Anyone have MapFinder experience?

vmxa

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I posted this in the MapFinder thread, but it is not very active, so I figured I would see if anyone here can give me a clue.

I decide to give MapFinder a shot to see how it works, but it seems to sit after few maps are generated, saying waiting for civ to start. I see nothing waiting for a response, it is the settler waiting for orders.

Setup:
9000 loading
9000 saving
400 keystrokes
4000 dialogs

Stop after 250
50 iterations
Restart 15000
Compression 70

I also noticed that it start a 0 iterations and then jumps to what ever the last count was, not sure where it keeps that and why it is not reset.

Any ideas on what I need here. 3gh XP with 1.5GB.

I wanted to get some idea on what is a reasonable Domination number for the various map size as I could not find any thing for it.
 
If Harriet's tutorial doesn't answer your question, I'll add that most of my settings are the same as yours except that I restart civ after every 30 iterations. I recently had problems when I got a new computer-it turned out to be the file path for my Autosave directory IIRC-but your problem is different to mine so that's probably no help!

I have no idea why the total number of iterations is stored but this is not down to your problem in getting it running.

Finally re domination limits, see this post by Bartleby
 
I read the tutorial also, but I couldn't get it to work properly. Maybe I'm not running it right, so I hope you can figure it out.
 
When I tried to copy her path for the save map files... I got a blue screen of death the next morning so I gave up.

I do want to try it again but it seems like a lot of work if it fails (or I fail - depending on how you view it) :lol:
 
Well I tried again, but it makes a few iterations and then pops up the report screen and the MapFinder says it is waiting for C3C to startup again. I suspect it is a either a setting for saving or the folder to save into, but I get no msgs.

Will take another run tomorrow.
 
I'll also give mapfinder another try with some of the hints in this thread. I tried a couple of times before to run the programme but always failed to get it working. In the end I gave up...it was more fun to actually play a game than to spend hours cursing at the screen.
 
Double-check and triple-check that the directories are set correctly, every time I've had problems that's what caused it.
Although I don't think I've seen the particular problem that you describe, vmxa.

Also, I thinks sometimes the Quick Start option can cause funny business.
 
I have exactly the same problem as vmxa; also, the number of maps generated is always more than the the total of maps saved/rejected. And occasionally, instead of going to 'Quick Start', it goes to 'Load Game' and crashes.
 
Load Game is a good indication of a directory problem.

Another important thing is that you need to make sure to OK the "Dawn of Civilization" dialog before starting MapFinder--I think that may also give Quick Start headaches.
 
In the mapfinder setup screen, verify that the "autosave directory" and the "acceptable map directory" are both correct. I had the same problem, when it was trying to load games and sometimes scenarios, and it was because one of the directories (I forget which) was wrong.
If that doesn't fix it, then try looking at the Quick Start (maybe try generating maps without Quick Start).

What I always do (which I don't know if it matters or not) is start a New Game with the setup I want, then do a Quick Start, then start MapFinder.
 
I have only run MapFinder a few times, so take my words with that in mind. I ran MF last night and I noticed that whenever it restarts C3C, there's a noticeable stall after the first map is generated. Otherwise, it looks like what you described, vmxa. Once that stall clears, the rest of the maps run fine until the next restart. Is it possible that you're just not waiting long enough?
 
I had tried to get the directories correct by using the browse in the setup. So they should be good. I see it some times go through several iterations and generate up to 6 maps and then sit there.

I have let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, so I doubt it coming back. I especially doubt it as it has popped up the report tool. That I would expect means it thinks it is done, but I don't know as MF says it is waiting for civ to start.

I will try without the quick save. I have waited to even start MF, until the dawn msgs is cleared and the settler is all alone waiting for a command.

I do think it is a directory issue, but I have no idea why. I have seen it write a mapfinder tmp file out on some attempts, but it is not putting it in the auto directory. I will check that one again.
 
Ok, I got it working now. The problem was MF was set to quick start, but I started the game as a normal game. So I unchecked the quick start and off it went. I stopped it after 8 maps.

This time MF actually shows maps generated and rejected. I did not get any maps rejected on the other attempts.

Now the only issue I have is the "OR" function. I know it has been over 40 years, since I learned about Boolian Algebra, but I thought the OR function would say true and save the map?

So I had OR domination > 1050, but MF shows it found a map at 1062 and did not save it? The logic is:

Or
And
And
And
about 6 AND gates, so does not the >1050 cause a save? Do I need to move it to the last entry for the logic to work?

AND
AND
AND
AND
AND
AND
OR

IOW I want to allow any map that have a DOM limit of more than 1050, not a many will qualify on a small map.
 
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