[Utility] Atlas Map Generator

[Junuxx]

Welcome to the Atlas Project!
Current Version: 0.43 (1 Feb '06)
Original thread on CFC forums
The Homepage of the Atlas Project

Atlas is a Java program written by me that is intended as a Map Generator for Civ 4. It will generate maps that are bigger, more varied, more realistic and more customizable than those from the standard map generator, giving the user control over every single parameter, and (optionally) providing a preview of the map as well.

For now, it mostly serves the map creators as an easy tool to generate blank or halfbuilt maps of any size. Eventually it will generate maps that are ready to play.

Latest changes - version 0.43 - released 01/02/06
- Finally! The long anticipated RIVERS are in! W00t!
- Atlas now includes my other two utilities: DefaultPlayers Tweaker and Gamespeed Tuner
- Greatly improved continent shapes. No more blobs!
- The Atlas Project now comes in a handy installer package! I hope it works for everyone, if not, please let me know.
- Added random seed option
- Added flood plains
- Changed coastline setting 'Chaotic' to be different from 'Irregular'
- Changed coastline setting 'Irregular' to have less off-coast isles
- Fixed a bug that caused an endless loop in river generation
- Fixed a bug that prevented rivers from beginning in anything but grassland

9 step installation manual:

Quick Manual:

1)Download the zip at the bottom of this post and extract it
2)Double click on Setup_Atlas043.exe and follow the instructions
3)Start the program by going to Start->Programs->Atlas v0.43
4)Mess with the controls until you have generated a map you like
5)Press save
6)Copy the file Atlas.Civ4WorldBuilderSave from C:\Program Files\Map Generator to C:\My Documents\My Games\Civ IV\Saves\WorldBuilder. You can rename the 'Atlas' part of the file too, if you like.
7)Start Civilization 4
8)Click Single player, Play Scenario, choose 'Atlas' or whatever name you gave the file
9)The rest should be obvious

Limitations, troubleshooting and future additions:
- Note that you need Java Runtime Environment 1.5 to run this program. This can be downloaded for free here
-Warning! The fact that Atlas allows you to generate maps of up to 400x400, does not mean that you or anyone else will be able to play on such gigantic maps!!
- Functions that are not yet implemented are greyed out
- If you get an error, you can't get the program to run, or if you think my English is crap : Please let me know!

Finally, some screenshots...
See the website for more screenshots




I hope you like my little application. Please let me know what you think of it, and please check back soon for updates!

See ya,

Junuxx

Downloads of previous versions Total: 9243
Click here to download

[Junuxx]

-reserved-

[WoodenTaco]

Wow, great work! this is really a fantastic program. I like it a lot.

The only things I can think of that it really needs are rivers and effective mountain ranges. Continents that are less round and more irregularly shaped would be nice too, but so far it already looks fantastic.

And so fast too.. I'm impressed. Good work!

[Junuxx]

Version 0.23 is done!

I've added some presets, different island types and coastal water types, and enabled Y-wrapping and XY-wrapping.

See first post for new download.

An example of the preset 'Micronesia'. A flat world with a gazillion little islands



An example of a XY-wrapped world. This one seems very interesting to me, because both land and sea are infinite

[1shmae1]

Junuxx,

I would VERY MUCH like to talk to you about this program.

I am involved in a scientific project with geographical/geological implications. The author with whom I am closely working has developed a completely new prime-mover theory with implications for continent formation and weather systems. What I would like to do is speak with you about incorporating this logic into how your program works such that we could use it to model the theory.

Can you please send me an email?

Christopher.AshATrogers.com
(change "AT" to @).

[Junuxx]

@ WoodenTaco:
Thank you very much

My to do list is as follows :

v0.3:
- add Mountains, Hills, Ice and Tundra
- add Starting Locations
- add 'Play' button to immediately open this map with Civ 4
- add Coastal start option

v0.4:
- add Resources
- add Rivers and lakes
- improve coastlines and continent shapes
- add Save dialog that lets you name the file
- add Load dialog to edit existent map
- add Help function

any suggestions are welcome

@1shmae1:
I am highly interested. I sent you an e-mail

[Zuul]

Nice :-).

Maybe be able to "freeze" parts of the map that you like and randomize the rest.

Some stats how much of everything the map includes.

Maybe add/include the planetshifter:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=137318

[AlexTG]

I haven't tried it yet since I'm at work, so ignore if this feature already exists, but..

I would suggest having a way to generate and play the map without seeing a preview first! It ruins the exploration phase for me

[Junuxx]

Going to add some terrain and starting locs tonight...

@Zuul:
You mean like keeping certain continents and discarding some others? Sounds cool indeed, but I fear it could be difficult to implement.
Shifting the planet on the other hand would be easy, don't need to include that program for that.
thanks for the comment anyway!

@AlexTG
Yes, I understand. It is on the to-do-list

[Junuxx]

Just a little *bump* because version 0.25 is ready.
See the first post for what's new.

One of the new additions is a toggle to turn off the preview, as requested

[Junuxx]

Quite a big update, it's version 0.30 now

[Impaler[WrG]]

I have been thinking of designing a map generator based on principles of Plate Tectonics, Eroshion and Isoplasty (the rising and sinking of crust based on its density). I majored in Geology before switching to Computer Science

With your permishon I would like to get into your Source Code and try to add this. I think the benifits would be enormous. As far as I can tell no map generator has EVER been based on a simulation of plate tectonics, rather random number generators churn out blops of land that get smothed togeter but do not move. The most obvious flaw in ever map I have ever seen is the total lack of Mountain ranges, mountains just apear randomly or worse are clustered in the center of the continents. Even a crude simulation should be able to give a good broken coastline and coastal mountain ranges.

[Junuxx]

@Impaler:


My thoughts exactly. Altough Civ 4's "Highland" maps give rather good mountain ranges, I think.
I see an opportunity for cooperation here

By the way, I've sort of completed a website for Atlas, you can find it here

[Son of moose]

Junuxx:

I posted a request in your thread appearing in the Civ 4 forum of the other Civ community website requesting either an all land map (such as "Great Plains") or the ability to generate a much larger single continent that will cover a significant portion of the map.

I hope that this might soon be possible.

[Junuxx]

Hey Son of Moose!

It's already quite possible to make all-land maps!

I just haven't added any presets which do that. But it's very easy to tweak the settings yourself (continents & continent size) to create an all-land map.
See the map and the settings below.

[Son of moose]

Junuxx:

Thank you for your quick reply and the accompanying screenshots!!

Yes .... I have managed to get something that fairly closely resembles the map appearing in the screenshot. I will just continue with my experiments by initially using your setings!!

Thank you for your wonderful tool!!

[dolvlo]

One of the coolest programs i've ever laid my eyes on. Is there any way you can make this open source so the community can contribute?

[Junuxx]

Thanks a lot for the compliments! Version 0.31 is done with some minor enhancements.

@dolvlo:
Maybe sometime in the future, when the code is cleaned up and somewhat more finished. Can't promise anything though.

[padillah]

Where are the mapbuilder specs? If I want to ramp up so I can contribute to this project, where do I start looking?

Tom P.

[Junuxx]

Hey padillah. I'm not quite sure what you mean. What specs?

What would you like to contribute on? Have any ideas?
I'm going to do the resources soon and I hope Impaler is going to help me on the continent and hills/mountains part (sent you an e-mail back Impaler, thnx). It will be mostly complete after that, save for some interface improvements etc. Oh, and rivers and goodies. Then again, when it's finished I might organize the code in a more modular form so that people can easily write, say, their own jungle placement method.

I'm not rejecting your offer to contribute but I'm not sure what you could do for the project either! Feel free to suggest!

Junuxx

[Impaler[WrG]]

E-Mail recived thanks for the quick response, all looks in order and I should be able to start soon if my class finals done get in the way. Wish me luck

[padillah]

Originally posted by Junuxx
Hey padillah. I'm not quite sure what you mean. What specs?

What would you like to contribute on? Have any ideas?
I'm going to do the resources soon and I hope Impaler is going to help me on the continent and hills/mountains part (sent you an e-mail back Impaler, thnx). It will be mostly complete after that, save for some interface improvements etc. Oh, and rivers and goodies. Then again, when it's finished I might organize the code in a more modular form so that people can easily write, say, their own jungle placement method.

I'm not rejecting your offer to contribute but I'm not sure what you could do for the project either! Feel free to suggest!

Junuxx

Well, when you say it that way it...

Just trying to help.

Tom P.

[Junuxx]

Originally posted by padillah
Just trying to help.

Tom P.

I know, I know, I appreciate it, really. Please don't misunderstand.
It's just that no particular component pops to (my) mind that could easily be, how do you say, transferred to another contributor.

But if you think "well, this or that area should be improved and I have an idea how to do so" then your help is very welcome of course!

Still don't know what you meant by "Where are the mapbuilder specs? " btw

Junuxx

[padillah]

Originally posted by Junuxx
Still don't know what you meant by "Where are the mapbuilder specs? " btw

Junuxx

I'm trying to figure out where all these people gt all this information.

How do you know how to write a map file? Where did you get the info from? Locutus has a list of all the Python classes and their methods, where the heck did he get that? How do I find the savegame routine? How do I find the Strategy Layer?

One thing I'd like to do is add the Strategy Layer and GridState to the save game so you can actually use the things. But I've got nothing to go on and no idea where to start.

I've looked throught the python code and can't even find the bloody button for the strategy layer! I can find the "Ping" button and most other buttons that get put on the sdcreen but not the ones for GlobalView. They are obfuscated by this silly "widget" construct and I have no idea how to make heads or tails out of it.

Ugh!

Sorry, where was I?

Oh, yeah, no problem. If you get to a point let me know.

Tom P.

[Jack Frost]

I downloaded it - looks great. I wish there were resources, because the standard maps totally blow - and I'd really rather be able to see if its a map I like before playing it. Huge improvement on vanilla civ map gen -- sorta insane that someone had to mod up a really good map generator considering how critical good maps are to good game experience -- they should have paid you to do it right. So kudos to you.

My one concern - and I think this is really important for this app to become standard in everyones civ folder:

Need to be able to run custom game settings. I really hate tech trading, and to not be able to turn it off would ruin the game for me. Ditto with diplo victory, and some other changes.

If I'm just stupid and theres already a way to run custom maps using custom game settings, then nevermind.

[Junuxx]

@padillah:
I used this tutorial on the WBS files by Dale.
I don't know where to find all these routines you mention, that's one of the reasons why I wrote a stand-alone app instead of a mod or script using Civ's python stuff.

@Jack Frost:
Thanks a lot. and by the way: There are resources now! It's done, yay!
And controlling custom game settings was an awesome idea, I included it too.

[Zuul]

Nice :-). Testing it now and see some things that would be nice to have in:

Show forrest/jungle.

Be able to zoom in map image (and maybe use some small icons for each terrain type), set to wrap to window or not.

Missing some game settings like always peace, and start age.

Set how much resources there should be in total (and of each).

Set how good start locations there should be.

Lot of icecaps generates a strange square-like pattern.

Set how varing/smooth the terrain should be.

Set how much coast there should be (connected islands, some coastlines with no coast, reefes (coast without islands near), and so on).

Infinite loop on land percentage 0.0 and costal start locations.

[Junuxx]

Thank you.

Show forest/jungle is a good thing. Added to my to do list
Thanks especially for bringing the infinite loop under my attention. Will fix it.
Zooming will be difficult, don't know if I will do that. The rest of your suggestions is already on my to do list, and you can already set how much coast there should be (coastal waters in the World tab)

[Jack Frost]

well, i just spent an hour or two playing around with it. Very promising, but not quite ready for primetime:

I'm sure it does set the specified starting locations - but when actually loading the game - it does not use the specified number of civilizations (so, I set 18 starting locations on a standard sized map, and the game starts with anywhere from 6-10 civs).

Resources are a mixed bag - since I haven't actually played a full game using an Atlas map I can't comment on how playable the more more random placement of resources works (it may very well make for a more exciting game). But at least, coastal resources need to be more available. I think of the 7 or so games I loaded (all using coastal start) none had a water resource that could be used within the first 20 turns.

I love the islands. I think they work very well, and well designed islands are a very important missing element in the vanilla civ4 map generator.

The map generation seems to work best in larger maps, correct me if I'm wrong but basically the approach you're using is:

For each continent, place a vaguely round shaped body of land at a random point. Usually these round land masses will collide, and this will form an interestingly shaped continent.

I think this is a great approach, its very simple, yet generates interesting and varied bodies of land.

Correct me if I'm wrong - but I believe the way it generally works is that you take a single circle blob of land, and generate an angle, then place a few 'extender' blobs of land, each placing another extender blob at the same angle. If the angle is very sharp, then 3-4 blobs of land will make a circle, and form a single interesting continent, if the angle is more or less straight then each blob of land will connect to form a thinner straight land mass. Often you see semi circles of land blobs.

This works surprisingly well - probably my favorite setting is 20 continents size 2 with 8 mixed islands - as this allows for some great land shapes (this is using the standard map size, which behaves poorly using larger continents). But if I may make a couple suggestions:

You need to change the name of that control most people associate 'continents' with "large bodies of land seperated from other bodies of land by oceans or mountains". So selecting 4 continents should make 4 main land masses, ideally with at least 2 seperated by ocean.

Various landblobs of *various size* are then used to construct these main bodies of land (much like they do now), while keeping checks available to control distance from other continents. Maybe even split the map up into x hemispheres and generate a distinct land body in each space.

Another way to do it would be to produce various landblobs all attached to eachother - then seperate various contiguous groupings of them in random direction and distance (creating the jigsaw like structure the real planet has).

Anyway - my final note:
Your islands are amazing. I love em. But its really rare that you get japan/england style islands, which is too bad. Adding some logic to make a couple lonely style islands generate close to coastlines would be awesome.

PS - sorry for the very long commentary - and I hope this didn't come across as complaining. Hoping it comes out more like contributing

[Junuxx]

Oh I just love to receive long comments like that! Don't worry about that! I'm glad you generally like it, and your remarks are of the type that keep me sharp, they're really useful.

Concerning the starting locations number in Atlas and in-game: Atlas writes the correct number of starting positions to the WBS file, but unfortunately Civ places a number of civs (seemingly) dependent only on the map's size ( too be precise, the line "world size=" in the map section). I hope to find a way around this.

Resources indeed give a different experience than usual. I will add a resource check in evaluating starting positions. In my experience ( I played 2 Atlas map games to completion) initial growth is slow, but there's some real empire-building later in the game with plenty of most, and shortage of some resources.

You're not exactly right about the method of continent generation. A few single-tile land square are placed and then expanded using a cellular automata technique (See the links section on the Atlas Website for more info on this). Also, Impaler is working on a better method using tectonics and stuff.

Still, I agree that setting many small continents, which overlap and so, indeed generate the most interesting shapes. You can expect continent and island generationto keep improving with future versions

Thanks again!