And now, for something a bit less sexy. Unless you are into algorithms and stuff.
The terrain in the screens I have shown so far have all been procedurally generated, but it was really much less exciting then it looked. It only made one "area", and only in one style. Essentially woodland/rocky snow area. The proportions of each thing were fairly static. It works, but for the game to work, I need to a) have many different terrain types b) seamlessly blend them on a global map that you can traverse. That means I need to generate the "northern island" that you will be escaping from. It is coming along nicely:
The red grid spaces denote each "area" of the map. Rather than struggle with streaming in the new terrain as you wander around, the map is just loaded one area at a time. Each area is 2560x2048. The terrain tiles are 64x64, so that means that each area is 40x32 tiles large. (Each pixel in the above map represents one tile) The game resolution is 1024x768, so essentially each area is 2.5 screens wide and 2.5 screens tall. The current map is generated in a 16x20 area grid. I *think* this is going to be plenty big enough for exploration, but I can always scale up if needed. Do you you guys think this sounds large enough for an exploration game? Remember though, you really won't be wandering the whole map. You will probably be making a bee-line to the rescue station, so much of the map will remain unexplored in a given play through. But it *will* give you plenty of options to plan your route, and decide which terrain types you think you can handle on the way through....
So my next order of business is to generate the terrain areas on the map. Terrain will come in these 5 flavors:
Snowy Forest: You will always begin the game at your home along a northern coast. Because of the currents, it will be a milder area that will let you stock up and prepare for your journey across the island. This area will include plenty of trees, plant life and relatively easy terrain. Game includes birds, rabbits, foxes, bears, and elk. Some roads will already exist, and you are very likely to see other people. It is still cold and snowy though, but you are unlikely to starve or freeze in this area.
Deep Snow Plains: This terrain type still contains some trees, but there is deep snow around. It is colder, and travel is much slower as you struggle to drive through the snowdrifts. If the wind picks up, you can expect blown snow to obscure your vision and make traveling difficult. Food will not be plentiful, but the large Musk Oxen roam the plains, and shooting even one can provide a week of nourishment. There is little in the way of shelter for if/when a blizzard occurs.
Sea Ice: The weather here is the most mild, but the terrain will be tough to cross, as it consists of thin ice floating on the ocean. Expect pieces of terrain to break off and float around, and to just break in general, sending you plunging into the freezing ocean waters below. Seals and fish in the area provide plentiful food however.
Rocky Terrain: Jagged rocks and canyons cover the landscape making travel by RV difficult. Elevation is also higher, so the wind is stronger and temperatures are colder. Caves in the area will provide much needed shelter, but just make sure a Polar Bear doesn't call it home before settling in. Protected from the weather, small animals and plants also find a home in the cracks and crevices of the rocks.
Land Ice: On top of the Rocky Terrain lies large sprawling flat areas of Land Ice. A flat desolate area that nothing lives on, you are exposed to the brunt of the weather and the coldest temperatures. Terrain is flat, smooth and uninterrupted- with the exception of large (sometimes hidden) chasms that are thousands of feet deep. Traveling on land ice is perilous, but can take weeks off of your travel time as you cut through the center of the island.
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