Terrain Editor

[hitech]

The will display on anything below the cloud height.

HiTech

[hitech]

Been working on the custom terrain tiles, it should all be working for the next release.
Here is a sample set that can be used as the starting point.

In the terrset00 folder there are 4 .txt files.

These files define the inputs for the atlases to be made.
For the sample we have all the bmp in a texsrc folder, but they can be anywhere. But I would suggest you maintain this structure.
When we name ours we give the bmp meaningful names like dryshrub or farm1 excreta. These simply need to be put in the atlas.txt files. For the example I simply named them according to there Type #.

Also when you lay them out keep transitions in mind. When you have a type 2 and a type 10 next to each other the terrain will transition threw 8 different terrain types. So it is best to keep similar types next to each other.

You can include multiple terrain sets in each terrain.

The sizes and type of format used for each file must be maintained.

The basic extensions are _a0   terrain detail type. _n normal map, and _b1 is the spec channel.

then any file with the clutter in the name defines where ground clutter lays on the tiles.

When the terrain editor starts it puts all these into 4 atlas files. They are then saved in the terrsetxx folder.


The object editor will also supports opening these files bmp files, and you can create tree layouts for the tile which are put into other folders under terrsetXX.

HiTech


 

[Greebo]

The will display on anything below the cloud height.

What I am seeing in the game is as per the screenshot below. The mountain here is about 12.5K in alt and this set of clouds is set to between 17.5K and 16K, the hard line that cloud shadows stop displaying at is about 8K. This happens all across the map. I have tried setting clouds at different alts to no effect and it makes no difference if my viewpoint in the game is above or below 8K.

I have attached my dxdiag and the current weather file in case this is something specific to me. I had to save the weather file as a txt file as it would not let me upload an awa file.

[hitech]

I find for some jobs it is sometimes quicker to edit the weather file directly using a text editor rather than the cloud editor. So I was just wondering if there is a way to add comments into the awa file like "Tank town clouds" to make it easier to read.

Took a look, You can already make comments by starting the line with a #

They will still load with no problem, but if you edit with the cloud editor and save, the comments will be lost.
As and example
0x00021d00
#test
-3600,7200,30,221760,0,42,51,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-145200,9000,-125400,262868,0,-58415,66000,0,297000,0.500
#test2
-3600,7200,30,221760,0,42,51,1,9,1000,1000,1000,3000,3000,3000,-145200,9000,-125400,262868,0,-58415,66000,0,297000,0.500

HiTech

[Easyscor]

fyi
When the TE is first opened, there are no selected objects in under the Objects tab.
If you click the Save Texture button, a message comes up but then you can't move the editor window's display, it freezes. You can use the file menu to exit and everything else seems to work.

[hitech]

fyi
When the TE is first opened, there are no selected objects in under the Objects tab.
If you click the Save Texture button, a message comes up but then you can't move the editor window's display, it freezes. You can use the file menu to exit and everything else seems to work.

Found the issue, there is a message box behind the TE telling you that you must select a shape.
I fix it so it comes to the for ground.

HiTech

[hitech]

What I am seeing in the game is as per the screenshot below. The mountain here is about 12.5K in alt and this set of clouds is set to between 17.5K and 16K, the hard line that cloud shadows stop displaying at is about 8K. This happens all across the map. I have tried setting clouds at different alts to no effect and it makes no difference if my viewpoint in the game is above or below 8K.

I have attached my dxdiag and the current weather file in case this is something specific to me. I had to save the weather file as a txt file as it would not let me upload an awa file.

(Image removed from quote.)

Found the issue, I just had it hard coded at 8k for testing, for next release it will be the middle of the cloud layer.

Also Ill see if I can fade it out over the last 500 feet or so.

HiTech

[hitech]

The fade works very well.

HiTech

[Greebo]

Thanks HT, glad it was a simple fix. The lock button makes the cloud editor much nicer to use too.

The only other cloud related issue I have is that clouds (but not their shadows) vanish when viewed through a cloud layer. These shots show the same 11K clouds when viewed from above and below a 15K cloud layer:-

[hitech]

Thanks HT, glad it was a simple fix. The lock button makes the cloud editor much nicer to use too.

The only other cloud related issue I have is that clouds (but not their shadows) vanish when viewed through a cloud layer. These shots show the same 11K clouds when viewed from above and below a 15K cloud layer:-

(Image removed from quote.)

Yea I knew about this when I wrote it. Have been considering fixing it, it involves what order to draw the layers, when you are below between or above them. My thought at the time was, just use the layer for high alt that is always above you.

HiTech

[Greebo]

OK, I'll move it up to 40K or so.

[Easyscor]

I forgot to mention, when uploading the terrain the first time, I got an error.
Invalid Fd - 1 in pkSendMessage: ftPUT_FILE_REQUEST

I'm attaching a jpg of the Build window in case it's helpful.
It worked on the second attempt

[Chilli]

Test Goals:  This is where I failed (Add one airfield to the terrain and build it.)

I had the old tutorial and lost it somewhere.  But couldn't for the life of me see where it allowed me to add any fields, only view them if they already existed.

Please refresh my memory on those critical steps.

BTW, I uploaded the files from Easycor that included the airfield and it worked well offline.

[Easyscor]

THE ELEVATIONS TAB

My experience to date with the new TE's Elevation Tab

When the focus is on the editor window, you can select any tool by typing the number, however, keep in mind that if you must click the value text box before you can make a value change. If I may suggest, the Tab key might be a nice toggle to set the focus into the editing window, or the input controls, or out of the programs window so it doesn't keep bouncing around while you type. I usually have several running programs on my desktop.



Smooth Catmul
My intuition suggests a path for a ridgeline or valley but I haven't been able to make it work. Any instruction would be appreciated.

Smooth BiLiner
This suggests straight line interpolation between 4 points, filling in holes and cutting down high points. Any instruction would be appreciated. (I had to do that a lot in the real world once upon a time. WHO knows what a blue top is? )


Set Alt: Use left click and drag
Brut-force elevation changes. The easiest to understand and use and very important for tweaking alts for fields but not pleasing. Set the value and every vert you drag your mouse over is forced to meet the altitude value.

Raise/lower: Use left click and drag
This can set build natural looking hills and mountains very quickly. It's very nice. It reminds me of a blur or fractal tool in a graphics program

Raise/loser Hil: Use left click and drag
I'm sure there must be a difference between Raise/lower but I don't understand exactly what it is. This tool feels more like drawning a line across the terrain and feels to me more like my idea of a Biliner tool. Are there any refinement instructions to these last two?

Bulldoze 2 Points: Use left click and drag
This is much easier to use then the old TE filters. It's going to be important when roads are introduced and it's useful for cutting canyons to contain GV battles or low furballs. Starting and ending altitudes match the elevation points under your cursor as you drag.

Beach Tool Point: Depress the Shift key & left click (you can drag) for a number of points
(This is my favorite tool now that I know how to use it.) From a position over the land, think of how you'd read a line of English text. Start on your left at a point WELL beyond where you want your beach modification to start. If you don't, then in a moment you'll be erasing the good portions of beach beyond your starting point. You've seen the video laying down a series of points with shift+left click until you're well past the right hand extent of your changes. I like to use a small brush for setting the points and a large brush for editing the beach. Use Crtl + left drag to modify your points. Set your brush size and right click and drag over your beach. You can start this from either the right or left portion of the line. I find that on my hardware, I need to drag along the beach several times to see the best results.
This tool won't draw islands or lakes, change your elevations first. I find it's good for about half a mile out in the water.

Spline All Islands
Hit the Clear button first, only because it's there. Take up a position high above your islands and hit the Spline button. Give it a minute and a blue beach line will encircle your islands. You can decide what portions you want to accept. Take the brush and pass it along the line where you want to create your beach. This is similar to the Create all Beaches except you have the opportunity to skip the portions you want to behave differently. As you're working with this, if you see a spot you want to tweak with one of the other tools, your blue beach line will still be there when you come back to Beach Tools.

Create All Beaches Button
This can save a lot of time if it works for your particular terrain and it typically moves the beach further out into the water while leaving obvious sand in its trail.. That makes a fairly good marker for coming back with the Beach Point Tool. It closes up your converted AH2 terrain rivers.

[Easyscor]

Test Goals:  This is where I failed (Add one airfield to the terrain and build it.)

I had the old tutorial and lost it somewhere.  But couldn't for the life of me see where it allowed me to add any fields, only view them if they already existed.

Please refresh my memory on those critical steps.

BTW, I uploaded the files from Easycor that included the airfield and it worked well offline.

Use the Objects tab. Click in the objects list and press S. The list will scroll alphabetically to saf1m00. Enjoy our new toys!
Remember to set it as a Group Master, set to field, set the base number and zone.