Map generator and startpos

Web version of freeciv. Please mention the site you're using, if speaking things other than general freeciv-web codebase.
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Fepu
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:34 am

Map generator and startpos

Post by Fepu »

Hi y'all,

New player here, from civ rev.

Trying to understand some configs, the fandom page is a bit confusing:
generator - Method used to generate map
0 = Scenario map - no generator; 1 = Fully random height generator; [4] 2 = Pseudo-fractal height generator; [3] 3 = Island-based generator (fairer but boring) [1] Numbers in [] give the default values for placement of starting positions. If the default value of startpos is used then a startpos setting will be chosen based on the generator. See the "startpos" setting.
I want the map generator with [4] = Place players depending on size of continents, it's not clear if I should select fully random heigh or the one after [4], pseudo fractal.

Thanks!
cazfi
Elite
Posts: 3069
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:54 pm

Re: Map generator and startpos

Post by cazfi »

Seems like rather outdated information in general, as it uses all those magic numbers of which we've got rid of long time ago. Here's what freeciv-2.6 itself says about generator setting:

Code: Select all

> explain generator 
Option: generator  -  Method used to generate map
Description:
  Specifies the algorithm used to generate the map. If the default value
  of the 'startpos' option is used, then the chosen generator chooses an
  appropriate 'startpos' setting; otherwise, the generated map tries to
  accommodate the chosen 'startpos' setting.
  - "Scenario map" (SCENARIO): indicates a pre-generated map. By
  default, if the scenario does not specify start positions, they will
  be allocated depending on the size of continents.
  - "Fully random height" (RANDOM): generates maps with a number of
  equally spaced, relatively small islands. By default, start positions
  are allocated depending on continent size.
  - "Pseudo-fractal height" (FRACTAL): generates Earthlike worlds with
  one or more large continents and a scattering of smaller islands. By
  default, players are all placed on a single continent.
  - "Island-based" (ISLAND): generates 'fair' maps with a number of
  similarly-sized and -shaped islands, each with approximately the same
  ratios of terrain types. By default, each player gets their own
  island.
  - "Fair islands" (FAIR): generates the exact copy of the same island
  for every player or every team.
  If the requested generator is incompatible with other server settings,
  the server may fall back to another generator.
Status: changeable
Possible values:
- SCENARIO: "Scenario map"
- RANDOM: "Fully random height"
- FRACTAL: "Pseudo-fractal height"
- ISLAND: "Island-based"
- FAIR: "Fair islands"
Value: "Fully random height" (RANDOM), Default: "Fully random height" (RANDOM)
In any case, the generator choice is not forcing specific startpos choice, but only has a default in case you don't select one yourself. As you want specific startpos setting, set it yourself.

Code: Select all

> explain startpos 
Option: startpos  -  Method used to choose start positions
Description:
  The method used to choose where each player's initial units start on
  the map. (For scenarios which include pre-set start positions, this
  setting is ignored.)
  - "Generator's choice" (DEFAULT): the start position placement will
  depend on the map generator chosen. See the 'generator' setting.
  - "One player per continent" (SINGLE): one player is placed on each of
  a set of continents of approximately equivalent value (if possible).
  - "Two or three players per continent" (2or3): similar to SINGLE
  except that two players will be placed on each continent, with three
  on the 'best' continent if there is an odd number of players.
  - "All players on a single continent" (ALL): all players will start on
  the 'best' available continent.
  - "Depending on size of continents" (VARIABLE): players will be placed
  on the 'best' available continents such that, as far as possible, the
  number of players on each continent is proportional to its value.
  If the server cannot satisfy the requested setting due to there being
  too many players for continents, it may fall back to one of the
  others. (However, map generators try to create the right number of
  continents for the choice of this 'startpos' setting and the number of
  players, so this is unlikely to occur.)
Status: changeable
Possible values:
- DEFAULT: "Generator's choice"
- SINGLE: "One player per continent"
- 2or3: "Two or three players per continent"
- ALL: "All players on a single continent"
- VARIABLE: "Depending on size of continents"
Value: "Generator's choice" (DEFAULT), Default: "Generator's choice" (DEFAULT)
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