What do you look for when you generate a map?

[twistmental]

I recently found a seed with surface coal, iron, and SILVER! When then next update comes and I have to obliterate that map...I will be sad.

[ThePlanckEpoch]

and SILVER!

wow, never had that before

spend upwards of 30 minutes or more generating maps before finding one that they find acceptable to play on

Yup

I usually play on mixed maps, to get ALL the good pies

Criteria:
1: at least one kind of surface mineral (usually coal)
2: RIVER that divides the map (already mentioned by the op, helps with sieges and those stupid townies)
3: Unique and asthetic features (fe. a lake or a mountaine, just random stuff that makes the map appealing to look at)

luxury criteria:
1: snow, jungle, sand and normal grass close to each other
2: flat surface area (else i build underground, but you don't get that townsfealing without the roofes ), in any case: LOADS of space
3: not too much surface enemies (however, sometimes it's kinda cool and rewarding if you have to essentially defeate an entire army of froggies, brownies, snakecraps and yetis to get where u want and start your town.)

[Duplicity]

Long time lurker, first time poster =P
Pretty much the same as the general consensus around here,

Surface iron OR Surface coal (Both is better)
Relatively large flat areas to create buildings/farms
Not too many stone seeds
Surface minerals must be near or close to the jungle - the challenge is half the fun =)

ALSO, to Torgen: I'm a total newbie at anything Towns besides playing the actual game, would you mind showing me how you modified the generation to do what you did? Pretty much everything you have sounds really almost perfect for the type of Area I like.

Sweet Edits: Thanks Torgen! I was going to post you a real reply, but all it would've consisted of is "Thanks Torgen!" Which really kinda seemed like a waste of space (no offence to Torgen, though).

[Torgen]

Go to /Towns/data and open gen_map.xml in Notepad. Scroll down to:

<!-- 80 stone seeds
-->
- <seed>
<type>stone</type>
<num>80</num>


and change the number between the num tags to whatever. I have mine on 35. then save the file and start a new game. You may have to go out of your way for stone until hitting the first dungeon. I just mine the dungeon walls to a) open direct paths for heroes once they've cleared the immediate area, and b) for ready supply of stone for paving, etc. For roleplay purposes, I make any building where fire is used out of stone, and just harvest my tree farm (which is next to the carpenter shop) for wood for the other buildings.

[Treahblade]

I have found myself generating alot of maps to just find iron and coal on the surface. However I don't think they should just change the generator to put it there as sometimes like others have mentioned it can be a fun challenge to play on a map that does not have either one

[Skyfall]

I usually aim for a map where there is a great town location in the center of the map. If you're at the center of the map, the distance your little ones travel to retrieve ITEs and corpses is much reduced.

[wizardjian]

i look for iron and flat grass lands xDD

[toco150]

Surface Iron.

Surface coal.

Surface copper for ITE's.

A big lake or long river.

Plenty of open flat grass space.

[Gladrin]

I don't look for anything. My townies have a harsh life. They get what they get. Nothing more, nothing less.
I still try to find them a good spot to settle though, I'm not a monster.

[doom101]

the only thing i really want is a good area of flat land and maybe one big mountain for my tavern, anything else is just a plus.

i've been playing my .45 world for 7-8 months ingame time and i just freaking noticed i have surface copper O.o so that's a bonus i guess.

any surface ores are strictly icing on the cake the only other thing i like having is a river cutting the map in half so that i can easily separate myself from sieges although that would be pretty easy to make myself.