[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#7584) generalizing terrain in mapgen

["rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <rwetmore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=7584 >

In all cases but one (plains) slope and altitude are the same, and it
could be argued this is a mistake.

I would argue for slope ("roughness"?) as the only independent one
here. In general altitude is a combination of decreased wetness and
temperature. This then maps onto AlphaCentauri terrain reasonably well
and will induce map generators to come up with techniques to place
mountains and other rough terrain at points other than as domes in
the centre of continents.

Cheers,
RossW
=====

Jason Short wrote:
> <URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=7584 >
> 
> Most of the places that still hard-code terrain types - particularly 
> mapgen - can't be generalized easily.
> 
> My idea therefore is to add four desciptive integers for terrain:
> 
>    wetness
>    slope
>    altitude
>    temperature
> 
> These can be described in the ruleset either via a value 1-3 or a string 
> "low", "normal", "high".
> 
> Mapgen can make use of this data, picking an appropriate terrain for 
> each location.
> 
> Maphand can make use of this data.  In global warming we increase 
> temperature, decrease wetness, and pick a new terrain.
> 
> I think the terrains would be:
> 
> terrain       wet     slope   alt     temp
> grassland     normal  low     low     normal
> plains        normal  low     normal  normal
> desert        low     normal  normal  high
> forest        high    normal  normal  normal
> jungle        high    normal  normal  high
> hills         normal  normal  normal  normal
> mountains     normal  high    high    normal
> swamp         high    low     low     normal
> arctic        low     normal  normal  low
> tundra        normal  normal  normal  low
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> jason