Functional Overview

Source data

  • Terrain
  • Elevation
  • Temperature
  • Rainfall
  • Sunshine
  • Biomass
  • Shore

Map editor

  • View hex properties
  • Set default from/to values/colors
  • Add/remove hex properties
  • Edit individual hex
  • Edit hexes using a brush
  • Edit hexes by smoothing (take average of surrounding properties

Simulation designer

  • Control feature:
    • Take turn/play/stop/back/forwards
    • Add populations to map using mouse
      • Load/save states
  • Display features:
    • Choose hex property to display color scheme
    • Show individual populations (identity color), or the totals/averages for the hex
      • Color jumbler
  • Stop points (when to halt the simulation)
    • Value has reached % out of range
    • Value is greater/less than specified value
    • At specific turn
      • if any value reaches infinity
  • 3D globe display
    • Camera control – click and drag with right mouse button
  • Details display
    • Selected hex details
      • Populations in hex
      • Hyperlinks to jump to identity or population in hex
    • Identity average/total values
      • Population list
    • Population details
      • Property values
      • Migration calculations
    • Stop points reached (if hit)
    • Performance statistics (debugging tool)
      • Some property values are hyperlinks, showing breakdown of formula broken up by comments

Turn taking process

Each turn, the logical steps are executed in the following order:

1)      Recalculate population properties

2)      Recalculate cell/identity totals & averages

3)      Calculate & perform migrations

  • Random sea journeys will be attempted if population seamigrate >= 2
  • Sea migration hex is considered alongside adjacent hexes
  • If migrating to a hex where population of same identity exists, the populations are automatically merged using normal merge logic (dominant population kept, merge formulas run, etc)

4)      Calculate & perform joins

  • Dominant population is kept, subservient population is ended
  • Merge formulas run to calculate new values (default merge formula is to take the average value, weighted by relative sizes)
  • If the subservient population was the identity’s capital, then a capital overthrow occurs
    • All populations in the identity change to the dominant identity
    • If this results in multiple populations in the same hex in the same identity, they automatically merge

5)      Calculate & perform splits

  • If split formula > 0 then the population forms a new identity

6)      Recalculate cell/identity totals & averages, since population properties have changed