Map Generator Model

[Rüdiger]

Ok buddies, I need your help!

I made a Java applet, but I can't get it to run in my Browser (IE5.5). It always says: "class XYZ not found". XYZ is something like package.classname, for example "mapgen.MapGenApplet". All my source files are in the mapgen package, MapGenApplet is my Applet class. Whatever I tried, it always claimed "class not found". I even tried not to pack my files into packages, but it doesn't help. The worst is, I have found some examples which work just perfect and if I try to copy them 1:1 for my own code, nothing works! The applet tag I use is the following:

[APPLET
CODEBASE = "."
CODE = "mapgen.MapGenApplet.class"
NAME = "MapGenApplet"
WIDTH = 400
HEIGHT = 300
HSPACE = 0
VSPACE = 0
ALIGN = top
]
[/APPLET]

I exchanged the "<" and ">" braces with "[" and "]" braces, to not confuse the forum. I have used "<" and ">" in my HTML files, of course.

The code is in a "mapgen" subdirectory of the directory the HTML file is located in. In the mapgen dir is the "MapGenApplet.class" file. The funny thing is, JBuilder, the IDE I use, can automatically generate a HTML file to test an applet, and in the IDE it works! But as soon as I try to launch the exact same HTML file in IE nothing works, just "class not found".

So if you know what I am doing wrong please tell me! I tried the whole day, and nothing worked. Don't forget, every applet I found, which wasn't made by me, did work in IE!

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

I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.

A. Whitney Brown

[Rüdiger]

Argh!

Sorry for the last post, I know what I did do wrong. I used Swing in my code and it seems IE doesn't know Java 1.2! What a mess. If I am just using Java 1.1 everything works flawlessly. Unfortunately I won't have time for coding during the weekend, so no applet till somewhen next week.
Sorry.

[Simon Loverix]

For everyone who wants good climate maps:
http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/S...e/EIsp0002.htm

There are even potential biomass maps. Maybe this can be included in the ecology model?

I made a 20kb physical map generator in Qbasic (shame on me). If anyone wants to see it, let me know and I'll mail it through. It doesn't work by moving plates about, but it looks fine (for 20k).

Remember that the land mass of this planet started as a supercontinent, was torn apart, formed a supercontinent again, was torned apart, formed a supercontinent (Pangaea) and forms the current continents after being torn apart for the third time. This shouldn't be generated, of course, but the initial supercontinent has to have quite some texture right from the start.

[Gary Thomas]

I would be most interested in seeing your QBasic (shame on you) code. Please email it to me at gthomas@takaro.co.nz

In passing, I have my own domain name. "Takaro" is the Maori word for "Game". Go figure where my priorities are...

Cheers.

[Rüdiger]

Sorry for not posting such a long time but I had a RealLife attack still lasting. I think it is best for me to leave the Clash project, because I don't have the time to be of any help. The little bit of code I produced so far will remain on my homepage for you to download. I wish you all good luck for the project.

So long,
Rüdiger Keller

[Mark_Everson]

Sorry to lose you Rüdiger

I certainly hope that RL starts heading in the right direction for you soon!

Best Regards,

Mark

[Simon Loverix]

What will the standard map size be?

[Mark_Everson]

If we keep to earth scale it will be 280x120. We may go smaller for the default just to limit game size/complexity. For further info you can check out this thread . (not everything in it was agreed to)

[Gary Thomas]

It is set up (sort of) to be a game parameter - like a lot of startegy games, you can set different size of games. I guess this will have the greatest effect on scenarios.

And I haven't given up my distant hope for a spherical map, heh, heh...

Cheers

[Lord God Jinnai]

Well your not the only one who wants a spherical map.

[Gary Thomas]

Glad to hear that I am not alone.

Unfortunately it is not possible to realistically cover a sphere with squares.

I suspect that, to achieve a spherical map, we will have to give up squares completely and go to a continuous map (sort of like the real world!).

At least that would enormously simplify the movement system.

Cheers

[LDiCesare]

We could use hexagons, they can map both planes and spheres (sphere: 1hex 6hexes 1hex/1 6 12 12 1/etc as you grow), and I like the old hex-based wargames. Plus you don't have to worry about perspective.

[Mark_Everson]

Ummm, we have significant resources invested in squares. A fair amount of art, etc. Please lets not endlessly revisit decisions that have been coded before we're even at the Lowest level of implementation in a lot of areas!

So what I'm saying, I guess, is that I'm not going to comment any more on this for now, but please don't take lack of comments for agreement.

There was a time when I would follow every design argument thru to the end. The problem was that when I did that, the design moved forward, but I didn't get any coding done. I still believe in working through things like this, and discussion among the whole group. But personally I've found the need to draw a line. I think the best thing to do for now is focus as much as possible on implementation of the design we already have, and only when something is found to clearly not work, then back up and redo the design.

[Simon Loverix]

How many rows of tiles does that mean, from pole to equator? Axi wrote under 'A)2)resolution' '.. with the exception of polar area's..' Why? (I need it to try some things concerning climate for the PBM generation.)

[Mark_Everson]

Axi excluded the polar areas because:
1. They are basically ignorable for history up until now
2. If included in a cylindrical map they add a huge amount of area to the map that doesn't really do anything useful (see 1 )

If we chose to include the poles it would change his 280x120 to approximately 280x(192/1.41) (192 = pi*r, r ~ 6400km) => 280x 136 So the equator to poles would be 68 squares.

With the spec diamonds (iso squares) you get more squares equator-to-pole because of the packing (the rows are staggered). I want to caution you that Axi is counting only every other row. So he is only counting a single vertical row of diamonds to get his Y dimension. Since the rows are staggered there will be twice as many (That's why he says number of squares is 2XY).

Hope this is reasonably clear, and what you were looking for.