Author Topic: external program for minimaps now with shadows you better believe it  (Read 8168 times)

this is a prototype (now outdated, rewrote the program because this version was way too slow) of my minimap generator:


i'm planning to release it as a standalone java program at some point in the upcoming weeks. how it will work is you'll select an area of your build with the new duplicator and enter in a command like /saveminimap name to save a minimap. you then open up a java program that gives you options that you tweak to make the best looking minimap image

current features:
  • it's fast: it can render ACM city at 4x4 pixels per stud in like 8 seconds
  • shadows
  • shading: if you look at the bottom left corner you'll see the canopy's ramps are shaded differently due to them being sloped
  • looks like blockland: i stole the shading code from blockland's shaders so the minimap will have the same colors as the blockland build
  • scans your blockland files for bricks: it will scan all of your blockland files for the bricks required to make the minimap


planned features:
  • handling bricks underwater
  • handling the ground color
  • handling custom environment settings like direct light/ambient light colors and sun direction and shadow color
  • a gui

     - will let you select different render resolutions. the image above is set to 8 pixels per stud; you will be able to have higher resolutions
     - will let you select different files to make minimaps out of
     - will let you mess around with environment settings after the fact
     - will give you the option to enable/disable shadows
  • memory optimization: the current program eats up a lot of memory so i'm going to optimize that at some point
  • 32-bit version: i compiled the dlls required for this at 64-bit a while ago and forgot to make 32-bit versions so i'll do that at some point


suggestions are appreciated and encouraged
« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 06:03:50 PM by Gytyyhgfffff »

This looks neat, however

  • scans your blockland files for bricks: it will scan all of your blockland files for the bricks required to make the minimap
Make sure you have it possible to set the location of your blockland directory.

i'm planning it just to be embedded in the blockland folder itself, in a minimap subdirectory, like how BlocklandLoader.dll has a modules subdirectory

also, how did you make mapgen work? i looked at the code when i was starting this for inspiration and couldn't make anything out because my attention span was too short
« Last Edit: January 08, 2018, 05:09:18 PM by Gytyyhgfffff »


i'm planning it just to be embedded in the blockland folder itself, in a minimap subdirectory, like how BlocklandLoader.dll has a modules subdirectory

also, how did you make mapgen work? i looked at the code when i was starting this for inspiration and couldn't make anything out because my attention span was too short
Can't remember but I believe I just had it teleport my camera to specific locations then used some trick to get the color center of my screen.
That or it just fired a raycast and got the bricks color.
I'd post the code but I am almost certain I've since deleted the code when I had formatted my HDD.

is there gonna be an option to select what direction the map is generated

is there gonna be an option to select what direction the map is generated
probably not. you can flip/rotate the image in any normal image editing program

oh my god this is so cool. keep it up man I can't wait to try it out :o

wait so would you then go on to make a print or something with the generated image, or how is this meant to actually be used

this is meant for use in threads and for guis for servers and it is also meant for me to show off


i decided to go through with rendering the minimap orthogonally using opengl which means this stuff is fast and is high quality. it took like 3 seconds to generate this shot. i'll look into implementing shadows and textured bricks tomorrow

make a print or something with the generated image
This is a pretty good idea actually


kya~~ iki katon apik!

im extremely sorry i must repent under a mango tree to jesus

that minimap had roads before i read that it didnt. no joke, i had no idea, i didnt even notice till i saw the note at the end

i was looking at it like "wtf is wrong with this why does not look right but it does at the same time........?"

but yeah, this is super duper cool!!! im excited to see what else you'll do with this