Map: Dom3Minions RandomMaps (again)

[Gandalf Parker]

I know that I have started and restarted this project many times. But I made major progress this time. Check out
http://www.Dom3Minions.com/RandomMaps/x
Eventually those will be sceduled for automaticly running a new batch. Maybe daily. But for now it will be sporadic as I work on tweaking things so if you see one you like then grab it quick.

With some experimentation and balancing of the pros and cons I have settled into using 1600x1200 pixels for the maps which is the Dom3 default.

So far I am providing 2 styles in each size. Dom3 with basic defaults, and then maps with my preferred settings. I plan to expand that. Other preferred settings for percentages and colors Harbingers wrapped maps, empty template maps such as Targa used to make which are easier to use as a base for doing your own maps, posterized, compressed file sizes, and sepia (old parchment looking). And possibly some from the DomMap program, GIMP, and any other generator that shows up.

So far the .map file for each one is unmodified. I hope to include others. Optimized (starting positions and such), SemiRandomized, Chaoticized, heavily commented.

At the moment we have 24 nations in Early Era, 23 in Middle Era, and 21 in Late Era. And we can figure on some more coming. Ive debated and decided that using numbers such as 25 nations in an era made the numbers expand too fast. So Im thinking that a reasonably "full" standard game would be 20 players. The Dom3 game defines Small maps as 10 provs per player, Medium maps 15/player, Large maps 20/player. Then there is allowing for solo players who like an online world feel to an ongoing personal game. And the SingleAge games which we now have slots up to 95 (remove 3 for indepts and 1 in-work) which means that even the maximum size is just a medium sized game map.

So for now Im shooting for....
Dueling: (2*25) 50 provinces
Tiny: 20*5 100 provinces
Small: 20*10 200 provinces
Medium: 20*15 300 provinces
Large: 20*20 400 provinces
Huge: 20*30 600 provinces
Grand: 20*50 1000 provinces
Epic: 20*60 1200 provinces
Max: (20*75) 1500 provinces

The TILE button on each individual display is so you can see how much modification might be needed to turn it into a wrapped map. That is still in the working phase. With so many randomly generated maps there is a chance we might create one that is amazingly close matching on its sides. We wouldnt want to miss one.

Eventually I might also add directories for pipe maps, tower maps, modularized.

Comments? And if anyone wants a quick debate on any of it, I can usually be found in the CHAT room (there is a button for chat on the menu at the top of this page)

By the way, this is all scripted. Its really easy for me to change the settings and run a new batch. If someone would like a batch of a certain type then let me know. I can whip off a directory for you and fill it.

Gandalf Parker

[lch]

You could make that into a "Randomly generated map of the day" thing.

[Gandalf Parker]

Thats what it is. Except that its maps instead of map.
I did the same for Dom2 and it was pretty popular.
http://www.dom3minions.com/~dominion...andomMaps.html
No problem for my server to run batches each night for people to look thru the next day.
(my nice new upgraded server thanks again for your hand in that)

They also make good templates. Spark peoples desire to improve them. Rename it to something interesting, give decent province names, add some special story provinces, add some unique graphics to match whats there, maybe a specially built AI.

Especially if I add Harbringers wrapped maps.
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/Cor/
And Targa's blank templates.
http://www.dom3minions.com/~targa/blanks/

[Gandalf Parker]

. . COME ON PEOPLE!
I see it getting views. Dont be put off by some of the people in these forums. In my threads ANYONE can have an opinion worth hearing. The crazier the better. Do these settings appeal to you or not? Now is a good time to pre-pay for this service with some commentary.

Such as..
the http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/x/ directory should now reflect more of what I am headed toward. But the entire generation process could be made more efficient (less load on my server, less files on my server, faster, etc) if instead of converting the rgb file to a full sized jpg for viewing AND creating a 1/2 sized image for tiling, if instead I just made the 1/2 sized one and used it both times. Do you feel that the tile image loses too viewability to make this worthwhile toward deciding if you want to download it? Would you prefer scrolling around the full sized image in the regular view you get when you click on the menu'd image?

[Gandalf Parker]

Dueling sized maps (50 provinces) are ready to view
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/d/

[Gandalf Parker]

Hmmmm the maximum map of 26 in this batch could wrap nicely side-to-side. Check out the tiled image on X_26_17Dec08. There have been discussions that a left-right wrap is actually better anyway. The top and bottom should be left alone or be linked as all of the top provinces being neighbors to each other and all the bottom ones neighbor to each other (a more polar result). And there are some programs out that will take this image and make a rotating globe out of it which would be a great image to link to in the posts about it.
If someone wants to do all this of course.

[Gandalf Parker]

A batch of Tiny maps (100 provinces) is ready for viewing.
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/t
If none of them ring your chimes then dont worry. The ideas is that once this is all ironed out (and I get an idea how much load and how long a time it takes to generate it all) then I will turn it on automatic for frequent re-generating them all. Eventually you should spot one that is perfect for what you want.

[Gandalf Parker]

Small is ready to look at (200 provinces)
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/s
Check out 21 tiled. It could be done but I think Id wait for something closet. And larger.

But of course all of these are playable now.

[Gandalf Parker]

Medium is ready (300 provinces)
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/m
Number 25 is worth looking at tiled.

[Gandalf Parker]

Larges are in place (400 provinces)
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/l