Island/Continent Based Map?

[Peter]

Yes. However, you must realize that a continent would fill at very least thousands of multigrids, and possibly millions.
And if the procedural generator wants to put an ocean in the center of the map, then it will.
I'm refining the basic world part- the part that decides what terrain type a cell is- before I make the height map generator.

[Sarge]

I had cottage pie for lunch, was awesome.

... much like this thread.

[Peter]

AHHH!
I just realized how you might make some kind of river system... I'm not sure of the algorithm, but it would be entirely procedural and thus have a lot less overhead. I'll play around with the plugins.

It wouldn't be strictly uphill/downhill and the networks would be a little odd, but it just might work.

[Potjeh]

Possible workaround for cases where river can't exit a valley: make a lake, or have the river go underground.

[Agarrett]

Yes. However, you must realize that a continent would fill at very least thousands of multigrids, and possibly millions.
And if the procedural generator wants to put an ocean in the center of the map, then it will.
I'm refining the basic world part- the part that decides what terrain type a cell is- before I make the height map generator.

Good. I really hope one of your maps is the one used next reset.

[Peter]

If a river moves to the lowest adjacent tile that is not a river, it will actually automatically make lakes; when it flows into a low point, it will fill all the low point until it can "overflow."

I've greatly improved the generator. I got rid of snow and added moors as separate from heath. I still need to make a new height generator, but the current map processor is roughly ten times more efficient.

It also has a moisture index that is compared to the height map, so moist terrain like swamps and forests are found together, and the dry grassland regions are separate from other terrains. I think it's getting better.

Weather, temperature, and tides all tie into mapmaking, by the way. If you want seasons or climates, and thus weather, tile types are going to have to change regularly and in bulk (for instance, from dirt to mud or from grassy to snow-covered grass). Climates in particular would be challenging to add to this kind of generator... though I think it could be done.

My maps would not be used for actual gameplay. All I'm really doing is a proof-of-concept work. If Jorb and/or Loftar (if they are not, in fact, the same being) are interested in using the technique, then they will probably make a similar but purpose-built program along these lines and with the post-processing effects needed.

[jorb]

Jorb and/or Loftar (if they are not, in fact, the same being)

Our name is Loftorb, for we are many.

[Jackard]

two sides of the same coin

[Agarrett]

Or are they coins just taped together?

[Peter]

Here's the 5kx5k map. It isn't using a proper heightmap yet, so it's going to be a something more like a dense archepelago than anything realistic.


I took the liberty of applying the current height to a distortion and adding water...



And with realistic colors:

I don't quite know where the waves came from, but it looks nice.