Node Maps

I implemented a new kind of prefab loader. These are not tile-for-tile prefabs, but instead 2D grids of nodes with data for how they connect to surrounding nodes in 8 directions. These node maps are used in level generation as plans for corridors in catacomb levels, water channels in sewer levels or streets in cities. The node maps are abstract and can be stretched to fit the dimensions that are needed at the time of level gen. They are stored in a plain text file, so it was easy for me to crank out a lot of them with just a text editor or a simple ascii art editor.

Here is an example of a 2x3 node map:

0023,2,3:

###|###

# . #|# . .

# . #|# . #

-------

# . #|# . #

# . . | . . #

# . #|# . #

-------

# . #|# . #

# . #|# . .

###|###

The '.' indicate where there is a clear connection between nodes and the '#' indicate where connections are blocked. Here is a screenshot of an underground lizardfolk town generated using this node map:

The main streets are determined by the node map and then little rooms are randomly generated all around it. Notice that the connections to the edge of the node map determine where the town connects with the cavern beside it. Node maps can of course be flipped or rotated when used to generate something on a level.

Some more examples of maps generated with node maps are found here: