Maps

[joelwest]

this thread is intended for discussion of revised Moon maps and the possible adaption of non Moon based (terran) maps for use in the SotM mod.

there is another separate thread for terrain that appears on a map.

[joelwest]

this post is copied from post 867, page 44, of main SotM mod forum.

my later posts in this thread will try to parse this material for development work.

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why non Moon based maps are commonly picked . . .
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now that I am using "Moon_Map.py" in the PublicMaps folder rather than regular map with moon terrain grafted on the unique lunar resources do appear on the map.

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BTW, I can understand why I like so many of the other posters are initially not using the Moon map for their first game.

as newbies to the mod our first task is to select a civ to play.

to find out the characteristics of SotM's civ's we go to the "play now" selection of the mod's main menu.

it is counterintuitive to backtrack to a "custom game" or "custom scenario" selection of the mod's main menu once all the civ descriptions have been read in the "play now" selection.

is there a way for a static moon map to appear if someone chooses "play now" for their main menu selection?

[GeoModder]

Since this mod is moonbased, I fail to see the relevance of playing it on a normal civ map.

[GeoModder]

Originally Posted by joelwest

is there a way for a static moon map to appear if someone chooses "play now" for their main menu selection?

Mmm, create the mod with a scenario?

[woodelf]

Yup. If we actually finish a working mod then scenarios will make it easier for people.

[joelwest]

this post is copied from post 1001, page 51, of main SotM mod forum.

Originally Posted by GeoModder

I suggest a real mapscript of the moon, with peaks and hills included.

it would certainly make the mod less confusing if ANY terran map could be altered automatically to make it a moon map, ie with alien goody huts and the appropriate moon based resources.

if this is not possible, and only one moon map script will be written or the current moon map script updated, make sure to

1) enable naval units on the dust seas

2) introduce new amphibious units to the game so that one tile islands in a dust sea can be captured

3) adjust the darkness of moon craters so that when roads are built they can be seen

[joelwest]

Originally Posted by GeoModder

Since this mod is moonbased, I fail to see the relevance of playing it on a normal civ map.

playing on a normal non Moon based map allows the entire range of map scripts that have already been written to be used, such as SmartMap. the user has control over number of continents, terrain type, etc.

the moon map script could be modified so that options similar to SmartMap are made, but why reinvent the wheel?

I do not know how the coding would be done, but the idea I am proposing is take ANY terran map, and

1)
add Moon based resources such as titanium and plutonium and convert or delete non Moon based resources such as silk, and

2)
add Moon based terrain features such as craters and convert or delete water based features such as forests and swamps

3)
less important would be to subtract the atmosphere layer that appears when zooming out.

purists will object of course that there no dust rivers on the Moon. but for that matter the maria of the Moon will never be navigable by naval units such as skimmers either.

is what I am proposing in any way feasible?

[GeoModder]

I... don't think so. Not without an extensive amount of coding, perhaps even at the SDK level.

[joelwest]

Originally Posted by GeoModder

I... don't think so. Not without an extensive amount of coding, perhaps even at the SDK level.

how do you propose giving the user some control over the type of Moon map they get?

at the very minimum degree of hilliness, extent (level) of the dust seas, number of continents, map size, and the number of starting civs need to be viable options.

[woodelf]

Originally Posted by joelwest

how do you propose giving the user some control over the type of Moon map they get?

at the very minimum degree of hilliness, extent (level) of the dust seas, number of continents, map size, and the number of starting civs need to be viable options.

I think that this stuff is customizable with matthewv's mapscript. Although I could be wrong.

[woodelf]

Yeppers, mountain peaks and density as well as dustsea density are all customizable. Attrition is as well.

[matthewv]

how do you propose giving the user some control over the type of Moon map they get?

at the very minimum degree of hilliness, extent (level) of the dust seas, number of continents, map size, and the number of starting civs need to be viable options.

I think that this stuff is customizable with matthewv's mapscript. Although I could be wrong.

Yes there should already be a number of options included already in the map script.

playing on a normal non Moon based map allows the entire range of map scripts that have already been written to be used, such as SmartMap. the user has control over number of continents, terrain type, etc.

the moon map script could be modified so that options similar to SmartMap are made, but why reinvent the wheel?

I do not know how the coding would be done, but the idea I am proposing is take ANY terran map, and

1)
add Moon based resources such as titanium and plutonium and convert or delete non Moon based resources such as silk, and

2)
add Moon based terrain features such as craters and convert or delete water based features such as forests and swamps

3)
less important would be to subtract the atmosphere layer that appears when zooming out.

purists will object of course that there no dust rivers on the Moon. but for that matter the maria of the Moon will never be navigable by naval units such as skimmers either.

is what I am proposing in any way feasible?

It can be done but it would be difficult to make it work properly with every mapscript available. Also, there are a number of features specific to the moon terrian such as the 2x2 craters of which there is nothing like in any of the normal maps.

[woodelf]

Your mapscript has stood the test of time IMO matthewv. We're still using the one from 14 months ago!

If you have tweaks that'd be great, but this is a great bit of programming.