Maps available

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by PhilD:
We could do more ranges, but because of the fractal nature of the thing, this will result in more isolated pixels. Plus, more work for me
. What is needed is smoothing of the maps, which is most likely what the Gimp scripts that generate maps do, so that the terrain limits are actually limits instead of lots of isolated pixels.

Well GIMP would be another direction. So far we dont seem to have any scheme programmers showing up (which GIMP seems to prefer for scripts-fu). Too bad. A nice 3-step scipt would do much for fixing up the dommaps.

I can get some very nice rendered maps from GIMP. Maybe someone could write something that will pick up the images and dommap them. EDGE (put borders around large color areas. DIVIDE draw borders across areas still too large. CAPITALIZE put a white dot in the middle of each one. WRITE MAP with guessed neighbors and terrains. I know it would be a big project but it would be useable for any map coming from any program or even hand drawn.

[ January 28, 2004, 14:22: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Targa]

Ah...OK, I see it now in the map file. It says Version 0.7, so I guess it's the Dom1 prog. Well, I don't know anything about C, other than it being the 3rd letter of the alphabet so..... I found and downloaded "LCC-Win32" which seems like it's what's needed to run your Version (which I also downloaded, thanks!), but have no clue as to how to use it. Some searching comes up with some cryptic information like:

Open a DOS box in Windows, set PATH=c:\lcc-win32\bin, and that's about as far as I got.

LCC-Win32 is "C only" (won't work with C++), so I dunno about that either. But in response to Gandalf's earlier question about getting it to compile in Windows, you guys should check out this page. It seems like it would work:
http://home.worldOnline.co.za/~rmaritz/

-Targa

[PhilD]

Originally posted by Targa:
Ah...OK, I see it now in the map file. It says Version 0.7, so I guess it's the Dom1 prog. Well, I don't know anything about C, other than it being the 3rd letter of the alphabet so..... I found and downloaded "LCC-Win32" which seems like it's what's needed to run your Version (which I also downloaded, thanks!), but have no clue as to how to use it. Some searching comes up with some cryptic information like:

Open a DOS box in Windows, set PATH=c:\lcc-win32\bin, and that's about as far as I got.

LCC-Win32 is "C only" (won't work with C++), so I dunno about that either. But in response to Gandalf's earlier question about getting it to compile in Windows, you guys should check out this page. It seems like it would work:
http://home.worldOnline.co.za/~rmaritz/

-Targa

Hah! I forgot that source code wasn't the distribution method of choice for some OSes

Can't help you with the compilation, sorry. There isn't any C++ code in there (I even checked for C++ comments), so if you have a proper compiler it should work OK.

I have absolutely no idea what's available in the way of (free) compilers for Windows. I had a quick look at www.gnu.org, and the GCC compiler does exist for Windows if you install Cygwin, but it might be more trouble than you want.

As for the dommap program itself... it only opens two files and writes a little text to the standard output, so running it in a "DOS box" should be OK.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by PhilD:
I have absolutely no idea what's available in the way of (free) compilers for Windows. I had a quick look at www.gnu.org, and the GCC compiler does exist for Windows if you install Cygwin, but it might be more trouble than you want.

You want DJGPP most likely for a DOS compiler that will likely run under windows. It's at www.delorie.com

You can also get ahold of Borland's C++ compiler for free nowadays.

[Targa]

OK, here's the thing (as I see it).

1) Maps that look similar to Aran map are not easy to make for most ppl.

2) Because of this, we don't see many ppl coming up with new maps, as you might see in other games with "level editors".

3) It wouldn't take much to change this, if we had someone to do a little work.

I downloaded and ran DomMap (the original), which is a great starting point, but this program lacks the following:

1) Maps can only be 800x599 maximum (should be 1600x1200).

2) The generated .map file is not the same as a Dom2 .map file (from what I'm told)

Making the .map file doesn't seem to be an issue, since you can use the built-in prog that comes with Dom2. Sure, some people might not want to do this, but alot more would if they had a decent map to start with.

What I'm trying to say: If we had a program (or someone modified DomMap prog, or PhilD's mod can do this) that would create 1600x1200 .tga's with clear borders, capitol dots, and no pixelation (as seen by using the -d 0 command-line switch with DomMap), and we had someone (Kristoffer?) who would convert the xcf mapstuff to a more popular format (preferably .bmp or .tga to retain quality), I could provide a Photoshop tutorial on how to take one of these randomly generated maps and make it look just like Aran map.

I don't know the capabilties of Phil's Version because I don't run Linux, and not many people do.

If PhilD's hack can run the -d 0 command-line switch, then all we need is someone who runs a linux machine to create a bunch of "base maps" for us (along with Illwinter converting the xcf files).

[Gandalf Parker]

1) Maps can only be 800x599 maximum (should be 1600x1200).

Phil_D fixed that in the new one. In fact I think it can do twice that big. And all of the capabilities of the old dommap are in the new one so yes it should be able to create the kindof maps you want. I just dont generate them that way because Im too lazy to do anything with a partially done map. Is this closer?
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion.../TestingXL.jpg

I don't know the capabilties of Phil's Version because I don't run Linux, and not many people do.

Hmmm I think I would have worded that as not many Users do. Even thats changing rapidly since many people run linux now as just a desktop workstation rather than a server. But Im just being picky.

If PhilD's hack can run the -d 0 command-line switch, then all we need is someone who runs a linux machine to create a bunch of "base maps" for us (along with Illwinter converting the xcf files).

Alot of us can do the conVersion. Many programmers use GIMP. Being a free and powerful paint program doesnt hurt either.

Here is a conVersion for you. You might do some other formats for others.
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion/mapstuff.tga

[ January 29, 2004, 18:27: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Gandalf Parker]

Getting closer?
http://www.techno-mage.com/~dominion...ndomMaps/junk/

[ January 29, 2004, 19:30: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]