Helping out with External Code

[BadgerBadger]

I'm more concerned about a clean UI design to make the meanings clear. For example, if one-way wormholes become a thing, I feel like the connections in the Galaxy Map need to be descriptive (maybe a color gradient? Maybe with arrows?), and the Wormhole image itself should be tweaked.

[keith.lamothe]

if one-way wormholes become a thing (...) the Wormhole image itself should be tweaked.

"Why does that icon look like a giant catapult?"

*THWONG!*

"Aieeeee!"

(Usability study, iteration 23, result: communicates necessary information almost quickly enough)

[Draco18s]

If it floats like a duck, it must be a witch.

[keith.lamothe]

If it floats like a duck, it must be a witch.

An icon of a crone with a pointy hat on a broom would be pretty funny. But an icon of a duck would be even better.

"Only traversible by ships equipped with a Mallard Drive"

[BadgerBadger]

Okay, I've updated my Map Generators to handle the changes in .123. While I'm happy to just enjoy those maps myself, I'd like to share them with everyone else! I'm not sure how to do that best though. If you guys would like the code in the base game then I'm happy to send you the code and do a few rounds of cleanup to bring it up to your standards.

[Dominus Arbitrationis]

Okay, I've updated my Map Generators to handle the changes in .123. While I'm happy to just enjoy those maps myself, I'd like to share them with everyone else! I'm not sure how to do that best though. If you guys would like the code in the base game then I'm happy to send you the code and do a few rounds of cleanup to bring it up to your standards.

I'd post the mod code for everyone, just in case Chris or Keith can't add it in for a bit that way others can still enjoy it. Plus, they can then integrate it and let you know what all cleanup is required.

[BadgerBadger]

Cool, I'll try to upload a version of the code tonight.

[BadgerBadger]

Alright, here you go! These are two files, an XML file which should be placed in GameData/Configuration/MapType, and a .cs file that should be placed in AIWarExternalCode/src. Recompile according to the instructions in https://wiki.arcengames.com/index.php?title=AI_War_2:Earlier_Than_Earlier_Alpha_Modding_Instructions. Note that you will have to tweak the .csproj to include MapGenerationBadger.cs.

The code is vaguely tidy and should be readable. This code implements 4 major map types; "Solar System Lite" (Circles from my original post), "Dreamcatcher" (a gabriel graph), "Simple" (Relative Neighbor Subgraph, in homage to AIWC) and "Constellation" (spanning tree).

There is also another included map type, "ExampleForAspiringModders" which I wrote for anyone else who wants to try their hand at this.  If you are interested in messing with the Map Generator code, please look at this example first. I promise it will make your life easier!

I'm happy to take suggestions or critique from anyone who wants to wade through it all. 

[Draco18s]

That looks delightfully easy. Thanks Badger.

[BadgerBadger]

Here's another interesting one (it's a mashup of the layout of solar system lite with a Gabriel graph, but I think it looks cool). Note you can't do this with the code I uploaded previously, but you will in a few days.

[Draco18s]

Looks neat. A few overlapping connections, but they remain readable.

[BadgerBadger]

Nice spotting, the overlaps were due to a bug. Here's a version w/o overlaps (and more planets, so it looks better).

[Draco18s]

Very nice.

[Draco18s]

Are there limits on the extents of the map?  I.e. what are the largest values you can plug in for a system's X/Y coordinates?

[BadgerBadger]

You know, I haven't checked, given that maps that are too spread out don't feel appealing to me ("Man, how long do I have to scroll to find Murdoch?"). Go plug some values into the ExampleForAspiringModders ;-)