GSoC: BZWGen revisited - Revision history

Zehra: Zehra moved page BZWGen revisited to GSoC: BZWGen revisited: making GSoC projects and proposals more consistent with '''GSoC''' prefix

2025-12-15T03:53:00Z

Zehra moved page BZWGen revisited to GSoC: BZWGen revisited: making GSoC projects and proposals more consistent with '''GSoC''' prefix

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:53, 15 December 2025
(No difference)

JeffM2501: move to IdeaDesign

2013-02-10T08:06:06Z

move to IdeaDesign

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:06, 10 February 2013
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	{{~~DesignDocument~~}}		{{IdeaDesign}}

	This is a two part project that aims to address two main issues of BZWGen, accessibility and universality.		This is a two part project that aims to address two main issues of BZWGen, accessibility and universality.

Epyon: /* = July 14 - July 20 */

2008-07-04T14:37:02Z

= July 14 - July 20

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:37, 4 July 2008
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	* config file layer		* config file layer

	==== July 14 - July 20 ===		==== July 14 - July 20 ====
	* extentending the config file layer with full templating capabilities		* extentending the config file layer with full templating capabilities
	* documentation and tutorial for the existing config/template system		* documentation and tutorial for the existing config/template system
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	==== July 4 - August 11 ====		==== July 4 - August 11 ====
	* bringing it all together, and merging with BZFlag core as much as the devs allow		* bringing it all together, and merging with BZFlag core as much as the devs allow

	=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===		=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===

	Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.		Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.

Epyon: /* Project schedule */

2008-07-04T14:33:06Z

Project schedule

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:33, 4 July 2008
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	* alternative ruleset/textureset to show the current capabilities		* alternative ruleset/textureset to show the current capabilities

	==== June 16 - June 22 ====		==== June 16 - June 28 ====
	* implementation of double-linked graph based network for usage for both the road network algorithm and the new zoning algorithm		* implementation of double-linked graph based network for usage for both the road network algorithm and the new zoning algorithm
	* implementation of an alternative ad-hoc non-orthogonal road layout generator and making it work with the existing grammar (especially rewriting zones to be non-quad)		* implementation of an alternative ad-hoc non-orthogonal road layout generator and making it work with the existing grammar (especially rewriting zones to be non-quad)

	==== June 22 - ~~June 29~~ ====		==== June 30 - July 6 ====
	* scatter generator		* scatter generator
	* primitives and custom mesh consolidation		* primitives and custom mesh consolidation
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	* reconstructing the existing generator as a compile option		* reconstructing the existing generator as a compile option

	=== Phase 2 -- ~~June 30~~ - August 11 ===		=== Phase 2 -- July 6 - August 11 ===

	==== ~~June 30~~ - July 6 ====		==== July 6 - July 14 ====
	* setting up a test server, promotion on the forum, and outside		* setting up a test server, promotion on the forum, and outside
	* refining the road layout algorithm to be less chaotic, and more realistic		* refining the road layout algorithm to be less chaotic, and more realistic
	* config file layer		* config file layer

	==== July 6 - July ~~14 =~~===		==== July 14 - July 20 ===
	* extentending the config file layer with full templating capabilities		* extentending the config file layer with full templating capabilities
	* documentation and tutorial for the existing config/template system		* documentation and tutorial for the existing config/template system
	* sample interesting template/config files, more media		* sample interesting template/config files, more media

	==== July 14 - July 20 ====		==== July 21 - July 27 ====
	* extension of the grammar system to allow more Mueller-quality buildings (I think I found a solution for that)		* extension of the grammar system to allow more Mueller-quality buildings (I think I found a solution for that)

	==== July 21 - ~~July 27~~ ====		==== July 28 - August 3 ====
	* block-connected building system based on the mesh import feature		* block-connected building system based on the mesh import feature
	* sample data for both "internal" and "external" effects		* sample data for both "internal" and "external" effects
	* additional template files, and documentation for this and previous weeks features		* additional template files, and documentation for this and previous weeks features

	==== July 28 - August 3 ====		==== July 4 - August 11 ====
	* bringing it all together, and merging with BZFlag core as much as the devs allow		* bringing it all together, and merging with BZFlag core as much as the devs allow

	~~==== July 4 - August 11 ====~~
	* buffer safety time -- cleanup, possible RFE implementations

	=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===		=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===

	Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.		Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.

Epyon: Timeline expanded with more details

2008-06-11T00:09:03Z

Timeline expanded with more details

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:09, 11 June 2008
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	The existing blog ( http://bzflag.chaosforge.org/ ) will be used to report progress. Posts will be made at least twice weekly during the main program timeframe. Having the experience of last year, I hope to organize my time a lot better this year, and get a lot more accomplished.		The existing blog ( http://bzflag.chaosforge.org/ ) will be used to report progress. Posts will be made at least twice weekly during the main program timeframe. Having the experience of last year, I hope to organize my time a lot better this year, and get a lot more accomplished.

	=== ~~Pre~~-~~phase~~ ===		=== Phase 1 -- May 26 - July 1 ===

	~~All research needs to be done in this time period, including~~ the design of the ~~plugin interfaces. I'll also try to get some community feedback on what they'd like to see in a generator, however it may be hard without having BZWG easily accessible.~~		==== May 26 - June 15 ====
			* bzwgen compiles and works as a plugin for bzfs
			* bzwgen's existing codebase is cleaned up
			* a detailed schedule and plan for the rest of GSoC is prepared and accepted
			* design for the template layer and other promised features
			* reevaluation of bzflags collision code
			* alternative ruleset/textureset to show the current capabilities

	~~The planned documentation extension~~ for the ~~existing ruleset system will also be done in this timeframe, as it is not a coding related task. I'd also like to provide BZWGen with a completely~~ new alternative ~~rule~~ and ~~texture set.~~		==== June 16 - June 22 ====
			* implementation of double-linked graph based network for usage for both the road network algorithm and the new zoning algorithm
			* implementation of an alternative ad-hoc non-orthogonal road layout generator and making it work with the existing grammar (especially rewriting zones to be non-quad)

	~~After all research is done,~~ a ~~much more detailed timeline will be presented before May 26.~~		==== June 22 - June 29 ====
			* scatter generator
			* primitives and custom mesh consolidation
			* procedural meshes (extension of grammar if needed)
			* reconstructing the existing generator as a compile option

	=== Phase 1 -- ~~May 26~~ - July 1 ===		=== Phase 2 -- June 30 - August 11 ===

			==== June 30 - July 6 ====
			* setting up a test server, promotion on the forum, and outside
			* refining the road layout algorithm to be less chaotic, and more realistic
			* config file layer

			==== July 6 - July 14 ====
			* extentending the config file layer with full templating capabilities
			* documentation and tutorial for the existing config/template system
			* sample interesting template/config files, more media

			==== July 14 - July 20 ====
			* extension of the grammar system to allow more Mueller-quality buildings (I think I found a solution for that)

	~~BZWG will be rewritten following~~ the ~~designed interface~~, and ~~will be modified to work smoothly with~~ and ~~bzfs. The standard generator will be rewritten into the form of a plugin. Once that is done (probably before June 15), BZWG will be extended with the generation zones, and the new template layer.~~		==== July 21 - July 27 ====
			* block-connected building system based on the mesh import feature
			* sample data for both "internal" and "external" effects
			* additional template files, and documentation for this and previous weeks features

	=== ~~Phase 2 --~~ July 1 - August 11 ===		==== July 28 - August 3 ====
			* bringing it all together, and merging with BZFlag core as much as the devs allow

	~~BZWGen will be extended with the additional generation tools~~ -- ~~scatter generators, template based building, block-connected building and as time allows other less~~-~~important features. About the end of this time period I count on having a BZWGen server running~~, ~~and getting some community feedback.~~		==== July 4 - August 11 ====
			* buffer safety time -- cleanup, possible RFE implementations

	=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===		=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===

	Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.		Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.

Epyon: Initial creation and wikification

2008-05-25T15:19:08Z

Initial creation and wikification

New page

{{DesignDocument}}

This is a two part project that aims to address two main issues of BZWGen, accessibility and universality.

Accessibility has been probably the main reason that BZWGen didn't get much attention -- using the program required downloading a separate program and compiling it's sources, then running it and setting it up to work with bzfs. On the other side, getting the program to produce different results requires the knowledge of a language that however documented is not straightforward for the user.

Universality addresses the fact that BZWGen would more accurately be called now a City Generator, despite the fact that the underlying engine could do much more. Furthermore, some of the ideas I initially had for 2007 were never even touched. The second (bigger) part of this years project would be to present an accessible way for the program to generate a broad choice of outputs.

== Deliverables ==

The aim of the project is to provide a revised version of BZWGen that will work both as a standalone app and a plugin to bzfs. As a side effect, a common protocol will be presented for handling world-generating plugins.

The generator itself will be severely enhanced to provide a much wider array of output, and to allow a first time user to do much customization without the need of reading much documentation. Additionally textures and data files for the extended generator capabilities will be provided as well.

=== Streamlining ===

To pluginize BZWGen a common interface for generators will be established, which will take care of supplying the generator with necessary data. In case of bzfs data will be read from a config file. The existing map generator will then also be pluginized, an in the future, replaced by a config file for BZWGen that ideally mimics it's behavior.

=== Documentation update ===

As the system currently is somewhat mysterious to people, I'd like to provide better documentation on the L-system generator, including an illustrated tutorial on writing your own rules.

=== Config file layer ===

L-systems are hardly transparent for someone not used to them. However I didn't intend them as the main modification tool. Above the low-level L-system layer there should be a lot more readable "template" file layer, that decides what will be generated on a given map zone. What now is treated as command line parameters for BZWG will then be placed in the template file, along with the ability to use different texture sets, and load custom L-system sets.

=== Generation zones ===

The L-system based approach that BZWG uses now is just one of the features I intended for it. To smoothly blend multiple generation tools a system of splitting the map into zones is needed. Each zone will have generation parameters supplied via config files. Zones will be not limited to rectangles as is the case now, but any arbitrary polygon.

=== Road placement algorithm rewrite ===

The current subdivision method will be left intact as an option, but thanks to the custom shaped generation zones, the original intent of the L-system based road placement generator will be implemented. Apart for generating roads it will be able to do a custom territory split of a given map.

=== Extensions ===

Some of the planned extensions to the generator itself are listed below:

* scatter algorithms -- expands on the existing bzfs map generator to allow a finer control on scattering, like the control of scattered objects, control over where objects may be scattered, and control over their size and orientation. Higher level example -- scattering of L-system generated buildings.

* template based building -- a way to control the placement of other generation algorithms -- constructs the map out of a predefined template, where the template parts will be filled with the given generation result, or a preprepared map-tile.

* block-connected building -- the map is build out of pre-prepared chunks of geometry that follow the defined rules for connection. This is the way that map generation works in contemporary 3d RPG games -- dungeons are constructed from preprepared components randomly connected. The approach is suitable for overland structures as well.

* procedural objects -- as time will allow BZWG will be equipped with procedural generators for various real-world objects, for example trees and foliage. Priority is set on items that can be used in the scatter algorithm.

== Project schedule ==

The existing blog ( http://bzflag.chaosforge.org/ ) will be used to report progress. Posts will be made at least twice weekly during the main program timeframe. Having the experience of last year, I hope to organize my time a lot better this year, and get a lot more accomplished.

=== Pre-phase ===

All research needs to be done in this time period, including the design of the plugin interfaces. I'll also try to get some community feedback on what they'd like to see in a generator, however it may be hard without having BZWG easily accessible.

The planned documentation extension for the existing ruleset system will also be done in this timeframe, as it is not a coding related task. I'd also like to provide BZWGen with a completely new alternative rule and texture set.

After all research is done, a much more detailed timeline will be presented before May 26.

=== Phase 1 -- May 26 - July 1 ===

BZWG will be rewritten following the designed interface, and will be modified to work smoothly with and bzfs. The standard generator will be rewritten into the form of a plugin. Once that is done (probably before June 15), BZWG will be extended with the generation zones, and the new template layer.

=== Phase 2 -- July 1 - August 11 ===

BZWGen will be extended with the additional generation tools -- scatter generators, template based building, block-connected building and as time allows other less-important features. About the end of this time period I count on having a BZWGen server running, and getting some community feedback.

=== Phase 3 -- August 11+ ===

Cleanup time for the GSoC finalization. Once that is done, I hope that there will be some RFE's from the community that I will be happy to implement.