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[MagmaMcFry]

PreD: A DF megaproject layout generator by MagmaMcFry

Current Version: v0.6

Some time ago, in a thread far, far away, I wrote that I had coded an awesome program that you could use to draw DF layout plans for arbitrarily awesome 3D megaproject layouts. But I had lost that program, and could not rewrite it in a way that you could also use it, because the library I was using was taken out of the Perl Standard Library. I therefore wrote a generally more awesome program that can do everything the old program could do, plus some more awesomeness.

Spoiler: Images (click to show/hide)

Z0 of the Human Castle (ptut2.pl), added in v0.5


Z+5 of the Swiss Cheese (ptut1.pl), added in v0.4


Z+18 of the ptest1.pl layout, rendered in v0.1


Z+24 of the same layout, rendered in v0.3 (the walls are connected now)

Spoiler: Installation Instructions (click to show/hide)

• If you don't already have a Perl interpreter (that is, if you're using Windows), then download it from here and install it. Don't worry, it won't hurt you.
• Download the code here.
• Unzip the archive into a new empty folder.
• Run "nlconv.pl".

Spoiler: Changelog (click to show/hide)

See CHANGELOG.txt in the archive.

What to do with this:

The file "ptut1.pl" is a tutorial explaining the basics of PreD usage. Run it first, then read through it to understand what it did. Optionally run and look at the other .pl files in the archive.
If you have a little programming experience, try to look at the PreD files to see what they do. PreD.pm is the core module that creates your images. PreDFunc.pm is a collection of useful functions to help you make your layout. PreDTiles.pm is a definition of the tiles that PreD.pm uses to create your layouts.

If you don't have any programming experience and still want to have a custom layout, give me a rough sketch or explanation of your layout and I (or somebody else) will post a layout program for you, with lots of comments so you understand what happens and can make your own layouts later.

If you have a layout that doesn't do what you want it to do, post it here and I'll help you fix your mistakes.
If you have a layout that works, feel free to share it!

Spoiler: Future Plans: (click to show/hide)

Add an isometric 3d shot.
Add more PreDFunc'tions.
Any other posted idea that sounds good enough.

Also, a higher version number.

[Loud Whispers]

This is amazing :O
Though I still don't quite get how to install it 

[MagmaMcFry]

I changed the Perl installation link to this one: http://downloads.activestate.com/ActivePerl/releases/5.14.2.1402/ActivePerl-5.14.2.1402-MSWin32-x86-295342.msi
Which part of the installation don't you understand?

[MagmaMcFry]

An update! Wall connections are now supported, as well as more coordinate transformation functions!

Spoiler: Connected walls (click to show/hide)

Next short-term goal: More demonstration layouts for understandability's sake, increasing in complexity step by step.

[Cellmonk]

Awesome! love to see new layout planning tools. If only world-gen town scripts were editable. Think of all the thing geniuses like you could do.

[Dsarker]

Posting to watch.

[Loud Whispers]

Which part of the installation don't you understand?

Pretty much everything, I'll give it a pass for now:P

[DrKillPatient]

Which part of the installation don't you understand?

Pretty much everything, I'll give it a pass for now:P

I recall you saying you use a mac. Assuming such, download PreD and unzip it. Then open terminal (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal) and do this:

cd /path/to/PreD (In my case it was "cd ~/Downloads/PreD". If you save stuff to the Downloads folder, it should be the same for you.)
perl nlconv.pl
perl ptest1.pl

After a while, some images will be generated based on the layout specified in ptest1.pl. ptest1.pl is commented extensively, so even without knowledge of Perl you should be able to make some sense of it.

[MagmaMcFry]

I'm currently working on an even more extensively documented step-by-step tutorial. Hope to finish it tonight!

Hint: it involves lots of cheese.

[MagmaMcFry]

Tutorial complete and uploaded! Read it and don't you dare still not understand something after that.

[blaize9]

So whats the difference between quickfort and this?

[MagmaMcFry]

Quickfort is a tool where you can design fortress layouts tile-by-tile into a spreadsheet and make DF build that for you automatically.
PreD is a tool where you can create procedurally generated design plans for awesome-looking three-dimensional fortress structures, but then you have to build those yourself.

Next update: Raw stone, fortifications and doors! Also, a tutorial on how to make a DF human castle layout!

[MagmaMcFry]

v0.5 is out, with a brand new tutorial going deeper into handy aspects of Perl!
Holy shit, I am constantly pumping out new features... 

Next project: A tool to export your layout to an arena.txt file that DF can understand, so you can walk around in it in Arena mode!

[Loud Whispers]

Arena mode you say? O-o

[Hitty40]

Posting to watch.