lol wow im dumb thanks a million u really helped me out there i just got the game so im still stumbling around like a noob lol but thanks alot

I'm more than a little confused about the in-game "map designer" to create "custom maps."

When I chose the "save" option and create a "map" it never looks the same in the "preview" option. Does this mean that the "custom map" is really not a custom map at all but rather just a set of rules for creating a random map? If that's not the case how do you view and edit this "custom map?"

I would like to be able to preview maps to make sure starting locations and phase jump lanes are appropriate for the kind of game I'm designing. If this isn't possible in the "map designer" I'm assuming it is possible in the stand alone map creator... only problem with that is it's not user-friendly and would clearly take some effort to learn.

Thanks for any help as I've not found a decent guide to using the map designer.

Edit: what I'd really like to do is save a map after viewing it... I don't mind if there is ranomness in the placement of players but I'd like to design the star systems.