[CF-Devel] Suggestion.

[Tim Rightnour]

On 17-Nov-01 Andreas Vogl wrote:
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      And one thing I don't understand about the whole random-worldmap
     
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      thing anyways:
     
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      You obviously have to link in the non-random maps (like cities,
     
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      caves, castled etc.). How is that supposed to happen? If you link them
     
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      in at random locations the players are completely des-oriented and
     
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      there's no way to create a reasonable quest on the worldmap (because
     
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      you can't tell the player where to find the places to go).
     
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      So, if you link them to non-random places, that actually means the
     
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      whole thing really isn't a random-map anymore. And why code a huge
     
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      random-generator if the outcome is a non-random map in the first place?
     
     
I'll make two points.. rather than trying to convince you here.

1) quests.  They will still work just fine.  As Mark had mentioned in his
email, there will be a coordinates file that is generated as the cities and
locations are placed randomly on the map.  Things such as signs and NPCs who
say "go to the east, to navaar" will be given a function that uses the
coordinates to calculate the distance and direction of the place.  In addition,
there will be a contraints file given to each placed map (cities, towers,
caves, etc) which say things like "I should be right near an ocean, preferrably
on a mountain, within 50 squares of navaar".  Yes, they will be on a different
location, thus on each server, the exploring will begin anew.

2) Random vs Hand Generated.  This does not preclude shipping a hand generated
world map.  But I think alot of the reason random maps suck, is the generation
routines are very simple.  Take our random map generator for example.  It
simply throws together walls and floors in simple geometric patterns.  But some
of the more complex games, like wargames that autogenerate maps, like
civilization, actually generate really good maps.  By using a perlin, or
similar function to generate a topography map, and then by coding in real-world
effects on the back-end engine, the world will actually be very similar to a
natural world, and indeed evolve.  Through the effects of weather, and other
similar factors, forests will slowly grow and decline, or deserts will spread
out.  I agree that random maps built from geometry don't really work out, and
cannot compete with hand-drawn maps.  But the maps in games like civilization
have allways impressed me as being very realistic.

It's a random function, and yes.. it has the ability to screw up and produce a
really crappy map from time to time.   But there will be a few tuning options
available to the DM, to allow him to regenerate a few times until he is happy
with it.  I also intend to write up a few simple DM commands that allow basic
editing of map squares, such as meddling with altitude, or weather in a
location.

---
Tim Rightnour <
     
     root at garbled.net
     
     >
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