Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 6943811" data-attributes="member: 6787503">Thank you to everyone who has given me feedback. Here's what I have so far. The main change to my approach is to resolve the presence of major features of the landscape (i.e. seacoasts, major rivers, and the shores of major lakes) at what Gygax refers to on page 47 of the DMG as "the scale of such world maps", for which he gives a value of around 20 to 40 miles per hex. This, of course, reminds me of the World of Greyhawk folio map, so I've gauged the following procedure to a 30-mile hex "world map" scale and a "smaller scale" of 1 mile per hex for the resolution of cultural features such as roads and settlements, as well as the actual shape that major features take on the landscape. This "world map" scale allows for the occurrence of major features at a greater frequency, letting me replace the rather unwieldy d1000 roll with something perhaps more intuitive. These scales can be tinkered without too much adjustment, I think.One thing I also find lacking in Gygax's system is the concept of a starting hex. This is, of course, because his system was conceived as a supplement to a more intentionally deliberate form of world building, the idea being that random generation would only be needed if the players ventured into an unprepared area. My interest here is to create a system whereby world geography can be generated entirely at random, so I've included a table for the generation of a starting hex, or any random hex, which gives the proportions that result from carrying out Gygax's table to its mathematical conclusion.Terrain TypeTo determine the terrain type of a random/starting hex at any scale, roll on the following table:[TABLE="width: 500"][TR][TD="align: center"]d20[/TD][TD]Terrain[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]1-4[/TD][TD]Plain[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]5-7[/TD][TD]Scrub[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]8-10[/TD][TD]Forest[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]11-12[/TD][TD]Rough[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]13[/TD][TD]Desert[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]14-16[/TD][TD]Hills[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]17-18[/TD][TD]Mountains[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]19-20[/TD][TD]Marsh[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]Major LandformsFor the purpose of land exploration, there is a 1 in 4 chance that a world map scale hex will contain a major feature. If a feature is indicated, check each smaller scale hex for the presence of the feature, a roll of 1 in 20 indicating that the feature lies across the direction of travel. Roll on the following table to determine the type of feature.[TABLE="width: 500"][TR][TD="align: center"]d20[/TD][TD]Major Feature[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]1-8[/TD][TD]Seacoast[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]9-15[/TD][TD]Major River[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]16-19[/TD][TD]Shore of Major Freshwater Lake[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]20[/TD][TD]Shore of Major Saltwater Lake[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]When exploring the ocean at the world map scale, there is a 1 in 20 chance that the hex will contain a land coastline. If the presence of a coastline is indicated, check each smaller scale hex for the coastline by rolling a 1 in 20.Lake exploration is conducted at the smaller scale. Check each hex for the presence of lakeshore by rolling a result of 1-4 on a d10 if the lake is fresh, or 1 on a d12 if the lake is salty.The run, or course, of a major feature, when entering a new hex, is determined by consulting the following table:[TABLE="width: 500"][TR][TD="align: center"]d10[/TD][TD]Run of Major Feature[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]1-2[/TD][TD]course turns 120 degrees clockwise[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]3-4[/TD][TD]course turns 60 degrees clockwise[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]5-6[/TD][TD]course goes straight[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]7-8[/TD][TD]course turns 60 degrees counter clockwise[/TD][/TR][TR][TD="align: center"]9-0[/TD][TD]course turns 120 degrees counter clockwise[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]In any case, the runs of major features must lead into unmapped hexes, and any other result must be discarded and rerolled.When a river is encountered, there is a 50% chance that it will flow in one direction or the other.  When exploring a river upstream, the river’s source will be found in any encountered hex that contains high ground (hills and mountains), or a major freshwater lake. If a seacoast or shore of a major saltwater lake is encountered, high ground is presumed to exist between the river’s source and the body of water. A river will continue upstream through all other terrain types.Downstream, a river will continue through all terrain types, reaching its terminus only upon encountering a seacoast or a major lakeshore. If high ground is encountered, it is assumed that the river continues on through a canyon, or possibly through an underground cavern at the DM’s discretion.A river running through desert terrain tends to be dry unless it has rained recently, or there is reason to believe it is fed by meltwater or a perpetual spring.Major Roads/TrackwaysDuring land exploration, there is a 1 in 10 chance that each smaller scale hex contains a major road lying across the path of travel, running roughly in a straight line going in either direction. If such a road is indicated, there is a 2 in 10 chance it is a paved road.If a road intersects with a river, an appropriate bridge, ford, or ferry will be located there, and the road will continue on the opposite side.If a town or city is encountered, roll a die to determine the number of roads that branch out from the settlement, including any on which the party has arrived. For towns, roll a d4. For cities (including ruined cities), roll a d6. Observe the same chance of pavement as noted above.As with major landforms, paths, tracks, and streams, roads must lead into unmapped hexes.I hope this is of some small interest to others who are inclined towards random world building.</blockquote>

Verification