Are you interested in a new tool that can generate new maps in a matter of minutes? As some of you may have heard, we've been working on our own map-generator code, and this is your chance to get your hand on it.... but I've got a few important things to say about it, so please read the whole topic, before you try and download the beta. Content: - Highlights - Drawbacks - Help Needed (Any Delphi dev here?) - Download Highlights: Ok, that's the story: We've developed a tool, that can render maps from bitmap - similar to 'dragon' but with a few crucial differences: The major advantage is, that Mapgen converts a simplistic bmp file into a map.mul file. Unlike dragon, mapgen only needs the terrain outlines. No need to worry on altitudes, coastlines etc.... Mapgen will do all elevations for you, ensuring that proper hills and mountains are created. Mapgen will even autocorrect minor glitches in your mapdesign - such as too narrow borderterrains in the bmp. Additionally Mapgen will automatically generate coastline terrain... meaning you don't have to worry about it. Note though, that it won't do dragon/OSI looking coasts, but rather nice flat beaches, unless you make the coastline mountainous. - again all information is taken from the bmp, but there's no need to 'draw' coastlines yourself. mapgen will place them wherever needed. So when you make a map... the standard windows paint tool is enough... make a file the right size, spray your terrains on it, feed the stuff into mapgen and you have your mapfile. In theory this can be done within a few minutes... most work is not to draw your map layout, but to plan it. If you're unhappy with some altitudes, just render (and thus randomize) again - keep whatever result you like best, rendering merely takes a minute or two anyway. And last but not least, Mapgen supports any custom map-terrains you may have and colors in the bmp are customizeable. Drawbacks Now on the downside to dragon, mapgen will not do statics ... but don't panic on weird brownish coast after using the tool because we do have POL095 coastgenerator scripts, which will render your missing coastline tiles in a matter of seconds. There's an export to cfg command from where WorldForge can simply create you a proper statics file. There's no auto-forest-creation, though I can offer scripts to plant and modify those huge trees with a single command, so it should merely take a few hours of a gm to plant one (depending on size). There's a catch though.. a) so far I've not gotten to writing a manual on the procedure b) our ingame commands aren't a 'public package' yet. I'll give them to anyone interested, but they do use custom gumps... so until I can change that, I'll have to ask anyone who wants to use the coastline tools, to contact me on icq 51747447 - so that I can grant him/her access to a copy of our (compiled) server and client files as well. Help needed Looking for: Delphi Programmer Now thing is, as the tool was done, we decided for two last changes... a) we tried to lower the sea-level (to have more room toward the skies) b) we found that when using the spray-brush from the paint tool, the total randomization of single-pixel only terrains would ocationally result in an illegal terrainborder situation. Note: the link below shows the terrain border bug, but at the same time shows how superb mapgen already works... what other tool could handle such simplistic input from paint? http://www.etheria.org/imagecatalogue/imageview/221/?RefererURL=/imagecatalogue/image/list/15/10/ We did an improved version, added some more nice features and tried to lower sea level, but upon doing so, we broke something and north-side terrain now lowers too steeply which sometimes looks odd. Before being able to fix this though, our programmer dropped out. So we now got a great tool, but can't give it the finishing touch! Help of a delphi programmer would thus be desperately desired. We do have the source-code and would be happy to share it with anyone seriously interested to help! oh... and ps: we also would hire additional pol scripters *g* btw. Delphi 2005 Personal is free for all (Borland doesn't provide a downloadlink atm, but I can put a copy somewhere if anyone wants it) The license file can be created here: http://www.borland.com/products/downloads/download_delphi.html If you're interested, in the sourcecode...merely contact me by icq or email, or drop a post on the forums... I'll then send you the link asap. Download As is, I can currently offer three versions for download: Mapgen v0.5.3 This version is fully working, safe bug (b), which however will not ocour unless you really start using a paintbrush to make 1-tile sized terrains. This version only supports standard terrain types. http://www.etheria.org/filemanager/fileview/82/ Mapgen v0.5.5 This version supports custom terrain types and sea level was dropped to minus 75z (instead the standard minus 5z OSI uses). This version is bugged though, meaning that northern coasts sometimes drop too steeply, which may look silly. http://www.etheria.org/filemanager/fileview/174/ Mapgen v0.5.2 Old, merely listed for completeness. http://www.etheria.org/filemanager/fileview/146/ Final Note - Until I get the chance to make a package with docu, you will need to contact me on icq 51747447 in order to get access to our ingame-coastline generation scripts. - Also, maybe during my holiday next week, I'll try find the time to add a small doku to the package... including some better sample files Please bear with me so long... if you got questions, feel free to contact me on icq. _________________