Setting valid start provinces...

[Ballbarian]

*slaps forehead*
I knew that, but for some stupid (no sleep) reason, I was thinking that my only other option was #specstart. That is what I get for not just sleeping on it before I run to the forums.
Thank you!

[Edi]

Ballbarian, your editor program sounds very interesting. I've been entertaining the idea of making the Dom3 databases for units, weapons etc as an SQL database (and perhaps import some queries to make an Excel quickref list). If you intend to convert the program for Dom3 when it comes out, would that sort of a DB make it easier for you to do the unit manipulation? True enough that it'd be an external source, but I'm just asking for future reference.

Edi

[Ballbarian]

It would definately make my life easier.
I have been using Access97 (mdb), but VB is very flexible when it comes to databases. One of the biggest items on my wish list would be a dataset that included unit sprites, but without Illwinter making them available as a download, it's just too big a project to try and attain them manually. Anyhow, I think that would be a great resource Edi.

[Endoperez]

I have also fancied making a map randomiser, which would set #poptypes, defenders etc depending on terrain and other features.

I also hoped to have it allow different settings, like equivalents of randomly equipping independent commanders with items from custom lists (no Snake Bladder Sticks or Bane Venom Charms), choosing random special provinces (group of Abysians and Salamanders guarding a Mountain province with a Volcano) and generating kingdoms (1 "capital" province with special provinces, defenders and sites (2 lizard Shamans, 3 Barbarian Commanders, Lizards, Barbarians, few Tribal Archers and Warriors, few Horse Brothers) with themed neighbours near it (normal Barbarians, Lizards, Tribal warriors/archers with Shamans in addition to the other commanders).

I think many have dreamed of having such a program. It can be done independently on a map creator. No one has managed to get a map graphics creator this far, AFAIK. Even if the other plans for map randomizer have failed, I think you should first get the map creation part working. Add the other stuff after that.

BTW, you might've quessed that my map randomizer isn't complete. In fact, it does almost nothing; it might be able to write few correct # lines, but even that doesn't yet work. However, I have free time until June, and even after that I have most of the summer and autumn to myself... I just haven't programmed for half a year.

[Arralen]

Endo, are you especially keen on doing a GUI for your randomizer? If not, I may be able to provide you with an almost finished user interface written in Tcl/Tk, which would be able to call any .exe using command line parameters. (as it does with dom2.exe) atm.

It's just that I haven't got to write any map generating code up to now [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Cold.gif[/img]

Btw, I can oc wrap it up into an .exe with some .dlls, .tcls and .exes attached in subfolders.

[Endoperez]

First, I'll have to warn you, it might take a month or two before I can whip myself to starting the project again. Then Dom3 will appear, and I'll waste too much time on that. So this might be vaporware already.

I'm doing Java. I'm at the very basics. My program is effectively text editor. It chooses things from random lists. The lists themselves are read from text files (e.g. the poptypes are in a text file). I haven't used the Java command line parameters at all IIRC, but I'm not very keen on doing a GUI... If and when I get to work on that particular project again, I'd prefer a ready GUI a lot, even if it means having to learn command line parameters. They should be much easier to learn that trying to do GUI. Besides, at this point it shouldn't be that hard to add in some command line parameters... Just shows how much there is still to do.