Warning, huge map file: http://www.seatribe.se/roligabilder/test-map.png
Above is a newly generated civilization map (please note pretty colors). We've been dicking around with the civ algorithm a bit (Actually: Loftar has, I've just been looking at the pictures), and these changes will be taking effect on the server throughout the next 1-2 hours or so, so any sudden changes in creature level is due to this.
What we've been trying to accomplish is: Small villages scattered around, separated by tracts of relative wilderness. One problem here is that the central most grids are weighed down a bit by a lot of inactive Hearth Fires, which should probably not be counting towards civilization at all. On the whole, I think this map has the right feel to it. A lot of the small scattered settlements have radiuses around them that are large enough to be meaningful, while still not drowning the map completely in civilization. The transitions between creature level over distance also seems okay. Creature levels do spike rather fast, but still slow enough to be noticed before it's too late, and still allowing for, hopefully, enough intermediate level game for intermediate level players to hunt. What say ye?
Also, we've been having a little discussion, and I think we agree that this is a problem: Civilised areas are largely deserted because there is no incentive to remain in them. All hunting, and thus, levling is done in Mordor. Mordor also provides security in seclusion.
True or false?
Assuming that is true, the solution we are in principle agreed upon is: Characters are leveled in Mordor -- Production, with the introduction of quality, is leveled in civilized areas.
This means that the high level hunter will, or so is the ambition, depend on a support structure in the more civilized areas, where he can access, by way of trade, high quality goods that would be hard or impossible to make further out in Mordor. Good steel weapons, good armor, good food, good drink, bad women, good sleep and a nice bath. This also gives players a direct incentive to want to civilize their immediate surroundings, which they haven't got at present. Ideally, the civilized areas should perhaps also depend to some extent on hunters to bring in rare raw materials, game and hide, and warn of incoming dragons. Generally, though -- the hunter should be more dependent on civilization than vice versa.
Hand-in-hand with this might also come attempts to increase the danger levels in outmost Mordor by quite a bit.
We are a bit undecided on which mechanic should bring this about -- I'm in favor of a direct civilization modifier on item quality, loftar favors a more indirect method of increased object/item decay in Mordor, calling my suggestion arbitrary in terms of realism -- but are we on the right track to begin with? Would this work? Why? Why not?