Re: My take on the Unique Quests/Castle in Scorn thing

[Tom Barnes-Lawrence <ug97tbl@cs.bham.ac.uk>]

On Thu, 15 Jun 2000, Peter Mardahl wrote:

> > effort involved in making one thats good and interesting, too. What I
> > was referring to was the random questmap generator creating *random* maps
> > with specific features and styles as set out by the story for the quest,
> > that seem vaguely as though they were designed.
> 
> I'm rather confused.  I really don't see why this isn't an application
> of the already-existing random map code, or an enhancement/extension of it.
>
> I mean, my understanding of your ideas is that it'd be a very cool way
> to expand on the work I've already done with random maps.

  It should eventually end up a bit like an enhancement/extension to your
code, it will probably use at least some of your routines, and may well
end up using most of them; I'm not familiar enough with how your code
works to know how easily they'll fit together. Tricky to say what its
relation to the existing random map stuff would be.
  For my initial prototype, though, it doesn't really matter as it should
be just a standalone thing in python or something, to output map files
that really just have a set of puzzles and traps and things set out in
a way that would be finishable (like I promised ya ;) . *Nothing* of
interest that wouldn't be related to the puzzles. No styles or anything
at this point.
  If that survives trial-by-flame, we can look at integrating our stuff,
and finding ways to do some of the things for random quests that I don't
think your code will currently support, and code for the quest-giver/
quest-entry types.

  To reiterate: my plan involved code to (1) assign randomly created
quests with stories and characters, and (2) produce random puzzly
maps for (some of) the quests to take place on.
  There is scope for overlap- just like I think your random maps would be
good for some sets of my random quest assignments, my random puzzly maps
could be used as a 3rd layout style for normal random maps. But if my code
will be used for normal random maps, it'll run slightly differently to it
creating maps for random quests- quest characters would be one of the main
differences.


> Have you read through crossfire/doc/RandomMaps.doc and played through
> some of the random maps?

  I read thru the docs the other night; I've only played on the Random
House one, 'cos the most powerful character on my server is an L10 wizard,
and to put it mildly, I suck!! I prefer to keep him alive than send him
up against titans and stuff.
  On the other hand, I've accidentaly sent my DM into the one under the
tower of stars, so I guess thats an option, I just don't like using DM
mode much.

> I've found that the time needed to generate random maps is not very
> noticeable.
  Likewise, but you don't know how (in)efficient or involved my code is
yet ;)

> Have you got CVS access?
  Nope. I was kind of hoping you or Mark or someone could grant me access,
or suggest somewhere more appropriate for something that will basically be
a prototype that won't integrate directly with the game. Somewhere on one
of the ftp servers perhaps?

I'll be leaving the mailing list now, to rejoin at home on sunday (other
address). As I say, prototype some time next week. Catch ya later!

Tomble
PS- After saying earlier how many maps didn't have very creative puzzles,
I remembered you were the guy who made the Tower of Demonology, so I feel 
kind of silly now. Kudos!
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