Bridge Over Troubled Water

My efforts are now divided between two things: setting up a scheme for dynamic relations between countries, and trying to figure out how to import real terrain data of the middle east into the game engine in order to have a better graphics. The first effort led me to this scheme: each country compares its power with the power of its neighbours, those weaker than him become his possible targets, the weakest becomes his immediate objective. If he’s weaker than his neighbors he’ll expect to be attacked, and thus will try to establish good relations and alliances with the neighbors of his neighbor. If he feels he’s the main target of another nation he’ll try desperately to establish good relations with those neighbors of the neighbour by matching his foreign policy with that of the nation that he’s trying to approach. Quite complicated to explain in English, the sum is that a realist approach will drive all the a.i.-controlled countries, they’ll be scared by the power of their neighbors, and excited by their weakness, which should form a chequered pattern of relations.

The second effort is driving me to insanity, I haven’t decided yet how to import terrain data into the program. I’m learning Blender now and I’m fighting against contour lines, elevations, mapping projections etc., every time I think I’m near to have the complete picture something else opens a new galaxy that I have to explore.

# posted by Marcus @ 9:05 AM