Help with Terrain Editor

[Guest pfunkmusik]

I need to flatten some areas out to lay down an airbase.

 

How do you take an existing terrain set and edit it to get flat enough ground to put a base on it?

 

pfunk

[Wrench]

Some of my quickie notes here:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showt...st&p=139224

 

Also, in Lexx's post in the same thread, there's a link to 3rdW boards with more on the TE

 

Expect to be doing some work, mostly creating the citylist.ini...you MUST have that for airfield flattening.

 

I looked for another post of mine, that gave a few more steps, but couldn't find it...

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Some of my quickie notes here:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showt...st&p=139224

 

Also, in Lexx's post in the same thread, there's a link to 3rdW boards with more on the TE

 

Expect to be doing some work, mostly creating the citylist.ini...you MUST have that for airfield flattening.

 

I looked for another post of mine, that gave a few more steps, but couldn't find it...

 

Wrench

kevin stein

 

I've added the new airbase to the Libya terrain in the targets.ini file

 

Then I added it to the cities.ini file

 

Everything worked fine before I added the new airbase and I get a CTD after I do.

 

What is the texture type in the cities.ini file?

 

 

pfunk

Edited April 14, 2008 by pfunkmusik

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Between the Terrain Editor crashing when I sneeze at the keyboard and the fact that adding airbases, just don't seem to work, I'm about to toss in the towel.

 

pfunk

[Lexx_Luthor]

Texture type is what tile the airfield uses. Confustingly, in the TextureList, the texture type list near the top numbers texture types starting with 1, all other references to these start with zero...ie... n-1. EXAPPLE: say Jungle tile type is map listed at 3, this is called 2 in other references to Jungle.

 

I think, all you need do is load your existing HFD file, new TextureList file, and new CityList file, then hit level airfields, and then SAVE ALL. You will be prompted for file replacement. Replace the existing HFD, the TE replaces TFD file as well ... has the new terrain tile for the new airfield.

 

Also confusting is ... CityList airfield locations are in kilometers, while Target airfield locations are in meters. I always use exponential notation in Target so they look like kilometers ...like 540E+3 instead of 540000.

 

If CityList has airfield terrain reference number not corresponding with any numbers in TextureList (remember n-1), TE will crash.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Lexx_Luthor

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Texture type is what tile the airfield uses. Confustingly, in the TextureList, the texture type list near the top numbers texture types starting with 1, all other references to these start with zero...ie... n-1. EXAPPLE: say Jungle tile type is map listed at 3, this is called 2 in other references to Jungle.

 

I think, all you need do is load your existing HFD file, new TextureList file, and new CityList file, then hit level airfields, and then SAVE ALL. You will be prompted for file replacement. Replace the existing HFD, the TE replaces TFD file as well ... has the new terrain tile for the new airfield.

 

Also confusting is ... CityList airfield locations are in kilometers, while Target airfield locations are in meters. I always use exponential notation in Target so they look like kilometers ...like 540E+3 instead of 540000.

 

If CityList has airfield terrain reference number not corresponding with any numbers in TextureList (remember n-1), TE will crash.

 

Got it. Will try it tonight.

 

pfunk

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Got it. Will try it tonight.

 

pfunk

 

Tried it. TE didn't crash, but the loading screen in SFP1 gets to 60% and CTDs.

 

I'm tired.

 

pfunk

[Wrench]

PfunK ... look in Roberto Skylord's "Lybia Terrain Weirdness" post in the Mods & Skinning chat for my response.

 

Don't know how long it'll take, but I'm on it.

 

They're be some replacement of some ship types, as some are not longer availble to the General Publick

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Guest pfunkmusik]

PfunK ... look in Roberto Skylord's "Lybia Terrain Weirdness" post in the Mods & Skinning chat for my response.

 

Don't know how long it'll take, but I'm on it.

 

They're be some replacement of some ship types, as some are not longer availble to the General Publick

 

Wrench

kevin stein

 

I can wait, Kevin. I want to add Araxos, Hellenikos and Decimomannu ABs to the terrain and couldn't get any of the three to work.

 

I want to do a second landing of the Marines in Libya after Quadafi reveals his nuclear weapons programme.

 

More than happy to wait as I have enough on my plate.

 

pfunk

[krfrge]

I experienced the same problem with a load to 60% the CTD.

My remdy was to start with a fresh HFD & TFD file.

Make sure the TE parameters are good.

I use the following:

Terrain Size - whatever size you want (1000-1500 is good as that is 600+ square miles of ground to fly over)

Texture Tile Resolution - 2000 m

Height Field Resolution - 500 m

 

Load up the terrain files, then add the texture file, city file and run the autotexture and then transition textures, save your new HFD & TFD and you should be good.

 

Also check the terrain editor.ini file to make sure it is not corrupted somehow

 

[TerrainEditor]

SystemDirectory=System

GraphicsEngineDLL=GraphicsEngine.dll

TerrainEngineDLL=TerrainEngine.dll

SaveDirectory=E:\SFP1\Strike Fighters\Terrain\TALO

DEMDirectory=E:\SFP1\Other\Terrain\e020n90.tar

BrowseDirectory=E:\SFP1\Strike Fighters\Terrain\TALO

TextureListFile=E:\SFP1\Strike Fighters\Terrain\TALO\Texture.ini

CityListFile=E:\SFP1\Strike Fighters\Terrain\TALO\Talo_Cities.INI

RiverListFile=E:\SFP1\Strike Fighters\Terrain\TALO\rivers.INI

 

[NewTerrain]

MapSize=1000

HeightMapResolution=500

TileMapResolution=2000

 

[DEMImport]

Longitude=35.0000E

Latitude=60.0000N

MapScale=100

HeightScale=110

 

[HeightMap]

MinLandHeight=1

 

[bitmapExport]

HeightScale=10

 

[bitmapImport]

HeightScale=10

MinLandHeight=1

 

[HeightMapColor]

WaterColorRed=0

WaterColorGreen=0

WaterColorBlue=192

LandColorRed=96

LandColorGreen=160

LandColorBlue=96

MountainColorRed=96

MountainColorGreen=64

MountainColorBlue=48

 

[FractalGenerator]

Scale=0.500000

Frequency=0.001700

 

[TerrainMesh]

TextureThreshold=0.80

LowDetailMeshThreshold=0.50

MedDetailMeshThreshold=0.30

TileToHeightGridRatio=4

RenderMeshVertexCount=4096

RenderMeshIndexCount=6144

SolidObjectVertexCount=4096

SolidObjectIndexCount=6144

AlphaObjectVertexCount=2048

AlphaObjectIndexCount=3072

 

[HeightField]

DetailScale=20.0

DetailFrequency=1.0

MaxHeight=1000

MinHeight=0

 

[NormalTextureMaterial]

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=TRUE

RenderedInOrder=TRUE

AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE

CullMode=CLOCKWISE

LightEnabled=TRUE

SpecularEnabled=FALSE

EmissiveEnabled=FALSE

FogEnabled=TRUE

AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.0000000

ZBufferOffset=0.000000

BlendOp=ONE

NumTextureStages=1

TextureStage[01].TextureName=

TextureStage[01].MipMap=TRUE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=NO_OP

 

[WaterTextureMaterial]

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=FALSE

RenderedInOrder=TRUE

AlphaTestEnabled=TRUE

CullMode=NO_CULL

LightEnabled=TRUE

SpecularEnabled=TRUE

EmissiveEnabled=FALSE

FogEnabled=TRUE

AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

SpecularColor=1.000000,1.000000,0.900000,1.000000

SpecularPower=1.000000

ZBufferOffset=4.000000

BlendOp=BLEND_SRC_ALPHA

NumTextureStages=2

TextureStage[01].TextureName=

TextureStage[01].MipMap=FALSE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=TEXTURE

TextureStage[02].TextureName=ref_color.bmp

TextureStage[02].MipMap=FALSE

TextureStage[02].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[02].StageColorOp=TEXTURE

TextureStage[02].StageAlphaOp=DIFFUSE

 

[NoiseTextureMaterial]

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=FALSE

RenderedInOrder=TRUE

AlphaTestEnabled=TRUE

CullMode=CLOCKWISE

LightEnabled=FALSE

SpecularEnabled=FALSE

EmissiveEnabled=FALSE

FogEnabled=FALSE

AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

ZBufferOffset=1.000000

BlendOp=MODULATE_INV_SRC

NumTextureStages=1

TextureStage[01].TextureName=

TextureStage[01].MipMap=FALSE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].TileU=TRUE

TextureStage[01].TileV=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=NO_OP

 

[solidObjectTextureMaterial]

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=TRUE

RenderedInOrder=FALSE

AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE

CullMode=CLOCKWISE

LightEnabled=TRUE

SpecularEnabled=FALSE

EmissiveEnabled=FALSE

FogEnabled=TRUE

AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

ZBufferOffset=0.000000

BlendOp=ONE

NumTextureStages=1

TextureStage[01].TextureName=

TextureStage[01].MipMap=TRUE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=NO_OP

 

[AlphaObjectTextureMaterial]

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=FALSE

RenderedInOrder=FALSE

AlphaTestEnabled=TRUE

CullMode=NO_CULL

LightEnabled=TRUE

SpecularEnabled=FALSE

EmissiveEnabled=FALSE

FogEnabled=TRUE

AmbientColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

DiffuseColor=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

ZBufferOffset=2.000000

BlendOp=BLEND_SRC_ALPHA

NumTextureStages=1

TextureStage[01].TextureName=

TextureStage[01].MipMap=FALSE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=TEXTURE

 

[NoiseTexture]

Size=256

MinColor=207

MaxColor=255

Frequency=1.7

ResolutionFactor=4.0

StartFadeDistance=200.0

EndFadeDistance=500.0

[Lexx_Luthor]

Yep, 60% crash means terrain busted.

 

I'm trying to recall the last time I had a 60%, but I can't. I may have never. Also, terrain here includes all the DATA objects and stuff. Right now, I have no Objects in my terrain DATA I work with now.

[+Gepard]

Pfunkmusik. Post your added lines of your Citieslist and target.ini here. Perhaps we can see what causes you problem.

Edited April 21, 2008 by Gepard

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Pfunkmusik. Post your added lines of your Citieslist and target.ini here. Perhaps we can see what causes you problem.

 

Gep, we were working with a faulty terrain set. Wrench is reworking it at this time, but I really appreciate it.

 

pfunk

[+Dave]

I hate the Libya terrain, it should be deleted. I do not know why I even uploaded it after the TE crashed and ruined my work. This is reason 4,254,862, why I do not make terrains anymore.

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Gepard, I have a problem that's corollary of this.

 

I can't get the Terrain Editor to load my sea tiles because the old TextureListWOE file still thinks the water textures are .tga files, I guess. Anyway, anything with water is not there.

 

When I go to edit the Texture Map List, it shows all the dry land stuff, but none of the stuff with water and when I click 'New', it's not letting me add new tiles for 'S Sea' or anything like a transition tile to water.

 

What do I do now? Can I manually add it to the .ini?

 

pfunk

[Guest pfunkmusik]

Hey, I got a question.

 

I'm just jacking around with the TE. Why won't the 3-way transition tiles, the sea tiles, and the river tiles load?

 

I've moved all the .bmp files into the TE and I've gotten a lot of them to add to the TextureList file, but there are some that just flat refuse to work. TK even told me to save them as a 24-bit bitmap, but that hasn't even helped.

 

The only Sea tile I can get to load is WATERNORMAL.bmp, which really looks wierd when you AutoTexture it in.

 

pfunk

 

 

Looks a little like this.

Edited April 22, 2008 by pfunkmusik