A small bug report here. It appears that the grid (both square and hex) is somehow ignored when opening the file in older vector software (I still use Illustrator CS2). I can see the grid on the One Page Dungeon properly in CS2, but not here. Newer software sees the grid properly.
Make "Enter" use the currently set tags, so we don't have to keep the tags popup open.
[very minor] I'd like an option to tell it not to make the entrance into water. I like to hide things at the back of the cave, behind water, as I find that judiciously described water tends to freak the adventurers out, especially when it's getting deeper, or with slippery footing. Oviously, I can just hit "generate" again, but sometimes I really like a cave, and then I have to, clumsily, edit the image.
It would be unclear how to return to purely random generation (without tags). You can "minimize" the tags window by clicking its title. This way it won't obscure much of the map and at the same time you will be able to use Enter for generating caves with chosen tags.
It is now possible to get a permalink to a map (Permalink... in the context menu), but you can't use it as a link, not yet. To restore a map, you need to open that form again, paste the saved permalink there and press Generate - same as in my other generators. Later, I'll upload the non-itch version so that permalinks could be used normally.
Will it eventually be possible to export to JSON and import caves into Dungeonscrawl? I love being able to generate a Watabou one-page dungeon and add details in DS
If I could just specify the number of entrances and the number of caverns, it would be perfect. For example, last night I quickly needed a cave map with one big cavern and two entrance tunnels … this would have been the perfect way to make it, if I could give those exact numbers.
Thanks! Normally I open source only those projects I am more or less finished with. This one is pretty new, so I don't think I'm going to publish its source code anytime soon.
I'm procedurally creating caves using cellular automata but aren't as good as yours, so your code could be really helpful. Any suggestion of good articles on procedural cave generation?
The only one I can suggest off the top of my head is Amit Patel's one, but I use a different method, very briefly described in my post. I'm under the impression that most cave generation methods involve cellular automata and mine does it too, but only for creating individual caves, not the entire map.
That's a shame; the addition of UVTT would instantly catapult this into an indispensable prep tool. It's very nice as is—stunning even—but I have to retrace everything by hand to make use of this in my VTT. Hopefully, it will be added in the not too distant future!
Another great tool! Is there a way to ensure that passage ways contain at least a full one square gap? I only mention this as tokens cannot move through gaps of less than one square after setting up dynamic lighting and token exclusion in Roll20. Not a big problem though - just airing a thought :)
Originally, all passages are at least one hex wide. The tunnels are visually narrowed to make them look more "tunnelly". You can disable this feature by unchecking Shape > Narrow tunnels in the context menu.
I love the apps. Thank you so much for your hard work.
I would ask only one favor. Can you sticky a list of controls under the work area? It would help so that I don't have to relearn them each time I use the app.
Not the OP, but I for one think using the context menu is a bit tedious if you want to make multiple changes at once because it always closes after selecting something. I love your generators, but this could be handled a bit better... (On top of that, for many people it's just more comfortable to use the keyboard instead of the mouse).
I was speaking about the different short-cuts keys for menus across the various apps. They are not always the same. I think the keys for bringing up various control menus are listed for ease of use. I like to work from menus just to be faster. I have to try keys to remember which key brings up which control.
Also, working with the new village Gen today, the "M - open the parameters window" is not working.
I'll make a similar list for Village Generator and eventually for all my generators. I try to be consistent (at least Enter always works!), but I don't really check. By the way, that M is replaced with Tab exactly to use the same key as in Neighbourhood Generator.
Very cool! What is the hex grid size on the exported images? The face-to-face distance in pixels. Trying to match the map grid in a VTT and any whole number of pixels I use drifts out of alignment over the width/length of the map.
The hex size varies from map to map because the generator always exports maps with maximum possible resolution (16MP). So on small map individual hexes are larger and on large maps hexes are smaller. In the future I am planning to implement export with fixed resolution (similar to 1PDG), although I am not sure how it's going to work with hexes (vs squares).
Oh, and you can try using SVGs. In exported SVG files the size of a hex is fixed. Its side is 20px and that makes the distance between 2 neighbouring hexes 34.641px.
Hi! Fantastic as ever. I was just curious what the dots toggled with 'D' represent. They seem to be placed at choke points or passageways between chambers, so is it D for Doors, or something else?
Curious to know about your design decision to do a Hex grid. And it appears you have 2 half hexes at each room entry-exit: is this to do with your algorithm?
Do you have a square grid planned or in the works?
Hexagonal grid is better suited for mapping natural locations (for the same reason it is used in Perilous Shores). I'm going to add a square grid as an option, but this will be a purely visual feature - the underlying mesh will remain hexagonal.
I absolutely love this! Would it be possible to implement a menu / export UI? Right now, I can't figure out how to save any of these maps - but I might be missing something obvious.
As I mentioned in the post, currently there is no export feature, so the only way to save a map is to take a screenshot. Export will be added in the next update along with other small "technical" features.
A real thing! I will be happy to see next updates, although it is already possible to use it right now. I have been looking for such a tool for a long time. Lairs with one button...mmmm...
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A small bug report here. It appears that the grid (both square and hex) is somehow ignored when opening the file in older vector software (I still use Illustrator CS2). I can see the grid on the One Page Dungeon properly in CS2, but not here. Newer software sees the grid properly.
Thanks!
Imagine printing these out on A1 to A3 for table top games. Nice work ;-)
Two suggestions:
Make "Enter" use the currently set tags, so we don't have to keep the tags popup open.
[very minor] I'd like an option to tell it not to make the entrance into water. I like to hide things at the back of the cave, behind water, as I find that judiciously described water tends to freak the adventurers out, especially when it's getting deeper, or with slippery footing. Oviously, I can just hit "generate" again, but sometimes I really like a cave, and then I have to, clumsily, edit the image.
Thanks for a wonderful little generator.
It would be unclear how to return to purely random generation (without tags). You can "minimize" the tags window by clicking its title. This way it won't obscure much of the map and at the same time you will be able to use Enter for generating caves with chosen tags.
Yup. That works. Thanks.
So so so great
BTW, the permalinks are 404ing… eg: https://watabou.github.io/cave-generator/?seed=1707255013&tags=passage,tree,medium
From https://www.patreon.com/posts/cave-glade-2-0-1-77042624:
coolio… keep up the fine, work, sir…
Awesome, I wish the permalink would contain the display settings so when I come back it a Grove with door for one link and a cave view for another
I don't know about other settings, but the cave/forest one will be added to permalinks in the future.
What is supposed to happen when I shift+click a tag? I’m guessing a description should show somewhere, but nothing happens.
Yeah, the tag's description is displayed temporally at the bottom of the generator window (as a "toast"). Let me know if it doesn't work for you.
being able to warp the caves like you can warp towns in the city generator would be awesome
I'll think about it.
I realize you'd probably have to build that in an update that rewrites the generator from scratch.
Will it eventually be possible to export to JSON and import caves into Dungeonscrawl? I love being able to generate a Watabou one-page dungeon and add details in DS
JSON export will be added one day, but right now it is too early as I don't really know in what direction I want to develop this generator.
If I could just specify the number of entrances and the number of caverns, it would be perfect. For example, last night I quickly needed a cave map with one big cavern and two entrance tunnels … this would have been the perfect way to make it, if I could give those exact numbers.
Also, FWIW, I would love a forest generator!
You can request a layout like that with the existing tags:
I think the "forest view" will be added in the next update of this generator.
Thanks! I’ll try that. I tried Small and Junction, didn’t see Passage :)
this is cool I guess, yeah you know what this is cool, I hope you keep updating.
This is amazing - I'm a developer who is looking to create RPG tools for people. Hit me up if you wanna colab.
W
Great tool. Any plans on open sourcing it?
Thanks! Normally I open source only those projects I am more or less finished with. This one is pretty new, so I don't think I'm going to publish its source code anytime soon.
I'm procedurally creating caves using cellular automata but aren't as good as yours, so your code could be really helpful. Any suggestion of good articles on procedural cave generation?
The only one I can suggest off the top of my head is Amit Patel's one, but I use a different method, very briefly described in my post. I'm under the impression that most cave generation methods involve cellular automata and mine does it too, but only for creating individual caves, not the entire map.
Thank you so much. One small reply from you, one giant leap in my progress.
Great stuff! Thank you!
Any plans to have it generate the maps in Universal VTT format so that the line of sight and lighting data can be easily used in a VTT program?
Not for now, no. At the moment I'm going to focus on the more essential part of the generator i.e. generation itself.
That's a shame; the addition of UVTT would instantly catapult this into an indispensable prep tool. It's very nice as is—stunning even—but I have to retrace everything by hand to make use of this in my VTT. Hopefully, it will be added in the not too distant future!
Could we get an option to turn off the "shadow" around the outside of the caves? Would be handy for automatic generation of vision blocking in VTTs.
You can hide the shade by setting its alpha to zero in the Style dialog.
Excellent!
Another great tool! Is there a way to ensure that passage ways contain at least a full one square gap? I only mention this as tokens cannot move through gaps of less than one square after setting up dynamic lighting and token exclusion in Roll20. Not a big problem though - just airing a thought :)
Originally, all passages are at least one hex wide. The tunnels are visually narrowed to make them look more "tunnelly". You can disable this feature by unchecking Shape > Narrow tunnels in the context menu.
I love the apps. Thank you so much for your hard work.
I would ask only one favor. Can you sticky a list of controls under the work area? It would help so that I don't have to relearn them each time I use the app.
Cheers! You are asking about hotkeys, right? May I ask why you prefer hotkeys to the context menus?
Not the OP, but I for one think using the context menu is a bit tedious if you want to make multiple changes at once because it always closes after selecting something. I love your generators, but this could be handled a bit better... (On top of that, for many people it's just more comfortable to use the keyboard instead of the mouse).
Anyway, keep up the great work!
https://watabou.itch.io/cave-generator/devlog/407935/keyboard-shortcuts
I was speaking about the different short-cuts keys for menus across the various apps. They are not always the same. I think the keys for bringing up various control menus are listed for ease of use. I like to work from menus just to be faster. I have to try keys to remember which key brings up which control.
Also, working with the new village Gen today, the "M - open the parameters window" is not working.
I'll make a similar list for Village Generator and eventually for all my generators. I try to be consistent (at least Enter always works!), but I don't really check. By the way, that M is replaced with Tab exactly to use the same key as in Neighbourhood Generator.
https://watabou.itch.io/cave-generator/devlog/407935/keyboard-shortcuts
Very cool! What is the hex grid size on the exported images? The face-to-face distance in pixels. Trying to match the map grid in a VTT and any whole number of pixels I use drifts out of alignment over the width/length of the map.
The hex size varies from map to map because the generator always exports maps with maximum possible resolution (16MP). So on small map individual hexes are larger and on large maps hexes are smaller. In the future I am planning to implement export with fixed resolution (similar to 1PDG), although I am not sure how it's going to work with hexes (vs squares).
Thanks. Until then I can just leave the grid off the map itself and apply a grid in the VTT that is "close enough".
Oh, and you can try using SVGs. In exported SVG files the size of a hex is fixed. Its side is 20px and that makes the distance between 2 neighbouring hexes 34.641px.
thanks watabou
Hi! Fantastic as ever. I was just curious what the dots toggled with 'D' represent. They seem to be placed at choke points or passageways between chambers, so is it D for Doors, or something else?
Yes, these are doors. Doors are important in 1PDG, so for now I've kept them here as well, but most likely they will be removed in the future.
Thank you! Another fabulous tool- and extremely helpful. Can't wait for the export option and thank you for all of the great work! :)
A fine addition.
Well Done.
Curious to know about your design decision to do a Hex grid. And it appears you have 2 half hexes at each room entry-exit: is this to do with your algorithm?
Do you have a square grid planned or in the works?
Hexagonal grid is better suited for mapping natural locations (for the same reason it is used in Perilous Shores). I'm going to add a square grid as an option, but this will be a purely visual feature - the underlying mesh will remain hexagonal.
Beautiful works!
Wow! This is very cool!
Seriously Amazing!
Another amazing generator to add to the collection. So useful as always. Thanks for all you do!
You make awesome stuff! 😎👍👌
Just wonderful! Such a huge fan of your work.
Awesome stuff! Thanks!
You're my favorite generator developer! This is another great one. These caves are so 👍 good 😊
Another winner!
I absolutely love this! Would it be possible to implement a menu / export UI? Right now, I can't figure out how to save any of these maps - but I might be missing something obvious.
If you're using Firefox (which you should be), use the built-in "screenshot part of page" feature.
(Yes use firefox!) Screenshot are ok but little low res.
+1 for an export button to .png or svg.
As I mentioned in the post, currently there is no export feature, so the only way to save a map is to take a screenshot. Export will be added in the next update along with other small "technical" features.
Got it, thanks for clarifying. I'll try screenshots for now.
Incredible, as always. Thank you for your brilliant and generous work.
Love it! I'm always a fan of these generators - and yours are the best out there. :D
Another amazing generator - you are just incredible! Always excited to see what's next
wow, this is perfect for the Fantasy Trip! Thanks!
You're right! I've just started playing with it so I haven't thought through all of the potential applications yet.
Fantastic! Hoping it comes out with a grid floor plan.
A real thing! I will be happy to see next updates, although it is already possible to use it right now. I have been looking for such a tool for a long time. Lairs with one button...mmmm...