Forest Editing: The vulcan mission meld!
by Richard Hebblewhite · in Torque 3D Professional · 04/02/2013 (10:56 am) · 7 replies
Hi All,
I've noticed that if you're working on a mission and save it out to an alternate folder (or the same folder even!), T3D leaves all of the forest brush data in the original ".forest" file.
So when I work in my new (and entirely separate mission), any changes I make using the forest editor are carried over into the original level. I only recently spotted this as I'm using a 3D main menu mission that is a watered down copy of a more detailed map (i.e. a lot less shapes/forest monkey business).
Obviously, I went and removed a bunch of stuff and then immediately saw that my actual play mission had also been stripped (that's why God invented back ups!).
Anyway - shouldn't the engine save out associated brush data along with the missions...? Would be a useful feature if it's possible.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that the problem can be worked around if you copy the forest file into the same location as your new mission (or rename it to something else if both missions share the same location). Don't forget to manually alter the path to the forest object inside the .mis file.
Cheers,
Rich H.
I've noticed that if you're working on a mission and save it out to an alternate folder (or the same folder even!), T3D leaves all of the forest brush data in the original ".forest" file.
So when I work in my new (and entirely separate mission), any changes I make using the forest editor are carried over into the original level. I only recently spotted this as I'm using a 3D main menu mission that is a watered down copy of a more detailed map (i.e. a lot less shapes/forest monkey business).
Obviously, I went and removed a bunch of stuff and then immediately saw that my actual play mission had also been stripped (that's why God invented back ups!).
Anyway - shouldn't the engine save out associated brush data along with the missions...? Would be a useful feature if it's possible.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that the problem can be worked around if you copy the forest file into the same location as your new mission (or rename it to something else if both missions share the same location). Don't forget to manually alter the path to the forest object inside the .mis file.
Cheers,
Rich H.
About the author
Senior Lecturer at Glyndwr University, Wrexham. Director of RareBit Interactive & Programme Director for Computer Game, Immersive Technology and Creative Computing Programmes.
#2
The brushes aren't the problem - it's what you do with them! When you save out a mission file, you end up with two missions sharing the same ".forest" file.
You can work around it, but having multiple copies of the same file in different locations is messy really IMO.
04/03/2013 (8:40 am)
Hey Kevin,The brushes aren't the problem - it's what you do with them! When you save out a mission file, you end up with two missions sharing the same ".forest" file.
You can work around it, but having multiple copies of the same file in different locations is messy really IMO.
#3
04/03/2013 (2:53 pm)
you should have 1 Forrest for every mission. the forest .mis saves the XYZ pos and object info for the trees to have this in 2 mission should cause issues.
#4
If you add some trees to either one of the missions - save and then open up the other, you'll see the same trees you just added to the previous mission...
The work around I'm using for now is to save the mission to a different folder, take a copy of the .forest file and paste into the same directory as your newly saved mission. Rename the forest file, and then manually redirect the forest object within the new mission so that it points at the newly renamed .forest data file.
This works but it's likely to come back and bite me at some point! :-P
04/05/2013 (11:17 am)
Hmmm when I "Save mission as...", the engine doesn't produce a new .forest file - it stays with the original one which effectively gives you two missions using the same data.If you add some trees to either one of the missions - save and then open up the other, you'll see the same trees you just added to the previous mission...
The work around I'm using for now is to save the mission to a different folder, take a copy of the .forest file and paste into the same directory as your newly saved mission. Rename the forest file, and then manually redirect the forest object within the new mission so that it points at the newly renamed .forest data file.
This works but it's likely to come back and bite me at some point! :-P
#5
Same goes for terrains.
04/05/2013 (12:00 pm)
Create a new forest for each level. Make sure it's pointing to the name of the .forest file that you want it to in the object inspector. If it's not, change it to the name your want, hit save, check new forest has been created in the folder.Same goes for terrains.
#6
04/05/2013 (5:30 pm)
Pretty much what Steve said you need to make sure that you keep a clean mission to use when making a new mission. The clean mission needs to have no terrain or forest files in it. When making a new level, open the template level and save as a new mission. This way you wont have over lapping and linked files like you have now.
#7
The method I used originally, seems to be working OK. I completely agree with using "clean" templates but when you're designing complex environments that have a lot of overlap with each other (aesthetically, not programmatically!), the ability to save out missions with associated data automatically would be extremely useful!
I can make a "new" blank mission, add a new forest object to it, and then manually point that object back at the .forest file, but that takes me back to where I started - two missions sharing the same forest data! I've simply taken a copy of the data file, renamed it, and then pointed my new forest object at it, if that makes sense. So far as I can tell both missions and associated forest objects function perfectly normally (lets hope I haven't jinxed it!).
It just seems a bit fiddly for something that's fundamentally simple! :-P
04/08/2013 (7:34 am)
Meant to respond to this earlier!The method I used originally, seems to be working OK. I completely agree with using "clean" templates but when you're designing complex environments that have a lot of overlap with each other (aesthetically, not programmatically!), the ability to save out missions with associated data automatically would be extremely useful!
I can make a "new" blank mission, add a new forest object to it, and then manually point that object back at the .forest file, but that takes me back to where I started - two missions sharing the same forest data! I've simply taken a copy of the data file, renamed it, and then pointed my new forest object at it, if that makes sense. So far as I can tell both missions and associated forest objects function perfectly normally (lets hope I haven't jinxed it!).
It just seems a bit fiddly for something that's fundamentally simple! :-P
Torque Owner Kevin Mitchell
12 CatBlack Studios