Terrain questions
by Browser_ice · in Torque Game Engine · 10/23/2007 (12:06 pm) · 5 replies
I have questions related to creating a terrain :
1) using a height map bitmap to create the terrain, are we restricted to 256x256 only ? I tried with 2048x2048 and the result was totaly different and unpredictable.
2) with the height map, how can you specificly indicate the exact size of the resulted terrain ? I only see Scale as option.
3) when applitying textures, they are like 20 times bigger then what they should be. How can I control to have it applied to lets say 0.5m x 0.5 m only ?
4) applying textures creates too brightened up results as if the gamma was set to 10 and +. How can I have the resulted applied texture to look Exactly like the bitmap ?
5) applying a height map bitmap causes some borders to be raised when they should not. Why ?
Also, is there an IRC to ask such questions ? Seams its taking a few days to get answers around here and that is causing my tight scheduled projects to be impacted.
1) using a height map bitmap to create the terrain, are we restricted to 256x256 only ? I tried with 2048x2048 and the result was totaly different and unpredictable.
2) with the height map, how can you specificly indicate the exact size of the resulted terrain ? I only see Scale as option.
3) when applitying textures, they are like 20 times bigger then what they should be. How can I control to have it applied to lets say 0.5m x 0.5 m only ?
4) applying textures creates too brightened up results as if the gamma was set to 10 and +. How can I have the resulted applied texture to look Exactly like the bitmap ?
5) applying a height map bitmap causes some borders to be raised when they should not. Why ?
Also, is there an IRC to ask such questions ? Seams its taking a few days to get answers around here and that is causing my tight scheduled projects to be impacted.
#2
If you only need a small area, you can increase the terrain resolution by reducing squaresize. (Warning: My understanding is that there are some features that give trouble if you don't use squareSize = "8" For example, I have seen water blocks mentioned. )
But you are still restricted to 256x256 height points as noted above. I suppose that texture painting is done per grid square, so it will cover roughly an 8mx8m area unless you increase the resolution via reducing squaresize.
The 256x256 limit comes from optimizations made in the terrain engine coding that include assembly code, etc., so changing it would be a big job. If you need larger terrains than you can get with TGE, the usual suggestion is to upgrade to the newer TGEA product that supports larger terrains.
You can toggle the Mirroring feature that gives infinite terrains when engaged. This might be the effect causing your question 5). Strange things can happen unless your hieghtmap is carefully built to be "geomorphic" (probably with either setting.)
Note that many of these settings get saved in the .ter terain file, not the mission. This is a binary formatted file.
10/23/2007 (2:39 pm)
You can change the "squareSize" field of the terrain object to adjust the size in meters (squareSize is essentially the size covered by one heightfield pixel in meters). So 256 pixels * squaresize of 8 = 2048 m terrain size mentioned. If you only need a small area, you can increase the terrain resolution by reducing squaresize. (Warning: My understanding is that there are some features that give trouble if you don't use squareSize = "8" For example, I have seen water blocks mentioned. )
But you are still restricted to 256x256 height points as noted above. I suppose that texture painting is done per grid square, so it will cover roughly an 8mx8m area unless you increase the resolution via reducing squaresize.
The 256x256 limit comes from optimizations made in the terrain engine coding that include assembly code, etc., so changing it would be a big job. If you need larger terrains than you can get with TGE, the usual suggestion is to upgrade to the newer TGEA product that supports larger terrains.
You can toggle the Mirroring feature that gives infinite terrains when engaged. This might be the effect causing your question 5). Strange things can happen unless your hieghtmap is carefully built to be "geomorphic" (probably with either setting.)
Note that many of these settings get saved in the .ter terain file, not the mission. This is a binary formatted file.
#3
ok, I guess that will server as basic and then manipulation will have to be done to improve it. I did use a 356x256 but it is not as smooth as what the image is when I open it with Photoshop. There is nothing else applied in the terrain terraform editor besides the "Gene" (which upon clicking on it reveals nothing on top but the image on the bottom left is like a total noise generated texture), and the "Bitmap". Isn't it in the "Gene" section where I have the maximum height and the increase range to ?? I cannto find it Anywhere.
2) a terrain is always 2048 x 2048 meters.
Humm doesn't seam true. In regard to 3) I tried changing the terrain squaresize from 6 to 4 and it downsized the terrain. Playing with the scale does nothing. How can I effectively keep the same terrain size but reduce the squaresize so I can have smaller areas of texturing possible ?
3) terrain textures can only be 256 x 256 pixels, there are scaled by about 2 once applied.
I assume the size of texturable terrain part is a squaresize, right ? If so, that's crazy applying a 256x256bit texture on a 8mx8m plane area (or similar in size).
4) Change Sun settings,.
Ok, I'll try. I want a night time with a moon or something showing up.
5) there is probably a pixel somewhere. Easily cleaned up with brush in smooth mode.
Well no matter what I try, the brush simply doesn't want to appear so I cannot change anything. Even changing the mouse brush doesn't change the mouse brush size in the bottom left corner of the screen. Why I am unable to use the brush ?
10/23/2007 (4:58 pm)
1) 256 x 256 only ok, I guess that will server as basic and then manipulation will have to be done to improve it. I did use a 356x256 but it is not as smooth as what the image is when I open it with Photoshop. There is nothing else applied in the terrain terraform editor besides the "Gene" (which upon clicking on it reveals nothing on top but the image on the bottom left is like a total noise generated texture), and the "Bitmap". Isn't it in the "Gene" section where I have the maximum height and the increase range to ?? I cannto find it Anywhere.
2) a terrain is always 2048 x 2048 meters.
Humm doesn't seam true. In regard to 3) I tried changing the terrain squaresize from 6 to 4 and it downsized the terrain. Playing with the scale does nothing. How can I effectively keep the same terrain size but reduce the squaresize so I can have smaller areas of texturing possible ?
3) terrain textures can only be 256 x 256 pixels, there are scaled by about 2 once applied.
I assume the size of texturable terrain part is a squaresize, right ? If so, that's crazy applying a 256x256bit texture on a 8mx8m plane area (or similar in size).
4) Change Sun settings,.
Ok, I'll try. I want a night time with a moon or something showing up.
5) there is probably a pixel somewhere. Easily cleaned up with brush in smooth mode.
Well no matter what I try, the brush simply doesn't want to appear so I cannot change anything. Even changing the mouse brush doesn't change the mouse brush size in the bottom left corner of the screen. Why I am unable to use the brush ?
#4
If that doesn't solve the problem, it could be that your squaresize setting is confusing your brush. The default squaresize of 8 usually gives you a one-to-one mouse/brush relationship.
I hope that made sense.
10/23/2007 (5:52 pm)
If terrain tiling is turned off then you won't be able to edit the geometry of the terrain or paint any textures onto it. Just look for the tiling/tilable parameter in the terrain's world editor section. If that doesn't solve the problem, it could be that your squaresize setting is confusing your brush. The default squaresize of 8 usually gives you a one-to-one mouse/brush relationship.
I hope that made sense.
#5
ok, I guess that will server as basic and then manipulation will have to be done to improve it. I did use a 356x256 but it is not as smooth as what the image is when I open it with Photoshop. There is nothing else applied in the terrain terraform editor besides the "Gene" (which upon clicking on it reveals nothing on top but the image on the bottom left is like a total noise generated texture), and the "Bitmap". Isn't it in the "Gene" section where I have the maximum height and the increase range to ?? I cannto find it Anywhere.
2) a terrain is always 2048 x 2048 meters.
Humm doesn't seam true. In regard to 3) I tried changing the terrain squaresize from 6 to 4 and it downsized the terrain. Playing with the scale does nothing. How can I effectively keep the same terrain size but reduce the squaresize so I can have smaller areas of texturing possible ?
3) terrain textures can only be 256 x 256 pixels, there are scaled by about 2 once applied.
I assume the size of texturable terrain part is a squaresize, right ? If so, that's crazy applying a 256x256bit texture on a 8mx8m plane area (or similar in size).
4) Change Sun settings,.
Ok, I'll try. I want a night time with a moon or something showing up.
5) there is probably a pixel somewhere. Easily cleaned up with brush in smooth mode.
Well no matter what I try, the brush simply doesn't want to appear so I cannot change anything. Even changing the mouse brush doesn't change the mouse brush size in the bottom left corner of the screen. Why I am unable to use the brush ?
Also, why is that when I do a "Save mission" or "Save mission as" the *.mis file has all its values nullified (meaning ="") ?
10/23/2007 (6:09 pm)
1) 256 x 256 only ok, I guess that will server as basic and then manipulation will have to be done to improve it. I did use a 356x256 but it is not as smooth as what the image is when I open it with Photoshop. There is nothing else applied in the terrain terraform editor besides the "Gene" (which upon clicking on it reveals nothing on top but the image on the bottom left is like a total noise generated texture), and the "Bitmap". Isn't it in the "Gene" section where I have the maximum height and the increase range to ?? I cannto find it Anywhere.
2) a terrain is always 2048 x 2048 meters.
Humm doesn't seam true. In regard to 3) I tried changing the terrain squaresize from 6 to 4 and it downsized the terrain. Playing with the scale does nothing. How can I effectively keep the same terrain size but reduce the squaresize so I can have smaller areas of texturing possible ?
3) terrain textures can only be 256 x 256 pixels, there are scaled by about 2 once applied.
I assume the size of texturable terrain part is a squaresize, right ? If so, that's crazy applying a 256x256bit texture on a 8mx8m plane area (or similar in size).
4) Change Sun settings,.
Ok, I'll try. I want a night time with a moon or something showing up.
5) there is probably a pixel somewhere. Easily cleaned up with brush in smooth mode.
Well no matter what I try, the brush simply doesn't want to appear so I cannot change anything. Even changing the mouse brush doesn't change the mouse brush size in the bottom left corner of the screen. Why I am unable to use the brush ?
Also, why is that when I do a "Save mission" or "Save mission as" the *.mis file has all its values nullified (meaning ="") ?
Torque Owner Stephan - viKKing - Bondier
2) a terrain is always 2048 x 2048 meters
3) terrain textures can only be 256 x 256 pixels, there are scaled by about 2 once applied
4) Change Sun settings, this is due to TLK. But yes, there have much more contrast. Eventually darken them.
5) there is probably a pixel somewhere. Easily cleaned up with brush in smooth mode.
It doesn't take me more than 1 minute to do so.