Rivers

[Beorne]

I have seen that in the random map generator there is the possibility of introducing rivers.
Is it only an eye candy or they have some influences on the game?

Thanks.

[Aezeal]

try it :D

[Gandalf Parker]

I know that flagging a province with the additional bit for "fresh water" in a province can allow for some special events such as flooding. I use that tag when rivers or ponds appear in a province.

I think it also makes it a possible target for some spells. It may have an effect on supplies and such but I dont remember. It might also affect poptypes.

[JimMorrison]

I could be wrong, but I was sure that the Fresh Water tag also increased the likelihood of Water sites, like Air/Earth in Mountains, etc.

Though really, I must say, I find the rivers in the MapGen to be the opposite of eye candy. ;) They never follow province divisions, which took me a LOT of getting used to. It doesn't bother me anymore, but at first I thought they horribly marred the look of the map. Then I realized the MapGen doesn't tend to make pretty maps at all (they work and you can read them), and it's okay. :p

I always set rivers to ~200 or so, and when I "clean up" a randomly generated map for use, I pay close attention to what I consider sources of Fresh Water, and flag appropriately.

[Gandalf Parker]

Yes its interesting that the Dom3 generator makes provinces lines that are so wiggly, and rivers with no wiggle.

The Harbringer generator does rivers much better. It also draws borders down the center of the river without making them into water provinces which I praise his effort. But those maps are more work since you have to touch up the map with icons and such (for now).

[lch]

Rivers provide provinces with fresh water and thus make provinces valid targets for some spells, I think it's similar to having a province next to a sea province. It also increases the income from said province, I think to 120%.

[JimMorrison]

Do you mean it increases the average population? I've never noticed them (and in some regions there can be a lot of Fresh Water provinces on my maps) having anomalously high incomes.

I'd assume it's the same for Grassland, there is no actual income modifier, they just tend towards greater populations.

[lch]

Do you mean it increases the average population? I've never noticed them (and in some regions there can be a lot of Fresh Water provinces on my maps) having anomalously high incomes.

I'd assume it's the same for Grassland, there is no actual income modifier, they just tend towards greater populations.
No, there's a real difference in income. I think I've seen the actual numbers somewhere, and I think I remember that it was +20% or so for rivers.

I have searched a little and found only "fuzzy" answers:
Farms have higher populations. Most other terrains lower pops. Pop gives income. Large have higher pops. Small lower pops. Rivers have higher income, but can be flooded. Farms have lower res. Mountains and forests higher res.

And read through this thread: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=16797