new map generator

[paradoxharbinger]

MAPGEN RELEASE: v0.52

PLEASE NOTE: to run the mapgen, you have to install a couple of dll files from m$, which you can get here

ALSO NOTE: as of v0.52, mapgen allows for sprites to be modded, but sprites are not being distributed with mapgen yet. hopefully, kristoffer will allow me to distribute the sprites that were used in the dom3 maps with mapgen, unil then though, i am afraid you are on your own with finding sprites to use.

i will post mapgen releases here at the top of the thread from here on out

changelog:
0.50
+ initial release

0.51
+ sea level is now adjustable
+ changed default sea and mountain levels to 115 and 165 respectively to reflect changes to heightmap algorithm
+ provinces are now marked with correct terrain types
+ output file which stores random number generator seeds (seeds.sds)
+ scripting command to turn comments on/off in .map file
++ verbose: yes/no;
++ default: no
++ data includes province number, province center point, neighbors and terrain types
+ scripting command to turn numbers on/off in image
++ provnum: yes/no;
++ default: no
++ mostly for my debugging purposes

0.52
+ scripting command to turn province borders on/off in map image
++ border: yes/no;
++ default: yes
+ scripting command to change output file names
++ filename: name;
++ default: test;
+ scripting command to generate a batch of maps
++ batch: number;
+++ number must be between 1 and 1000 inclusive
++ "_xxx" is appended to the filename, where "xxx" is the numerical id for the map
+ scripting command to use sprites in map image
++ sprite: name terrain distance distribution;
+++ name gives a path and file name for the sprite. the path may be relative to the folder MapGen is in
+++ terrain is a string for the terrain type to use this sprite in
+++ distance is an integer. this is the minimal distance that must be between this sprite and all others.
+++ distribution is an integer which will determine how often this sprite is placed for this terrain type
++ NO DEFAULTS. maps will be generated without sprites by default.
+ scripting command to turn province borders on/off
++ border: yes/no;
++ default: yes


to do
+ add lakes to heightmap
+ improve oceans in heightmap
+ improve terrain type algorithm to take distance to water into account
++ three levels
+ scripting command to load random number generator seeds
+ add a command for a palette of colors which will be used as background colors
++ use noise to give concentrations
+ cavern provinces
+ deep sea provinces

[paradoxharbinger]

i am moving all discussion for my map generator to this thread, as the dom2 map section seems to be dead. you can find the link to the old thread in the post above. i've attached a screen of a current map.

[The_Tauren13]

Sweet! Wrap-around maps!

[Gandalf Parker]

Wrap Around maps, user added sprites for terrain, more color control. Excellent stuff.

[Shovah32]

Excellent indeed. I was actually conserned about your MapGens future since dom3 has a built n RMG but yours is looking awfully nice.

[paradoxharbinger]

thanks all for the encouragement.

changing the script command format again, trying to make it both easy to parse and easy to write a script.

the basic format for a command is:
command: argument argument argument...;

see here for scripting commands

[paradoxharbinger]

well here's a quick example. as you can see, the mapgen doesn't play too well with larger sprites, but that is something that is relatively easy to fix, my efforts have been focused elsewhere, but it only took a few miuntes make the map 'less busy'.

[paradoxharbinger]

here's another sparse map, took out the forest sprites, never liked how they looked anyway. if someone could get me a few tree and mountain sprites to replace the ones i'm using, bout the size of the ones dom3 uses, i could use those instead. tried to draw a few, they looked terrible

[Smauler]

Firstly, great work, paradoxharbinger . Unfortunately, I'm having a few problems with scripting. For example, my script: script.spt file containsCode:

---

pcount: 100

---

and results inCode:

---

script: ./script.spt ... success



pcount: 1000 ... success

---

That's a bit quirky, but it seems to work when you realise it adds about a factor of 10 to you pcount. However, I can't get some other stuff to work at all:
Code:

---

pcount: 10

filename: test2

---

results in:
Code:

---

script: ./script.spt ... success



pcount: 10



filename: test22 ... failed

---

The pcount isn't increased, and the filename is, and it fails. Changing the pcount to a higher value dousn't help. Just
Code:

---

filename: test2

---

results in:
Code:

---

script: ./script.spt ... success



filename: test22 ... success

---

Anyway, I'm a bit confused - seems as if if I put two variables in, it gets screwed. It's a little screwy with one, too. I've tried other scripting variables, with the same result. I tried switching to Unix style line breaks to see if that would fix it (I was clutching at straws here ), but same again. I may try downloading again, see if that fixes it.

Oh, my verion numbers are off too. In the title bar MapGen claims it's v 0.52.03082007, and in the program it claims it's 0.51.03082007.

If I'm doing something unbelievable stupid, feel free to point and laugh, but I can't figure it out


edit : And one last thing - I'm using Dominions 2... please don't drop support for it... pretty please?

[paradoxharbinger]

odd... could you attach a zip with all of the output please?

the version number may just be that i forgot to change an output line, that's no biggy. you're using th most recent right?

as far as dom2 goes, we'll see. it is probably just a mater of leaving out the dom3 terrain types, but i havent gotter quite as far as adding in the dom3 types yet.

@ all
sorry for the lack of updates, finals week is rolling around, so i've been bogged down with school related work.