HoF Map Finder/Generator Utility 2016-10-05

[Moonsinger]

Here is the latest version 2.6:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/MapFinder2_6.zip

Bug Fix:
1. It's now using virually no CPU time at all! Thanks Coilean for pointing out this serious bug! Anyone using the previous version, please upgrade to this version. Thanks!
2. Screenshot for newly generated map will always work now. Just lessen the restriction a little bit on this.


New Feature:
1. Add JPEG Compression Quality selection in the config screen
2. Add screenshot (sorry - no rubberband yet!) menu option
3. Add report regenerate option
4. Add quick domination check

If you right hand click on the Map Finder icon, there will be a popup menu with all these extra feature.

 

[superslug]

Downloaded and set to run while I go to bed. You sure brought some needed joy to the end of my "day". It's not that the old version wasn't generating maps for me, but a newer version of a great thing is always something to smile about.

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Rellin
If you have ever played a Scenario it is the exact same. Just my scenario does not have a map attached to it so it randomly generates one.

Open C3C, Click "Civ-Content" (instead of clicking "New Game"), Click the Scenario/File you wish to load to select it (This being my mod file and the Scenario/File you last loads stays selected when you go click Civ-Content the next time), Click Scenario/File again to load it, Select Map Options, Select Opponents and Difficulty Level.

Please send me your Scenario/File and I will make it to work for you. It's easy add this option for you, but I have no way of testing it unless I have your Scenario/File.

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by superslug
Downloaded and set to run while I go to bed. You sure brought some needed joy to the end of my "day". It's not that the old version wasn't generating maps for me, but a newer version of a great thing is always something to smile about.

I hope it will work perfectly on your system this time. Btw, did you get it to automatically restart C3C on your computer. C3C is really one tough cookie to restart without human intervention.

 

[Rellin]

I sent you an email with my "Improved AI Mod" biq file attached. I am not sure if it worked though, if it didn't please let me know. To test it, you will have to download and put into your Conquests/Scenario folder.


One thing though, I am not sure how the program works, but I am thinking it basically is acting like it is pressing return or clicking the correct options automatically to load games and not looking for specific file names. If I am correct, then you could test it by just following the step-by-step instructions I posted earlier and just have it select any of the Civ-Content files that are included on the game as it comes such as Mesopotamia or Rise of Rome. The mod file itself is saved in the Conquests/Scenario folder, and anything saved in that folder is displayed in the Civ-Content selection menu.

 

[superslug]

Originally posted by Moonsinger
I hope it will work perfectly on your system this time. Btw, did you get it to automatically restart C3C on your computer. C3C is really one tough cookie to restart without human intervention.

I downloaded the new version and let in run for eight hours while I slept. It was still going when I got up! Just to be safe I set the times both up to twenty seconds and the C3C restart low (10? 20?).

Anyway, after a shift of hard labor, my computer did generate five files above my domination limit. Three I rejected off the screenshots (friggin flood plains). I'll have to reboot C3C to find what I don't like about the other two.

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Rellin
I sent you an email with my "Improved AI Mod" biq file attached. I am not sure if it worked though, if it didn't please let me know. To test it, you will have to download and put into your Conquests/Scenario folder.

I got your email, but no attachment! You forgot to attach the file!

One thing though, I am not sure how the program works, but I am thinking it basically is acting like it is pressing return or clicking the correct options automatically to load games and not looking for specific file names. If I am correct, then you could test it by just following the step-by-step instructions I posted earlier and just have it select any of the Civ-Content files that are included on the game as it comes such as Mesopotamia or Rise of Rome. The mod file itself is saved in the Conquests/Scenario folder, and anything saved in that folder is displayed in the Civ-Content selection menu.

Since there isn't anything random about Mesopotamia or Rise of Rome, you would get the same exact starting location every time! Unless your "Improved AI Mod" would randomly generate a new map with different starting location each time, there is really no point in doing this.

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by superslug
I downloaded the new version and let in run for eight hours while I slept. It was still going when I got up! Just to be safe I set the times both up to twenty seconds and the C3C restart low (10? 20?).

I'm sure you can safely set the C3C to restart at 50! If you do it manually, you would have to hit the QuickStart button at least 75 times before C3C cracks and burns! Therefore, 50 would be my recommendation.

 

[Rellin]

Doh! What is your email? The email system on these boards does not allow attaching of biq files, or should I zip one and email it to you? You could use another scenario that does not have a map in that list, like the ones titled "No Unique Units" or "No Civ Traits".

I just sent another email, but for some reason I don't think the board email system works for attachments, gunna try and find out how to post it here.

 

[Rellin]

Ok here goes my attempt to post my mod file...

Weee! It works!

 

[Moonsinger]

@Rellin

This one is for you (it's exactly the same as version 2.6 except it has something extra to handle the CivContent route): http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/MapFinder2_61.zip

Basically, do your usual thing as follows:

1. Launch MapFinder & C3C
2. Select CivContent in C3C and pick your map + whatever!
3. At 4000BC, launch MapFinder 2.61 and uncheck the QuickStart option.
4. That's it!

 

[Rellin]

You own in so many ways. Works like a charm. You probably should put this in the utilities section or the mods section in its own thread. I am sure many people would like to use it. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

 

[Coilean]

Moonsinger, I think I may have figured out what the problem is. You are only allocating 64 bytes for the file save pathname, which was truncating my filenames and goofing the screenshot generation, probably because the expected filename did not exist. I discovered this when I was running mapfinder and saving files in a fairly long path, and it kept asking me if I wanted to overwrite a file once it found a map... which was because the filenames were all being truncated to the exact same name after 64 bytes!

Yep, just confirmed it by saving my maps in a short pathname. Generates the screenshots and the html summary just fine when I'm not trying to save the files in a long pathname!

 

[Andy-K]

Get an error when saving the file. The program changes c:\map to c:+map which generates an illegal file name. Running C3C on WinXP.

Have tried to change the path but always get \ changed into + generating an error (since the file name consist a : ). Have tried leaving the field blank in hope that it can save it to the default save directory, but then Map Finder wont start.

Havent heard anyone else having this problem, but Ive tried on 2 different machines and ended up with the same error.

 

[Andy-K]

Solved it.

It appears that the Map Finder doesnt take what is written in the ini file, ie c:\civ3map, but rather types it out. When running different keyboard layouts than english, such as swedish that I run, the \ key is not where it is on the english keyboard, in my case the + is there instead. So by changing the keyboard to english the program works just fine.

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Coilean
Moonsinger, I think I may have figured out what the problem is. You are only allocating 64 bytes for the file save pathname, which was truncating my filenames and goofing the screenshot generation, probably because the expected filename did not exist. I discovered this when I was running mapfinder and saving files in a fairly long path, and it kept asking me if I wanted to overwrite a file once it found a map... which was because the filenames were all being truncated to the exact same name after 64 bytes!

Yep, just confirmed it by saving my maps in a short pathname. Generates the screenshots and the html summary just fine when I'm not trying to save the files in a long pathname!

Thanks! I think you are right about that. It will be an easy fix and I will do that tonight!

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Andy-K
It appears that the Map Finder doesnt take what is written in the ini file, ie c:\civ3map, but rather types it out. When running different keyboard layouts than english, such as swedish that I run, the \ key is not where it is on the english keyboard, in my case the + is there instead. So by changing the keyboard to english the program works just fine.

Yes, typing it out is the only way! MapFinder is like Commander Data (from StarTrek) sitting at the keyboard typing for you. Of course, Commander Data doesn't need to sleep and can type the same sequence of commands really fast and over again. Unfortunately, my Commander Data doesn't know how to type in Swedish yet.

 

[superslug]

Moonsinger: I just discovered a problem with Mapfinder!

I started playing a file this morning that the index listed at 4524. After getting to my first 'checkpoint' I ran Dianthus' CRPMapstat and got a domination limit of 4479.

I checked the numbers with a calculator against all the tiles available and figured out that Mapfinder's number is 66.6% and Mapstat's is 66%. The reason I checked this is that I ran into a problem with Mapstat earlier and Dianthus and I discovered that the C3C domination is 66% flat, not 66.6%.

I'm assuming your domination checker is 66.6 for III, PTW and C3C?




(By the way, I'm still playing the game, the map is huge and lovely!)

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by superslug

Moonsinger: I just discovered a problem with Mapfinder!

I started playing a file this morning that the index listed at 4524. After getting to my first 'checkpoint' I ran Dianthus' CRPMapstat and got a domination limit of 4479.

I checked the numbers with a calculator against all the tiles available and figured out that Mapfinder's number is 66.6% and Mapstat's is 66%. The reason I checked this is that I ran into a problem with Mapstat earlier and Dianthus and I discovered that the C3C domination is 66% flat, not 66.6%.

I'm assuming your domination checker is 66.6 for III, PTW and C3C?

Not a problem! Will recompile it with the 66% formula for C3C soon.

 

[Moonsinger]

Update on the new domination limit for C3C:

Dianthus had just recompiled his subroutine to check for domination limit with the 66% flat for C3C. Basically, I just repackaged MapFinder version 2.61 with the new DLL from Dianthus and here it's for your convience:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/MapFinder2_61b.zip