Map Generator 2 Transitions

[Arkad]

I'm getting bad looking transitions when using Map Generator 2 by punt.

Wondering what I am doing wrong?

I've included screenshots.

I surround the land with 5 pixel wide shallow water set to altitude -6. Land has 1 pixel wide embankments on the edge.

[Sythen]

looks to me like you're trying to use the swatches from UO Landscaper and compile your map in Rayndor's Map Generator; I've never done this, but it looks as if they may not be compatible 100%. No worries though, the issues you seem to be having are easily fixed. Do a search on these forums for CentrEd and/or look up all posts by FloppyDisc, find that program and download it. This program will allow you to enter your map mul files and edit the terrain manually. It works wonders for small edits like the issues you're having. Good luck to you.

An alternative program = WorldForge (but CentrEd has more features and is better suited for Windows Vista and XP - imho).

[Arkad]

Thanks for the reply. I doubled check swatches and these are the ones generated by Map Generator 2. I have those programs you mentioned and can fix this manually, but if I can somehow get these transitions to flow automatically it would save me roughly 50 hours of work or so. I'm still fumbling with it.

edit: I think I am using an older build of MG2, will see if this is the problem..

edit edit: It's not

[Galdar]

Your problem is water -6.... it needs to be -5. It does make a difference.
Costlines need to be in intervals of 5 (IE High cliffs can be 10, 20, 30 etc)

I've also found that the 1 tiled edge really makes little difference. It can be dirt, sand, void or nothining at all.

[skisko]

It is not the swatch, it would not even compile with the wrong swatch or if forced to the pallet the tiles would be totally screwed up.

I'm a bit confused, when you create your altitude map from the terrain map it should set the water to -5 and the coastal terrain to 0. There is no reason to change the default values really. It looks like your using an airbrush tool or something to make some random heights, if that is the case you have to be careful to revert back to Index color instead of RGB color. Also use some cropping tools to not hit any area near the coastlines since varied altitude on the coast line will naturally jack it up. I suspect your issues are somewhere therein, since the altitude looks mishandled somewhere.

Anyhow, as far as embankments, they are generally touchy and I would personally avoid them on coastlines. Grass -> shallow ocean looks fine and so does beach and you can raise/lower them in CentrED to get nice smooth transitions beyond what MG2 can do.

Play with the embankments on open area to get a feel for it since it is probably the only tile that breaks the 'avoid 1 tile transition' rule. Also I think you need a full bar of embankment, don't break it up at the corners. Personally I like the look of grass -> embankment - > beach (which gradually lowers) - > water. Allow a few tiles for the beach and grass. If you are dead set on using embankments for coastal area I would probably just add it in after map generation with UO CentrED

Lastly, find some .bmp examples of peoples maps and shamelessly steal their methods. Best way to learn how to properly get a certain look. Punt use to have a forum but I dunno if it still up, maybe some on these forums.

[Galdar]

Embankments are broke ... you have to do them manualy. BUT he didnt ask about them anyway. they only showed up in his screenshot as part of a compiler screw up. Embankment tiles as a coast line is the normal way the compiler should work tho, not grass as is shown in the screenshot.

[Arkad]

Thanks for the responses.

The problem was I thought embankments were supposed to be along the coast and I was lining my coasts with embankment tiles. But when I just filled filled the island with plain grass tiles it works.

Now I'm going to test and see what all land to water transitions work with MG2.

I have one question about shallow water and deep water if anyone can answer it. What is the difference? And if you need shallow water for your land to work correctly, why not just fill the entire map with shallow water to make it easier?

[skisko]

Originally Posted by Arkad

Now I'm going to test and see what all land to water transitions work with MG2.

There is a list in the \mapgenerator\data\transition\Coastal directory. You can also make them yourself if you want something like cavewalls to sea or something (underground lake) or even custom if you feel like making your own tiles.

I have one question about shallow water and deep water if anyone can answer it. What is the difference? And if you need shallow water for your land to work correctly, why not just fill the entire map with shallow water to make it easier?

As far as I know shallow water transitions correctly, deep does not. It would also screw up fishing gains, sos bottles, nets and some other odds and ins. Really shallow water is easy to do with some of the border selection - > expand tools, then just filling the color.

[Arkad]

Originally Posted by skisko

There is a list in the \mapgenerator\data\transition\Coastal directory. You can also make them yourself if you want something like cavewalls to sea or something (underground lake) or even custom if you feel like making your own tiles.

You're right, the transition folder (doh!). Looks like it shows all the transitions possible, perfect.

Originally Posted by skisko

As far as I know shallow water transitions correctly, deep does not. It would also screw up fishing gains, sos bottles, nets and some other odds and ins. Really shallow water is easy to do with some of the border selection - > expand tools, then just filling the color.

Thanks for the info!