Forester Pro - 3D Tree Generator for Torque3D
by Matthew Genge · 11/23/2012 (5:15 am) · 40 comments
Announcing Forester Pro, a windows application to create 3D models trees for Torque3D.
Forester Pro generates an unlimited variety of model trees and plants based on tree type templates including conifers, deciduous trees, palms and jungle trees and exports to Collada format files compatible with Torque3D. Forester has a specific export to Torque3D option that produces Collada files with automatically generated, embedded LODs, that can be imported into Torque3D forest objects in minutes.
Jungle in Torque3D made from Forester Pro models in less than 30 minutes.
Forester Pro has powerful tree editing functions allowing model trees to be generated randomly and posed in realtime, including deformation functions and per pixel editing. In the registered version of Forester custom templates can be created allowing users to generate their own unique types of tree.
The free version Forester Lite can be downloaded from our website and can be used to generate an unlimited number of random trees from seven different tree types. Models created with Forester Lite can be used royalty free in non-commercial projects and for development. Models generated by Forester Pro are royalty free and can be used in commercial products including asset packs.
www.hptware.co.uk/forester.htm
Forester Pro generates an unlimited variety of model trees and plants based on tree type templates including conifers, deciduous trees, palms and jungle trees and exports to Collada format files compatible with Torque3D. Forester has a specific export to Torque3D option that produces Collada files with automatically generated, embedded LODs, that can be imported into Torque3D forest objects in minutes.
Jungle in Torque3D made from Forester Pro models in less than 30 minutes.
Forester Pro has powerful tree editing functions allowing model trees to be generated randomly and posed in realtime, including deformation functions and per pixel editing. In the registered version of Forester custom templates can be created allowing users to generate their own unique types of tree.
The free version Forester Lite can be downloaded from our website and can be used to generate an unlimited number of random trees from seven different tree types. Models created with Forester Lite can be used royalty free in non-commercial projects and for development. Models generated by Forester Pro are royalty free and can be used in commercial products including asset packs.
www.hptware.co.uk/forester.htm
About the author
I am an Earth Scientist who likes writing games for fun.
#2
Edit:
Maybe if I had READ the feature list. Haha. Okay it generates collision meshes. This is really cool.
11/23/2012 (2:49 pm)
What about collision meshes? Does it create those? I looked at your website and I am impressed by the previews.Edit:
Maybe if I had READ the feature list. Haha. Okay it generates collision meshes. This is really cool.
#3
11/23/2012 (4:21 pm)
Wow, that does look very impressive. Will certainly try this when I get back to a decent computer... 
#5
Thanks for the enthusiasm. Once I finish a few more template packs it should be even more useful.
To answer D. Fasel. I've just tested the trees and no the wind emitter seems to have no effect. I'll mark this down for the first bug release. I'll post once the wind emitter works.
11/24/2012 (6:02 am)
Thanks for the enthusiasm. Once I finish a few more template packs it should be even more useful.
To answer D. Fasel. I've just tested the trees and no the wind emitter seems to have no effect. I'll mark this down for the first bug release. I'll post once the wind emitter works.
#6
the first is the LOD's don't seem to work correctly.
LOD size 300, Polys 6272
LOD size 200, Polys 3644
LOD size 100, Polys 4032
LOD size 50, Polys 0 (Billboard)
this was taken with a none changed default tree with export settings:-
Export Items (All checked)
Export Options(Top 3, scale & double sided checked)
all other options unchanged.
the second bug:-
the (treename).cs file it generates within the folder has a sintax error
.
.
.
note the end of the function } shouldn't have a ;
whilst not a bad error it could still creep threw unnoticed
other than that I'm very impressed with the quality of the trees. Very Good :-)
11/25/2012 (10:56 am)
ok after playing with forester using just the maple I have come across 2 bugs:-the first is the LOD's don't seem to work correctly.
LOD size 300, Polys 6272
LOD size 200, Polys 3644
LOD size 100, Polys 4032
LOD size 50, Polys 0 (Billboard)
this was taken with a none changed default tree with export settings:-
Export Items (All checked)
Export Options(Top 3, scale & double sided checked)
all other options unchanged.
the second bug:-
the (treename).cs file it generates within the folder has a sintax error
singleton TSShapeConstructor(testtree2Dae)
{
baseShape = "./testtree2.dae";
upAxis = "Z_AXIS";
loadLights = "0";
};
function testtree2Dae::onLoad(%this)
{
%this.addImposter("50", "8", "0", "0", "128", "0", "0" );
};can anyone spot it?.
.
.
singleton TSShapeConstructor(testtree2Dae)
{
baseShape = "./testtree2.dae";
upAxis = "Z_AXIS";
loadLights = "0";
};
function testtree2Dae::onLoad(%this)
{
%this.addImposter("50", "8", "0", "0", "128", "0", "0" );
}note the end of the function } shouldn't have a ;
whilst not a bad error it could still creep threw unnoticed
other than that I'm very impressed with the quality of the trees. Very Good :-)
#7
With a slight tweak to the Advanced (all layers) settings on the leaves in the material editor to 255 removes the slight black edge around the leaves
I must say I'm loving this. I have used other tree creation programs out there and this has to be my favourite for ease of use alone I would give it 5 Stars out of 5 even with the slight errors.
By the way noticed another, after exporting the current edited tree disappears all but a few of the branches vanish.
[edit]
Is there any way of scaling the diameter of the tree trunk?
[/edit]
11/25/2012 (11:25 am)
Just bought Forester and the LOD error doesn't happen on the apple tree haven't as yet tested any other trees.With a slight tweak to the Advanced (all layers) settings on the leaves in the material editor to 255 removes the slight black edge around the leaves
I must say I'm loving this. I have used other tree creation programs out there and this has to be my favourite for ease of use alone I would give it 5 Stars out of 5 even with the slight errors.
By the way noticed another, after exporting the current edited tree disappears all but a few of the branches vanish.
[edit]
Is there any way of scaling the diameter of the tree trunk?
[/edit]
#8
The collision meshes are well a bit big, you could do with an option to disable collision with leaves
This pic illustrates the over generous collision mesh of the leaves
I best stop playing now before I break something else hehe ;-)
11/25/2012 (12:08 pm)
Oh heck, I sound like I'm nit picking, but I do Love Forester, Oh well here's another sort of problem.The collision meshes are well a bit big, you could do with an option to disable collision with leaves
This pic illustrates the over generous collision mesh of the leaves
I best stop playing now before I break something else hehe ;-)
#9
Thanks for the thorough bashing ;) Just joking....you've been a big help. We'll check out the LOD issue, certainly the model looks like it has lower polys...but we will check.
Thanks for noticing the syntax error, strange that it seems to still work, but we will change in the code.
Finally. We are right now working on making Forester models compatible with wind emitters in Torque3d. It shouldn't take long but we are up to our eyeballs in vertex colors in our Collada exporter as we speak. As soon as we are done we can make changes to the collision box generation. Actually the code tries to encompass the trunk and a proportion of the leaves/branches in the collision box, and this isn't really applicable to palms. I guess we could include an option to generate the collision mesh from the trunk only. It is a minor change to the code, should take only take an hour or two.
Anyway, thanks for purchasing, and in return for your assistance we'll give you one of the extra template packs gratis (once they are available).
11/25/2012 (2:28 pm)
Dave,Thanks for the thorough bashing ;) Just joking....you've been a big help. We'll check out the LOD issue, certainly the model looks like it has lower polys...but we will check.
Thanks for noticing the syntax error, strange that it seems to still work, but we will change in the code.
Finally. We are right now working on making Forester models compatible with wind emitters in Torque3d. It shouldn't take long but we are up to our eyeballs in vertex colors in our Collada exporter as we speak. As soon as we are done we can make changes to the collision box generation. Actually the code tries to encompass the trunk and a proportion of the leaves/branches in the collision box, and this isn't really applicable to palms. I guess we could include an option to generate the collision mesh from the trunk only. It is a minor change to the code, should take only take an hour or two.
Anyway, thanks for purchasing, and in return for your assistance we'll give you one of the extra template packs gratis (once they are available).
#10
as for the LOD issue It only seems to do it on the Maple so far, mind I haven't tried all of the trees out yet, but the palm and apple tree don't have the LOD problem.
11/25/2012 (2:44 pm)
Thanks :-)as for the LOD issue It only seems to do it on the Maple so far, mind I haven't tried all of the trees out yet, but the palm and apple tree don't have the LOD problem.
#11
Keen to see the wind emitter having an effect.
Keep up the good work!
11/25/2012 (3:53 pm)
This looks cool. I'll have to pick this up at some point. Are the collision meshes based on the bounds, or visible mesh? In the meantime is there an option to switch off the collision, so that it can then be added either in script or the T3D Forest editor for visible mesh?Keen to see the wind emitter having an effect.
Keep up the good work!
#12
This works because it's not a function - it's a datablock object declaration. (I think that's what it'd be called....)
From T3D:
in gameartdecalsmaterials.cs.
So this
All good. To quote a despicable cartoon, "now you know, and knowing is half the battle!"
11/25/2012 (4:10 pm)
Doh! I didn't see that second codeblock which is indeed a function and should not be terminated with a semi-colon. However, I'll leave the bit below in case anyone wants the quick-reference material.This works because it's not a function - it's a datablock object declaration. (I think that's what it'd be called....)
From T3D:
singleton Material(DECAL_scorch)
{
baseTex[0] = "./scorch_decal.png";
translucent = true;
translucentBlendOp = None;
translucentZWrite = true;
alphaTest = true;
alphaRef = 84;
};in gameartdecalsmaterials.cs.
So this
singleton TSShapeConstructor(testtree2Dae)
{
baseShape = "./testtree2.dae";
upAxis = "Z_AXIS";
loadLights = "0";
};declares a TSShapeConstructor datablock named testtree2Dae and defines the few bits in it that are not default.All good. To quote a despicable cartoon, "now you know, and knowing is half the battle!"
#13
11/25/2012 (5:24 pm)
@Jules, you can turn on or off the collision mesh when you export your tree 
#14
11/25/2012 (11:40 pm)
Thanks, for improving it with wind! I'm sure i will buy this tool soon.
#15
11/26/2012 (5:32 am)
@David - cheers - just what I needed :) Will grab this soon
#16
11/26/2012 (1:56 pm)
Wow that looks great! Really good quality! And so nice with the effort you put into making it export properly to Torque3D!
#17
www.youtube.com/user/hptware
Version 1.01 also includes bug fixes for some missing materials and collision mesh issues with exported models.
If you already have installed Forester, simply download and install the update:
www.hptware.co.uk/downloads/foresterupdate104.zip
Otherwise you can download the full package, which includes the new update, from our website.
www.hptware.co.uk/forester.htm
11/27/2012 (11:48 am)
Wind Effect compatible models can now be created with Forester version 1.01. We admit we got a little carried away and have added four different leaf fluttering modes that can be applied separately to each leaf mesh type in tree models, including excluding fluttering for meshes such as fruit or funghi. You can preview the new models on our Youtube channel:www.youtube.com/user/hptware
Version 1.01 also includes bug fixes for some missing materials and collision mesh issues with exported models.
If you already have installed Forester, simply download and install the update:
www.hptware.co.uk/downloads/foresterupdate104.zip
Otherwise you can download the full package, which includes the new update, from our website.
www.hptware.co.uk/forester.htm
#18
11/27/2012 (2:21 pm)
Great stuff and fast turn around - will be picking this up next week :)
#19
Ahh, you put download and it should be downloads
www.hptware.co.uk/downloads/foresterupdate101.zip
11/27/2012 (3:59 pm)
update link seems to be broken, getting a 404 Not Found :(Ahh, you put download and it should be downloads
www.hptware.co.uk/downloads/foresterupdate101.zip
#20
Could use one for ferns, flowers, bushes, grass, fungi, etc :D
11/29/2012 (12:05 am)
Sounds great, testing it out now. Is the goal to add other model types in future packs? Could use one for ferns, flowers, bushes, grass, fungi, etc :D
Torque Owner D Fasel
Game 3D
It seems to be a nice tool!