Re: CF: Announcing beta release of the random map generator

[James Cameron <cameron@stl.dec.com>]

Anthony Thyssen wrote:
> Note the nethack method is to basically start with a map of `impassable
> blocks' so you will want a output symbol for that. Yes there is often
> lots of wasted space.

That's something that surprised me about Crossfire.  The tendency not to
waste space in maps.  Sure, most building type maps would not have
wasted space, due to the way people make buildings anyway, but I don't
see anything wrong with wasted space, as long as it has no use and is
impassable.

I was on a map the other day, tried out dimension door for the first
time, and ended up outside the map bounds.  Not outside the coordinates,
just outside the designed playing area for that map.  Like taking a
spaceship to the far side of the moon only to find it is an artificial
construct like the towns in the cowboy movies.  Very interesting, but
not quite realistic.  Reminded me of Capricorn One, the movie.

Apart from the annoyance of scrolling in Crossedit, is there any
important algorithmic impact in using a large map coordinate size but
filling it with practically nothing?

-- 
James Cameron                                      (cameron@stl.dec.com)

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