the Mappers Wishlist
 

<font color="yellow">#patrol</font>

This would allow for castles to be added to the map and the units placed there to be put on patrol instead of inside and on defence.

The way it is now, a castled province is actually weaker. It can be taken by a single scout and then taxed to death.

edit: this is no longer a major item since (A) the #defence command for maps does create PD as far as catching stealth units, and (B) the idea of defender vs patrollers inside/outside of castles seems to be able to be faked using a specific sequence of the #owner command.

<font color="yellow">terrain markers</font>

There are projects going on for automated naming or automated placing of provinces. We can find specific terrains but its hard to find specific features.

Such as DomMap added. Such as L4 would say that its bordered by 4 land. If its a water province then it can be named a pond or lake. If its a W4 marker on a land province then its an island. A W3L1 might mean a penninsula. It would also make it easier to auto-find chokepoints and dead-ends

Since the map-generator "knows" this info when it makes a map then it would be nice if it recorded it

edited: downgraded since various 3rd party programs have popped up to do most of this. They can read a map and add markers.

#ifavailable X

The map is "digested" after all of the gods are turned in, and a fthrland file is created in the game directory for the game to play off of. At the moment things are abit confusing because a game-start screen will show ALL of the nations available, and it will let you pick any of them. But if you select one that is set as an AI in the map commands then your choice is just ignored which you dont find out until later (this is on server games).

If we had a command that could set an AI into the game IF its not taken by a human player then some fun scenarios could be created. A map could fill ALL of the AIs allowing players to choose what they want and then filling in everything else with computer players.

Edited: this is very low if at all. Due to the sequence that maps are processed. In a local game, the map is selected and then the players join. In a server game the players join and then the map is selected. There are a number of map and server commands which act differently in local and server games due to this. It would take a major rewrite of the entire software to fix these problems.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

#assassinate
These stealthy commanders will remain in a hiding status and will try to assassinate any commander which is not an independent. The commanders don't have to be stealthy if that would make it easier to add the command.

#break_siege
These units will attack any troops laying siege to the current castle in the province.

#travel
The commander and its units will randomly travel into another nearby independent province. Perhaps eventually it could made available for computer opponents. These units would only provide defense for existing provinces and never attack.

#mad_march
The commander and its units will randomly travel into any nearby province thus possibly attacking a human or computer opponent. Perhaps eventually it could be made available to work for computer opponents as well.

#summon_allies
Allows this commander to use his ability to summon allies at the start of the game. For example if used with the fire king elemental he would be summoning his units which would increase the strength of the province as each turn passed. Please note this only works for commanders which can summon allies.

#scale_(type)(#)
No matter what domain or magic sites exist the province always holds this scale.
Example: #scale_growth 2
This province would always have a growth scale of 2

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

#battlemap &lt;province nbr&gt; &lt;name&gt;
Use this command to specify a specific battlemap to be used for all combats in the province.

drool...

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I like that. Im not much into the battlemap editor thing. But I can see where this would boost its use. I think that Johan would go for this idea.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

#neighbor 10 + 11
The purpose of this function would be to allow one way access from province 10 to province 11. This would allow map makers to develop more creative maps. I can provide examples if Illwinter wishes.

#event_gold 12 player_Abysia 1005 "Troops have found an old crashed treasure ship along the shore and brought the gold to the castle."
This gold event would allow mapmakers to provide gold and/or a message to a specific player during the game. The example provided would allow anyone playing Abysia to receive 1005 gold on turn_12.

#event_gems 25 player_Ermor 33fire "Gifts from a strange cloaked figure were left at the fort entrance."
This gem event would allow mapmakers to provide gems and/or a message to a specific player during a game. The example provided would allow anyone playing Ermor to receive 33 fire gems on turn_25.

#event_attack 48 player_Man enemy_Atlantis Group_C province_33 "Some more sea creatures are attacking a province in your kingdom!"
This attack event would allow mapmakers to generate attacks and a message explanation during the game. The "Group_C" section provides the details for commanders and units which are attacking and the details of groups are created within the .map file. The example provided would cause a battle on turn_48 at province#33 where the attacking units belong to Atlantis... if province#33 is not owned by MAN then the attack event does not occur.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Some ideas to reduce the amount of fixing each map needs :

- in the map editor give a different flag to all plain provinces (makes easier to see if you have forgoten to give to some provinces the right terrain type)

- add an icon on provinces with no neighbours (would also make easier to find superposed provinces due to 2+ whites pixels instead of one)

- a general command #nostartif (a number) making nostart all provinces with fewer than x neighbours (avoid to forget some bottlenecks)

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

How about two map commands.
#fixed_behavior &lt;num&gt;

where -
0 = default behavior (defend)
1 = hide
2 = patrol
3 = pillage
4 = reanimate
5 = contact allies
6 = capture slaves
7 = search

and then
#hide_behavior &lt;num&gt;

Which gives a (hiding) commander new orders when his province is conquered.
0 = default behavior (keep hiding)
1 = assassinate (as described above)
2 = instill uprising
3 = preach

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I'd like to see the ability to place constraints on #neighbour definitions, particularly turn limits and limits on what abilities units must have pass.

Something like:

#neighbour 100 101 turn&gt;30,unit=fireres

wich would mean you could travel between province 100 and 101 only after turn 30, and only with units that all have fire resistance.

Secondly, a brief (one to two lines) description of a province that could be shown in-game would be nice for flavour stuff.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Currently a mapedit command exists called
#startspell &lt;player&gt; "spell name" &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;Broken= Only works for one turn&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

I recommend adding the exact opposite which could remove a spell from being researched by a nation.
Something such as #deletespell &lt;player&gt; "spell name"

This command would allow mapmakers to customize what spell options are available to an AI opponent.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I would love it if a map generator could randomly place a moddable list of scripted provinces such that eg, we might encounter "The Pillar of the World" (creatures, sites, map icon) from Orania in any map -&gt; a scenario generator. Each scripted province should have specific requirements (no forests + no mountains, underwater only, etc) and a rarity level.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

We can actually do that on our own. There was a project for it in Dom2 but it didnt get very far.
http://www.dom2minions.com/SemiRandom.shtml

I was going to ask for peoples special provinces and create a directory for them which would allow them to be randomly selected and inserted into random maps.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Interesting. What is the status of the project for Dominions 3? You could use the Orania special provinces as a default database for testing. I don't know much about the program, but other than rarity, terrain required, etc, would it be easy to define each special province simply as you would in a .MAP file, which the generator just copies and pastes?

Perhaps a program the analyses a plain .MAP file with its terrain types and outputs a .MAP file with some randomised special provinces?

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

That was the concept.

Terrain, neighbors, and nostarts could be analyzed. That way special recognition could be given to
forest
mountain
swamp
combos such as forest/mountain
lakes (water with all land neighbors)
islands (land with all water neighbors)
nostart (not enough neighbors, possible choke points on map)
dead ends (only one neighbor)
cut offs till late game (no neighbors)

It doesnt matter to me how long it takes or how much "thinking" the programming needs to do. I can leave it running on my server and make the map available each time it finishes. It can take a full day to generate a map. It could take a week.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

the things you mentioned analyzing the *.map for don't seem like they ought to take that long, unless i'm missing something. why would this ever take more than a few seconds to run, even with many provinces?

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

It wouldnt. Im just saying that Id be willing to pile on as many rewrites as I can. They could all be worked up seperately and then chained to run one after the other on a randomly created map (the really large ones can take 2 to 3 hours to generate just the initial map)

Such as examining terrains and adding logical names for forests, swamps, islands, etc etc as you saw in another post of mine.

Or resetting the native populations to different balances.

Or adding additional armies to independent provinces logically based on the terrains or the native populations. Giving them each helpful additional leaders. For some a mage, others a priest, and others a combat leader depending on what was lacking. Possibly giving the additional leaders a full load of randomly selected equipment.

Or adding specific sites, such as some minor cave site, and declaring it to be a secret passage from a province to another matching cave site far away. (anyone remember playing chutes and ladders?)

Or matching it up with a randomly generated MOD and working them both in together for a surprise game that no one can be prepared for.

Hmmmm what else can I come up with to extend the processing time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Is there a reason that some commands work as MODs but not as MAPs?

What Im thinking is... on a map I can name a province, name a commander, name a god. But I cant name a nation. If I could give a name to the empty modding slots then that would be great for the games Im planning. Much easier than having everyone download a mod just to play that game with.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I would like the option of turning off certain decorative sprites (volcanoes, etc, that have no bearing in terms of game mechanics) in the map generator.

This way, a "scenario generator" can randomly generate special provinces and draw in any relevant features on to the .TGA (eg, a volcano for "Father Fire" from Orania).

Speaking of which, how is your "Semi Random" project going Gandalf Parker? Is it still progressing? Because I think it's an excellent idea. I'd write one myself, but I am quite busy and may not have time until this Christmas, or even Christmas 2007 :-/.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Yes I would also like to know the progress...

I'm right in the same boat as you Singularity24601... my life is so busy and chaotic I rarely have time for games.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif
I can't even take a day off from work... long story, but even if I could take a day off from work it would be spent doing boring/annoying errands.

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Currently a command exists called #allies &lt;nation#&gt; &lt;nation#&gt; for setting computer opponents as allies.

I recommend an opposite command called #war &lt;nation#&gt; &lt;nation#&gt; which would place two computer opponents to always be at war. Also it could be used to instantly create a permanent war between a human and computer opponent.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

What I'd like is some improvement to scripting sites and populations.

Currently, the way site scripting works is that first the game creates the map, randomly assigns sites and populations and adds provncial defenders and only then does it execute map commands such as #feature or #knownfeature. This means that if random site allocation fills up a province, scripted sites will not be added.

There is a way to ensure that the scripted stuff happens, which is #killfeatures. The problem is that it removes everything and then you add scripts.

So it's either script without #killfeatures and hope for the best (rather chancy of site frequency is high) or get guaranteed scripted sites but no randoms whatsoever.

And the whole bloody point is being able to script something that appears with certainty and then maybe getting something extra. Not the other way around.

It'd be much the same with the province defense. Better that the poptype scripting runs before assignment of native defenders, that way you won't get amazons defending some measly militia/light infantry combo as is liable to happen otherwise.

Edi

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I'd like the ability to add special abilities to units in certain regions. I'm thinking airshield for all units while they're underground-different levels for different provinces, like 20% to represent open caverns or 80% for tight, twisting tunnels, or certain provinces boosting ability in a certain path for any unit who happens to wander in and jungles where if you stay too long you get a disease-think Tsitzi-fly infestation, only it might be microscopic imps or atomies with elfshot etc. If there was a global command #underground_airshieldR then the computer would randomly assign 20%-80% airshield for all underground provinces. Samd thing for jungles- #jungle_diseaseR and the computer would randomly assign say a 1-10% chance for every unit in a jungle province to catch a disease each round they remain there. The magic bonus could be handled something like #magic_allR and #forest_magicR where the computer would give each province or each forest province a 1% chance to boost magic by 1 in 1 specific path, with maybe a 1 in 500 or 1 in 1000 chance to boost more than one path or one path by 2 points, etc. Other commands could include #desert_fireR where the computer would give each desert a 1% chance to boost fire magic by 1 point. These random abilities or detriments should come accompanied by a short message describing that they're in effect. I wouldn't mind just having a special site that could duplicate these abilities, but I don't know if such things currently exist or can be modded in.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

There are too many variables for it to work like that. It won't work, not that way. Adding magic spells to certain provinces is much more feasible. Arrow Fend for both sides of the battle in all provinces that are caves, as an example.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I don't care how it would work as long as it works. What about the possibility of certain creatures who can't leave certain types of provinces, such as underground, forests, deserts, mountains...in the same way as water-breathing creatures can't leave the water unless they're amphibious or have magical support? Mythologically, this would make a lot of sense for a LOT of creatures.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

This idea would require some work, but it's very interesting because at least Hama Dryads already have a somewhat similar ability: they can't leave their home province without getting weaker (losing hp).

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

According to the description, Blood Guards and Blood Lords also share that same drawback. Home province only or they start dying.

Edi

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

So you could have for instance a Will'o'the'whisp creature that can only be found in swamps and cannot-by itself anyway-leave the swamp it's in, but you could still recruit it.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Will'O'Wisps are battle summons available at about Conjuration 7. Fire 1, 1 gem, appear in the edges of the battlefield.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I wasn't aware of that spell.
Well then something a little less powerful would probably be appropriate. How about dinosaurs? they're always fun.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

We have
#nostart
#start
#specstart

But I have some scenarios in mind where it would I need to be able to specify those as applying only to Human or Computer players. Im not sure how many of them or what form would be simplest.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Gandalf, to save on confusion, is your last post a reply to mine or are you just starting a new request? If it's to me, then I'm not sure what you mean. Thanks.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

It was a new request.
I was playing with the Tower map and I wanted to set it up so that the human player always started at the bottom. The description would be "fight your way to the top of the tower. You only have to fight one enemy at a time but that last one is going to be a whopper" or something like that. But with the commands we have now, I cant figure out how it can be done without selecting the nation that the human plays.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Just two quick questions: 1 is it possible to create (or does there exist) a land/province/special site that heals the afflictions of units on it?

2 is it possible to create (or does there exist) an amphibious type of province, so that land only and water only units can move over it?

Thanks a lot!

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Great ideas, but No for both.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Hum, maybe by pre selecting all AI nations and giving them #specstart provinces. Then just add a #start province and th e human player should have it.

But of course this means having non random opponents

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Right. I could do it if I create a map for each nation that people can play.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I started such a project recently, and it is now available online at http://dominions.realites.org
(you can also download the whole source code if you wish)

The project has started recently so the list of special provinces is still small (http://dominions.realites.org/?actio...cial_provinces), but you're welcome to make suggestions of new provinces and their terrain types requirements.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

To my counting there are now 3 such projects being actively worked on.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

How advanced are the 2 others and are they still active ? (link ?)

I'd be happy to exchange ideas with fellow developpers.

I started my project inspired by your YaBasic script, feeling that there was a need, but if there are already others project that are more advanced that mine, maybe I should turn my effort to other features (I could for exemple make an online mod editor, I don't think there's already anything like that currently for dom3).

And of course I'm ready to accept any suggestion as to what features the community would need from fan made scripts or online tools.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Seeing as how they're not currently present in the game, I'd like to request officially a land/province/special site that heals the afflictions of units on it, and an amphibious type of province, so that land only and water only units can move over it. Thanks.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Sorry, but this is not possible with the current map modding commands. We'll have to way for illwinter to expand the commands.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Yeah, I'm hoping they can add them soon, so that's why I'm requesting them, so the Devs know there's a demand for such sites.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

One of the main new commands needed is #patrol otherwise gamers can use stealthy commanders to sneak past independents and acquire items and units placed by the mapmaker from a castle currently under siege by independents.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I agree, having indeps able to patrol would add spice to the game.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

At the moment, the castles scattered on the map can be horribly abused by nations like Pangaea and Caelum. Crank out scouts and find the castles, have the scouts "seige" it, get a watchpoint where you can see anyone coming for 3 provinces around it, crank up the gold. I think Ive been asking for #patrol since Dom1.

Natural Defense
 

While we're on the subject of castles, how about the ability of natural fortification?

Natural fortification works like this:
In a forest, a cave, a mountain, a kelp bed, a coral reef, any place that happens to offer the right conditions for a defender to have a distinct advantage over an attacker (and not every forest, cave, etc. qualifies) you can "hide" troops behind such a thing, like a castle, but without the Defense factor.

So, in one province with Natural Fortification, you can have 1 set of units "patrolling", and one set of units "defending".

The "patrollers" combine with the PD and are attacked first, while the "defenders" (researchers, blood-hunters, what have you) remain safe behind the trees, stalactites, high ground, whatever it is that makes that particular province special.

Attackers can still seige the place after they've beaten the patrollers+PD, and can immediately attack the Defenders, but can't hurt defending units before that happens.

Defenders don't get a defense bonus, a supply bonus, administration, or any of the benefits of a castle, except the ability to split their forces and delay an enemy an extra turn.

Now, if you DO build a castle on that particular province, you get a bonus to the castle's defense of 25% to reflect taking advantage of the natural suitability of that particular province for defense.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

was just thinking about this, what if one of the water flags were set and one of the land flags were set (i.e. somewater/swamp or ocean/swamp, etc). havent tested, just a thought

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

It's an ocean province if you set both flags - so aquatic/amphib units only, regardless of what other flags are set.

I asume that the concept is you can have underwater mountain ranges, underwater forests, etc.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

It's a great idea to have a province which both land and water units can travel. The new terrain would have to be added by the developers since it's currently not possible. Since swamp already exists one suggestion for the new province name
"Rain Forest" since water levels can vary drastically for this type.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Coastal swamps, mangrove swamps, deltas. All of those would be examples of water/land if it got added.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

Don't forget Fjords! Inland bays, lagoons, and shallow seas, for that matter.

Re: the Mappers Wishlist
 

I want to be able to assign items to commanders by number. otherwise the item numbers are all but useless.

Edi