Strategic Chokepoint MAPs

Gandalf Parker · #1 October 10th, 2004, 04:49 PM

http://www.dom2minions.com/~dominion...humbnails.html
In honor of the new DomMap code (thank you Lintman) which is not only much prettier but also creates non-crossable borders WHICH SHOW UP ON THE TGA IMAGE!

Anyway I did a quick run of the EPIC sized maps from my site. Eventually I will probably shift all of the sizes to make some use of the code though Im not sure if all of them will have impassable borders.

There are 3 runs (1-10, 11-20, 21-30) with different amounts of impassables. The program also allows for a 100%. Since it makes sure that all provinces are connected to each other somehow, that creates one huge giant maze. I didnt do one of those but its a neat feature.

If you want to discuss the dommap program then be sure to enter the DomMap thread. Im mostly just a "user"

Endoperez · #2 October 11th, 2004, 06:33 AM

Interesting, thanks!

Gandalf Parker · #3 October 11th, 2004, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Endoperez said:
Interesting, thanks!

OK. One comment. I guess I will kick things up a notch then.
http://www.dom2minions.com/~dominion...andomMaps.html
Now all of the maps have a section done with the new program.
So.... anyone? anyone? are they downloaded? are they playable? too bright, too dark, too many impassable borders, not enough?

On the examples page wre there any that cought your eye?
http://www.dom2minions.com/~dominion...p/00_index.jpg

Come on people, you got to feed the flow to keep it going.
I aint doin this for nuthin. [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Teddy.gif[/img]

Arryn · #4 October 11th, 2004, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Gandalf Parker said:
I aint doin this for nuthin. [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Teddy.gif[/img]

Odd, I thought you were?

Well, since you're fishing for compliments, I guess we should thank you (some more). heh [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Fish.gif[/img]

Gandalf Parker · #5 October 11th, 2004, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Arryn said:

Quote:

Gandalf Parker said:
I aint doin this for nuthin. [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Teddy.gif[/img]

Odd, I thought you were?

Well, since you're fishing for compliments, I guess we should thank you (some more). heh [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Fish.gif[/img]

Heehee threw me a fish huh?

Its not so much compliments (In this case. Im not doing that well) but if no one comments then I just never seem to move on to the next step. Take a look at my site and how cluttered it is with started projects that havent moved forward. I can tell from logs if people have looked at stuff and downloaded stuff, but heck I see people looking/downloading the old Dom1 stuff that I havent updated in over a year.

Endoperez · #6 October 11th, 2004, 11:56 AM

Just keep on remembering about the way to pay for free things... I remembered it, and posted that two-word reply! I hope it will stay in my mind for little longer...

Gandalf Parker · #7 October 11th, 2004, 02:56 PM

Hmmmmm obviously I should make use of the new impassable randoms in DomMap. Im considering maps like "Mazes and Monsters" or "Poke in the Eye" or "Miirunst X". The problem is that I used the random placement of monsters as a way o creating chokepoints. Having to go around provinces that had a pretender with another pretender as guards and another pretender as troops, or one with doom horrors, or treelords, etc etc created strategic chokepoints.

It may take some experimenting to find a balance between throwing in both extra monsters, and impassable borders, to keep from having something that can trap a player.

Im debating if its worth it. I should probably play the impassables abit and see how well they provide for a strategic chopkepoint game.

Wauthan · #8 October 11th, 2004, 05:08 PM

I'm a big fan of your Poke in the Eye and Miirunst X projects. I was wondering if there was a way to create some kind of tool, spreadsheet or other way to randomize any kind of map in this way? I also wondered if you use all available units in the randomizer? And if there is a way to remove certain units from being used in it? While a dagon (in a robe of invulnerability), guarded by red dragons with a sons of the seas army is pretty fun to fight its also a bit frustrating in the long run. Making a lite Version that doesn't use high end units would be very welcome.

As for your randomly generated maps I haven't yet laid eyes upon one that more interesting than the "handcrafted". It's most likely because the maps available are a lot of fun and random maps look less balanced at first sight. I'll check them out more closely when I get download capabilities once more.

Thanks for your hard work. It is well appreciated.

Gandalf Parker · #9 October 11th, 2004, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Wauthan said:
I'm a big fan of your Poke in the Eye and Miirunst X projects. I was wondering if there was a way to create some kind of tool, spreadsheet or other way to randomize any kind of map in this way?

Well there is a program which does it of course. Its written in a Version of BASIC. YABasic Yet Another Basic) to be exact. You can freely download that if you want to run my programs. It just adds the stuff I do onto the end of the .map file. But its easier for me to copy it and modify it to have the name of the file hard-coded rather than ask. I could do one that will work with random.map I guess (the default file that DomMap creates)

It does compile (create standalone EXE programs) and I have thought about making one for doing any map but thats more error-checking and UI programming than I like to do. If anyone else wants to tackle it then Im sure my basic routines would be easy to re-write into one of the harder programming Languages.

Quote:

I also wondered if you use all available units in the randomizer? And if there is a way to remove certain units from being used in it? While a dagon (in a robe of invulnerability), guarded by red dragons with a sons of the seas army is pretty fun to fight its also a bit frustrating in the long run. Making a lite Version that doesn't use high end units would be very welcome.

Yes it uses them all. The units are assigned by a number so its simple to have it add a-random-of-1-to-10 monsters whose ID number is a-random-number-from-1-to-1080. The sequence is how they were added to the game so its hard to chop out any. There is a nation, then some monsters, then some pretenders, then another nation, and more monsters, and later pretenders...

I have wanted to improve the routines. Not have land things put in water and no water things put on land so they all drown in the first turn. If someone wanted to make a database or spreadsheet of all the units and put flags for land, water, amphib, pretender, leader, troops, etc etc then I could program against that.

Quote:

As for your randomly generated maps I haven't yet laid eyes upon one that more interesting than the "handcrafted". It's most likely because the maps available are a lot of fun and random maps look less balanced at first sight. I'll check them out more closely when I get download capabilities once more.

Everything has its pros and cons. Hand made maps are great and will never beat random ones. But random ones can be larger, and I can whip out a bach of them every day. If you dont like todays batch then check it tomorrow for a new batch. Eventually one may look good to you. Feel free to grab it, name it, add personal touches, and make a handcrafted out of it.

Thanks for your hard work. It is well appreciated.

[/quote]

Wauthan · #10 October 12th, 2004, 12:02 PM

Quote:

I have wanted to improve the routines. Not have land things put in water and no water things put on land so they all drown in the first turn. If someone wanted to make a database or spreadsheet of all the units and put flags for land, water, amphib, pretender, leader, troops, etc etc then I could program against that.

I'm on it.

Shouldn't be too hard to make an spreadsheet considering Edi already listed all the units with all their abilities in a similar document.