new map generator

[paradoxharbinger]

I've been working on a map generator of my own for a while now, thought it might be time to get word on it out to the community. Completion is still a ways off, but I have a site dedicated to the project that is updated when I reach major milestones. Check it out and tell me what you think.

ParadoxHarbinger's MapGen

[Arralen]

You noticed that Dom3 comes with a full build-in random map generator?!

[paradoxharbinger]

From what i can see, mine is probably going to be a vast improvement. I really don't like the way those screens look.

[Endoperez]

In that case, good luck to you! You're off to a good start - that is, you've started! That is surprisingly hard. I'm eager to find out what kind of maps you'd have for our favourite game.

[paradoxharbinger]

I'm going to be updating my page soon with a list of my intended features. These are certainly open to input from the community, and if an idea is real popular, or if I like it, and it's feasible, I'll see about putting it in.

But to give a few ideas about what to expect:
- wrapping maps
- maps surrounded by water, think of this as one big continent
- island maps, sort of the same as just surrounded by water, but with multiple continents
- a seed file, which is tiny compared to the generated map (about a couple of kb) and can be sent to a fellow gamer instead of sending an enourmous tga. this file can be used to regenerate a map exactly.
- province boundaries sensitive to terrain

Right now, I am working on the algorithms to grow forests, wastes, swamps and farmlands, which are all sensitive to where there is water and elevation.

In case anyone is wonderring, when looking at the screens on my site, blue is water, yellow mountains, and green general land. As mentioned, I'm working on more terrain types, hopefully i'll be updating the screens page soon, maybe even with a key for the terrain types.

And have no fear, final maps will have sprites.

[Edi]

Looks interesting.

The color scheme of your site sucks long and hard, though. The links are difficult to see as they vanish into the background and the random white pattern on the right side. I suggest making some modifications so that the links are more visible (e.g. in red text).

Edi

[paradoxharbinger]

heh, point taken, it looks ok on my pc, but i think i run the brightness on my monitor a little high.

[Agrajag]

And to be unpleasently honest, I can randomize maps just as good with Photoshop (and I'm guessing that Gimp can do that as well, but I haven't tried it)

[Endoperez]

If I understood it correctly, his randomized maps are actually height-maps, and he's currently working on how the different heights interact with each other: how low-lands near seas become swamps, how high land must go to be a mountain, etc. Eventually, mountains will get pictures of small mountains (over different-colored ground, I think), while forests will get little trees, and wastelands dead plants.

[Agrajag]

"Right now, I am working on the algorithms to grow forests, wastes, swamps and farmlands, which are all sensitive to where there is water and elevation. "
According to this, he is working on those algorithms, which means that currently they aren't there, which means those are pretty much just pretty pictures right now, which is what I'm commenting about.
As soon as those algorithms get implemented then my statement is automatically changed to say that only the picture can be easily randomized with photoshop. Once you add in graphical representation, then photoshop can no longer recreate those maps randomly. (Though you could still randomize a map and manually cover it with mountains, forests, swamps etc. without too much trouble.)
Besides, I'm just trying to encourage him to do more work faster (by making him try and prove me wrong)