Multi-Maps: The questions thread.

[Somebody613]

And I'm starting it with my own.

Since there's no loading screen between maps, are all the Space maps simply loaded at the beginning?
If so, it hits hard on the Earth map size, since all the Space maps TOGETHER are rather sizable.
If not, what is the exact mechanism, and why there isn't a loading screen?

Branching from the above:
If you somehow managed to "viewport" the Space maps, does it mean that you can ADD MORE of them without the threat of MAF?
If not, well, it's a pity, but kinda predictable.
If yes, though, is there a limit to how many maps you can add to the mix?

Explanation:
If you really managed to make additional maps "modular", then my Spore dream is actually much closer than I thought.
Simple reason - you can add a sizeable amount of "Alien Planets" that are simply random maps generated for the mod.
In fact, when your team FINALLY manages to create a script for Space map generation, you could even add "space-ish barren planets" just like in Spore, loool.
But even without it, mere random maps are already a source of a ton of "Alien Planet" shenanigans, loool!

 

[tmv]

Very long term: Could you have different "starter planets" for some civilizations? While this would still give you "humanoid aliens", you could now have "naturally evolving" competitors for the late stage as well.

 

[Somebody613]

Very long term: Could you have different "starter planets" for some civilizations? While this would still give you "humanoid aliens", you could now have "naturally evolving" competitors for the late stage as well.

Technically, easily done.
If and when (this is literally IF and WHEN) multi-maps become modular (meaning, we can add new maps as separate memory clogs), all this would require is a random map with certain civ(s) run through a number of auto-play turns (which is already available in the mod, by the way).
So it'd combine a random map planet with a random AI run history - and you can have as many of these as the modular "planetary" system allows you (read: technically unlimited).
We could even go for "make the best custom planet from a fan/tester", CUMULATIVELY.
Seriously.
But, again, ONLY IF AND WHEN this becomes modular, which may or may not be the case NOW.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Very long term: Could you have different "starter planets" for some civilizations? While this would still give you "humanoid aliens", you could now have "naturally evolving" competitors for the late stage as well.

Oh so desired distant future yes. Even different 'starter dimensions' .

 

[<Nexus>]

How many and what other map levels do you plan to include?
What are the possibilities of merging this feature into other mods? (E.g. it affects 100+ cpp, py and xml files and the changes aren't well documented?)

 

[Thunderbrd]

How many and what other map levels do you plan to include?
What are the possibilities of merging this feature into other mods? (E.g. it affects 100+ cpp, py and xml files and the changes aren't well documented?)

I'd shudder to try to merge this into any other mod, even AND. It's deeply impacting a tremendous number of cpp files and yes, changes are not documented well at all. You'd be better off redesigning as a modmod of c2c at this point to grab this stuff.

We have intentions for these map levels:

1) Subterranean - linked to the primary Earth map, this map is accessed by some and not even all cave features and can be uncommonly found as early as Prehistoric age. It will also have the deep ocean map which gives us even more submarining and aquatic city potential. LATE game potential is then here for tunnelling and travel into magma regions and perhaps there will be an even deeper magma core map?

2) Cis Lunar space, the space between the Earth and Moon and a bit out from there in which we can have battles and strategic landing approaches and efforts to deny entry to Earth and Moon, as well as space stations and other orbital improvements.

3) The Moon map. Always a fun place to more further explore. Of course you'd have half the map pretty much revealed for initial landing sites and some missions at first would ignore cislunar and go straight to the moon actually making cislunar more 'in play' later.

4) Solar System - out to beyond the planets but gives access to most OF the planetary maps.

5) Planets - not all maps may get actual maps but even some of their moons may and a few like Titan are already expected in the unit plans.

6) Orion's Galactic Region - Our solar system would be placed in this sub-region of the galaxy and there would be one or two other places that may allow us to zoom into those regions in a similar way that we can our own solar system.

7) Galaxy

8) Intergalactic

9) There's more, like interdimensional maps and such

So the idea is that with most of these larger layers, you would have entire zoomed out levels of commerces and such and 'cities' would start being represented by planets and certain colony types for those sizes rather than every system being equally zoomable as it is by having come from Earth. There could be a few specific places of interest you could still nevertheless visit, and military interactions could always retain a down to the person reference size.

Clearly it depends on where we find there to be limitations we can't overcome. There has been talk of creating a parallel running server that we can hand off data to and grab data from and if that works as hoped, we possibly could actually represent every planet, every system, even zoom in further and every plot gets is own sub-plots and so on, allowing us, at least in single player, to literally build out city maps and a strategic 1upt battle system for that layer.

In our tech tree, we plan for technology to take mankind all the way into highly multidimensional existences, where the units are actually mostly spirit hosts and such near the end. By this point we've gone past tech, through magic, and into something even more future esoteric, before we all truly grasp that the entire system of existence is a simulation on some nerd's computer - yours.

 

[Osk21]

It is a VERY GOOD THING that the Modding Team and StrategyOnly are in charge and we could use quite a Few more Testers, chat later or on Discord!!!

 

[<Nexus>]

I'd shudder to try to merge this into any other mod, even AND. It's deeply impacting a tremendous number of cpp files and yes, changes are not documented well at all. You'd be better off redesigning as a modmod of c2c at this point to grab this stuff.

I was afraid of that but also expected it.

4) Solar System - out to beyond the planets but gives access to most OF the planetary maps.

5) Planets - not all maps may get actual maps but even some of their moons may and a few like Titan are already expected in the unit plans.

6) Orion's Galactic Region - Our solar system would be placed in this sub-region of the galaxy and there would be one or two other places that may allow us to zoom into those regions in a similar way that we can our own solar system.

I was always curious if it was possible to mix Final Frontier type of map objects with standard ones. It would look really great to see spinning planets orbiting around stars or moons orbiting around Saturn, Jupiter, etc. Is that also planned? Is that possible?

... before we all truly grasp that the entire system of existence is a simulation on some nerd's computer - yours.

Down with the fourth wall!

 

[Thunderbrd]

I was always curious if it was possible to mix Final Frontier type of map objects with standard ones. It would look really great to see spinning planets orbiting around stars or moons orbiting around Saturn, Jupiter, etc. Is that also planned? Is that possible?

Absolutely the idea. Of course, it's a little 2nd stage in that the planets on those maps and the movement on them would need to be told to go into an orbit but yeah I really would like to include an orbital path programming for the planet objects, putting the sun at the center of the solar system map, the Earth at the center 4 or more plots of the cislunar, and so on. Shouldn't really need such movement on the Orion's arm or galaxy and beyond maps.

 

[Somebody613]

@Thunderbrd
You kinda dodged the unasked question: Are the maps already MODULAR?
Namely, I tried replacing the Moon map with a random small Earth map (renamed appropriately both in file and in text).
The game started fine, but when I tried to teleport there, it crashed.
Can you maybe expand on how modmod at least the already existing maps (aka replace them with other ones), if currently possible at all?

 

[Thunderbrd]

I was afraid of that but also expected it.

Maybe we get the AND team back over working here eh? Eventually?

@Thunderbrd
You kinda dodged the unasked question: Are the maps already MODULAR?
Namely, I tried replacing the Moon map with a random small Earth map (renamed appropriately both in file and in text).
The game started fine, but when I tried to teleport there, it crashed.
Can you maybe expand on how modmod at least the already existing maps (aka replace them with other ones), if currently possible at all?

I'm not actually sure. I haven't been personally part of the direct work on it and only vaguely know what they've done to get it working to a degree. It sounds like its at a point that it still needs a lot of work to really work but there are a few willing to keep chipping away at it if we can keep identifying the next thing we need to resolve. It is not currently PLAYABLE in the sense of it being fully engaged, and the generation of the maps were at a point setup to either have to run through a routine based on a type definition or call up a predefined one but I'm not sure if right now we are completely leaning on one or the other system. I know there's a little talk of building out the map scripting by types that I've seen.

 

[Somebody613]

Maybe we get the AND team back over working here eh? Eventually?

I'm not actually sure. I haven't been personally part of the direct work on it and only vaguely know what they've done to get it working to a degree. It sounds like its at a point that it still needs a lot of work to really work but there are a few willing to keep chipping away at it if we can keep identifying the next thing we need to resolve. It is not currently PLAYABLE in the sense of it being fully engaged, and the generation of the maps were at a point setup to either have to run through a routine based on a type definition or call up a predefined one but I'm not sure if right now we are completely leaning on one or the other system. I know there's a little talk of building out the map scripting by types that I've seen.

So who should I ask, or maybe you can?
It's literally 2 options there:
1. NOT modular, so exactly zero modmodding is possible as of right now.
2. YES modular, so I'd really like to know HOW to modmod then, lol.
Sorry for nagging, but it looks just way too good to pass the opportunity.

 

[Thunderbrd]

So who should I ask, or maybe you can?
It's literally 2 options there:
1. NOT modular, so exactly zero modmodding is possible as of right now.
2. YES modular, so I'd really like to know HOW to modmod then, lol.
Sorry for nagging, but it looks just way too good to pass the opportunity.

You'd have to seek more answers on the discord server. I'm not clear on how the maps are currently presented to the system.

 

[Somebody613]

You'd have to seek more answers on the discord server. I'm not clear on how the maps are currently presented to the system.

Okay, sorry.
Hint: I hate Discord for some reason, lol.

 

[Thunderbrd]

Okay, sorry.
Hint: I hate Discord for some reason, lol.

Osk was feeling the same way. He just told me this morning that now that he's been there a bit he's realizing it's not as complex as it seemed. And seriously, it's NOT complicated. Just more... realtime.

 

[Somebody613]

Osk was feeling the same way. He just told me this morning that now that he's been there a bit he's realizing it's not as complex as it seemed. And seriously, it's NOT complicated. Just more... realtime.

Where did I say WHY I dislike it, lol? It might be more of a mentality thing, or me not being into "talk-talk-talk"-ing in chats... yeah, lol.

 

[Thunderbrd]

If you're offendable, you do need to take some care which rooms you engage in on our discord. lol.

 

[Somebody613]

If you're offendable, you do need to take some care which rooms you engage in on our discord. lol.

Nah, whatever, lol.

 

[<Nexus>]

Maybe we get the AND team back over working here eh? Eventually?

I'm afraid there isn't an AND team anymore.
Afforres gone
dbkblk declared few years ago that he has stopped modding
Vokarya is quite inactive, rarely seen
45°38'N-13°47'E told me recently that he has no time and intention to do any modding any more

 

[Thunderbrd]

I'm afraid there isn't an AND team anymore.
Afforres gone
dbkblk declared few years ago that he has stopped modding
Vokarya is quite inactive, rarely seen
45°38'N-13°47'E told me recently that he has no time and intention to do any modding any more

Ah well... their intention never was to go to the cosmos with this