Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

My assumption was the same as yours. I tried to avoid using uniques in my province files because I wasn't sure, but it sounds like if the unique unit is in play anywhere in the world, then it becomes unavailable for summons.

I would say that it is working as designed from a Dom3 perspective.

Custom Gods
 

i have a question. are the items in the custom god files what they choose to forge and equip or do they start with the items?

im guessing they start with them but wouldnt that be a little too much?

Re: Custom Gods
 

They start with them.
But thats basically a mappers way of further "building" the god in ways that the modders get to use. It lets us give extra powers and levels.

Re: Custom Gods
 

It could be too much, but it could be used to strengthen the less-powerful pretender choices. The armor-clad Lord of War would be quite a bit better if he had magical arms and armanent from the start, and perhaps a Ring of the Warrior and a Dragon Helmet as well.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

In a custom map I'm playing the AI was given a huge lead and during the game the AI gem income spiked significantly after it casted Strands of Arcane Power and for some reason seems to have gained a larger gem *increase* almost each turn after it casted Arcane Nexus. My guess is more astral income led to more acashic record searches. Therefore, an AI pretender given 4+ in most/all magic paths with a healthy income of astral should find more sites if it does decent research progress. From a player's persepective, the spike and rapid increases seem scary at first. Eventually one realizes the AI is still inefficient with gems and still has the same tactical weaknesses. The AI dominating the globals also protects it from the player better.

However, once this gem income source is discovered the human will likely focus on conquering it for their own use. Maybe an AI territory with high astral income that can only be teleported into and have it guarded by numerous horrors and guards? Perhaps an easier way would be a mod with L0 Acashic Record costing 1 pearl available only for the AI nations, but then it's not just a simple map file.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

hi everybody, im not sure whether this is the right place to ask this question, sorry if it isnt.

when i create [execute] a map with semirandom ver. 2.03 and then click on [semi randomize], it says:

ups, something is shiny ...
and then "error in main, line 1692: index 1(=-2) out of range"

could anybody help me?

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

You are in the right place Morbius.

Here is kind of the stock request:
It would be a great help if you could send me the file "TESTDUMP.txt" located in your SemiRandom directory to semirand-AT-dom3minions.com. This only records data from the last run of SemiRandom, so if you have run subsequent maps through it without an error, it won't do any good to send it.


If I had to guess, I would say that your problem is likely tied to AI nation selection. So far there are only god files for EA (every nation in the early era except for Tir na n'Og, so check the "AI Gods" tab and be sure that EA is selected and hit the "Show Nation Configuration" button and make sure that Tir na n'Og is disabled or set to human.


The following helped Stryke11 when he was having trouble:
To let Dom3 handle start locations and AI gods:
1. Go to the 'Starts' tab
2. Uncheck 'Lock Player Counts to Nat Cfg'
3. Set 'Desired Num Players' to 0 (zero)

To use the custom start placements without using the custom AI gods:
1. Go to the 'Starts' tab
2. Uncheck 'Lock Player Counts to Nat Cfg'
3. Set 'Desired Num Players' to your desired number of players.
4. Go to the 'AI Gods' tab
5. Set 'AI Land Players' & 'AI Sea Players' to 0 (zero)

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

thanks a lot for your swift and detailed reply http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

and also for your offer to look into the testdump file.
i greatly appreciate that!

it might not be necessary, though, since your explanations about not turning on the Tir na n'Og AI should be sufficient.
that was a mistake i made, since i did turn it on!

im playing on the semirandomized map nonetheless, and it seems to work just fine.
i play Tir na n'Og, by the way.
dont know why i turned on the AI, since i wanted to play that nation myself anyway http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

if you want me to send you the testdump file even though i have already found -- thanks to your help -- the mistake that caused the error, i will of course gladly send it to you anyway.

thanks again,
i greatly appriciate your help http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Glad you got it working. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif
Sending the file won't be necessary.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Downloaded 2.03 and I am a bit stumped.

I keep getting no GANPLAINS file error. So where do I get it?

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

From a previous post:

Hope that helps!

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post is a quick patch for SemiRandom. Upgrades SemiRandom v106 to v107.

To apply:
Replace SemiRandom.exe in your dominions3/SemiRandom folder with the one included in SemiRandom107patch.zip.

Fixes:
Start placement code will no longer ignore "nostart" flags in custom maps.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post are a four new GAN province files in zip format.

<font color="red">Valley of the Sisters </font>

To apply:
Paste the four ".gan" files into your SemiRandom/GAN_BIN directory and add the following four lines to GanList.txt (located in your SemiRandom/LIST_CRATE directory):

SISTERSET1_VL_U_R_OR_EMT_S_N_L_
SISTERSET2_VL_U_R_OR_FST_S_N_L_
SISTERSET3_VL_U_R_OR_WST_S_N_L_
SISTERSET4_VL_U_R_OR_PLN_S_N_L_

These are new and were not included in RanDom version 203.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Updated
 

I am trying to use RanDOM and I get an error about my COMDLG32.OCX not being installed correctly or one of its dependencies not being installed correctly.

I have VB 6 installed and I re-downloaded it from Microsoft just to be sure.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Sorry that you are having trouble jscott. I suspect that you have an older version of COMDLG32.OCX.

I have attached a version that should work for you. Just unzip and drop the control (file: COMDLG32.OCX) in your dominions3 folder with RanDom.exe. This should fix your problem without having to mess with the one in your system32 folder &amp; without having to fiddle with your system registry.

Let me know if you are still having trouble.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

That did not work. I receive the same error message.

Both RanDom and the comdlg32.ocx file are now in my dominions3 main directory.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

You should be able to find comdlg32.ocx in your windows\system32 directory. It may be that you just need to re-register it by typing "regsvr32 comdlg32.ocx" from the command line in the system32 directory.

In case you are not familiar with the command line I will include more detail below.
You can get a command line from:
Start-&gt;Programs-&gt;Accessories-&gt;Command Prompt.

You should get a window with a black background and a blinking cursor. Type cd\ to take you back to root and then type cd windows\system32 to switch to the system directory.

Now type:
regsvr32 comdlg32.ocx

Then:
Exit

This will re-register the control and then exit command prompt.

Hope that helps.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

That did not work because the comdlg32.ocx file is not in my systems32 directory.

I used the one you sent me that I placed in my dominions3 directory and got an error that I could not register it. Research on the error indicated an elaborate fix involving permissions and regedit.

I'm giving up. Probably on Dom3 as a whole in fact. I'm not going to play MP and if the AI can't pick its dominion/scales even remotely intelligently, then I don't know why I'm bothering to play SP.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post are 32 new GOD pretender files and an updated Nations.cfg file in zip format.

<font color="red">NewGods.zip </font>

To apply:
Paste the new Nations.cfg file in your SemiRandom directory. (This updates SemiRandom/RanDom2 to include the new Dominions3 v3.15 nations.)
Paste the 32 ".god" files into your SemiRandom/GOD_BIN directory and add the following lines to GodList.txt (located in your SemiRandom/LIST_CRATE directory):

BARIAN1_13_A_EA_
BARIAN2_13_A_EA_
BARIAN3_13_A_EA_
BARIAN4_27_A_MA_
BARIAN5_28_A_MA_
BARIAN6_29_A_MA_
BARIAN7_30_A_MA_
BARIAN8_31_A_MA_
BARIAN9_14_A_EA_
BARIAN10_32_A_MA_
BARIAN11_33_A_MA_
BARIAN12_34_A_MA_
BARIAN13_35_A_MA_
BARIAN14_36_A_MA_
BARIAN15_37_A_MA_
BARIAN16_38_A_MA_
BARIAN17_39_A_MA_
BARIAN18_40_A_MA_
BARIAN19_41_A_MA_
BARIAN20_42_A_MA_
BARIAN21_43_A_MA_
BARIAN22_44_A_MA_
BARIAN23_46_A_MA_SEA_
BARIAN24_47_A_MA_SEA_
BARIAN25_48_A_MA_SEA_
BARIAN26_69_A_MA_
BARIAN27_27_A_MA_
BARIAN28_29_A_MA_
BARIAN29_30_A_MA_
BARIAN30_31_A_MA_
BARIAN31_32_A_MA_
GANDALF1_40_A_MA_

These are new and were not included in RanDom version 203.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post are 66 (number 7 was missing from my pack) new GAN province files in zip format created and contributed by <font color="green">Foodstamp</font>.

<font color="red">JasonGanSet.zip </font>

To apply:
Paste the 66 ".gan" files into your SemiRandom/GAN_BIN directory and add the following lines to GanList.txt (located in your SemiRandom/LIST_CRATE directory):

JASON1_U_R_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON2_U_A_OR_PLN_EMT_MNT_WST_SWP_FST_FRM_S_
JASON3_U_R_WST_L_
JASON4_U_A_OR_PLN_MNT_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON5_U_A_OR_SEA_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON6_U_A_OR_PLN_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON8_U_A_OR_PLN_MNT_WST_SWP_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON9_U_A_OR_PLN_SEA_DEP_EMT_MNT_WST_SWP_FST_FRM_ S_N_L_
JASON10_U_A_OR_MNT_S_N_L_
JASON11_M_A_OR_PLN_EMT_MNT_WST_SWP_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON12_U_A_OR_PLN_FST_S_N_L_
JASON13_U_A_OR_SEA_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON14_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON15_U_A_OR_MNT_SWP_FST_S_N_L_
JASON16_LK_U_R_OR_SEA_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON17_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON18_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON19_U_R_OR_SWP_S_N_L_
JASON20_M_A_DS_
JASON21_IS_U_R_
JASON22_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON23_CLD_U_A_N_
JASON24_CLD_U_A_N_
JASON25_CLD_U_R_WST_N_
JASON26_U_A_OR_PLN_MNT_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON27_U_A_OR_PLN_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON28_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON29_U_A_OR_EMT_MNT_FST_S_N_L_
JASON30_CLD_U_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON31_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON32_U_A_OR_PLN_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON33_U_A_OR_EMT_MNT_S_N_L_
JASON34_U_A_OR_SEA_DEP_WST_S_N_L_
JASON35_U_A_OR_SEA_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON36_TMP_U_A_OR_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON37_TMP_U_A_OR_FST_S_N_L_
JASON38_HOT_U_R_OR_EMT_MNT_S_N_L_DS_
JASON39_U_A_OR_PLN_L_
JASON40_TMP_U_A_OR_PLN_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON41_TMP_U_A_OR_PLN_SWP_FST_FRM_S_N_L_
JASON42_TMP_U_R_OR_PLN_N_L_
JASON43_CLD_U_A_MNT_S_
JASON44_TMP_U_A_FST_N_
JASON45_TMP_U_A_SWP_N_
JASON46_U_A_S_
JASON47_CO_U_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON48_HOT_VC_U_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON49_VL_U_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON50_U_A_OR_SEA_WTR_S_N_L_
JASON51_CLD_U_A_CAV_N_
JASON52_TMP_U_A_FST_N_
JASON53_U_A_WTR_S_
JASON54_M_A_OR_EMT_S_N_L_
JASON55_U_A_WST_WTR_S_
JASON56_U_A_OR_EMT_FST_WTR_S_N_L_
JASON57_M_A_OR_SEA_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON58_M_A_OR_DEP_S_N_L_
JASON59_M_A_OR_CAV_S_N_L_
JASON60_M_A_OR_EMT_S_N_L_FS_
JASON61_VC_U_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON62_CO_U_A_L_ES_
JASON63_U_A_EMT_FST_L_WS_NS_
JASON64_PN_M_A_OR_S_N_L_
JASON65_U_A_EMT_FST_S_
JASON66_U_A_OR_S_N_L_DS_
JASON67_U_A_OR_S_N_L_BS_


These are new and were not included in RanDom version 203.

Foodstamp has done a great job with this set. It has a nice mix of beefy, hard to tackle provinces and nice thematic additions to the standard fare. Very cool. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post is an updated Nations.cfg file which brings nation selections up to dominions version 3.17.

NationsCfg317.zip

To apply:
Paste the Nations.cfg file into your dominions3\SemiRandom folder.

This replaces the Nations.cfg that was included in RanDom v203.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Hi, this is my first visit to this thread. Could someone tell me what GAN province files are? Do I need it for using RanDom? Any instructions for using RanDom would also be appreciated although I can probably figure out how to use it on my own eventually.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

I've gone through two previous generations of much enjoying Dominions. The first was a couple years back with Dominions2, then again last year with Dominions3, both times spending months playing nothing but. Now I am again with a game computer and am back at it. The previous couple of times I used SemiRandom extensively to generate more interesting content for the maps I was playing on (single player). Faerun was my favorate, SemiRandom having created a very interesting and extensive set of improved provinces, SemiRandom having added 122 'gan' files to it. This was with version 0.95. I've attached it here just in case anyone wants it.

Now however I just tried it with Thrall's really amazing map, Latus. SemiRandom version 1.06 adds all of four gan files! I tried with with the old unmodified Faerun map just to see what would happen and with that old file it now adds also only 4 gan files. Setting fiddlePercent from 100 to 100000 doesn't change anything. Dropping it to just one will result in three gan files.

Obviously I am a clueless sort. Could you give me one?

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

They are like the special provinces you sometimes meet in maps. Cyclops, hammer and a special site, or a sorceress and a robe, or couple of Wind Mages. Because they're player-made, and have to be mod-free, they won't use unique units or items or sites.

I did some. Others were quite powerful, and others were simpler. I think I did something Camelot-like, and probably a Robin Hood province with a Longbowman and a Monk and perhaps some Rangers and Woodsmen and other fun stuff.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

GAN province files are simple text files with the extension changed in honor of good 'ol Gandalf Parker. SemiRandom (a separate program written in yabasic that RanDom uses), was inspired by many of his ideas and random thoughts. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

The GAN files contain map code for custom provinces and the file name itself acts as a filter that SemiRandom uses to determine where to place the province in the modified map file. SemiRandom and the GAN files only come into play if you use the 'Semi Randomize' button in RanDom. SemiRandom and the base GAN files are included in the RanDom zip. Additional files and patches can be found in the first post.

From the ReadMe document:
As you may have noticed, the documentation is not very extensive. Unless someone beats me to it, I will try to post a little more in depth instructions when I get home from work tonight. It is pretty straight forward once you get the hang of it. Be prepared for a little trial and error to get the map that you want. I recommend defining some very small map sizes with mid level province counts in the beginning so that map generation times are low until you get the colors and settings like you want them.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Thanks Endo!

This will be a hurried post because I need to be leaving! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

@Panpiper:
I suspect that Latus may have many #nostart's set in the map (may be included in the terrain mask) or something that for some reason SemiRandom is thinking that it can't mess with. I don't have time to look right now, but I will check it tonight.

Thank you very much for sharing your province files!

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Technically they were 'your' province files Ballbarian, and those who contributed. I just used your program to put them into the Faerun map. They probably would have been better placed by doing it by hand, but I am too lazy for such an andevour and not enough of a Faerun scholar.

By the way, I used the same original Faerun file both the first time and this subsequent time to do a test run. The first time through got the attached map with 122 improved provinces. The second time through it got only four, essentially the same problem as the Latus map. So I doubt the problem is encoded nostarts. On the other hand, it may be two problems, nostarts on the the Latus map and some other issue working with the Faerun map.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

On the subject of Documentation...
As I often said (and was finally proven out with the manual for the 3rd version of Dominions) waiting for the programmer to document is not the best idea. By the time a programmer (or mapper, or modder, scripter, etc) gets their love-child to work they tend to be beyond writing for a brand-new user. They dont think like a newbie and dont come up with newbie questions. And any answers tend to not be newbie answers. They are too deep into the subject. And we dont really WANT them to back out of that deep spot since they are hopefully thinking on the next version. (a very general stereotype of course and not true of every programmer)

The BEST documentation IMHO is when a new user, with abit of writing skill, takes good notes while they are learning the program. Write down the questions that came up and the answers you got. Translate the programmers short answers into new-user full english. Maybe even add charts and screenshots. Etc, etc, etc. Not only is it great for the community but its a nice way to thank a developer by offering them "just a quick little thing I did that you can use for documentation". Most of them will appreciate it.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Ah! Sorry for my confusion. I was running in high gear today and did more skimming than reading and completely misunderstood what you were trying to say. Work was insane today. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

I downloaded the Faerunmod.map map that was attached to your post and removed all of the provinces from the map file that had been placed by SemiRandom ver095, then ran it through ver107 a few minutes ago and it modified 349 provinces with 'Fiddle Prov%' set to 100.

It could be that the map file you were using was already modified and SemiRandom just could not find very many new locations to populate.

Very prophetic Panpiper! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

The Latus map has 64 #specstart &amp; 25 #land provinces. SemiRandom sees these provinces and all of their neighbors as being off limits for modification. Many of those provinces have 6+ neighbors with 7 and 8 neighbors not being uncommon. This quickly blocks 100's of provinces from modification. But it doesn't stop there. There are many provinces marked with terrain flags like FIRE-SITE, ASTRAL-SITE, EARTH-SITE, etc, and many of these are showing up as having no matching GAN file that is not unique and that has not already been placed. Again, this adds up to many provinces. (You can see when a province is skipped because of no matching GAN file by checking the 'Show Need' box on the 'General' settings tab.

Also note that when I ran a test run on Latus, SemiRandom v107 placed 38 provinces. Since you were only getting 3 or 4, I suspect that you have 'Desired Num Players' value on the 'Starts' tab set to some value other than zero. Every start location that SemiRandom places is going to mark that province and all of it's neighbors as off limits as well, further reducing the available clear locations.

Out of curiosity, I removed all of Latus's #specstart commands and ran it through SemiRandom which yielded 131 provinces modified. There were around 100 provinces with no matching GAN file and around 200 or more that were excluded because of the #land provinces and their neighbors. (Ideally, SemiRandom should only ignore the #land and not it's neighbors, but the initial idea was not to clutter areas around special provinces that were placed by map designers with a theme in mind.)

In summary:
When a map designer has used commands that set start locations and special provinces with custom content, SemiRandom will preserve them and all of their neighboring provinces.

If custom starts already exist in a map, be sure to set 'Desired Num Players' to zero.

If you happen to use the 'Show Need' option, and see an entry in the map file like:<font color="red">
----------------------------------------------------------
-- No match exists for province #71, terrain value:
-- Need: ASTRAL-SITE NORMAL COAST
----------------------------------------------------------
</font>
...then design a GAN file for it (the Province Editor tool can help with this) and submit it to this thread or email it to me and we will add it to the library. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Thank you for pointing out the issues you were having as I will bet there were other folks having similar troubles and hopefully some of this might help in understanding how this creature works. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Gandalf,
That was such an absolutely fantastic post that it deserves to be repeated with a full quote. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I know that I would appreciate someone taking something like that upon themselves.

Not that I am begging or anything.

(<font color="red">Please, oh please won't somebody save me!!!</font>)

...uh...I mean, well, yeah. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Heh, not just save you, but save the rest of us as well. (Ok, maybe just me.)

I fear I remain utterly clueless. I have tried exactly the same as yourself, removing all changes made by the program then running it again.

"I suspect that you have 'Desired Num Players' value on the 'Starts' tab..."

Oh boy. Er... There's a tab? When I run SemiRandom I get a DOS sceen that requests that I input a filename. If I try to run the RanDom program, I get an error message saying it can't find SemiRandom.cfg even though it's sitting right where the extraction put it, in the SemiRandom folder right above the RanDom program. The documentation (which is for version 0.80 by the way) describes the first 8 or 9 entries in the .cfg file, but the rest are undefined, so I have no way of knowing what to hack. The SemiRandom.cfg file looks like this:

F:\Program Files (x86)\dominions3\SemiRandom
100
1
0
25
25
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
7
6
0
2
EA
-1
4
0
4
255 205 000 225
GANPLAINS

Or maybe I should just ask you to post that modified Faerun file? ;-)

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

I will attach the modified Faerun file to this post. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

For what it is worth, the following is from the SemiRandom 107 code and may give you a fair idea of what the additional values are associated with:
<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
line input #1 path$
line input #1 fiddleXP REM &lt;=0 means block #xp lines to keep Hall of Fame clear of Independents. 1 to allow.
line input #1 fiddlePercent
line input #1 fiddleName
line input #1 showNeed
line input #1 hotPercent
line input #1 colPercent
line input #1 cldband1 REM -1 means realworld climate bands not defined
line input #1 tmpband1 REM otherwise the values are prov# ranges.
line input #1 hotband
line input #1 tmpband2
line input #1 cldband2
line input #1 numPlayers REM -1 means use DEFAULT_PROVPERPLAYER or provPerPlayer (0=NO START PLACEMENTS)
line input #1 aiLandPlayers REM 0=NO AI LAND PLAYER PLACEMENTS
line input #1 aiSeaPlayers REM 0=NO AI SEA PLAYER PLACEMENTS
line input #1 aiDifficulty REM 1 to 5 (2=standard)
line input #1 selectedEra$ REM values= EA, MA, LA
line input #1 provPerPlayer REM -1 means use DEFAULT_PROVPERPLAYER or numPlayers
line input #1 minNeighCount REM -1 means use DEFAULT_MINNEIGHCOUNT
line input #1 maxSeaStarts REM -1 means use default of 3.
line input #1 enforcedSpace REM -1 means no space enforcement, otherwise value entered enforced.
line input #1 mapTextColor$ REM -1 means don't set, otherwise = Red Green Blue Alpha (000-255)
line input #1 map$
</pre><hr />

I will try figure out what is going on with your error message (with RanDom) after a good nights sleep! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Endoperez,

Thanks for the explanation. A follow-up question: if I just want to give the AI better Pretender/scale settings I don't have to worry about GAN files, right?

I'll start to play around with RanDom and see if I can get it to work. Thanks for drawing this excellent program to my attention (and thanks to Ballbarian for writing it and Gandalf for the idea).

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Right. Custom Pretenders and scale settings are stored in 'god' files. These can be created by hand with a text editor or via the "God Editor" (link in my sig).

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

From the readme files included in the zip:
Ok, here is a line by line map of the SemiRandom.cfg:
1. Path$ &gt; Path used by SR to find your gan &amp; data files.
2. fiddlePercent &gt; Percent of provinces in the selected map file to attempt to modify.


This is what messed me up. Your posting of those lines from the SemiRandom 107 code did the trick. The above would indicate that the second line in the .cfg file defines the percentage of provinces modified. In fact it is the third line. I shall now be able to hack, thank you.

(And I really mean it with a big thank you. The work some people have done to make my life happier really astounds me sometimes.)

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Ugh! Just realized that my attachment of the modified Faerun file didn't take, or I completely forgot to attach it. If it turns out that you end up needing it Panpiper, let me know and I will get it to you. It sounds like you have everything under control. Great news!

(Oh, and thanks for the thanks! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif )

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

OMG I hadn't studied this before and it is insanely cool!

Wow......

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post are 14 new GAN province files in zip format submitted by <font color="green">Gandalf</font>. Some of them are his own inventions and others include contributions from <font color="green">Jutetrea</font> and <font color="green">quantum_mechani</font>.

<font color="red">GandalfContributions1.zip</font>

To apply:
Paste the 14 ".gan" files into your SemiRandom/GAN_BIN directory and add the following lines to GanList.txt (located in your SemiRandom/LIST_CRATE directory):


GAN10_VL_U_A_OR_PLN_WST_FST_FRM_S_N_
GAN4_PN_U_R_OR_S_N_
GAN5_TMP_LO_U_R_OR_PLN_FST_S_
GAN6_U_A_WST_S_
GAN7_VL_U_A_OR_PLN_EMT_WST_S_
GAN8_U_A_S_MST_
GAN9_VL_M_R_OR_PLN_WST_FST_FRM_N_
Jutetrea1_U_R_L_CO_FST_
Jutetrea3_CLD_U_A_N_EMT_FS_
Jutetrea3_CLD_U_A_N_MNT_FS_
Jutetrea6_TMP_VL_U_A_S_FS_AS_WS_ES_
quantum_mechani1_U_A_OR_EMT_MNT_S_N_L_
quantum_mechani2_U_A_PLN_
quantum_mechani3_CO_M_R_SWP_N_


These are new and were not included in RanDom version 203.

Great additions from Gandalf, Jutetrea and quantum_mechani for the library. Thanks!

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

How did I miss your post?!?
Thanks PVK! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Anyone whose post I typed into a file is invited to check it and make changes of course. Its still your province design. Feel free to update it as you see fit.

My one stuff will not tend to be hard-to-beat surprises. More along the line of interesting change-of-pace filler stuff.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

How do the god files work? I've been thinking that someone (== no one will volunteer so I'll have to do it myself) should make AI god files that only give the AI few good scales that go well together. Order 3 Production 3, Luck 3 Magic 3, etc etc. It would ensure that even if the AI designed the actual pretender, it would have some good scales as well.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Great idea Endo!

I have not tested it in game, but you should be able to create a god file with a name like...
BARIAN_2_A_EA_

...which can be read as "Add (A) Ulm (2) for Early Age (EA)", and would only adjust the luck scales for the given nation with the code below:
#scale_unluck 2 -3

Or you could randomize the scales a little with:

@3
#scale_chaos 2 -1
#scale_chaos 2 -2
#scale_chaos 2 -3
@3
#scale_lazy 2 -1
#scale_lazy 2 -2
#scale_lazy 2 -3

#scale_unluck 2 -3


I generated the file name and code in a few seconds with the GodEditor. Let me know if that doesn't work or if I am misunderstanding how the map code for scales work.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Are there many maps around which have been SemiRandomised already? I'm trying to gather maps for the LlamaServer, so if anyone has any cool ones you think people may enjoy in MP, could they post them and let me know? That would be awesome.

This project looks like the most amazing thing, but somehow I have never gotten around to using it. I suspect it is the best kept secret in Dom3. As in, the best thing that is not universally known, rather than the secret that is kept best!

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

I think some might have randomized some maps and uploaded them as samples.

But to me it would work better as an option. Like some of the other programs you can run against maps.
1) Select Map
1a) add AIs?
1b) Would you like it No-Independents?
1c) Would you like it as No-Water?
1d) Would you like it Semi-Randomized?
1e) Would you like it Chaoticised.

The cool thing about map changes over mods is that the players dont have to download it. If its a map they already have then the graphic is still fine. Only the server needs the new .map file. So if they ask for the Aran map, then choose a modifier, you could just run it to Aran31Jul08.map and use that one.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

I will have multiple versions of many maps available, inc. NI etc.. But I can't make the server SemiRanDom a map on the fly - I mean, this is a Windows program after all.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

"RanDom" is a windows program, but "SemiRandom" is a separate program written in yabasic and should run on windows and unix. RanDom handles the building of the switches for the dom3 map generation and is a more human friendly interface for setting up the SemiRandom configuration file. So basically, any program can make the changes to the settings in the cfg file and then initiate the SemiRandom executable to generate the map file without the windows RanDom program.

If you decide to go the automated route, let me know if you need some help deciphering the configuration settings for SemiRandom. The help file that is included with it desperately needs updated.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

When I tried to rum RanDom it says "MSCOMCTL.OCX" or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid.

Is there a fix?

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Attached to this post is a zip containing MSCOMCTL.OCX. You may be able to just drop it in the folder with RanDom.exe or it may have to be registered.

I don't have time to give more details at the moment, but will follow up after work if you have any problems or questions.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Ballbarian,

Thanks. Will let you know if I still have problems.

Re: RanDom v2.03 - Map gen & Semirandomizer... Upd
 

Trying to automate this sounds like great fun. Regrettably I don't think I'm going to look into it. I'm trying to finish my current set of planned features for my server and then draw a line under it, so I can concentrate on my PhD. I'm meant to hand in in 8 months. 8 months! Very scary.