This map script will create a set of roughly equally sized continents laid out in a grid. You can lay out 1x1 (one big continent) to 6x6 (36 'continents' really islands at this point), and anything in between (such as 2x1 or 3x1 to guarantee exactly 2 or 3 continents with very fair land distribution).

In addition to offering extremely fair play, this script can also serve as a model for how to write a map script, since it is thoroughly documented (and I hope much easier to follow than the fractal based map generator techniques used in most of the existing scripts).

To use: put in your PublicMaps directory, and select Fair_Continents from the custom game map selection screen.

This script shows how to customize (and handle completely independently of the fractal map generator) at least all of the following:

Custom map options during map setup time.
Dynamic map sizing.
Plot layout.
Terrain selection.
Feature generation.
Bonus addition.


http://ptth.net/civiv/faircont.jpg

# Version History
# 3.0 added feature generation demonstration
# 2.4 reduce strategic resource density compared to common resources
# 2.3 fix problem where combination of choosing a small map and a high width/height
# would result in too much ocean and unplayable maps
# 2.2 fixed oops causing the horizontal continent count to be ignored
# 2.1 changed algorithm for determining where ocean is placed to make
# the continent sizes fairer, improved documentation
# 2.0 added custom terrain generation, bonus placement, sea level support
# 1.0 (as Surt.py) support for laying out continents, basic map function demonstration

talk about island hopping.

Awesome script, thank you

talk about island hopping.

True in the pictured example, but you can also use the script to generate situations like 1x1 or 1x2 2x1 etc where there will be just 1 or 2 continents.

Personally I have a fun time playing 3x3 with me + 8 ai's on standard, knowing there will be no contact until caravels with high sea level. It makes for a really different gameplay experience. I'm also working on a mod that makes this particularly interesting by delivering an ocean crossing military transport (expensive and with small cargo) available earlier in the tech chain.

But mostly I made the script to try to help other people who were trying to puzzle out how to work with the map scripts.

Not too fond of the semi-square continents, but I'll try it out. Looks interesting.

where to extract?

where to extract?

Put it in civ4/publicmaps, then play using custom game (should show up on the list of map choices at that point).

Not too fond of the semi-square continents, but I'll try it out. Looks interesting.

My main focus was on documenting step by step how to write a completely customized map script, moreso than on making a particularly beautiful map. That said, I do think it makes for potentially interesting multiplayer, as you can make pretty strong assurances that everyone will get a pretty fair starting position.

What you've done was create a truly nice building block. Thanks.
Especially on the documentation, which was my weakness in college.

this could be realy cool for a city based mod

I tried it and noticed this:
1. It looks TOO unnatural.. it would be nice if continents could be rounded and not square..
2. It has too many stone, marble and other strategic resources.. it should be 1-2 per continent not more..
3. I dont know if its a bug or just as intended.. but flood plains on HILLS, and combined with grass/plains sounds weird! also oases on grass/plains... geee..
4. I think it need more forest/jungle.. but this is minor..
5. last but not least, even at HIGH sea level it has too little ocean.. it would be nice if u could choose SIZE of continents too.. so that more sea plots can be generated..

I tried it and noticed this:
1. It looks TOO unnatural.. it would be nice if continents could be rounded and not square..
2. It has too many stone, marble and other strategic resources.. it should be 1-2 per continent not more..
3. I dont know if its a bug or just as intended.. but flood plains on HILLS, and combined with grass/plains sounds weird! also oases on grass/plains... geee..
4. I think it need more forest/jungle.. but this is minor..
5. last but not least, even at HIGH sea level it has too little ocean.. it would be nice if u could choose SIZE of continents too.. so that more sea plots can be generated..

I'm not really doing any maintenance on this script anymore. It was really intended to be more of an instructional starting point for other script writers. Still, if these are features you'd really like, the fixes would be pretty straightforward, you should give it a shot!