Map Generator

[drusepth]

Expected behavior

• Users should be able to generate unique maps for their locations if they choose to do so.
• Users should be able to tweak various parameters to influence the map generation.
• Users should be able to manually edit maps after generation.
• Users should be able to "save" their map, either as an image or another reusable format.

Actual behavior

• Users currently only have the ability to upload existing maps.

Bonus behavior

• This doesn't actually have to live in Notebook.ai and can be its own app to be integrated later, as long as users can export their map for using on other sites. Bonus if it lives inside Notebook, though.

Approach

1. We can set up this fantasy map generator (algorithm explanation here) to generate maps with some tweakable parameters.
2. We need a UI for such map generation, parameter tweaking, and previewing/confirming maps, as well as some kind of viewing UI unless we tie it into existing image uploads.
3. This article can be used for naming locations, although we could use our existing location name generator and/or pull names from other locations in the universe (especially if generating a map for the universe, as opposed to some specific universe) or other locations linked to the location we're generating a map for.

Other resources/links:

• http://davidson16807.github.io/tectonics.js/
• http://topps.diku.dk/torbenm/maps.msp
• https://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/world/
• https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/world/
• http://pcg.wikidot.com/pcg-algorithm:map-generation
• https://cartographersguild.com/content.php

[ajkendal]

May i grab this issue?

[drusepth]

@ajkendal Go for it! Thanks :)

Do you have an idea of how to get started and/or how you're envisioning it working? I'm happy to be a soundboard for ideas and offer my own, or just help you get started so you can run on your own.

[ajkendal]

@drusepth

Do you have any examples of some of the maps users are uploading currently. Since these are based on fantasy. I would love to hear more on your ideas

[drusepth]

Unfortunately I can't share individual images due to privacy, but the vast majority of location uploads are hand-drawn or digitally-drawn maps of countries or cities (for scope). There's a few other styles like floorplans or sketches of individual buildings, but I think we can limit the scope of this to focus on small or large regions drawn in a traditional "map" style, e.g. this image.

Many details are up in the air for implementation (which we can talk through if you'd like), but I would imagine it'd be generally better to err on the side of "making a general map that users can add to or change" rather than trying to generate a completely-done map for them to just take and go (unless we focus a lot on configuration and letting them specialize the map to be just right).

I actually really like the style/flow of http://mewo2.com/notes/terrain/, although it could definitely be improved to be made more user-friendly and have more options in generation. If we could end up with something that works "well enough" and can be extended to add additional functionality (like more options, or styles, or anything else), that'd probably be the ideal case of getting something done that we can improve upon afterwards.

@ajkendal Does that help?