Randomized Isar's Cross Map Pack

[Choicerer]

This is a remake of the Mushroom Isar Map Pack. It contains 3 maps - Mini, Micro and Regular-sized Isar's Cross that can be randomised with a variety of terrain sets and options. The terrain gets re-randomised every 2-5 turns.

The 1st player gets to choose the options on the 1st turn.
The options are as follows:

Algorithm - Balanced/Wild (Unbalanced) - The balanced algorithm ensures there is always the same ratio of different terrain types, although with small variations. The unbalanced algorithm is still guided by chances (expressed in percentages) of different terrain types appearing, but tends to vary a lot more, because no maximum amount of each terrain type is enforced (this had been the only available algorithm before v 4.0).

The terrain set - Green Valleys/Tropical/Desert/Winter Landscape/Steppes/Caves - They are all designed to be as close to each other balance-wise as possible. But there are some subtle differences - Desert does not contain any swamp, but contains a bit more desert. Winter contains snow (which is special in its own right). Caves contain significantly more impassables and no mountains (to offset the cave terrain that advantages the dwarves - which does not appear in bulk)

Mirror - Yes/No - The map can be mirrored or it can be different on each side.

Change tiles under units - No/Yes - This is a new feature in 4.0. Previously all tiles were randomised, even if they had units on top of them. This resulted in sometimes troops ending in water, sometimes on better terrain. This was offset by the transforms occurring on different side's (player's) turns. This still is the case, however now tiles can also be prevented from being changed if they are occupied by troops. If this is switched on, terrain chances will be recalculated before every iteration of the algorithm depending on how many tiles of each terrain type remain unchanged. This is to prevent players from occupying terrain types that advantage their factions and causing the map to be smothered with them.

I've left some of the old screenshots so you can compare the new algorithm with the old.

Original Mini and Micro Isar's Cross maps were made by Enclave.
Can be downloaded from the Add-ons server.

Feedback is welcome.

[Choicerer]

A couple more screens:

[Choicerer]

Major update -
-The algorithm has been rewritten to increase the amount of special terrains and decrease the amount of flatlands, and provide maximum balance.
-Regular sized Isar's Cross has been set up with unchanging rivers and swamps from the original map so it resembles it more. (Water villages have been restored where previously they were flatland villages).
-Added labels and messages indicating when the next terrain change will happen.
-Removed the insane setting. (it was too insane)
-Changed the location of villages and central unchanging forts and swamps so the maps look more like the original Mini and Micro Isars.

[Choicerer]

Update 2.0c - The amount of desert generated has been reduced. There's a 1% greater chance of generating mountains and some other terrains as well. The label "Time until the next terrain change - 1 turns" has been corrected to "1 turn". Code has been updated to prevent impassables from spawning under units (as this has been a major annoyance, especially when it affected leaders - most, if not all units are defined to have 0% defence on impassables.)

I MIGHT update the screens later to account for the decrease in the amount of desert generated.

[Choicerer]

Update 2.1 -
Cave algorithm has been adjusted to drastically remove the amount of cave terrain generated, as it was advantaging the dwarves and disadvantaging the elves too much, and include some sand to still offer an advantage to the Drakes. Added a nice caption indicating who is picking the terrain set at startup.
Removed the tentacles' movement points on Mini and Micro Isars.

[Choicerer]

Major update -

Added the choice to mirror the sides of the maps. Fixed a bug that generated flowers instead of forest on the tropical setting. Changed the positions of villages on the mini and micro isars. Improved the distribution of embellishments.

[Choicerer]

Update 3.2-
The terrain change now doesn't always happen on player 1's turn, but cycles between all of them.

[Choicerer]

Update 3.3 -
Mountains can no longer spawn next to villages.
Added a notification to show if the random setting was selected.
Labels turn red a turn before a terrain change.
Removed the great tree forests from both Cave and Steppe sets.

[Poison]

Update 3.3 -
Mountains can no longer spawn next to villages.

Why is that, if I may ask? What's wrong with big defense vs big defense fights??

[Choicerer]

Update 3.3 -
Mountains can no longer spawn next to villages.

Why is that, if I may ask? What's wrong with big defense vs big defense fights??

Quoting from the "Guide for designing MP maps" thread:

5. Terrain. Avoid large clumps of similar terrain anywhere where the main fighting is likely to happen, as they will advantage the faction that likes that terrain. Mountains especially unbalance a map quickly because Dwarves have high resistances and HP already, and giving them lots of 70% terrain puts them into orbit. Putting mountains next to villages is generally avoided because of the pressure Dwarves can put on the village. Trees are obviously favourable to Elves, but as Elves don't have the hp and resistances of Dwarves, this is less of an issue. Consider not only the defensive values of the terrain, but also its effect on the movement of the various factions. (See below.)

[Poison]

Oh, I see; thanks for replying.

[Choicerer]

Version 3.4 - Code has been optimised for clarity, conciseness and (possibly?!) performance. Mod size has dropped by some 60 KB (Wooo! - some good news for those who are still using dial-up or have a data limit in their broadband plan).
Fixed some villages on the large isar being the wrong type. Winter setting has been adjusted a bit (1/1 chance of snow hills/normal hills and 1/1 chance of snow forested hills/normal forested hills changed to just normal hills and snow forested hills), but I might revert it later.

[enclave]

keep up your great work
just to remind you that somebody cares in this case - me!
Maybe I don't host your mod, but I really like when somebody does, it is nice to watch and I feel happy that it exists!
Thanks for all your work!

[Choicerer]

Thank you, Bowling Factory ! By the way, I've checked your shuffle villages mod out, top-notch! Nice you managed to get it to work with mine

[enclave]

Thank you, Bowling Factory ! By the way, I've checked your shuffle villages mod out, top-notch! Nice you managed to get it to work with mine

did I? I haven't tried if it works with yours, I assume it doesn't! according to what you told me before I didn't have time to do anything else, so not tested it for compatibility with yours, need to try it actually..