Darkmod Mission Randomizer

[n3ux]

Hello!

I've started work on a Darkmod mission generator.
I'm doing this for my final project in order to complete college. I'm not planing to create a usable result during but I will get closer. I intend to complete it after the assignment is over. I might turn this into a team effort at some point.

I've been able to create 1 level of a city till now and am continuing the with the work:
I've also created a tiling algorithm not showcased here which fills these houses with rooms.


http://www.imageupload.co.uk/images/2015/05/08/alley.jpg

Cheers!

Edited May 8, 2015 by n3ux

[Springheel]

Certainly interesting, though I can't fathom how this would work in practice.

[jaxa]

Take a look at this for ideas: http://www.swift-mazes.com/

[SeriousToni]

Awesome! Did you make some nice screenshots for the community already?

[n3ux]

@SeriousToni
Unfortunatelly no.
The module for translating my generated level info into a map file is not yet made.
But i guess I'll have to make it soon to have a better view over the randomization of upper levels of the city.

[demagogue]

I think the most important question for us is if it visportals properly, so performance will be ok, and then maybe secondly that it's lit properly so there's the right amount of light & shadow, and not overlapping lights that kill performance. If that happens, then I think it's possible to have template rules for placing everything else, guards, loot, random items and readables, etc & have it workable. (Guard paths might be another challenge though.) I've seen procedural generation in other games do respectably enough to have faith in this.

 

Or what it might mean is that the system gets like 85% right on, and a mapper may need to go in and add or tweak 15% to sanity check it & make it a proper FM.

But that's a hell of a lot of work to have done procedurally. If it's good enough to get working levels out of the box, all the better. You just push generate & play. And if one turns out to be a dud, you just try it again. You could make a cool rogue-like out of the concept. Good luck with it anyway!

[161803398874989]

 

 

(Guard paths might be another challenge though.)

If he's got some type of graph setup, on easy method would be to assign a number of rooms to a guard and then find a patrol path.

[Dragofer]

This should be used together with the modular building system in my opinion. People would focus on making and contributing high-quality planned modules and then the algorithm mashes them together. If the algorithm is sound enough as Demagogue says, players could click on "new game" and "generate mission" and set their preferences for what type of mission it should be, set a check next to undead/spiders, mansion / city slums / and or docks, heist / assassination / espionage or random etc. and then click play. That would take a story generator too.

 

I'd definitely play that.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Dragofer

[SteveL]

The module for translating my generated level info into a map file is not yet made.

Alternative workflows for map making are always interesting. What does your algorithm currently output, if not a .map file? And what are we looking at in your OP picture?

[n3ux]

@demagogue
Curentlly I'm not too conserned with the porting my generated info into game files, I'm sure its gonna be tricky but I think its doable.

@161803398874989
Yes, I do have a graph setup, It's pretty much necessary for creating puzzle trees.

@Dragofer
I agree. It should be modular and based on config and preferences files so It can be easily expanded and modified. I try to keep it clean and expandable but working by myself at the moment I can only do so much. If this becomes a team effort it will deffinately become modular.
Story generator is a thing I've been thinking about but haven't really experimented with it yet, I've got some ideas and I'm sure with some help it's doable.

@SteveL
What your looking at is a result of a tiling problem done few years ago. I've reused it in the new project and houses are now successfully filled with rooms.

[jaxa]

Medieval Castle Floor Plans

Pinterest Floor Plans

Medieval Castle Layout: The Different Rooms and Areas of a Typical Castle

 

Hall house

Category:Floor plans

 

Category:Old maps of cities

File:Bedford_engraved_by_J.Roper_after_G.Cole_published_1806.jpg

File:Exeter,_1563.jpg

1879_Plan_de_ChCh.jpg

Category:Old_maps_of_Milan

File:Florence1493.png

File:Braun_Venezia_UBHD.jpg

Edited May 16, 2015 by jaxa

[n3ux]

Update:

I've successfully filled the generated citys houses with rooms.
What your seeing is 4 random outputs each with 3 levels (Bottom - left, Top - right).

(also, jaxa ur awsome!)

Larger version:
http://www.imageupload.co.uk/images/2015/05/19/City.png

Edited May 19, 2015 by n3ux

[jaxa]

No problem. Ask Tels if you need Swift Mazes code. A lot of it should be applicable to translating your randomly generated maps into fully functional Dark Mod maps.

Edited May 19, 2015 by jaxa

[SeriousToni]

Yes, Tels is truely a friendly professional in this! And so are you! Nice to see this evolving!

[MirceaKitsune]

Most certainly an interesting concept, looking forward to seeing how it goes! But there hasn't been an update since last May... I really hope the idea is not dead.

[n3ux]

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since i've updated the status of this project.
Unfortunatelly, I've been unsuccessful in gathering a team of 2-4 to tackle this problem. Its too huge of a problem for a single programmer to handle.
I'm a hardcore TTLG thief fan but never got too far into darkmod. Certain things bothered me, english voice acting for one, but this is not the thread for that.
I'm still developing algorithms for a randomizer but have decided to use them for a 2D mobile game or standalone thief-inspired comupter game in the future.
I might change my mind in the future but I wouldnt bet on it since having a team is a necessity.
I'll make sure to let you know when any result comes from the randomizer.

Thanks for your support and nice words!
Cheers, neux!

[Destined]

Thanks to Springheel there will be a lot of building modules, that might make use of, in the next release. If you find an algorithm that sets the modules together in a sensible way it might enable you to create levels realtively easily. Since the modules are modeled, a sealing goemetry has to be added afterwards, but this should also be no too big problem.

[SeriousToni]

Aww - don't give up on us that fast!

[Anderson]

Tels never made progress at swift mazes neither since 2014.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Anderson

[SeriousToni]

Hm yes, you're right. Seems not to be an easy task...

[Anderson]

Hm yes, you're right. Seems not to be an easy task...

Yes, life comes up after programmers faster because they have to make ends meet and it's not easy for anybody.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Anderson

[n3ux]

Hey guys!

Thoughts of returning to my randomizer have been haunting me lately.
Have there been any updated regarding programmatically constructing a mission?

Thanks, Neux