Themed maps

[Leif_-]

I dug out an old utility I made for Domininons 2 that creates themed, randomized versions of .map files and verified that it still works with Dominions 3.

The utility is a small Perl program that basically reads a .map file and a file with the description of the theme and generates a new .map file with a themed versions.

Now, the theme descriptions (.ran files) are perhaps a little convoluted to write (I don't know if anyone but me ever wrote one for Dominions 2), but they are extremely flexible and you can do a lot with them, and these themes are a very good way (perhaps even the best, save for hand-writing .map files) to "meet exotic, interesting people ... and kill them."

You can population types either completely at random or depending on terrain, assign various numbers and kinds of commanders to provinces depending on terrain and population type, assign magic items to commanders, assign troops and bodyguards to commanders and pre-create labs, temples, forts and magic sites in provinces.

The example themes included with the program does things such as adding a dragon commander with magic items to each province, the type of dragon depending on the terrain and the choice of items depending on the type of dragon; create a huborg realm where 80% of the provinces on land are huborg, and sets up "little people" commanders and troops; one that fills the map with cavalry troops; one that sets up vampire hunters in the land provinces and vampire and undead in the sea provinces; one that fills the map with troll and vettir -- all suitably equipped, of course.

Useage and description of how to write theme files are explained in the readme.txt file.

If anyone decides to play around with this, I'd be interested to hear your experiences, and I'd also be interest in any theme files you create.

[Tortanick]

WOW that sounds COOL! I'll take a little look.

You know its not that unintuative. If I had any maps to design I reckon I could learn it reasonably fast

[Gandalf Parker]

I take it that these could actually be run multiple times against the same map? So if I wanted to gradually work my way thru the entire units list then I could create generic boostings, and then run some specialized ones such as 10% of swamp and 10% of forest? Do those replace or add additional groups?

Are the new terrain types supported? And the new units?
I can do a strings of the game file and pull a full units list I believe. Im guessing that numbering it starting at zero should match up properly.

Are there any updated lists you need that I can strip from the game? Castles? populations? equipment? terrain codes?

[Gandalf Parker]

I seem to be having trouble. The examples are great but I need to work from simplest upward in order to grasp things. Does it support randoms?

Can you make me an example that is under 10 lines? Such as one commander/bodyguard/units set which is placed at 10% of the forest terrains? That would give me something to build off of.

[Leif_-]

Oy. I haven't actually touched this thing for years, but I'll see what I can do.

I'll get back to your questions as soon as I remember the answers.

[Leif_-]

Right, I've attached a small example like you asked for (except I used 90% rather than 10% to make sure I could see if it was working.)

Now, to your questions.

I don't quite understand your first question. If you're thinking about running two theme files in sequence to get a "combined theme," then no, you can't do that. The program only reads topographical information from the original .map file; it ignores anything else.

No, the program is unchanged since Dominions 2, and doesn't support new terrain types. However, it always refers to units by number, not name, so it will automatically support new units. (If any of the old units have changed number in Dom3 the old .ran files might be wrong, but the actual program itself doesn't need to be changed.)

A list of all magic items and sites would be useful.

Edit: Now with attachment.

[PvK]

Numbers work for magic items in mods. I haven't tested in map commands yet.

[Gandalf Parker]

Toss me some number matchups to unique items. I will try numbering that list and see if it matches up. That would be handy