Project Mapgeneration for L&S

[Nym Traveel]

Name: Mapgeneration for L&S
Summary: Create Maps suitable for L&S, including fractionning, right ore distribution etc.
Scope: Engine/Core Content
Current Goal: Determine how the map should look like
Phase: Design
Curator: Nym Traveel
Related: Listing some names here I read in the context of mapgen (in no particular order ): MPratt , JRoush , APexPanda , Skaldarnar , Laurimann and as the main driver of the L&S idea SuperSnark

I saw many ideas for mapgeneration in Light&Shadow scattered around and I think it's time to gather them.
Map Shape Possibilities:

• Floating Islands Fantasy themed, surely will be eye candy, easy to realize borders (fall off the map)
• Islands the more natural approach, borders could either be invis walls or simply infinite ocean

(Paint concept arts much appreciated )

Ores:
The idea of fraction based ores is quite interesting imho. Cool would be to have just a collection with ores and corresponding set of rules which then get distributed automatically. Then we can dynamically add and delete Ores and whatever. I don't know if we have the need for this huuuuge list of materials floating around in the forums or just 6-10 neutral ores and 2-3 faction based ones.
With the core algorithm from Custom Ore Generation we can have a jsons for every ore with the infos which distribution and settings to use.

 

[Skaldarnar]

We discussed the idea of smaller milestones (as for LS in general) for map loading/generation as well. So, putting the discussion on IRC in a roadmap may look like the following.

Spoiler: Milestones

--- first test version ---

• Load a fixed game map from predefined height map
• Place trees/minerals/resources (randomly)
• Set player(s) start position(s)

--- first alpha version ---

• Load custom maps from specific folder
• connect islands (or whatever we end up with) [with bridges]
• place resources so that they are equally distributed to both players
• allow users to specify "areas" and "bridges" on the heightmap [using colors]

--- first release version ---

• procedurally generate resources/tress/structures over the map

Or, as MoSCoW-specification (roughly for something like "beta phase"):

Spoiler: MoSCoW

Must:

• load at least one fixed heightmap
• place trees/minerals/resources
• define faction base areas

Should:

• load custom maps from mod specific folder
• allow players and users to create own maps easily

Could:

• "Random Map" feature

Would:

• fully procedural map generation
• some kind of map editor

The heightmap could have a resolution of 2x2 pixels per chunk, letting some room for details if we need it (e.g. place bridges and smaller strcutures).

Some concept art for further illustration:

Spoiler: Floating Islands Concept

Spoiler: Map Layout Concept

Spoiler: Symmetry/Mirroring

 

[Cervator]

Yeah MPratt may already be working on the limited height map chunk gen we need for the raw world (and . I like the first test version goal, then we can get fancy with islands and nice ore etc

Tuxacker might also be involved some at least with the beginning flora gen

 

[Cervator]

Bump. Running out of easy threads to move out of the Incubator. This one is old but has a few neat drawings. It would get lost in the middle of the main L&S implementation thread, but isn't really its own independent thing. I marked it a "project" for now, but am unsure if we need a separate thread on L&S world gen. Where are we at on that topic, anyway?

Cities can do symmetric worlds and is already in use with the L&S textures. We just need some custom structures - @Skaldarnar - and maybe for the world to be more exact with spawn points and identical opposing cities probably on a straight axis instead of diagonal (easier to get opposing walls) - @msteiger

Or just merge this into the main thread and be done with it for now?

 

[Skaldarnar]

I would like to keep it separate and post news on LaS world gen in here - like the latest achievements with magical sphere, or upcoming work such as the hex-style PolyWorld approach. Actually this would allow to move some of the Slack discussion into the forum for better archiving and getting more people involved.