Terrain editor questions....

[Saxman]

Sorry if these have been asked before, but as I have several questions about mapmaking it's more convenient to ask them all here again and get the answers in one place:

Anyway, I have some questions about the terrain editor:

First, working in the editor (from the download section) often time I can't get the selection crosses, so I have no idea where I'm clicking. Also some land tiles disappear unless I'm viewing from certain angles. This is making it difficult for me to keep track of the shape and location of the land mass. Is there a way to change this and keep tiles from disappearing? Why do I sometimes not get the selection crosses at all? I'm having a difficult time working blind this way.

Second, is there a way in the editor to estimate whether a base would be within range of a specific aircraft? Say, I want to make sure that a given airfield is within the maximum combat radius of a B-17. Is there a tool in the editor to actually figure this, or is it all guesswork, trial and error, and memorizing how far on the map an aircraft can travel.

Third, is it possible to have the capture of multiple airfields controlled by a single town, or does each airfield HAVE to have its own town?

[Easyscor]

Originally posted by Saxman
First, working in the editor (from the download section) often time I can't get the selection crosses, so I have no idea where I'm clicking.

The little crosses only show up when you are placing terrain tiles, water, grass etc.

Also some land tiles disappear unless I'm viewing from certain angles. This is making it difficult for me to keep track of the shape and location of the land mass. Is there a way to change this and keep tiles from disappearing?

Check the help file and use your joystick to "fly" the terrain.  If you get too high you won't see part or all of the terrain under you. Use the clipboard map.

Why do I sometimes not get the selection crosses at all? I'm having a difficult time working blind this way.

When you want to set objects like Airfields and roads, turn on the "Grid" lines and it's also important to turn on "Snap to Grid".

Second, is there a way in the editor to estimate whether a base would be within range of a specific aircraft? Say, I want to make sure that a given airfield is within the maximum combat radius of a B-17. Is there a tool in the editor to actually figure this, or is it all guesswork, trial and error, and memorizing how far on the map an aircraft can travel.

No

Third, is it possible to have the capture of multiple airfields controlled by a single town, or does each airfield HAVE to have its own town?

Yes, and it's the map room, but this is usually used only with custom airfield tiles that make up a single large airfield.

[Saxman]

The problem with not getting the crosses is that I'll click on one grid and I get the cross, but if I click the grid NEXT to it I don't. Sometimes I'll click on a space on the grid (even if I'm "centered" over it in top-down view) and I won't get what I'm clicking on, I get the space above, below or to the side.

Ah I see, you don't even NEED to have a town at all, then? You can just place a maproom instead? Interesting. It's gonna be fun playing with my little project and seeing just what I can do with it.

[Raptor]

to add more crosses to what you already have selected, hold shift when  (right) clicking. To remove a cross, hold cntrl when (right) clicking the one you want to remove.

Cntrl when left clicking lowers the elevation. Holding shift rises the elevation.

For the terrain to work you dont even NEED a maproom, just without it you are unable to capture fields.

[Saxman]

Nevermind, I found out what was wrong, I was trying to work off the edge of the world. They really need to put a big warning when you get to the edge of the maps. "Here there be monsters!" or something.

I wish there were two map views, one for your reference pic, the other to show the REAL map as you're working on it. That'd REALLY make it easier keeping tabs on how things are ACTUALLY progressing, as opposed to what you THINK it looks like. The help file mentioned a template showing the sectors, but those templates are nowhere to be found and the directory doesn't exist (at least, not matching the help file's description). Anyone know where I can find it?

While I haven't played with the tools much yet, is it possible to ADD new objects, or alternate versions of EXISTING objects that could be used together with the "standard" ones? For what I'm doing I find being able to have alternate versions of the fighter, bomber, and vehicle hangars (as well as the tower/map room) would not just be useful, but a pretty freakin' awesome imersiveness effect (but I don't want to replace the existing ones outright, I'd need both).

Speaking of which, if it IS possible to do that, I may have need for people experienced with skinning and doing shapes. While I can model, when it comes to doing anything in paint programs and expecting it to look good a two-year-old with a box of crayons would do a better job. That part I'll keep y'all posted on.

[Saxman]

Ok, I've made changes to an object, and it looks great in the object editor, HOWEVER when I go to use the modified object in the Terrain Editor, all it gives me is the original object. How do I get the modified objects to appear? (the ObjEd has NO help file ). There's a .til file I can create that is put into a folder called "tiles" in the ahiiterr folder. Does it have something to do with that? Do I need to put in my new object, save it, exit and reload and THEN it will appear in the terrain editor?

[Easyscor]

Look on your hard drive:

C:\Program Files\HTC\ah2editor

Readme File:

objedit.txt

[BlauK]

The .til files in your tiles folder are a result of using the "file/save as" function in Object Editor. When you use the "build" command, you get a .shp file into your newshps folder. That is the file you need to copy to your texsrc folder. remember to use a new name (in "save as") so that there will be no complications with existing HTC default objects... unless you want to replace them!

If you are building the new object in OE with some custom shapes (from userlib folder) then you need to copy them (shp:s and htx:s) also to texsrc in addition to that shp from newshps! Remember to use different names for the shp:s in userlib and newshps.

Hope this helps

[Saxman]

Ok, I've got my shape in the \texsrc folder, and I've named it to ter#####.shp per the .txt, but it STILL is not showing in the editor. The file says the first two ## are the subtype, and the second two ## are the type. Is there a SPECIFIC number system for shape types/subtypes used by AH? Like, a runway main type is a specific number, with a 00-03 for each of the four subtypes of runways (the individual runways in the shapes list, not the actual large/med/small airfields)?

Edited: I just renamed the files to match the shape name listed in the object editor (yes, I AM replacing them). The terrain editor IS now recognizing there should be a new shape, but the tile is now BLANK when I try and add it (so I guess that could be considered progress).

Edited 2: SUCCESS! I got my new shape to appear in the terrain editor. However, I now have it listed twice--once from the userlib folder, the other from the newshps folder. The only one that actually appears in the editor is the one from userlib, while the one from newshps is blank. Currently, the file from newshps is NOT renamed to ter#### per the txt (I STILL need to know how the subtype and type are determined). Is that just used as a reference, and if I change it to that name will it no longer appear in the shapes list? Or would I add the file from newshps to the shpfilter file?

[BlauK]

It would help if I knew what kind of object you are making. Those terr#### files are the terrain tiles which are associated with the terrain textures... meaninig forrests, hills, country houses, barns etc.

If you are making some other object, do not use those names. Normal objects can be named freely. You assign their types either in OE and/or in TE when placing them.

If you are making a new 3-d terrain tile, make sure that in "file/tile properties" you have the 1st and 3rs boxes checked, but not the 2nd.

You cannot use these terrain tiles as objects, even though they appear in the object list in TE/Objects flap. You can use the tile you mad ein the Terrain flap by selecting appropriate terrain type and the "manual" selection instead of randomize. There you get the options for the four quadrants betweeen 0 and 3. Those mean first two numbers in the terr#### name.

[Saxman]

AH, ok. So if I make, say, a new building. I can name the file from newshp whatever I want. It's the names for the TERRAIN TILES that need to be specified (0-3 for the subtype corresponding to the variations). I get it now. The OE help file was irritatingly vague on this. :/

So what about the dual listing for a shape that I'm getting now (one for the shp file I was instructed to bring from newshps, and the other from userlib)? Do I just add the file from newshps (which appears as NOTHING in the TE) to the shpfilter file so it doesn't appear?

[BlauK]

The file in the newshps is not a real shape. It is kind of location info of several shapes within a "shape".

If you have just a single custom shape in your userlib (which you have presumably converted from ac3d file) and you dont want to add something like bushes or trees beside your house, then it is ok to use just the shp from userlib.

If you want to put things together in OE, then you use what ever shps (either custom or htc's own) for the work and save it with some new name!!! (makes that .til into tiles folder... just a list of objects and locations) Finally you "build" it into the newshps folder. Then you need all the shp:s you used in that work from userlib AND the shp from newshps.

[Saxman]

Gotcha!I'm getting it now.

Is anyone gonna do an updated help file for the OE? There's stuff in there that's vague to the point of uselessness and some things missing altogether!

[NUTTZ]

Thats great! Now once someone can figure out why I can't fly forward threw the map ( using button 2 on joystick) or ANY button, then post it.

I haven't been here for awhile, tried again last night to get back into mapmaking and remembered why I couldn't make them.

NUTTZ

Originally posted by Saxman
Gotcha!I'm getting it now.

Is anyone gonna do an updated help file for the OE? There's stuff in there that's vague to the point of uselessness and some things missing altogether!

[Saxman]

Ok, I AM ADDING a completely new terrain type, as well. The tiles ARE appearing in the objects list, but it's not listing under the "terrains" tab.