(short video of ash storms/survival pods/earl pod launch)
Example of underground generation (without lighting obviously, and I need to add rocks to the edges of the ruin areas to make them appear less square). Want to tweak it further/add better ruins, maybe lakes/caverns, but you get the idea.
Spoiler:
Lavaland (planet name please) is a new mining/exploration area spanning two Z levels (Z7, Z8) representing a surface and an underground.
The underground functions pretty much like old mining, save for the rivers/lakes of lava interspersed about, and randomly seeded ruins loaded in around it (more on that in a bit).
The underground is:
-Dark
-Hot (need a suit)
-Home to the mining outpost (and yes the shuttle lands here, explained visually by a large chasm/hole in the surface with landing lights around it).
-Home to the labor camp
-Plagued by rivers of lava - Lava river generation done, need to make Sticky's lava code a bit prettier, but mostly Done
-Home to the old mining monsters, though Ergo is working on more
-Seeded with random ruins such as cult temples, secret bases, whatever -Code for loading ruins done, ruins unmapped
-Baseturf is lava. That means bombing, releasing a singularity, etc, will result in large lakes of lava
Each base underground will also have an elevator (shuttle) leading to a corresponding outpost above ground, from which surface explorations can be launched. The surface is
-Bright
-Supportive of human life (at least atmos wise)
-Plauged by inclement weather - Done. Horrible burning ash storms will sweep in and kill those who can't find shelter in time.
-Riddled with holes and chasms, stumbling into which will drop you into the caves below - Done
-Home to the surface mining outpost
-Home to the prison station (surface laborcamp outpost). The prison station will be surrounded by chasms/bridges making it heavily fortified. I also plan for it to have at least one dead end bridge leading out over a pit so prisoners can walk the plank
-Seeded with a different pool of ruins, such as biodomes, destroyed surface outposts -Code for seeding ruins done, ruins unmapped
-Covered in monster nests, which function like much slower blob factories. The surface may not require a suit but it will require weapons to survive. Fighting a group of 4 goliaths defending their spawn point is not something you'll want to do alone - Done
-Home to all kinds of monsters. As it's a completely optional area with respawn mechanics coders will have more leeway to add OP bullshit. I told Ergo he could make his new monsters as strong as the original ones he did for mining.
-(Eventually, probably post "launch") the migrant base. Will act as a respawn (and die and respawn and die) mechanic.
-(Eventually, probably post "launch") home to a boss fight/dungeon that will require some sort of exploration/mining to unlock. Finally a reward for building all those mechs and guns. Killing the boss will place you on a round end report of boss killers. The boss will be related to the story of the planet/migrants.
-Pods will launch here midround. Triggering red or delta alert, or emagging an escape pod computer, will allow you to launch the pod to random coordinates on the planet. Pods on the planet will not launch round end. Pods have a wall mounted cabinet containing a pickaxe. - Done
-Baseturf is chasms. That means bombing will create holes people can fall into and the singularity is capable of stripping away the entire surface of the planet.
New items:
-Survival capsules. Capsules houses from dragonball. Throw the little pill and get an instant shelter - Done
-Laser Rifles/Laser Pistols with swappable, rechargable magazines - Done
To do:
-Lots of mapping (send help, even small 10x10 or 30x30 or whatever maps would be very much appreciated)
-Sanity checks for loading ruins so (limiting spawn locations so they don't hang off the side of the map if they spawn at the edge)
-Migrants
-Spawners that let ghosts act as ruin dwellers
-Boss fight
I'll try to record a video of launching to the surface and sheltering from a storm soon.
WHERE YOU CAN HELP
Map a "ruin." Could be an actual ruin, an alien base, syndicate outpost, destroyed mining area, secret lab, xeno nest, cult temple, crashed space ship, etc etc. Anything you can imagine (and map) really as long as it isn't fucking gigantic. Don't need to do anything special, doesn't need to be square, just leave an excess space filled with normal asteroid turfs. If you're up to it you could even code some gimmicky nonsense to include as a unique prize found only there. These are essentially miniature away missions found by exploring mining. Tell a small story, fill a temple with boobytraps or deadly monsters, whatever you want to do.
The idea of ruins is an easy way to add small amounts of new content/gimmicks without shoving everything into research or cargo. Some new weapon you made might not be balanced for RD every round, but it might fit right at home as a prize for exploration.
Do not use airless turfs. The planet doesn't exist in a vacuum. Use the /turf/simulated/floor/plating/asteroid variant
Anyway, Lavaland is happening soon(ish), would appreciate any input or help you guys may be able to provide.
DEEPEST LORE FOR SURFACE: An advanced civilization destroyed by the horrible cataclysm (maybe I'm being silly by trying not to spoil it immediately in an open source game) that resulted in the wasteland you're exploring now. Various factions have now moved in among the ruins of the planet to fight over the plasma/tech in the ruins.
DEEPEST LORE FOR UNDERGROUND: Anything you want. Who knows what ancient evils lurked beneath the surface?
Spoiler:
