Hey everyone! For the last few weeks, I’ve been deep into the magic of map generation for Sim Firefighter. In this post, I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of what goes into building a realistic, challenging environment where wildfire management is anything but predictable.
To start with, map generation is essential because our game relies on dynamic terrains that influence fire behavior and player strategy. With so many unpredictable elements, like fire spreading differently across dry grass vs. dense forest, the map needs to capture real-life elements while keeping gameplay interesting and challenging.
The first step in creating our map is procedural generation with something called Perlin noise. Think of it as a way to give the map a natural flow, so it feels continuous rather than looking like a patchwork quilt. With Perlin noise, we can create smooth transitions between terrains like forests, dry grasslands, and even water bodies that can act as natural firebreaks. For example, areas with low elevation and less moisture might turn into dry grasslands, ready to fuel fast-spreading fires, while higher, denser regions become forests that slow down the fire a bit but burn with greater intensity.
Next up is a tool called Binary Space Partitioning (BSP), which helps divide the map into structured regions. BSP is amazing for organizing areas like roads, firebreaks, and water bodies. This not only adds variety to the map but also gives players strategic points they can use to slow down or contain fires. Imagine trying to stop a fire on one side of a lake or along a road — those natural barriers can really be a game-changer!
To make things even more realistic, we use Cellular Automata for organic terrain generation. This is where we get those beautiful, irregular patches of forests and dry grass that look more natural than anything we could create by hand. Each cell on the gird changes based on its neighbors, so you end up with clusters that mimic real-life landscapes. When these organic areas catch fire, the flames spread in ways that feel true to life, creating intense but strategic gameplay.
Then there’s the final layer of complexity: Dijkstra Maps for fire spread dynamics. These maps calculate the distance from fire origins to various points on the map, simulating how fires spread based on proximity to fuel sources. So, if a fire starts near a forest cluster, the game calculates its spread toward dry grasslands, keeping players on their toes as the flames change direction and intensity with each moment.
Once all these steps come together, we finalize the map by storing each cell’s properties — from terrain type to how fast it will burn. It’s a bit like setting up a giant chessboard where every square holds different risks and advantages, making each game session unique.
So, that’s a peek into what map generation looks like in Sim Firefighter! It’s a mix of science and art, and every layer adds something special to the gameplay. I can’t wait to see how it evolves as we start testing it out.
And, of course, no post is complete without a cat picture. We’re switching it up a bit this time. Below is a picture of my parents’ pets: Opal (the cat) and Pacie (the dog). They are the softest, sweetest animals and I love when I get to see them!
