Gandalf's Crazy Solo Games

[Gandalf Parker]

The computers I use from my desk?

the old server running 1 demo's only Dom3 game, 1 10-player mid sized Dom3 game, 8 4-player blitz Dom3 games, also a MUD server, email, lots of other stuff...
System Information:
CPU Information:
Number of CPUs: 1
Processor #0 Information:
Vendor: AuthenticAMD
Model: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor
Speed: 857.661 MHz
Cache: 256 KB
Total Memory: 320772 kb
Operating System:
Linux 2.4.18-686

Newer server running 5 very large dom3 games, irc, many domains, and generating dom3 maps, etc.
3Ghz Pentium4
1 gig memory
linux Debian

old desktop now doing mail reading, browsing forums, reading documents, etc.
996 Mhz
2 gig memory
WinXP

new desktop playing games including Dom3 mega game.
dual processor 2128Mhz
2Gb memory
WinXp

[Zarkon]

A minor update on my adventures with this map....After my debacle with the bad ram I fired it up on the early age playing as Niefelheim.... On average, turns take 4-5 minutes to process on my 2 gig dual core. Yowza.

I don't mean to be a noob, but how can I generate maps like this? My main disappointment with the randomly generated maps is the uniformity of the independents...

[PhilD]

I tried a game vs 20 or so Impossible AIs, as MA Man, and had the good surprise of getting a free Horror... Now, 10 turns into the game, it's been solo conquering a province per turn, and largely leads the Hall of Fame with 129 kills...

Since it's got Tough Skin, I want to see how high its Protection can go - currently 26, I know it can do better than that...

[Jack_Trowell]

A free horror ?!?

How could you get a free horror exactly, without using wish ?

For what I understand, Gandalf script only add random units/labs/temples and forts in independant provinces.

Do you mean that map settings that add units and commanders are not overwriten by the nation starting units when the province is set as a capitol ?

[Actuarian]

You are crazy!

I'm guessing you set research at the slowest level. What do for the other settings on these really big maps?

[PhilD]

Jack_Trowell said:
A free horror ?!?

Yep. Nice buddy, even with a Limp affliction

Do you mean that map settings that add units and commanders are not overwriten by the nation starting units when the province is set as a capitol ?

Yeah, that's right. This is how you can set up test maps with lots of researchers (but, the game could overwrite the starting units when the province is used as a capitol, except if the capitol is set in the same .map file - that would make some sense).

[Gandalf Parker]

The script was included.
At the moment Im using a really simple one. It just counts thru 1495 provinces, and randomly drops things into it. Im afraid that it does include a chance for you to start in a province that has a surprise. An additional commander, with level 4 random equipment, maybe some bodyguards, and some additonal units.

The only way to avoid that bit of luck in maps like this would be to designate all of the provinces that people can start in and avoid those when tossing in surprises. By the way, I ended up with that horror as a neighbor right next to my castle and Im still trying to get rid of it.

Im still generating batches of maps on my server and making a webpage to see if any catch my interest.
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/maxs/_index.jpg
Im also waiting for the new patch so I can finally set ALL of the colors. Then I will pick one to take the time to clean up the neighbors, and set the starting locations. Also I might toss in AI alliances and such just to make it harder. Then I will set it up to re-create it every day so that people can snag a new one when they have played out that one.

If you want to try a smaller (and daily rerun) version then you can check out the Dom2 version. It can be played in Dom3 I believe.
http://www.dom2minions.com/PokeEye.shtml

Gandalf Parker

[Jack_Trowell]

I've just finished making a conversion of your script in Perl.

(note : the perl module Math::Random is needed, easy to install on Windows with activeperl)

As you were using the same code in lots of places (mainly for commander generation + bodyguards and/or squads of units), I made a function to centralize that, so it should be easier to change numbers/probabilities with the version.

I plan to add some more features in the near future, such as a parsing of the original file (to get the number of province and other infos), and maybe a separate config file (maybe in XML)

Edit : updated attachment with latest version

[Gandalf Parker]

I recommend accepting a map name and creating a new .map file for it each time. Such as, if they say they want to do the eye.map then create a .map file calling it eye_chaos.map using the eye.tga image. That way they can do it to any map they want without destroying the original for MP games.

[Jack_Trowell]

new version of the perl script :

- now the script need the original map file :

gmap.pl map=<original_file>.map

- the original file will not be modified anymore, by default the modified map file will be named <original_file>_chaos.map

- you can specify another name for the output file :

gmap.pl map=<original_file>.map output=test.map

(exemple in the gmap.bat file included in the archive)

- the number of province of the original file is now automatically filled by parsing the original file

- for provinces with no random goodies, "#setland <ID>" is no longer added to the output as there is nothing more that follow for this province.