Map choice at generation
Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 8:28 am
Hi
I've searched for several keywords to look for similar ideas, but seems no one has come up with this one yet.
I also know that 0.15 has some changes to map generation. Mainly, there are many more options to set before generation, so some arguments in this post might become invalid (I have not yet tried 0.15).
If you want lakes at the start, you'll have to do all of that again.
Imagine you want to play a megafactory map, so you'd like to have close to no trees, small pockets of water and a big area where you can build your main bus. You start up a new game. You enter all the settings you like. You generate a map. You're in the middle of a forest.
Same here, you'll have to start the entire process over again, even before you actually started playing apparently.
Some players also like to play in one biome over the other.
I've worked this problem in my head for several days now. I don't know how the game generates maps atm, but:
- You could generate several different maps and 1 resource map on a flat plane.
- When the player has chosen a map, you then overlay this map and the resource map and cut out everywhere there's water.
- Resources aren't shown during map selection to keep the randomness of the map alive.
- If a player doesn't care about the map or would like it all to stay random then they can choose a random map.
On the left is the resource map. If you overlay the chosen map with this you will see recources that will end up in the water and disappear.
While taking these screenshots I was confronted with the fact that I was unable to generate a world with big lakes in my starting area, even with frequency and size very high.
Or implement more map presets like Rail world or Death world in 0.15. Personally I'd love to play Rail world on an island map.
I'm open to suggestions why this would be a good/bad idea.
Nahbyr
I've searched for several keywords to look for similar ideas, but seems no one has come up with this one yet.
I also know that 0.15 has some changes to map generation. Mainly, there are many more options to set before generation, so some arguments in this post might become invalid (I have not yet tried 0.15).
Example problems
Imagine you want to play a railworld map, but you'd like to have your rails go over lakes (or around it). You start up a new game. You enter all the settings you like. You generate a map. No lakes within sight.If you want lakes at the start, you'll have to do all of that again.
Imagine you want to play a megafactory map, so you'd like to have close to no trees, small pockets of water and a big area where you can build your main bus. You start up a new game. You enter all the settings you like. You generate a map. You're in the middle of a forest.
Same here, you'll have to start the entire process over again, even before you actually started playing apparently.
Some players also like to play in one biome over the other.
Suggestion
My suggestion is that the game generates several maps before loading the playable map and shows you these. You then select the map you think will suit you best and go from there.I've worked this problem in my head for several days now. I don't know how the game generates maps atm, but:
- You could generate several different maps and 1 resource map on a flat plane.
- When the player has chosen a map, you then overlay this map and the resource map and cut out everywhere there's water.
- Resources aren't shown during map selection to keep the randomness of the map alive.
- If a player doesn't care about the map or would like it all to stay random then they can choose a random map.
Idea visualised
Don't look at my awful Photoshop skills.On the left is the resource map. If you overlay the chosen map with this you will see recources that will end up in the water and disappear.
While taking these screenshots I was confronted with the fact that I was unable to generate a world with big lakes in my starting area, even with frequency and size very high.
TL;DR
Generate more maps and select the desired one at the start.Or implement more map presets like Rail world or Death world in 0.15. Personally I'd love to play Rail world on an island map.
I'm open to suggestions why this would be a good/bad idea.
Nahbyr