All credit for source material goes to Sirian's Terra mapscript. All credit for deciding where to place regions based on earth goes to...er...earth. And me.

This is essentially an Earth randomizer; it will provide continents, islands, and most seas in standard "Earth" places. Apart from that, though, anything goes. The result is a map in which you will recognize your general starting location 4 out 5 times (results may vary on huge maps :p ) but you won't have a clue about anything around you. Because of Earth's innate tactical opportunities (land and sea chokepoints, secluded islands, etc) this is guaranteed to be at least a little interesting as a map. Climate and Sea Level are treated normally.

I would Strongly recommend using "rocky" climate and normal sea levels if you want a more "earthy" map.

Update: Minor update, tweaked starting positions, added more layers, adjusted region parameters.

Note: Starting locations are linked to the Old World, but are NOT culturally linked in any way. Incas can start in Norway, if the map puts them there. If I figure out how to code properly in Python, I may implement a cultural linkage option during map selection. Don't count on it any time soon, unless someone else provides me the code.

Mapscript follows. V 0.02. Instructions: Unzip, place in Publicmaps folder (or Warlords/Publicmaps, if you want it to show up for that) of your Civ directory. It should be compatible with Warlords or Vanilla (or most/any mods for either), I've tested it with both, and didn't encounter any issues.

Screenies: (Mediterranean, Middle East, and Caribbean; minimap in bottom right shows entire world. All examples use Size = Standard Sealevel = Normal and Climate = Rocky)

Funky. Can you post some screen shots?

Funky. Can you post some screen shots?

Too late? (10 mooses)

I like the idea, but this script doesn't work for me. all i get is a grassland. hope you can fix it.

That is cool. I think I might know what script to use for my next game!

I like the idea, but this script doesn't work for me. all i get is a grassland. hope you can fix it.

There was a superfluous line of Warlords-only text being imported; it has been removed. The updated file is in the first post.

Tested it out in a game yesterday and it was great! Good job :goodjob:

One thing I did notice is that sometimes you start very close to another civ, as in 5 tiles away. Made for an interesting warriors only early war with Montezuma :crazyeye:

Tested it out in a game yesterday and it was great! Good job :goodjob:

One thing I did notice is that sometimes you start very close to another civ, as in 5 tiles away. Made for an interesting warriors only early war with Montezuma :crazyeye:

This also happens in Terra, but it might happen in mine a bit more often due to a tag I changed, which I'll probably change back once I update it (to fix a few continent shapes, as well). Sometimes (in Terra or this script) you can start only *2* tiles away from another civ.

I've also made another script using dice to create a more random Terra-type script, but it comes out more as a Fractal map with a Terra flavor...once I get it rigged properly I'll post it here.

What exactly is different from Terra? Is it more eathlike or what?

What exactly is different from Terra? Is it more eathlike or what?

Terra places 4-5 continents in generally earthy locations (West/East hemisphere, Eurasia/NAmerica/SAmerica sometimes Africa/Indonesia) with a lot of dice rolls and fairly little layering. This mapscript puts all the continents in "Earth" locations and shapes through extensive use of regions, and then relies on repeatedly calling fractals (with low land proportions) to randomize the continents and make the shores look somewhat natural. The end result is that maps produced are recognizable as Earth, just with a lot of things "wrong" due to the randomization.

The other one that I'm working on which does have dice rolls is reliant on taking the original spirit of the terra script, and adding a much larger number of dice rolls and fractal layering. Unfortunately, this is resulting in some issues with making the map look good, but I'll get it right eventually.

Snicker...Snicker...Snicker... Your ether gonna love me or hate me I'm not sure which one...

Anyway...
Is there an issue with Oasis generation I've noticed a few scripts have problems with it, and just tested the map out kicked in Ctrl-Z and noticed no Oasis...

I'll see if I can't refine the Earth2 script a bit for .7, I'm starting in with SDK merging and tweaking for my own mod so I can put up a primitive public release that only modifies civics and traits.

For Oasis: I was sure I had seen them before. I'll try to figure out what's up with the feature generation, probably has something to do with latitudes since I changed desert latitudes a bit.

For the tweaking: anyone noticing anything particularly strange about maps (of any size, but I've mainly tested on standard so non-standard feedback is good) such as notifying me of tendencies towards "lines" of water/lakes (which sometimes happens in europe, less now than previously), grotesquely misshapen lands (like north africa is atm), or straight-edged land boundaries (as will sometimes happen in china). Obviously I know of those three ^_^ but any other notification is welcome.

Awesome...

Im not sure I mind grossly misshapen lands, gives it that earth but not earth appearance....

The one bug I noticed and this was while doing it under .6 if that has any baring what so ever was that on a standard sized map. The "Scout" unit that I started with was stacked with a civ's settler and warrior.... Now thats close!

The one bug I noticed and this was while doing it under .6 if that has any baring what so ever was that on a standard sized map. The "Scout" unit that I started with was stacked with a civ's settler and warrior.... Now thats close!

Yes, I lowered the minimum distance to see what would happen...I suppose the results are evident :crazyeye:
Since the AI probably doesn't handle that sort of thing well, I'll return it to a higher value. It also doesn't help that I tried to set it up with 70% water and minimum deformation (larger europe, etc). Next thing I'm interested in messing with is trying to produce terrain by region instead of just plot types, so I can prevent the "Europe is a desert and Britain is tundra" sort of situation. Might warrant a seperate file, as some people might *want* weird terrain setups. Really, the initial reason I wanted to set the mapscript up was the mediterranean, since I almost never see an interesting "inland sea" situation in random maps.

Smart Map has some interesting inland sea options although its having issues in warlords...you might want to talk a look at the code

Very fun. Do players start in the Old World only, like Terra? If so, could it possibly be an option for them to start anywhere with a viable location?

This is excellent news I have been looking for an earth map for civ 4 for ages.

how do I down load and get it into my game?

r

Looks neat! This is Warlords-compatible, yes? I think I'll give this a try tonight!

very great work !!!
i made a link on french forum for that, because a lot of french people ask for "terra scenario".
If you are not OK , GRM7584, tell me, and i will remove the thread on french forum...

hey.
I love this mapscript. :goodjob: I hope u make some cool updates that allow people to start in the new world and stuff.
I got one problem though.
I usually seem to start in the Manchuria/Japan area. Sometimes, i start off in Spain or Germany. But I have never started in India, Africa, SE Asia, Middle Russia, or anywhere besides Manchuria, Spain, or Germany.:(
Well, that's about it. See ya.
Good mapscript.

Although I've not the time now, when I make another update to this I will include a second script without the "old world only" start code in.

Starting placement will tend towards the edges of the old world, especially for smaller map sizes...on standard size, starts are usually well-distributed for me.

Well, I have had some more diverse starts.
One in Arabia, and one in India, and one in Vietnam.
But only once ever have I started in Africa.
I think the game will be cooler w/o the Old-World-Only Code.
thanks for making this, and I enjoy this mapscript, along with Sevomod

I really like this mapscript, though i have to cast a vote a randomized earth one (civs in new world and old world). would be interesting to try out.

I really like this mapscript, though i have to cast a vote a randomized earth one (civs in new world and old world). would be interesting to try out.

I agree. It might also be interesting to have a civ start off in Australia, too. Would it be hard to take off the civ placement restrictions?

Hi,

this is the script without the "old world only start", you can start on every continents...


Earth2 (http://perso.numericable.fr/~gchiquard/Earth2.rar)



carefully, the american civilizations are very dangerous :)

Thanks! What part did you remove? I think I'd like to mod the generic "Terra" script, too.

Hi,

this is the script without the "old world only start", you can start on every continents...


Earth2 (http://perso.numericable.fr/%7Egchiquard/Earth2.rar)



carefully, the american civilizations are very dangerous :)

Your are a genius ! TY for this Script !

line 75 & 76 :
if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
return False
just write : # in front of the line, that be used as comment

# if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
# return False

line 75 & 76 :
if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
return False
just write : # in front of the line, that be used as comment

# if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
# return False

Got it. Thank you much!

How do I install this script?

How do I install this script?

Mapscript follows. V 0.02. Instructions: Unzip, place in Publicmaps folder (or Warlords/Publicmaps, if you want it to show up for that) of your Civ directory. It should be compatible with Warlords or Vanilla (or most/any mods for either), I've tested it with both, and didn't encounter any issues.

If unzipping is the problem, there are plenty of freeware programs that do that (google 7zip or Freezip). If locating the folder to extract to is the problem, the default directory is Program Files/Firaxis Games/Sid Meier's Civilization 4/Publicmaps, and Program Files/Firaxis Games/Sid Meier's Civilization 4/Warlords/Publicmaps if you want it to show up in Warlords.

Hi,

this is the script without the "old world only start", you can start on every continents...


Earth2 (http://perso.numericable.fr/~gchiquard/Earth2.rar)



carefully, the american civilizations are very dangerous :)

I get only grassland? I tried modding the original Earth2 file, but I got the same problem. In fact I've found that any changes to any script with Notepad are causing the same problem. What do you guys use to edit *.py files? I've never had an issue with Notepad adding extraneous data to files...

Python (http://www.python.org/download/)

Assuming you're using Windows, when Python is installed don't double click on the map script; right click and select 'Edit with IDLE'.

If you got an all-grassland map before making any changes then there's a problem with your download of the map script and you might want to consider redownloading it instead of trying to fix it yourself.

I'm still getting the same problem. The only other thing I can think of is there like a class definition or something similar that needs to be renamed if I'm renaming the file? I'd like to have both the original and fixed Earth2 scripts, so I've been renaming my fixed one.

PS: I love this editor just because it colors things. The editor they use in my CS courses doesn't highlight things like variable names etc. and it drives me nuts when I make a simple typo and cant see it.

Edit: Well I was on the right track... I didn't know you can't have spaces in the filename. :crazyeye: When I opened up the folder I noticed all the other scripts had underscores instead. :wallbash:

What do you guys use to edit *.py files? I've never had an issue with Notepad adding extraneous data to files...

under windows xp, right click/modify

that open the files, afters changes, close the file with saving

very nice earth map. good job gentleman. i will make a link to this from our ViSa forum. With your permission of course.

Hey cool looking script i installed it but where do i start a game up from?
Custom game or custom scenario? I cant seem to see it listed

What is the current version of this? I dl'ed it but the readme says it's the 0.01 Alpha version.

I have been using this map in our Visa mod and havent had any crashes or anything.

sooooo... does it work with BtS? Back in Warlards I found a bug; When I found my first city, it says I get +1248437 gold per turn. I end my turn and my research rate drops from 100% to 90% and I loose money from my treasury!!!

It's been working like a champ for me with BTS and Rise of Mankind mod.

this is exactly what i wanted, wp

:goodjob: :crazyeye:

hello, i want this so people can start in new world, how do i do this

Could I have a screenshot from northern Europe (Finland, Sweden, Norway...) And does this work on regular CIV4 without any expansions?

Could I have a screenshot from northern Europe (Finland, Sweden, Norway...) And does this work on regular CIV4 without any expansions?

Here's a sample shot of Europe, North Africa and Western Asia on a Standard-sized map. Remember that it will be randomized every time, so it won't necessarily look exactly like this.

file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/oem/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpgfile:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/oem/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg

thx for the picture

This is a great idea for a map. Thanks a lot!!!!

Hey GRM7584,
Would it be OK if we included this map script in a future BTS patch?

Note: Starting locations are linked to the Old World, but are NOT culturally linked in any way. Incas can start in Norway, if the map puts them there. If I figure out how to code properly in Python, I may implement a cultural linkage option during map selection. Don't count on it any time soon, unless someone else provides me the code.

Perhaps some of the code from this script would help?

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=251580

Hey GRM7584,
Would it be OK if we included this map script in a future BTS patch?

I'm a little late on the response, but yes, please feel free to do so.

I'm a little late on the response, but yes, please feel free to do so.

It seems Firaxis didn't wait on your response. ;)

I've been using this with CivGold, and it's my favourite map script. Everytime I start in Europe, I always end up the dominant power in the world before the Classical Age has even started for everyone.

line 75 & 76 :
if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
return False
just write : # in front of the line, that be used as comment

# if (pPlot.getArea() != map.findBiggestArea(False).getID()):
# return False

I was interested to try this and got the following result. I can safely say you now no longer have to spawn on the biggest land area!

In all seriousness, 8 of the 15 civs started on land masses with 4 or less tiles. 5 of these were 1 tile islands!

Is there a way to specify a minimum size for a start position? Why else have egypt and aztec spawned in such a ridiculous place (see second screenshot)?