Mortac
Warlord
A newer and much larger guide can now be found here!
Guide to Hemispheres & Fractal Maps
(EDIT: You can now also find a guide for Big_and_Small maps in another post further down!)
To get straight to the point, Hemispheres and Fractal maps are probably the most played map types, mostly because they resemble the real world. There is an excellent semi-official map guide written by Robert B. Thomas (a.k.a. Sirian), who coded the map generator himself. You can find it here. However, that guide does not cover the newer Hemispheres and Fractal map types, and it can be a little difficult to understand exactly how each setting in the map generator will impact the created world.
Personally, I find it crucial to understand what kind of map you are about to generate, as a desired map often leads to a good game. With the many different options available, it is not always easy to create the kind of map you are looking for.
To my knowledge, neither Hemispheres nor Fractal maps have been explained in a little more detail, so I will try to do so here. It will not be very deep in detail, but it should be informative through showing maps generated with different settings. I hope that it will at least be of use to a few fans out there.
Most map settings will show three different maps generated with the same setting. This is to show possible differences that can occur when generating with the same settings.
Unless stated otherwise, Sealevel will be at the Medium setting!
Hemispheres Maps
Continents Size: Varied
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 3
[*]As you guessed, the Continents Size option of Varied will create a random continent type for each continent on the map.
[*]Even though the Number of Continents is set to 3, it might not look that way partly due to the Water Level setting, as well as how the map generator actually works. Remember that a continent is not necessarily one single land mass (think Oceania).
Continents Size: Varied
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 5
[*]Same settings as above, only now with 5 continents instead of 3.
[*]Total amount of land mass remains mostly the same.
Continents Size: Snaky Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 3
[*]Now we will see how a map with only Snaky Continents will turn out.
Continents Size: Snaky Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 5
[*]Only Snaky Continents again, but this time with 5 continents.
Continents Size: Normal Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 3
[*]Now we will see how a map with only Normal Continents will turn out.
Continents Size: Normal Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 5
[*]Only Normal Continents again, but this time with 5 continents.
Continents Size: Massive Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 3
[*]Now we will see how a map with only Massive Continents will turn out.
Continents Size: Massive Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 5
[*]Only Massive Continents again, but this time with 5 continents.
Continents Size: 1) Snaky 2) Normal 3) Massive
Islands Size: Tiny Islands
Number of Continents: 4
[*]We will now use Tiny Islands. These islands are tinier than some might think, as they are usually just one plot in size. This setting will generate certain areas full of 1-3 square plots. However, the difference is not very big compared to the normal Islands setting.
[*]The first map has Snaky Continents, the second has Normal Continents and the third map has Massive Continents.
Sealevel: 1) Low 2) Medium 3) High
Continents Size: Snaky Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 4
[*]Time to check the impact of Sealevel for Snaky Continents.
[*]The first map has Low, the second has Medium and the third map has High Sealevel.
[*]Obviously, a Low Sealevel will have more landmass, and vice-versa.
[*]The higher the Sealevel, the more likely it is that you will get areas of archipelago.
Sealevel: 1) Low 2) Medium 3) High
Continents Size: Normal Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 4
[*]Time to check the impact of Sealevel for Normal Continents.
[*]The first map has Low, the second has Medium and the third map has High Sealevel.
Sealevel: 1) Low 2) Medium 3) High
Continents Size: Massive Continents
Islands Size: Islands
Number of Continents: 4
[*]Time to check the impact of Sealevel for Massive Continents.
[*]The first map has Low, the second has Medium and the third map has High Sealevel.
Fractal Maps
Fractal maps are less configurable, but that is not always a bad thing as they also have a tendency to be more random. Exploration and surprise are both often desired, and Fractal delivers! Fractal, in comparison to Hemispheres, usually have more compact continents, less archipelago and a little less total land mass. The main configuration option for Fractal maps is the World Wrap setting. There are three such options:
- Cylindrical: You can cross the world at the east and west side of the map. This is the usual way Civilization maps work.
- Flat: You can not cross the edge of the map in any direction.
- Toroidal: You can cross the edge of the map in any direction.
Now, let's have a look at some Fractal maps at different settings:
World Wrap: Cylindrical
World Wrap: Flat
[*]A Flat setting will have no impact on the layout of the map compared to a Cylindrical map. This change will basically only prevent you from crossing the east and west edges of the map, but we will still take a look at three maps generated with this setting.
World Wrap: Toroidal
[*]A Toroidal setting will be likely to create long stretching continents from north to south.
[*]This setting allows you to cross any edge of the map.
Sealevel: Low
World Wrap: 1) Cylindrical 2) Flat 3) Toroidal
[*]A Low Sealevel will often cause massive continents, sometimes Pangea-like.
[*]The first map is Cylindrical, the second is Flat and the third is Toroidal.
Sealevel: High
World Wrap: 1) Cylindrical 2) Flat 3) Toroidal
[*]A High Sealevel will decrease the size of the continents by quite a bit.
[*]The first map is Cylindrical, the second is Flat and the third is Toroidal.
That's it! Hopefully you will now have some greater knowledge about what these maps have to offer, and how you should configure them to get the kind of maps that you prefer. May you stand through the Test of Time!
Best of luck.
(EDIT: You can now also find a guide for Big_and_Small maps in another post further down!)
