Secrets of clouds in AH Terrain Editor?

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Hi guys!

I was just putting my nose into the files in the terrain folder in the AH terrain editor.  

There is a file called ****.wca in the folder, where **** is the name of your terrain.  If you open it with Notepad, this is what it looks like:

 

#CloudCnt);
#CreateSeedTime);//Hours
#CreateSpacing);//Hours
#MinType);
#MaxType);
#MinPnt.x);//Miles
#MinPnt.y);Feet
#MinPnt.z);//Miles
#MaxPnt.x);//Miles
#MaxPnt.y);Feet
#MaxPnt.z);//Miles

#Range.x);Feet
#Range.y);Feet
#Range.z);Feet

#MinSize);Feet
#MaxSize);Feet
#Vec.x);//Miles
#Vec.y);Feet
#Vec.z);//Miles
#Speed);mph

16,0.08,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.16,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.24,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.32,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.40,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.48,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.56,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25
16,0.62,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,150, 25

16,0.08,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.16,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.24,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.32,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.40,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.48,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.56,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25
16,0.62,7,0,0, 0,15000,75, 30,15000,75, 5000,1000,5000  ,4000,9000,  0,0,-150, 25

It looks like this file has something to do with the clouds, their amount, location, speed etc.

The formatting is quite clear, but what the actual effect these settings is needs to be found out.   I haven't yet done any experimenting with the file, so if someone is eager to try, go ahead.  

I'll see if I have time to look into this.

Camo


------------------
Camouflage
XO, Lentolaivue 34
 www.muodos.fi/LLv34

Brewster into AH!

"The really good pilots use their superior judgement to keep them out of situations
where they might be required to demonstrate their superior skill."

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Yep, indeed you can control the clouds with this!  

This is what I found out so far:

Each row of numbers gives parameters to a single cloud bank.

Remarks are in italic. Remarks with a question mark are just educated guesses.  



#CloudCnt); How many clouds in the cloud bank
#CreateSeedTime);//Hours When do the clouds spawn (AH time)?
#CreateSpacing);//Hours When does another loop begin?
#MinType);
#MaxType);

#MinPnt.x);//Miles x-coordinate where first cloud in bank spawns?
#MinPnt.y);Feet Alt of first cloud
#MinPnt.z);//Miles z-coordinate where first cloud in bank spawns?
#MaxPnt.x);//Miles x-coordinate where last cloud in bank spawns?
#MaxPnt.y);Feet  Alt of last cloud
#MaxPnt.z);//Miles z-coordinate where last cloud in bank spawns?

#Range.x);Feet
#Range.y);Feet
#Range.z);Feet

#MinSize);Feet
#MaxSize);Feet
#Vec.x);//Miles  
#Vec.y);Feet
#Vec.z);//Miles  Cloud bank direction?
#Speed);mph  Cloud bank speed


It would be nice to figure out the coordinate system, so you could create clouds to where you want them.  

I already managed to create a nice overcast to very low altitude, with some higher clouds too.  Pretty cool.  

This is going to be great!    

Camo

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Ok, I'll try to explain what the first line in that default file means.

These are just guesses, so you might want to verify these!

16,0.08,7,0,0, 50,15000,-75, 80,15000,-75, 5000,1000,5000 ,4000,9000, 0,0,150, 25


16:  16 clouds in this bank of clouds
0.08: Cloud bank spawning starts 0.08 hrs after arena startup (4.8mins)
7: The spawning loop starts all over after 7hrs
0: Cloud type??
0: Cloud type??


50: X-position coordinate of first cloud (miles from center?)
15000: Altitude of first cloud
-75: Z-position coordinate of first cloud (miles from center?)
80: X-position coordinate of last cloud. (Other clouds in between)
15000: Altitude of last cloud
-75: X-position coordinate of last cloud


5000: Range??
1000: Range??
5000: Range??


4000: Cloud size??
9000: Cloud size??
0: x-vector?
0: y-vector?
150: z-vector?  
25: Cloud bank speed

It seems that the coordinate system origins in the map center.  X- positive is east, Z-positive is north.

The vectors definately give the direction to the cloud bank.  Maybe the vector is kinda like the "trail" the cloud bank moves, showing the end point.

By adding more lines to the file you add more cloud banks and can create bigger areas of cloud cover.  If you want puffs here and there, increase the spread of the clouds within a bank.  Remember that more clouds equals less frames per second!

That said, a huge overcast layer at 2000ft is pretty cool.  

Gotta do some more experimenting.  

Camo

[Wardog]

So what your saying is, you should be able to thin the cloud out and drop it to ground level and we could have fog fights.

Would be cool |

Dog out.

[Ghosth]

Well ground level is cool, tough to see the runway though! Get 50 feet from a hanger & your lost like a North Dakota Blizzard!!!  

Camo you deserve a promotion for this IMO.

[Ghosth]

Warning! These settings also effect smoke from burning hangers etc! Found out the hard way.  

[LLv34_Camouflage]

 

Originally posted by Ghosth:
Warning! These settings also effect smoke from burning hangers etc! Found out the hard way.  

Good to know!

Which settings did you change and what happened?

[RDRedwing]

WTG camo!

this is awesome

[Vermillion]

Very interesting!

Now if we can just up the min spec machine for AH to a 450mhz   Maybe we can start getting realistic clouds in the game.

------------------
Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure

[Ghosth]

Darn I knew I should have taken notes!  

Ok was playing with the clouds last night in a test terrain. (small map, 1 airfield)

First I pulled the alt down from 15k & tried various settings. The #'s I changed that effected the smoke were I think the cloud size min/max. I'd pumped them way up trying to get a thin layer (& got a huge cloud of fog on the ground)  Then the smoke idea came to me so I upped osty & killed the VH.

Far as I could see the cloud of black smoke covered the entire airbase.

Will try to duplicate later today to test exactly which setting did what.

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Rgr Ghosth, keep us posted on the smoke!

I did some experimenting with the clouds, I think I have the cloud settings figured out now.       (Except for cloud type, any clue about that?)

Here's my educated guess of what they do:

Thanks to HiTech for telling us about the Min/MaxType variable!


#CloudCnt);  Number of clouds in the bank
#CreateSeedTime);//Hours  Time when the first cloud bank appears (clock starts ticking at arena start time)
#CreateSpacing);//Hours  When does another bank spawn
#MinType); Cloud type: 0,1 or 2.
#MaxType); Cloud type: 0,1 or 2.

#MinPnt.x);//Miles   Start x-coordinate of first cloud in bank (W-E, east is positive. 0 is map center)
#MinPnt.y);Feet  Alt of first cloud
#MinPnt.z);//Miles Start z-coordinate of first cloud in bank(N-S, north is positive. 0 is map center)  
#MaxPnt.x);//Miles  Start x-coordinate of last cloud in bank
#MaxPnt.y);Feet  Alt of last cloud
#MaxPnt.z);//Miles Start z-coordinate of last cloud in bank

#Range.x);Feet Cloud bank variation in W-E direction
#Range.y);Feet  Cloud bank variation in altitude
#Range.z);Feet  Cloud bank variation in N-S direction

#MinSize);Feet  Minimum size of each cloud
#MaxSize);Feet  Maximum size of each cloud
#Vec.x);//Miles End point of cloud x-coordinate (W-E) in relation to start point. When the cloud bank reaches that point, it vanishes
#Vec.y);Feet End altitude of cloud bank in relation to start point
#Vec.z);//Miles End point of cloud (z-coordinate= N-S) in relation to start point
#Speed);mph  Speed of cloud bank


A few comments:

Type: The MinType MaxType are fixed type of clouds. Currently there are 3, so valid numbers are 0 1 and 2. If you wish all clouds to be of the same type, set min and max to the same number. Thanks HT!

Range:  Use this to get a little variation into the cloud bank, so that they are all not so perfectly aligned.

Size:  If you place clouds low, don't make the clouds so big that they clip the ground!

Vector & speed:  For all of you who have read math, you know what a vector is.  Basically, it is a line that is drawn from the start point to the finish. In this case, those vector coordinates define the cloud end point in relation to the start point.   The clouds travel that line at the given speed, and when they reach the end, they vanish.

So if you want the clouds to disappear in a specific point, you have to do some adding and subtracting of coordinates.    

Any other observations?

Have fun!    

Camo


[This message has been edited by LLv34_Camouflage (edited 11-18-2000).]

[Ghosth]

From what i've been able to determine, the only time smoke got out of hand was when I pumped the cloud min/max size way up.

I've doublechecked most of what you've posted so far, looks to me like your batting 1000.
Keep up the good work camo!

[LLv34_Camouflage]

Rgr Ghosth, that makes sense!  Thanks!

I'm eager to find out what that cloud type thingie means.  

[Ghosth]

On the cloud type #'s, I've tried inputing various numbers into there & got no discernable changes.

Let me know if you come up with something different.

BTW great shots in the other thread.  

[Ghosth]

Eureka! I have it!

Ok useing the following line as an example

32,0.001,22,10,10, 0,4000,0, 15,4000,0, 1000,1000,3000  ,3000,7000,  0,0,30, 15

we have 32 clouds, the min/max refers to the cloud size variables. IE it makes clouds as small as 3000 feet, and as large as 7000.

Useing the "Mintype/maxtype" variable tells it how many small clouds to make, and how many large ones.
In the example above, there would be 22 small clouds, and 12 large ones.

Just another control variable actually. Simple!    



[This message has been edited by Ghosth (edited 11-18-2000).]