The Atlas Project

[Shqype]

Junuxx, forgive me if this has been addressed previously in this thread and I haven't seen it (I just looked at the first page) , but do you plan on making it possible to add an existing world map, or say a picture of a satellite view of a country, such as using Google Earth, and convert it into a Civ Map?

 

[Junuxx]

Don't worry, it's okay to ask
I have no intention of adding functions to edit or design maps, mostly because I think GreyHound's MapView is perfect for that. Atlas will keep to generating randomly, although I plan on giving the user just a bit more control of where the continents come and so.

 

[baboonfan]

Thanks!

 

[A Silly Goose]

This is an awesome program you have, and I've enjoyed it very much. It almost makes me want to try making my own map generator, even.

While I'll agree it really doesn't need numerous manual editing capabilities like what MapView has, I do think it'd probably be a good idea to have a way of letting the user specify the starting locations; just something like a place to input the (X,Y) coordinates for each place you want one.
Not that the current generation of points isn't bad, really--it's just that an issue like balanced starting locations is a more delicate one than landmasses and terrain, so it takes many more generator iterations to fall upon a scheme that you can live with; otherwise you frequently end up with continents/areas that are crammed with starting locales, and then others that might have a single civ on it, simply because of how the continents and islands themselves are laid-out and shaped.

...And even though you're probably already planning to put one in, an "undo" feature would be great for those times you accidentally click the wrong button.



Regardless of where you take the program in its further development, though, you're awesome for making Atlas in the first place.

 

[RobO]

I don't know if this is a known bug (haven't read the previous pages), but the generated map has 430 turns even if it is set to marathon length (I found this in a tiny map, but I assume that it's a general problem).

 

[Junuxx]

@A Silly Goose:
Thank you!
You got me thinking about the start positions, too. I guess you're right, and I'm going to add something to add them manually.

@RobO:
You're right, it's a bug. I got it fixed now. I think I'll add some more things before I release a new version, however. Thanks for putting it under my attention

 

[Asjo]

I found this map creater awesome. It's greatest advantage for me is that it can make map sizes otherwise possible. It does great at randomly creating landscape, even if I could wish for more control of the exact shape of where you want land and ocean to be, in order to form the right grouping og continents.

My only problem is the lack of control with the amount of players. I tell it to create 18 player starting locations, and yet only eleven players, the standard number, appear in my game. I desperately need 18 in order to use the map for my scenario. Furthermore, it would be nice to be able to decide which leaders will be used in nations that use more than one - but that's not really my biggest wish. I also noticed that the 'random seed' option isn't available.

 

[Junuxx]

Hey Asjo, glad you like it. I have another utility to control the default number of players on the map (see my signature). I have also integrated this tool in the newest version of Atlas, which will be up in a matter of minutes.

I'm so happy, 'cause Rivers are in!!!!

 

[Junuxx]

Ah, there is a bug that makes Atlas crash when you select a coastal water type other than 'Normal'. I solved it, but I don't feel like making an install package again. You'll get the fix tomorrow, along with the random seed option.

 

[Asjo]

The player-tweaking worked great, and I'm now working on my scenario already. Cheers, mate.

 

[Rhymes]

Hmm, I get bugs..

Sometimes when I change a certain setting (for example coast water property) the programm frezzes the next time I hit the generate map button. I have to close it and restart....

 

[Junuxx]

@ Rhymes:
Yes, it's the coastal waters setting (which is also changed by some presets).
See my previous post. I'm adding the random seed option now, and then I'll repackage. Sorry for the bug. The program desperately tries to find coast to start a river at, but there's no coast.

 

[Gr3yHound]

wow rivers!!!
i m so snoppy how you did that. and how it turns out.

 

[Junuxx]

Snoppy? What's that?
Well thank you anyway.

Version 0.41 is done. It's got:
-Added random seed option
-Added flood plains
-Fixed a bug that prevented rivers from beginning in anything but grassland
-Fixed the bug that caused an endless loop with coastal waters setting other than 'normal'
-Changed Coastline setting 'Chaotic' to be different from 'Irregular'
-Changed 'Irregular' to have less off-coast isles

no time to do a decent change of the first post and my site, there will be 2 downloads there for a couple of hours.

 

[kandalf]

I just had an idea for an option for this program.
You click on an option, and a bar that you can drag across a line pops out at the side. Then, you click a few places on the map, and start dragging the bar. As you drag the bar, the "seeds" grow, and possibly there might be plate tectonics going on. Mountains develop, and streams and rivers are formed. I know that the "seeds" are what you probably use, but giving the user some control over where they are might be good.

 

[Rhymes]

Awesome, I just discovered the full power of this programm by tuning the continent sizes and numbers, i made myself some maps I would never have tought of randomly getting.

Keep up the good work!

It would be cool if you could incorporate the tectonic plates or other cool options, I hope you have the time and the will to do it.

Thanx a lot.

 

[suspendinlight]

I agree on the plate techtonics. The maps are more interesting than randomly scattered terrain. You may want to see what the guy with the "techtonics" map script has done. Your interface and everything is nice to have though.

 

[Rhymes]

Ok.. now that I have created such great maps.. I cant seem to be able to play with them

Everytime I try to open one of them, civ4 freezes and i have to restart my computer.....

Is that a known issue?

(I have only tryed huge maps)

 

[Junuxx]

Ok.. now that I have created such great maps.. I cant seem to be able to play with them

Everytime I try to open one of them, civ4 freezes and i have to restart my computer.....

Is that a known issue?

(I have only tryed huge maps)

I found the cause of this problem. It is a tiny little bug concerning floodplains on the edge of the map.

Sorry..

About plate tectonics: Sure it sounds cool if you can say that your generation method mimics the theory of plate tectonics... But in a practical way, what do the current continent shapes lack, that you think a tectonics-based generation would fix? After all, it's the result that counts, right, and not how you got to that result.

 

[Junuxx]

Fixed the bug mentioned by Rhymes.
Haven't been spending enough time at pre-release testing lately.. Sorry for that! I'll try to keep the number of annoying bugs down a bit.