Importing RAW Files into MilkShape, problems!

#1 You do know that a RAW file is an image file, and not a 3D model, right?

This message makes it sound like you expect the terrain to show up as a 3D model. Terrain isn't usually stored that way.

#2 Er... a MilkShape RAW file is a 3D object. Create a sphere, export to RAW and look at the raw file - it is all surface coords. I know because I've been working on a RAW to MAP converter (it works mostly, I just have to work around some niggling WC issues).

#3 Yes, but there's also an image format called RAW. They're not the same--the one you got from Terragen is a 2D image, the one MilkShape wants is 3D. They're both raw data, they're just of a different form.

#4 Ah. OK.

#5 Um ok... how exactly do I get my Terragen terrain into a .map (or something) format for an engine (not Torque neccisarrily) to read?


- ian wheat

#6 Heightmaps are imported into the Torque engine using greyscaled png bitmaps. It will not accept RAW files - either 2D or 3D. I don't know how you could import your RAW files to other games. To the best of my knowledge, to bring your 2D RAW file from terragen to torque you would have to convert it to a 256 greyscaled bitmap. You could not bring a 3D RAW model or terain into the game at all.

#7 ok, so if I save it as some kind of greyscale bitmap then I can load it up in a game?

how does it read where the map is higher and lower etc????



- ian wheat

#8 The greyscale functions as a heightmap. The lighter a color is the higher it is...

Check the forums for more info on heightmaps and putting terrain into the engine there are a couple other gotchas in there - specifically I remember that you have to create a special subdirectory path where you must put the heightmaps. Don't have my notes here as to the exact path.

#9 ok thanks =)


- ian wheat

#10 Here is a plugin for terragen that should allow you to export to something useful:
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~jomeder/feo/index.html