Random Map Generator

[nom]

Map Generator 1.0 released.
See the new thread


For some time now I have been working on a random map generator for EU3. Finally I have a version that I think is good enough to release. This is what it looks like:



What's the point?

There's been so much talk about historical plausibility and recreating history. I wanted instead to recreate the feeling of living in an unknown world. To make the era of discoveries actually be about discovering new lands.

However, to make it completly random would just be confusing. I wanted to create a world that in some ways would be recognizable. That's why the worlds are divided into continents, the continents into culturegroups and the culturegroups into cultures. In all maps there will be a large France and England, a Holy Roman Empire split into many small states, and an overpowered Sweden. The capital of England might not be London, but it will always be in an english province with an english name.

This program could also be a tool if you want to create your own fantasy map by providing a working map. Not to mention it is really easy to mod the placement and size of countries and cultures. (In true Paradox fashion it's all in text files)



To show what it can do I simply ran the program once to create this mod:

A New World







To do:

I could use some help with this. Anyone interested?
Modding guide

More province names. There are not enough province names (and capitals) for many cultures. For example, there is usually more than one province with maltese culture. I need names for the rest.

Tuning the tradegoods. Right now the world is flooded in wool and naval supplies.

Create a minimap. (Although these maps should really be played with a dynamic minimap)

I need a (real) name for the program too.


Known bugs:

Port positions might look a bit weird sometimes.

Important: For users of EU3 1.3. The game doesn't seem to like certain map sizes. 1000*500 is one of them. One that is known to work is 1024*512.

If you get an error saying "can't find d3dx9_35.dll" you can download the neccessary files here.


---------------------------------------------------------

Please try it out and let me know what you think.

Latest version is 0.4.1

Download 0.4.1 here (or here )
Download 0.4->0.4.1 patch here

Sourcecode for 0.4.1 is available for download here.
More information

If you installed the previous version, you need do remove it before you can install this one.
Remember to make backup copies of all datafiles you have changed.
Saved maps from earlier versions will not be compatible.


0.1.1 Changes

Fixed the NA bug
Added some Maltese names, thanks to dharper

0.2 Changes

Many changes.
See http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...9&postcount=56 for details.

0.3 Changes

Many changes.
See http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...&postcount=247 for details.


0.4 Changes

Many changes.
See http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...&postcount=323 for details.

0.4.1 Changes

Fixed a bug that placed all countries on the map. Even those not supposed to be there.

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Installation instructions:

Remove previous version of Map Generator.(Add/Remove program) Don't forget to backup any data you have changed.

Unrar "Map Generator 0.4.rar"

Run "Setup.exe" and install anywhere.

Run "Map Generator.exe"


Running instructions:

Create a new map anywhere.

Press the buttons at the left from top to bottom, changing any parameters you like along the way. More information about this here .

Export the map to your EU3 mod folder.

Run EU3 launcher and select the mod from the list.
The first time you start your mod EU3 will spend a lot of time creating paths. This may take up to 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the map and the speed of your computer.


Demo maps:
A new world
Another world
The Horde

Data sets:
Magna Mundi Pyrite
Fantasia

...

[dharper]

Very impressive!

I'm afraid I can't help you, but I wish you good luck. Gigau might be able to help with some of the problems you've been experiencing; he does a lot of work with maps.

For Maltese culture, consider these local names from Malta:

Maltese islands: Gozo, Comino
Maltese cities: Qawra, Valetta, Marsascala, Marsaxlokk

[Capibara]

interesting...

[Darken]

also, i cannot help realy but i can tell you that this will revolutionize the Fantasy mods for EU3! great work!

I will add this to the mod list.

[vanDiemen]

Wonderful! I've been looking forward to a map generator since colonizing the
new world in EU2 for the fifth time. (Like 6 years ago.)

I have a suggestion, randomize only the New World, Africa south of
the Sahara and Asia east of Cacasus or something like that.
That will leave the European dynamics untouched and it should then
be easier to play a randomized map together with other mods.

If the minimap is not dynamical, it is maybe better to leave it blank
for areas that are unknown at the start of the game.

If you need beta testers, sign me up! I'm running EU3 NA.

[gigau]

The maps will NOT work with NA. I'm trying to find out why.
When I try to start, the game crashes at Loading Graphics.
Last line in setup.log is Checksum is EU3 v2.0 (BVOR)
And this is from system_error.log:
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\mapitems\napoleon\gfxmapitems
apoleoncloth.tga.

This last error is known and has no consequences.

For the other crash.... i'm not sure. As fas as i know, the map folder is the same between the two versions. It shouldn't crash. What you could do is upload the map folder you created, send me through PM the download link. I'll take a look.

There are two great tools around to help you modding : Cabezaestufa's map checker to find bugs, position errors,... and MichaelM's scenario editor to check modifications and edit the history files.

[Pishtaco]

That is absolutely awesome.

I made a mod for a dynamic minimap: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...d.php?t=291343 . It uses the texture in colormap_water.dds to get the shape of the continents. This won't work with vanilla EU3 because there this texture doesn't have proper coastlines in it, partly because it is used to colour rivers as well as seas. But I see that you don't have any rivers . So, depending on what kind of thing your program generates for colormap_water, it shouldn't be hard to mod a dynamic map for it. Although there is one issue with it, see the link.

[vanDiemen]

Some feedback:

* Size - Have standard EU3 size as default. Then maybe have for example, "Standard EU3 size +10%" as choices.
* The Quit button gets the default focus when you start, would make more sense if "New" or "Build map" has the focus.
* Is the map upside down as the EU3 map is saved? Maybe add some "North" indicator.
* Some scaling/zoom mode of the map, so you can look at details.
* Maximize window, including scaling of map.
* Some colour code help which colour is which continent.
* Same with culture
* A checkbox where you can choose to hide the map, if you don't want to see how the world will become.
* Maybe merge all the "Create" buttons into one big. I see why you have it like you have, but for the end user, it isn't really nessecary.
* I saw that you use the Perlin noise algorith, it makes quite "sharp" continents and islands. Maybe this algorithm would be a better choice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-square_algorithm with the Diamond-square/Plasma algorithm, it will be rather easy to keep Europe as it is, and just randomize the rest.
* I never got any rivers on my maps. Known issue?
* Overall, looks just great!

EU3 NA crashed as well for me with "Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\mapitems\napoleon\gfxmapitems
apoleoncloth.tga." in the syslog.

[yupa]

Well, good work !
But, the program make random map...
What if you want to suggest some map, or create...
In other words, this program use at 100% the hazard. Maybe a little of thinking things will increase the interrest... And create semi-random map that you can consider your's.

[ubik]

This is IMPRESSIVE!!!!!


Congratulations on this!

[Fintilgin]

This looks flabergastingly amazing. You will be my hero forever if this is perfected and works with NA.

Would you be opposed to slightly 'fantastic' names for some of the odd cultures, like aborigonal? Names that sort of 'sound right' even if they're made up?

As for a mod name, I think something like 'EU3: New Worlds' isn't bad at all.

Also, as a suggestion, although you might not be able to get it to work right, would be to have another mode where Europe remains the same but the rest of the world is all random, like the old game Machiavelli, if you ever played it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavelli:_The_Prince

[Woody Man]

Incredible! I'm looking forward to playing around with this!

[Letar]

Well, a reasonably good first post! This definitely looks like a great work.

[nom]

Wow, thanks everyone. I was hoping to get some positive response but this was more than I expected.

I have a suggestion, randomize only the New World, Africa south of
the Sahara and Asia east of Cacasus or something like that.
That will leave the European dynamics untouched and it should then
be easier to play a randomized map together with other mods.

I thought about doing that but it seemed to hard to get it to work and look good.

For the other crash.... i'm not sure. As fas as i know, the map folder is the same between the two versions. It shouldn't crash. What you could do is upload the map folder you created, send me through PM the download link. I'll take a look.

There are two great tools around to help you modding : Cabezaestufa's map checker to find bugs, position errors,... and MichaelM's scenario editor to check modifications and edit the history files.

I thought it was exactly the same too. You can try the "A New World" - map I linked to earlier. It works fine in vanilla but inevitably crashes in NA. From the tests I made it seemed like the error was somewhere within provinces.bmp or any of the other necessary files. (i.e. not History, Events, Localisation or the other map types)

If anyone can get this map to work in NA I would be eternally grateful.

I made a mod for a dynamic minimap: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...ad.php?t=291343 . It uses the texture in colormap_water.dds to get the shape of the continents. This won't work with vanilla EU3 because there this texture doesn't have proper coastlines in it, partly because it is used to colour rivers as well as seas. But I see that you don't have any rivers . So, depending on what kind of thing your program generates for colormap_water, it shouldn't be hard to mod a dynamic map for it. Although there is one issue with it, see the link.

Oh, perhaps I should actually draw the continents on colormap_water then, instead of just using a blue square.

* Size - Have standard EU3 size as default. Then maybe have for example, "Standard EU3 size +10%" as choices.
* The Quit button gets the default focus when you start, would make more sense if "New" or "Build map" has the focus.
* Is the map upside down as the EU3 map is saved? Maybe add some "North" indicator.
* Some scaling/zoom mode of the map, so you can look at details.
* Maximize window, including scaling of map.
* Some colour code help which colour is which continent.
* Same with culture
* A checkbox where you can choose to hide the map, if you don't want to see how the world will become.
* Maybe merge all the "Create" buttons into one big. I see why you have it like you have, but for the end user, it isn't really nessecary.
* I saw that you use the Perlin noise algorith, it makes quite "sharp" continents and islands. Maybe this algorithm would be a better choice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-square_algorithm with the Diamond-square/Plasma algorithm, it will be rather easy to keep Europe as it is, and just randomize the rest.
* I never got any rivers on my maps. Known issue?
* Overall, looks just great!

Thanks for the feedback!

Problem with size is that the vanilla map is covered by large areas of PTI and large provinces. The size of the provinces are roughly the same everywhere, so a vanilla size map would have around 5000 provinces, and I don't know how many tha game can handle.

Yeah, changing the focus of the buttons have been on the to do list for a while. I don't know how many times I have changed the seed and pressed enter.

Yup, map is upside down.

I was a bit too quick when I wrote the todo list yesterday. There will be some changes to the map soon. I focused on getting the algorithms working before I announced this, so the interface needs some work.

The two province buttons are not really necessary. It's just that when I run the program in debug mode, it takes several minutes to create provinces so I like the ability to save in the middle.

There are no rivers at the moment. They will probably be included in the future.

Actually I use libnoise to create the provinces. It has all the flexibility I need. However, the diamond square algorithm might be good for the terrain maps.

Would you be opposed to slightly 'fantastic' names for some of the odd cultures, like aborigonal? Names that sort of 'sound right' even if they're made up?

As for a mod name, I think something like 'EU3: New Worlds' isn't bad at all.

I support all names that sounds right. They might actually be better than a few names I use right now. Gold coast probably makes perfect sense in the vanilla map. Not so much for a salt-producing inland desert province.

Good suggestion for name btw.

[nom]

It seems I was wrong about the cause of the error. Right now it looks more like it's rivers.bmp that's not working like it should.

EDIT: Problem found. Fix will be up shortly. I just need to do some testing.

[Pishtaco]

Oh, perhaps I should actually draw the continents on colormap_water then, instead of just using a blue square.

Looking at my minimap mod, it expects colormap_water to be layed out the same was as the Paradox one. But for some reason it only looks at the red channel, and expects the seas to be 0% red and the land to be 100% red. But this would be simple to change.

[Harve]

Wow! This is amazing, lets spread the word. When it becomes a bit more stable, i think i might try this. Only problem is that can you colonise anywhere?

[nom]

Looking at my minimap mod, it expects colormap_water to be layed out the same was as the Paradox one. But for some reason it only looks at the red channel, and expects the seas to be 0% red and the land to be 100% red. But this would be simple to change.

I wouldn't make any difference to me if I paint the continents red or black. Do you know how colormap_water is used in the game? Would it be enough with just one pixel of blue along the river? In that case it could be possible to draw continents with really tiny rivers. Would your mod be able to handle that?

It seems I have to start working on the code to create rivers soon, since the fix for the NA crash bug was to create a two pixel river somewhere on the bottom of the ocean.

[nom]

Wow! This is amazing, lets spread the word. When it becomes a bit more stable, i think i might try this. Only problem is that can you colonise anywhere?

With the big bug gone it's actually really stable already.

And the problem is not to find anywhere to colonise. That's easy. The problem is how to make sure there is no colonizable provinces in Europe. Of course, they usually don't stay uncolonized for very long.

[Fintilgin]

I support all names that sounds right. They might actually be better than a few names I use right now. Gold coast probably makes perfect sense in the vanilla map. Not so much for a salt-producing inland desert province.

Okay, I've been working my way down through the culture lists, adding anywhere from a dozen to two or three dozen names to each culture. I'm at Ethiopia now, and I'll try to do a bunch more tomorrow. When I'm finished I'll upload it.

If you don't have enough names for a given culture may I make a suggestion? Instead of naming dozens of provinces 'aboriginal', like in my generated game where I wound up with a massive (50+) 'australia', how about modifying the names? For example, you could have a list of prefixes like: New, Old, Upper, Lower, Fort, Mount, etc and some endings like: Woods, Point, River, City and so forth.

Then, instead of having a bunch of French provinces named 'Cosmopolitan French' you'd have New Paris, Lower Calais, Provence Point, Upper Aquitaine and so forth.

Sea provinces could probably stand to be larger and more regular in size. I would up with some weird, mishapen, tiny sea provinces. You could almost just take a generic sea province grid and underlay it beneath the continents. Or maybe if a sea provinces is below a certain size just fold it into a neighbor.

I suppose for a larger map you could just generate PTI provinces in the northern edge of Europe and centers of large unexplored continents so as not to go over the approximate amount of provinces in EUIII standard. While I like giant explorable continents, that would cut down on some of the needed provinces. I guess that could be optional though, as lots of people would probably enjoy no-PTI maps.

Another useful feature when it gets being closer to done is 'blind generation' where you can generate a map without seeing it, so it will be more a surprise. Not that big a deal though, as it doesn't take long to make a map so I imagine I could generate a couple dozen or so, leave `em for a few days, and then pick one at random and have no idea what I'm facing.

Let me just restate how awesome this is. To the point where I feel something like it should be included by default in any EUIV or even a patch for EUIII.