Chinese territorial claims

[Wrench 9,848]

ya know, I don't remember the cause, or the fix we did in Korea3!!!

 

maybe height field smoothing? (but ALWAYS do that last!!)

[+Stary 2,427]

I think the trick would be to be applied  AS THE VERY VERY LAST  thing to be done to such map EVER -after all the heightmap and tilemap adjustments/placements etc

 

(targetareas and such not counting as these have zero impact o nthe terrain mesh)

 

I think that would require exporting the heightmap to bitmap via Gerwin's tool (NOT! the Thirdwire Terain Editor) and -> reimporting in Gerwin's editor&save

[+Menrva 4,200]

Hmm, could the issue be caused by the _hm.bmp files?  In some occasions I've seen that they create such problems, unless some edits are made in the terrain's _data.ini.  Anyway we'll surely find a fix and Height Field smoothing is an option, but only when the terrain is complete. Keep up the good work, krfge!

[+Stary 2,427]

no, it's not _hm files related

[krfrge 742]

All,

 

I was thinking it had something to do with the land-to-sea transition tiles (specifically the *.tga's)

[Wrench 9,848]

out of curiosity, what color are the transition hm_bmps??

 

I've been using solid black ones for years, and have the scale set as...

 

HeightMapScale=2.000000

 

don't know if that makes any difference or not...????

[krfrge 742]

Wrench,

 

My hm_bmps are black.

HeightMapScale is set to 2.000000.

[+Menrva 4,200]

Check these values in the _data.ini, most likely they are going to create more problems or not:

 

[HeightField]

DetailScale=1.0

DetailFrequency=1.0

MaxHeight=1000

MinHeight=0

BumpAmount=100

 

[HeightOffset]

LowDetailMesh=-25

WaterMesh=0.8

 

 

(sometimes I have also tried LowDetailMesh=0.0 on stock terrain size, not your case indeed)

[krfrge 742]

blaze95,

 

Here is are my current settings:

 

[HeightField]
DetailScale=1.0
DetailFrequency=1.0
MaxHeight=1000
MinHeight=0

[HeightOffset]
LowDetailMesh=-1.5
WaterMesh=1.8
\\LowDetailMesh=-1.0
\\WaterMesh=0.8
 

[+Menrva 4,200]

Experiment with my values, probably nothing will change, but it's better to have a try. BTW did you change the WaterMesh value on purpose? The stock 0.8 should do okay, hence why you might be getting such Height Field issues where there are water .tga files. This is just a guess though...

[krfrge 742]

blaze95,

 

Can't remember who but someone recommended water mesh level to get my boats to "sink" into the water.

 

All - Quick update. Got the bug today to dig into the navies around the area. Currently working Royal Malaysian Navy. Have sent a request to AleDucat to repurpose his ARA_Salta.

 

Station Lima. (Swallow Reef early days)

 

A quick fly by. Hey look there's an airstrip down there.

 

Lining up.

[+Menrva 4,200]

Hmm, I do know that bug of the boats that sort of "fly" over water, but I think that there was another working fix, I'll make some searches here in the old threads. BTW did you try the values I posted?

 

EDIT: Look here (check post #6 and post #7), Wrench encountered the same bug in one of his terrains: http://combatace.com/topic/66343-waterworld-terrain/ 

If it does solve that problem, you may want to restore the WaterMesh value back to the stock value.

Edited February 13, 2016 by blaze95

[TheWarrior 62]

In the terrain DATA file, make sure for the WaterTextureMaterial, that the below stats are marked TRUE.  If their not, the ships will still float on top of the water even if the height is set to 2.000000.

 

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE
DepthBufferWrite=TRUE

[+Menrva 4,200]

Good call, The Warrior. I forgot about the Material settings, now I think we got rid of all the known bugs once and for all.

 

krfge, please copy all the following statements and overwrite the ones you have in your _data.ini (make a backup first). This is what I use in all the terrains of my personal mod folder, it's a combinations of statements that Stary and others have suggested during the years, for SF2, and I have no issues with the ships and the Height Field:

 

[HeightField]

DetailScale=1.0

DetailFrequency=1.0

MaxHeight=1000

MinHeight=0

BumpAmount=100

 

[HeightOffset]

LowDetailMesh=-25

WaterMesh=0.8

 

[NormalTextureMaterial]

EffectShaderName=terTerrainEffect.fx

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=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

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

 

[WaterTextureMaterial]

EffectShaderName=terWaterEffect.fx

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=TRUE

RenderedInOrder=FALSE

AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE

CullMode=CLOCKWISE

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=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

SpecularPower=10.000000

Reflectivity=0.00000

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

 

[backgroundMaterial]

EffectShaderName=terFarTerrainEffect.fx

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

 

[solidObjectTextureMaterial]

EffectShaderName=terSolidObject.fx

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=1.000000,1.000000,1.000000,1.000000

ZBufferOffset=2.000000

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]

EffectShaderName=terAlphaObject.fx

DepthBufferCheck=TRUE

DepthBufferWrite=FALSE

RenderedInOrder=TRUE

AlphaTestEnabled=FALSE

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=TRUE

TextureStage[01].FilterEnabled=TRUE

TextureStage[01].StageColorOp=TEXTURE_MODULATE_DIFFUSE

TextureStage[01].StageAlphaOp=TEXTURE

 

[NoiseTexture]

Size=256

MinColor=229

MaxColor=255

Frequency=1.7

ResolutionFactor=4.0

StartFadeDistance=200.0

EndFadeDistance=500.0

[krfrge 742]

The Warrior and blaze95,

 

Thanks for the assistance. That did the trick.

 

Here are a few screenshots (Danang Harbor, Crow Reef Tgt Area, Wrench Island, etc.).

Looks better. The ships have settled into the water.

May have to make a minor adjustment as I have some signs on the islands "sinking".

The anomaly of terrain "tear" near the coastal areas appears to be gone. I will fly Lake Toba and provide results.

 

Crow Reed Target Area

 

Danang Harbor

 

Wrench Island ships

 

Nameless Island

[krfrge 742]

Shallow Reef progress.

[+Menrva 4,200]

I'm glad to be helpful, krfge. Your terrain really deserves all the attention it can get. Good job with the islands, that's some very fine texturing work!

[TheWarrior 62]

Happy I could help.

[krfrge 742]

Gents,

 

Many Thanks

 

Kindest Regards - Krfrge

[krfrge 742]

The Warrior and blaze95,

 

Gents - my signs are sinking on the islands.

Any recommendations on adjustments to the data.INI?

 

All - Below is Boustead Heavy Ironworks. Any ideas on how I can make a ship show it's exposed hull in the drydock area?

I plan to build a wall around the area to simulate the drydock perimeter.

 

[Wrench 9,848]

that's been bothering me too, for awhile (have some drydocks on other terrains). I just left mine flooded....

 

the only answer I've come up with is "need a ship model that the world center is the keel, not the waterline"

[krfrge 742]

Wrench,

 

I know there has to be a way.

Some of the great ships here at CA have great looking hulls and I think it would be pretty good eye candy.

I will keep tinkering with this until I come up with something.

 

BTW, Lake Toba was looking good early this morning.

 

[krfrge 742]

Early drydock.

[+Menrva 4,200]

The Warrior and blaze95,

 

Gents - my signs are sinking on the islands.

Any recommendations on adjustments to the data.INI?

 

I have no idea actually as to why this is happening. Are the other objects in the same island sinking a little more too? If not, just try to move the signs into other positions. Also, make sure that that particular tile of the island has a proper black _hm.bmp and the usual 2.000 value.

Let's see if The Warrior has some suggestions. I was thinking about the ZBufferOffset values in the _data.ini, but they simply alter the rendering of the .TOD objects, not the .LODs

Edited February 15, 2016 by blaze95

[krfrge 742]

blaze95,

 

Roger that! more experimentation to follow.

 

Krfrge