Out now: 'L3DT for Torque' 2.5c
by Aaron Torpy · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 04/03/2008 (4:45 am) · 12 replies
Hi Everyone,
An update to 'L3DT for Torque' is now available for download. The changes are:
New Atlas plugin
There is a new console-based export plugin for exporting to Atlas2, which supports both unique and blended terrain. To access this plugin, use the 'File->Export->to Torque Atlas2 (console plugin)' menu option. The userguide for this new plugin is on-line here.
This new plugin does not suffer from the nasty crashing problem that afflicted the old plugin when it was generating Atlas geometry. TGEA may still crash when generating Atlas files, but with this new plugin TGEA is running in a separate process to L3DT, so TGEA can't crash your L3DT session.
Note: If TGEA does crash when generating your Atlas files, it is usually because your error limit is too high. Increase the allowed error and try again.
3D map editing
The 3D renderer has been greatly improved, and now includes a range of heightmap and land type editing brushes for real-time 3D editing. Here is an example of their use, where I have made a road using the 'bulldozer', 'smooth' and 'avalanche' heightfield brushes, and then applied the asphalt surface using the new 'attributes map brush':
(larger screenshots are here)
Activation system bug-fixes
There were a few bugs in the activation system in 'L3DT for Torque' v2.5a, which (as far as I know) have been fixed for this release. I apologise to all the users affected for the inconvenience caused by those bugs.
Other changes
Other changes that may be of interest include:
* A new materials manager/editor interface, which simplifies climate/texture development (see this blog post).
* The addition of a backup/restore feature for 'undoing' changes (see here).
* Improvements/bugfixes for the multi-core disk-paged calculation system.
* Improvements to the scripting system, which enables the use of more custom heightfield effects (e.g., this volcano script).
* Various utility plugins, such as map rotation, road making, etc.
More information about this release is available in the full release announcement.
Please check that you have the newest version
To check that you have the very latest version, please go to the 'Help->About' menu item in L3DT. The latest version number is 2.5.3.7, dated the 31st of March 2008. If you have an older version than this (including pre-releases of L3DT 2.5c), please go to your 'my account' page and download the update.
Free trial?
If you'd like to try before you buy, please follow the instructions on this page to receive a 90-day trial activation key and appropriate download instructions.
Feedback, bug reports, comments.
If you'd like to make comments or criticisms of this release, or suggestions for future updates, please feel free to do so in this thread. If you need to make a bug report, I'd appreciate it if you'd use the bug reports forum at Bundysoft. In the case of activation key problems, please e-mail me directly at aaron@bundysoft.com.
Best regards,
Aaron Torpy.
An update to 'L3DT for Torque' is now available for download. The changes are:
New Atlas plugin
There is a new console-based export plugin for exporting to Atlas2, which supports both unique and blended terrain. To access this plugin, use the 'File->Export->to Torque Atlas2 (console plugin)' menu option. The userguide for this new plugin is on-line here.
This new plugin does not suffer from the nasty crashing problem that afflicted the old plugin when it was generating Atlas geometry. TGEA may still crash when generating Atlas files, but with this new plugin TGEA is running in a separate process to L3DT, so TGEA can't crash your L3DT session.
Note: If TGEA does crash when generating your Atlas files, it is usually because your error limit is too high. Increase the allowed error and try again.
3D map editing
The 3D renderer has been greatly improved, and now includes a range of heightmap and land type editing brushes for real-time 3D editing. Here is an example of their use, where I have made a road using the 'bulldozer', 'smooth' and 'avalanche' heightfield brushes, and then applied the asphalt surface using the new 'attributes map brush':
(larger screenshots are here)Activation system bug-fixes
There were a few bugs in the activation system in 'L3DT for Torque' v2.5a, which (as far as I know) have been fixed for this release. I apologise to all the users affected for the inconvenience caused by those bugs.
Other changes
Other changes that may be of interest include:
* A new materials manager/editor interface, which simplifies climate/texture development (see this blog post).
* The addition of a backup/restore feature for 'undoing' changes (see here).
* Improvements/bugfixes for the multi-core disk-paged calculation system.
* Improvements to the scripting system, which enables the use of more custom heightfield effects (e.g., this volcano script).
* Various utility plugins, such as map rotation, road making, etc.
More information about this release is available in the full release announcement.
Please check that you have the newest version
To check that you have the very latest version, please go to the 'Help->About' menu item in L3DT. The latest version number is 2.5.3.7, dated the 31st of March 2008. If you have an older version than this (including pre-releases of L3DT 2.5c), please go to your 'my account' page and download the update.
Free trial?
If you'd like to try before you buy, please follow the instructions on this page to receive a 90-day trial activation key and appropriate download instructions.
Feedback, bug reports, comments.
If you'd like to make comments or criticisms of this release, or suggestions for future updates, please feel free to do so in this thread. If you need to make a bug report, I'd appreciate it if you'd use the bug reports forum at Bundysoft. In the case of activation key problems, please e-mail me directly at aaron@bundysoft.com.
Best regards,
Aaron Torpy.
#2
04/03/2008 (10:29 am)
Just tried the blended atlas exporting for TGEA 1.7 BETA 2 and it works like a charm!
#3
Fresh install of L3DT too, any clues?
06/10/2008 (11:14 am)
I am getting this error with the new plugin version.CExtManager::GetFuncHandle error: - function not found ExtFunc_GetFuncHandle error: - Plugin 'L3DTio_Atlas2' requestied function 'var.GetValueA', which was not found CExtAPI::GetFuncHandle error - Function not found
Fresh install of L3DT too, any clues?
#4
Are you using the version of L3DTio_Atlas2 that came with the L3DT for Torque installer, or did you download the latest L3DTio_Atlas2 from the Bundysoft site?
If the latter case, please be aware that the latest version of the L3DTio_Atlas2 plugin is only compatible with the latest developmental build of L3DT, as they both use an updated version of the plugin API, including amongst other things the new 'var.GetValueA' function. This is mentioned in the 'dependencies' section of the plugin page, but it's easy to miss that info. If you'd like to try the latest developmental build of L3DT for Torque, let me know and I'll send you a link.
If you're using the stock version of L3DTio_Atlas2 that came with the L3DT for Torque installer, can you please send me your L3DT log file? (to aaron@bundysoft.com). It's in your start menu under 'All programs->Bundysoft->L3DT [version]->L3DT log file'.
Best regards,
Aaron Torpy.
06/10/2008 (2:14 pm)
Hi Kyle,Are you using the version of L3DTio_Atlas2 that came with the L3DT for Torque installer, or did you download the latest L3DTio_Atlas2 from the Bundysoft site?
If the latter case, please be aware that the latest version of the L3DTio_Atlas2 plugin is only compatible with the latest developmental build of L3DT, as they both use an updated version of the plugin API, including amongst other things the new 'var.GetValueA' function. This is mentioned in the 'dependencies' section of the plugin page, but it's easy to miss that info. If you'd like to try the latest developmental build of L3DT for Torque, let me know and I'll send you a link.
If you're using the stock version of L3DTio_Atlas2 that came with the L3DT for Torque installer, can you please send me your L3DT log file? (to aaron@bundysoft.com). It's in your start menu under 'All programs->Bundysoft->L3DT [version]->L3DT log file'.
Best regards,
Aaron Torpy.
#5
I am certain that my issues are coming from my lack of understanding how to configure L3DT properly or using invalid map sizes or something of those sorts. Here are my errors when trying a "Blended Textures" export.
With a unique export I am getting a solid purple terrain that flickers black but the export is fine once I get the tree depth high enough, but I am not pleased with the file size using this method.
Is there a guide created for how to make a terrain and use this new exporter with the "Blended Textures" option yet? Yes, that is here.
06/10/2008 (2:25 pm)
Alright using the standard L3DT plugins that come with the install now.I am certain that my issues are coming from my lack of understanding how to configure L3DT properly or using invalid map sizes or something of those sorts. Here are my errors when trying a "Blended Textures" export.
L3DTio_Atlas2::ExtAtlasExport error: - layer must equal 4 for 'atlasGenerateBlenderTerrain'. CZeoFunc::CallFunction error: - The function 'ExtAtlasExport' in the plugin 'L3DTio_Atlas2' returned an error.
With a unique export I am getting a solid purple terrain that flickers black but the export is fine once I get the tree depth high enough, but I am not pleased with the file size using this method.
Is there a guide created for how to make a terrain and use this new exporter with the "Blended Textures" option yet? Yes, that is here.
#6
I'll try to write a blended textures tutorial at the next available opportunity, which should (hopefully) be in the next week or so. I'll post back here when it's done.
Cheerio,
Aaron.
PS: The "layer must equal 4" message indicates that you haven't used the 'combine alpha layers' wizard to bring the number of alpha layers (or opacity layers, in TGEA parlance) down to four, which is the maximum number of alpha layers supported by stock TGEA.
06/12/2008 (4:47 am)
Hi Kyle,I'll try to write a blended textures tutorial at the next available opportunity, which should (hopefully) be in the next week or so. I'll post back here when it's done.
Cheerio,
Aaron.
PS: The "layer must equal 4" message indicates that you haven't used the 'combine alpha layers' wizard to bring the number of alpha layers (or opacity layers, in TGEA parlance) down to four, which is the maximum number of alpha layers supported by stock TGEA.
#7
Thanks for the hopes of a guide coming soon, it is becoming quite difficult/time consuming to get nice high quality textures on the surface of the map.
06/12/2008 (6:51 am)
Sounds super, I will give the alpha layer thing a try today.Thanks for the hopes of a guide coming soon, it is becoming quite difficult/time consuming to get nice high quality textures on the surface of the map.
#8
The bad news is that I can confirm that the Atlas plugin included with L3DT release 2.5c does have a bug in the blended terrain profile. It doesn't write the layer image paths correctly, which results in black terrain. The good news is that I've fixed the bug, and will make available the updated plugin shortly (still some more testing and validation to do).
Here's a quick screenshot:
Cheerio,
Aaron.
06/12/2008 (3:24 pm)
Hi Kyle,The bad news is that I can confirm that the Atlas plugin included with L3DT release 2.5c does have a bug in the blended terrain profile. It doesn't write the layer image paths correctly, which results in black terrain. The good news is that I've fixed the bug, and will make available the updated plugin shortly (still some more testing and validation to do).
Here's a quick screenshot:
Cheerio,
Aaron.
#9
06/12/2008 (3:32 pm)
Oh that is looking great, now is that a detail texture or just the quality you are getting with regular blending?
#10
I've written a new tutorial on making both blended and unique atlas terrain (see here). This tutorial covers the complete height/texture/alpha map generation process, the export process, and (briefly) the mission file editing steps.
Please note that to follow the tutorial, you will need the latest L3DTio_Atlas2 plugin, which is included in the latest developmental build of L3DT Professional. I'll send you a download link via e-mail. If anyone else would like to try the dev-build, please e-mail aaron@bundysoft.com.
That image used a detail map in addition to the blending. I find that using very high virtual clipmap sizes with blended terrain tends to show-up some nasty texture repeating artefacts, so it's better to use a detail map for the close-up stuff. From my quick tests, it seems that the sweet-spot is a virtual clipmap size about 8 times larger than the heightmap. However, this value may vary depending on the base textures used.
Cheerio,
Aaron.
06/14/2008 (5:54 am)
Hi Kyle,I've written a new tutorial on making both blended and unique atlas terrain (see here). This tutorial covers the complete height/texture/alpha map generation process, the export process, and (briefly) the mission file editing steps.
Please note that to follow the tutorial, you will need the latest L3DTio_Atlas2 plugin, which is included in the latest developmental build of L3DT Professional. I'll send you a download link via e-mail. If anyone else would like to try the dev-build, please e-mail aaron@bundysoft.com.
Quote:now is that a detail texture or just the quality you are getting with regular blending?
That image used a detail map in addition to the blending. I find that using very high virtual clipmap sizes with blended terrain tends to show-up some nasty texture repeating artefacts, so it's better to use a detail map for the close-up stuff. From my quick tests, it seems that the sweet-spot is a virtual clipmap size about 8 times larger than the heightmap. However, this value may vary depending on the base textures used.
Cheerio,
Aaron.
#11
As I type my map is finishing its generation.
Is there a way to get high quality texture maps on either a blended or unique terrain? For some reason the textures always have a washed out look to me. Amazing work none the less, and I look forward to future releases of L3DT especially the distributed computing addition.
The map I created generates perfectly but now TGEA is crashing before the mission loads, here is the console, everything appears to be normal to me (map layers are in the right place, map is even loading right), but it is crashing on the lighting client side.
Any clues?
Here is my relevant mission file as well, pretty much just changed the water-test-demo to be my atlas map.
Well, I am going to look into ways to get more detail out of the textures in atlas, thanks for all your help but it looks like I hit another snag..
Just a side note the unique terrain is working but has very abnormal coloration in TGEA.
06/14/2008 (9:29 am)
Outstanding contributions to the community, thank you very much!As I type my map is finishing its generation.
Is there a way to get high quality texture maps on either a blended or unique terrain? For some reason the textures always have a washed out look to me. Amazing work none the less, and I look forward to future releases of L3DT especially the distributed computing addition.
The map I created generates perfectly but now TGEA is crashing before the mission loads, here is the console, everything appears to be normal to me (map layers are in the right place, map is even loading right), but it is crashing on the lighting client side.
*** LOADING MISSION: scriptsAndAssets/data/missions/simple.mis
*** Stage 1 load
*** Stage 2 load
AtlasFile::load - loading Atlas resource 7605440 with scriptsAndAssets/data/terrains/s_test.atlas
AtlasInstanceGeomTOC::loadCollisionLeafChunks - Loading leaf collision chunks...
AtlasInstanceGeomTOC::loadCollisionLeafChunks - DONE.
*** Mission loaded
Connect request from:
Connection established 1468
CADD: 1469 local
*** Sending mission load to client: scriptsAndAssets/data/missions/simple.mis
% - Initializing common GUIs
% - Initializing Tools
% - Initializing Tools Base
% - Initializing Base Editor
% - Initializing Mission Editor
% - Initializing Gui Builder
% - Initializing Debugger
Engine initialized...
Mapping string: ServerMessage to index: 0
Mapping string: MsgConnectionError to index: 1
Mapping string: MsgLoadInfo to index: 2
Mapping string: MsgLoadDescripition to index: 3
Mapping string: MsgLoadInfoDone to index: 4
Mapping string: MsgClientJoin to index: 5
Mapping string: Welcome to a Torque application %1. to index: 6
Mapping string: Visitor to index: 7
Mapping string: MissionStartPhase1 to index: 8
*** New Mission: scriptsAndAssets/data/missions/simple.mis
*** Phase 1: Download Datablocks & Targets
Mapping string: MissionStartPhase1Ack to index: 0
Mapping string: MissionStartPhase2 to index: 9
*** Phase 2: Download Ghost Objects
Mapping string: MissionStartPhase2Ack to index: 1
Allocating a 512 px clipmap for a 4096px source texture.
- 3 base clipstack entries, + 1 cap.
- Using approximately 5.320000MB of texture memory.
AtlasInstance2::onAdd - took 62 ms to fill clipmap with texture data.
AtlasInstanceGeomTOC::loadCollisionLeafChunks - Loading leaf collision chunks...
AtlasInstanceGeomTOC::loadCollisionLeafChunks - DONE.
Ghost Always objects received.
Mapping string: MissionStartPhase3 to index: 10
Client Replication Startup has Happened!
fxFoliageReplicator - replicated client foliage for 0 objects
*** Phase 3: Mission Lighting
Minimum lightmap size for this terrain is: 379961542
Lighting mission....
//-----------------------------------------------
Synapse Gaming Lighting Pack
Starting scene lighting...
Starting TGE based scene lighting...
Lighting with light #1 (TGE vector light)...
TGE based scene lighting complete (0.016 seconds)
Starting Synapse Gaming Lighting Pack scene lighting...
Lighting object 1 of 1... AtlasInstance: (null)
Object lighting complete (0.000 seconds)Any clues?
Here is my relevant mission file as well, pretty much just changed the water-test-demo to be my atlas map.
new AtlasInstance(NewTerrain) {
position = "-151.417 7.48933 80";
rotation = "1 0 0 0";
scale = "1 1 1";
detailTex = "~/data/terrains/details/detail1";
atlasFile = "~/data/terrains/s_test.atlas";
};Well, I am going to look into ways to get more detail out of the textures in atlas, thanks for all your help but it looks like I hit another snag..
Just a side note the unique terrain is working but has very abnormal coloration in TGEA.
#12
The blurry texture problem is, as I understand it, a problem with Atlas not using the highest LOD level when the texture/light/opacity map is larger than the heightmap. I believe this is being worked on by Rene Damm for the next release of TGEA (see here). I'm sure we all wish him the very best of luck.
The lighting crash might be hardware/driver dependent. Using my old (!) computer with a NVIDIA FX5600, I always get crashes in TGEA during lighting of blended terrain. Using my newer box with a 9600GT, I get no problems, even with the same atlas file.
Perhaps you might like to try commenting-out the entire 'new Sun()' section of the mis file. When I do this, TGEA does not do a 'calculating lighting' stage, and instead uses the light map provided by L3DT. Here's a quick screenshot of the result:
The pixellation in the above image (see rock at lower left) is probably due to TGEA not using the highest resolution LOD level of the light map - this is the same situation as with the blurry unique textures. Thus, until the LOD problem is fixed, it's probably better to use TGEA's lighting, if you can avoid the crashes.
Can you please post a screenshot? Also, can you tell me the size of your heightmap and texture map, and the tree depth used to generate the Atlas file? So far I've not been able to get the unique texture atlas files to misbehave in TGEA 1.07, but perhaps my test conditions aren't sufficiently broad.
Best regards,
Aaron.
06/14/2008 (6:49 pm)
Hi Kyle,The blurry texture problem is, as I understand it, a problem with Atlas not using the highest LOD level when the texture/light/opacity map is larger than the heightmap. I believe this is being worked on by Rene Damm for the next release of TGEA (see here). I'm sure we all wish him the very best of luck.
The lighting crash might be hardware/driver dependent. Using my old (!) computer with a NVIDIA FX5600, I always get crashes in TGEA during lighting of blended terrain. Using my newer box with a 9600GT, I get no problems, even with the same atlas file.
Perhaps you might like to try commenting-out the entire 'new Sun()' section of the mis file. When I do this, TGEA does not do a 'calculating lighting' stage, and instead uses the light map provided by L3DT. Here's a quick screenshot of the result:
The pixellation in the above image (see rock at lower left) is probably due to TGEA not using the highest resolution LOD level of the light map - this is the same situation as with the blurry unique textures. Thus, until the LOD problem is fixed, it's probably better to use TGEA's lighting, if you can avoid the crashes.
Quote:
Just a side note the unique terrain is working but has very abnormal coloration in TGEA.
Can you please post a screenshot? Also, can you tell me the size of your heightmap and texture map, and the tree depth used to generate the Atlas file? So far I've not been able to get the unique texture atlas files to misbehave in TGEA 1.07, but perhaps my test conditions aren't sufficiently broad.
Best regards,
Aaron.
Torque Owner Lykon