Random Maps
 

I like the random map generator in dom3. Unfortunately I don't always like what I get and have to generate another map. Because the random map generator takes some time to run and Illwinter was nice enough to give us a command line interface to dominions3, here is a Python wrapper script around dom3 to generate several random maps AND many variables (like how many mountains and how much forest) are ranges. A value within the range is selected for each random map. The resulting maps are placed in the standard ~/dominions3/maps.

I usually run this when I am sleeping: next day new maps.

The range variables are in 'VAR'. Feel free to change any of the upper case variables at the top.

This requires the Python scripting language and was tested on a Linux system.

Try "dom3 --help" and see ' Random Map Options ' for what the variables passed to dom3 do.

Download the attachment. Change the suffix to ".py" and execute it by using either "python mapgen.py" or more commonly just "mapgen.py" after setting mapgen.py to be executable.

Re: Random Maps
 

Sa-weet. This will be very helpful

Re: Random Maps
 

I recommend using the Game Tools for random map generation, that way if you get a map you don't like, you don't have to reselect your nation, opponents, pretender stats, etc.

Also, time to produce map is heavily dependent on map graphic size. If you cut the graphic down from the default 1600x1200 to 800x600, map generation goes *much* faster. About 30 seconds on my Athlon 2GHz as opposed to the usual 5 min or so.

Note this has absolutely zero game effect. The only UI effect it has is that when you zoom in to see tiny provinces, the landscape looks blurry.

I find that SP games with ocean in the corners (mainland approximates island as much as possible) works best, keeps some AI's from having a much better start (corner) than others.

Re: Random Maps
 

I recommend anyone doing SP maps use very little sea/water provinces because most AI nations lack the intelligence to conquer sea/water provinces. Thus the more sea/water provinces the greater advantage human opponents will have unless most of the AI opponents within this future game have the ability to easily attack sea/water provinces.
.
The AI land nations almost never organize armies for attacking sea/water provinces.

Re: Random Maps
 

One of the reasons I wrote the script was to generate several maps in advance so I could quickly look at them and decide which I liked best to play on.

True: However, I don't like my map getting blurry when I zoom in. (I usually generate maps at 4000x2000 just to prevent loss of resolution when zooming in ... it's just an aesthetics thing.)