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Thread: Random World Generator

  1. #1

    Post Random World Generator

    Hello, so I bought campaign cartographer and fractal terrains pro. I have been trying to make a world using fractal terrains with plans to import it into cartographer to add names of places towns cities etc. The problem I am having is that fractal terrains generates maps that fall into one of two categories, either it makes one giant Pangaea continent or tons of little islands. I was more hoping for something with between 4 and 6 main continents with a region like the pacific with numerous island. I have searched online for other world generators with limited success.

    What I would really like to find is a program that can
    -create a world with the number of continents i specify
    -populate resources around the planet (gold, silver, zinc, limestone... etc.)
    -generate multiple map types (rainfall, temp, altitude satellite view, etc.)
    -generate 3D map (would be great but not a must)
    -allow me to add towns cites roads etc. (if it added them to 3D map that would be amazing)

    If you know of any programs that would be able to do this please let me know

    I have tried using Gimp, and Hero Extant

  2. #2
    Guild Expert eViLe_eAgLe's Avatar
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    .. I have yet to know a program that can do that. You can plop a grayscale height map from Fractal Terrains into Viewing Dales Dragons Flight and get 3D that way. Fractal Terrains does most of that, except the cities and minerals. The only answer I can give you for Fractal Terrains tons of little Islands or Pangea is.. Play with the world generating preferences(?) Or something like that.

  3. #3

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    If you find one, let us know.

    I've often wanted something like this, too. I occasionally think I need to write it myself, but it's really beyound my coding skills.

  4. #4
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Having Used Fractal Terrains (should really up date ASAP) I have always been able to mess with things to make a multi continent like map.

    Let me reload and check it out.
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

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  5. #5
    Guild Expert Greason Wolfe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by liborator View Post
    Hello, so I bought campaign cartographer and fractal terrains pro. I have been trying to make a world using fractal terrains with plans to import it into cartographer to add names of places towns cities etc. The problem I am having is that fractal terrains generates maps that fall into one of two categories, either it makes one giant Pangaea continent or tons of little islands. I was more hoping for something with between 4 and 6 main continents with a region like the pacific with numerous island. I have searched online for other world generators with limited success.

    What I would really like to find is a program that can
    -create a world with the number of continents i specify
    This can actually be accomplished in FTPro. It's just a matter of playing with the generation settings until things are close to what you want and then a bit of time manually editing the world in question.
    -populate resources around the planet (gold, silver, zinc, limestone... etc.)
    Not much to offer on this other than to take a look at where such resources are commonly located in the real world and try to extrapolate from there.
    -generate multiple map types (rainfall, temp, altitude satellite view, etc.)
    FTPro can do most of this. Altitude, Rainfall, and Temperature are built in with quick toggling buttons. You can simulate a satellite view by using the "Show Other Shader" feature in conjunction with Bill Roach's Terraformer Package (also available from Profantasy).
    -generate 3D map (would be great but not a must)
    Not sure on this one, it all depends on how inclusive you want a 3d map to be. I use Terragen to generate portions of the world map in 3d, but if you're looking to be able to render the entire world in 3d in a single shot, I'm not aware of any software apps that can do this other that Viewing Dale if I am correctly understanding it's capabilities.
    -allow me to add towns cites roads etc. (if it added them to 3D map that would be amazing)
    This can, in theory, be accomplished in FTPro via the Image Overlay feature. It's a bit of work, but can be done, though you'd probably be better off adding most of this in through GIMP or whatever other graphics software you have available.

    GW
    GW

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    Current Non-challenge WIP : Beyond Sosnasib
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  6. #6

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    Continental maps can be done in FTPro. I have a gallery of worlds I generated that should be linked in my sig. To get them you need to pick a function you like, put the settings approximately where you want it, then just start cycling through the worlds until something pops up that looks semi-reasonable. Then you start tweaking the world generation settings to see if you can improve it. Then once you have it as close to what you want as you can, then you start doing the hand-editing (or script-editing, if you're into that like I am).
    My Finished Maps | My Planet Maps | My Challenge Entries | Album: Pre-generated Worlds

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    Assuming I stick with fantasy cartography, I'd like to become a World Builder, laying out not only a realistic topography, but also the geopolitical boundaries and at least rough descriptions of the countries and societies.

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