[CF-Devel] Future of maps.

[Andreas Vogl]

Mark W. wrote:

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      Regardless of what is need to be done with ISO, the current state of maps
     
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      needs to be updated.
     
     
I agree, oh yes.

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      The solution for this, which I plan to work on soon, is to implement
     
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      automatic map tiling. [...]
     
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      With that, it should be easier to make very large autojoin continents.
     
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      There are really 3 possible future directions:
     
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      1) Keep outdoor continent basically the way it is, just use autojoining.
     
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      2) Go to an indoor/outdoor scale. [...] Cities would not appear as the
     
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         little images you enter, but instead by placed on the world maps. 
     
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         [...] But the shops, caves, towers, etc, would still be buildings you
     
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         enter from this.
     
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      3) Go to unified scale. Take #2 above, and increase the scale another
     
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         order of magnitude or two. In this mode, everything is the same scale.
     
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I definitly vote for #2.

#1 means the continents (worldmaps) are just plain boring (like they
are now). Travelling is short, but still so pointless that people want
teleporters in their apartments. The continents don't have any serious
"structure". The worldmap is just a big bunch of linked exits.
The sole advantage of this concept is the simplicity of design.

#3 is in my opinion an overdue. We might get the opposite problem:
Lack of detail due to the incredible size of maps. Huge roads
and buildings, a player must walk about hundred squares only to get
from the magic store to the weapon store.
Not to speak of the immense work to create maps like that.

#2 seems perfect since only the worldmaps need to get redone (not
the cities). And the worldmaps are in bad need for a redo anyways. :)

We would need to introduce a set of blocking worldmap tiles (mountains,
dense forest, etc) to get a "structure" into the new, scaled-up worldmaps.
Basically like walls in dungeons. Another issue is monster
generation/control, but it could be handled just like in dungeons.

Having that set, the worldmaps act pretty much like dungeons and
provide some adventure for travellers. Reaching certain places might
require a certain character level - That is terrific IMHO.


Andreas V.