spawns WILL NOT SPAWN and RATIONS STILL WILL NOT SPAWN. Essentially, you just won't have nearly as much ammo as a normal run as progressive items will be unaffected.)
• Randomize Starting Items - You will no longer be guaranteed M9, Camera, AP Sensor and Cigs on Tanker; nor AP Sensor and Binoculars on Plant.
• Randomize Automatic Rewards - Automatic rewards will be randomized into the pool. This includes: USP on Tanker; SOCOM, Coolant, Sensor A, BDU, Phone, and MO Disc on Plant.
• Add Cards to Randomization Pool - If automatic rewards are enabled, you can enable this option to add cards to the randomization pool.
• Restrict Card 4 to Shell 2 - To keep you as safe as possible from a soft-lock, enable this option to make sure Cards 1-3 are always on Shell 1, and Cards 4 & 5 are always on Shell 2.
• Keep Unique Items to Vanilla Card Levels - If cards are in the randomization pool, you can enable this option to keep items at their 'native' spawn level. (AKS-74u will be behind a Lv2 door, PSG-1 will be behind a Lv3 door, etc...)
• Randomize Bomb Locations - Randomize where all sensor A bombs during the bomb defusal segment spawn.
• Randomize EF Connecting Bridge Claymores - Randomize where the claymores spawn on the EF Connecting Bridge.
• Randomize Tanker Control Units - Randomize where control units spawn in the engine room on the Tanker.
• Randomize Guard Values - Randomize guard vision ranges, hearing range, stun resistance, sleep duration, stun duration, etc.
  • Randomization Bounds - Slide this to the left to have smaller randomized results, or to the right to have a larger range. Default position will have the closest values to "standard" for vision and hearing range.
• Keep Guard Values Consistent Across Levels - If guard values are randomized, keep them consistent across all levels instead of differing with each level.
• Randomize Guard Patrol Routes - Randomize what patrol each guard follows, as well as what point in the patrol the guard starts at.
  • Fully Random - When randomizing guard patrols, do not prevent guards from sharing routes or nodes.
  • No Node Sharing - When randomizing guard patrols, prevent guards from sharing nodes on the same route.
• Randomize Reinforcement Guard Types - Randomize what types of guards are spawned when reinforcements are called for. Can be normal, shield, shield with light, shotgun, or hi-tech guards on both chapters.
• Custom Seed - Use a known seed to replicate a randomized run! Be sure to set your options up to match the one the seed originally had on creation to get accurate results.

Known issues

1. None! If you encounter any issues at all at this time, please report it. As far as I am aware, the randomizer is presently bug-free.

Is there anything else planned?

Presently, I don't plan to add anything else. I'll try to fix any and all bugs that are reported, but that is all I have planned. If you like the project and would like to support it to see more stuff added to the randomizer(I do have ideas!), please support me on Ko-Fi! Any and all donations are greatly appreciated <3