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Author Topic: DF style map drawing  (Read 1278 times)

Grand Sage

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DF style map drawing
« on: June 21, 2019, 04:51:54 pm »

Hey everyone,

I need a way or program to draw DF style world maps. I don't need an actual playable Map file (or folder?) a PNG or that sort would do. Do any of you know how i would go about that?

I could technically write a program for it on my own, but I wanted to hear if there were any easier ways to go about it.
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Telgin

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2019, 05:12:45 pm »

What did you want to do with it?  More details may give better answers.

My initial suggestion was to find something online that can convert any image into ASCII art and then feed in a simple map you made, but that may not give you the exact results you're looking for.
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Grand Sage

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2019, 05:38:23 pm »

I thought for forum things, like Worldmaps for DF stories of forum games.

So I think it would be rather important that It doesn't just look ASCII like, but also uses the colors and such from DF.

Also, for games and such, It would be great if it could be re-edited as things went along.

Thirdly, Im looking more for a Tile-by-tile editing solution, so that i have the most control over exactly how it looks.

Hope that clears it up a bit more.
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wierd

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2019, 01:14:12 am »

Well, you COULD use something like perfect world to import a pre-made heightmap, then run worldgen on it to get trees, rivers and such to run.

Then you could export it.


However, it sounds to me more like what you want is an advanced python script that is able to keep track of biomes and the like, with an editor function.  I don't think something like that already exists.

« Last Edit: June 22, 2019, 01:16:10 am by wierd »
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PatrikLundell

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2019, 03:54:51 am »

Tweakmap http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=161188.msg7228166#msg7228166 is intended to create/edit PSV data for worlds, although this obviously doesn't produce any rivers or lakes (that's done by world gen) or determine which Salinity dependent swamp/marsh biome you get (also done by world gen), nor Evilness (also produced by world gen), but might give you a starting point for the generation of desired worlds.

The Biome Manipulator http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=164658.msg7495705#msg7495705 allows you to modify a generated world, such as changing biomes, Evilness, and rivers.

Neither of those tools use the "graphics" used by DF, as that wasn't specific enough when it comes to biomes for my purposes. However, if you've produced a world you ought to be able to use the pre embark save itself to produce images using screen captures. Note, however, that you'd still have issues with sites being placed by DF, not where you might want them to be.

I can see that stories could make use of "fake" maps, but if it's for actual games, those games themselves ought to provide you with the maps, and Legends Mode exports can provide maps as well, although I guess you'd want to convert those exported maps back to characters.
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Grand Sage

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2019, 08:03:45 am »

Oh, Sry guys, I see where the confusion started now! When i wrote "forum games" I ment like RP and interactive story stuff, not succession games! As I said, Im totally fine with it just putting out a PNG File, where I can edit the specifik tiles. (no advanced python bion treacking required ;) )
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Pvt. Pirate

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2019, 04:24:13 am »

there are tabletop game editors that give you the tools to add your own tiles.
you could just use such and add every tile in manually.
i don't envy you for the work that's before you.
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Robsoie

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Re: DF style map drawing
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2019, 12:12:00 pm »

You could try an ascii painting program to draw DF styled maps.
Kyzrati, the author of X@Com and Cogmind created such a program , REXPaint :
https://www.gridsagegames.com/rexpaint/

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