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