Quick Terrain Builder Tutorial

[Juhansson 1]

Here's how

http://wiki.armamapmaking.info/arma3:terrainbuilder:basic_road_tutorial

Adding the editor.sqs file that i didnt have causes bulldozer to crash. Dont know why.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Juhansson
Clarification

[Indie19 10]

What's your island config look like. Can you pastebin it?

#define _ARMA_

//Class config.bin{
class CfgPatches
{
class Cimbia
{
 units[] = {"Cimbia"};
 weapons[] = {};
 requiredVersion = 1.0;
 version = "30/07/2011";
 fileName = "Cimbia.pbo";
 author = "Indie19n";
};
};
class CfgWorlds
{
class CAWorld;
class Stratis: CAWorld
{
 class Grid;
 class DefaultClutter;
};
class Cimbia: Stratis
{
 cutscenes[] = {};
 description = "Cimbia Map";
 worldName = "Cimbia\Cimbia\Cimbia.wrp";
 startTime = "11:00";
 startDate = "07/10/2012";
 startWeather = 0.2;
 startFog = 0.0;
 forecastWeather = 0.6;
 forecastFog = 0.0;
 centerPosition[] = {2560,2560,500};
 seagullPos[] = {2560,2560,500};
 longitude = 65;
 latitude = -34;
 elevationOffset = 2000;
  envTexture = "A3\Data_f\env_land_ca.tga";
 minTreesInForestSquare = 2;
 minRocksInRockSquare = 2;
 //newRoadsShape = "\Cimbia\Cimbia\data\roads\roads.shp";
 ilsPosition[] = {1024,1024};
 ilsDirection[] = {0.5075,0.08,-0.8616};
 ilsTaxiIn[] = {};
 ilsTaxiOff[] = {};
 drawTaxiway = 0;
class SecondaryAirports {};

class Sea
 {
  seaTexture = "a3\data_f\seatexture_co.paa";
  seaMaterial = "#water";
  shoreMaterial = "#shore";
  shoreFoamMaterial = "#shorefoam";
  shoreWetMaterial = "#shorewet";
  WaterMapScale = 20;
  WaterGrid = 50;
  MaxTide = 0;
  MaxWave = 0;
  SeaWaveXScale = "2.0/50";
  SeaWaveZScale = "1.0/50";
  SeaWaveHScale = 2.0;
  SeaWaveXDuration = 5000;
  SeaWaveZDuration = 10000;
 };

/*
class OutsideTerrain
     {
       satellite = "Cimbia\Cimbia\Data\s_satout_co.paa";
       enableTerrainSynth = 1;
       class Layers
       {
         class Layer0
         {
           nopx = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\Cimbia_grass_green_nopx.paa";
           texture = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\Cimbia_grass_green_co.paa";
         };
       };
     };
*/

 class Grid: Grid
 {
  offsetX = 0;
  offsetY = 5120;
  class Zoom1
  {
   zoomMax = 0.15;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "000";
   formatY = "000";
   stepX = 100;
   stepY = -100;
  };
  class Zoom2
  {
   zoomMax = 0.85;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "00";
   formatY = "00";
   stepX = 1000;
   stepY = -1000;
  };
  class Zoom3
  {
   zoomMax = 1e+030.0;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "0";
   formatY = "0";
   stepX = 10000;
   stepY = -10000;
  };
 };
#include "cfgClutter.hpp"
	class Names
	{
		#include "Cimbia.hpp"
	};
};
};
class CfgWorldList
{
class Cimbia{};
};
class CfgMissions
{
class Cutscenes
{

};
};


//SURFACES
#include "cfgSurfaces.hpp"

[Aus 10]

Class Ca world stratis needs to be changed for a start

[captncaps 25]

@Aus

Let's get it working first, and therefor it is not necessary to change that.

Give tips on how to solve the problem, and not what should be done better.

[Schneeder 10]

I'm having some trouble importing real world height maps.

So far I've imported a tiff of Hawaii and it works but obviously it is not correct.

Could anyone who already knows how create a tutorial on simply getting the proper formats and importing real world data?

[bushlurker 45]

What's your island config look like. Can you pastebin it?

Class Ca world stratis needs to be changed for a start

Here's a simple "inherits most stuff from Stratis" config which should work OK - assuming you have everything else correct....

class CfgPatches
{
class A3_Map_Cimbia
{
	units[] = {"Cimbia"};
	weapons[] = {};
	requiredVersion = 0.1;
	requiredAddons[] = {"A3_Map_Stratis","A3_Data_F","A3_Roads_F","A3_Structures_F","A3_Map_Data"};
	version = "11/04/2014";
	fileName = "Cimbia.pbo";
	mail = "your@email.com";
};
};
class CfgWorlds
{
class DefaultWorld
{
	class Weather;
};
class CAWorld: DefaultWorld
{
	class Grid;
	class DayLightingBrightAlmost;
	class DayLightingRainy;
	class DefaultClutter;
	class Weather: Weather
	{
		class Overcast;
	};
};
class Stratis: CAWorld
{

	class Weather: Weather
	{
		class Lighting;
		class Overcast: Overcast
		{
			class Weather1;
			class Weather2;
			class Weather3;
			class Weather4;
			class Weather5;
			class Weather6;
		};
	};
};
class DefaultLighting;
class Cimbia: Stratis
{
	cutscenes[] = {};
	description = "Cimbia Map";
	worldName = "Cimbia\Cimbia\Cimbia.wrp";
	pictureShot = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\ui_cimbia_ca.paa";
	pictureMap = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\picturemap_cimbia_ca.paa";
	author = "Indie19";
	mapSize = 5120;
	startTime = "12:00";
	startDate = "05/03/2001";
	startWeather = 0.3;
	startFog = 0.0;
	forecastWeather = 0.3;
	forecastFog = 0.0;
	startFogBase = 0.0;
	forecastFogBase = 0.0;
	startFogDecay = 0.013;
	forecastFogDecay = 0.013;
	fogBeta0Min = 0.0;
	fogBeta0Max = 0.05;
	centerPosition[] = {2560,2560,100};
	seagullPos[] = {2560,2560,75};
	longitude = 65;
	latitude = -34;
	dynLightMinBrightnessAmbientCoef = 0.5;
	dynLightMinBrightnessAbsolute = 0.05;
	newRoadsShape = "";
	clutterGrid = 1.5;
	clutterDist = 125;
	noDetailDist = 65;
	fullDetailDist = 15;
	elevationOffset = 2000;
	minTreesInForestSquare = 2;
	minRocksInRockSquare = 2;

	ilsPosition[] = {1024,1024};
	ilsDirection[] = {0.5075,0.08,-0.8616};
	ilsTaxiIn[] = {};
	ilsTaxiOff[] = {};
	drawTaxiway = 0;
	class SecondaryAirports {};

	loadingTexts[] = {
						"I'm a Loading Text - Pretty Cool, huh?",
						"I'm another loading text - you can have as many as you want"
					};

	class OutsideTerrain
	{
		satellite = "Cimbia\Cimbia\Data\s_satout_co.paa";
		enableTerrainSynth = 0;   //*NB* Outside terrain is currently dodgy - mess with it once everything else is OK
		class Layers
		{
			class Layer0
			{
				nopx = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\Cimbia_grass_green_nopx.paa";
				texture = "Cimbia\Cimbia\data\Cimbia_grass_green_co.paa";
			};
		};
	};
landGrid = 80;
  class Grid: Grid
 {
  offsetX = 0;
  offsetY = 5120;
  class Zoom1
  {
   zoomMax = 0.15;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "000";
   formatY = "000";
   stepX = 100;
   stepY = -100;
  };
  class Zoom2
  {
   zoomMax = 0.85;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "00";
   formatY = "00";
   stepX = 1000;
   stepY = -1000;
  };
  class Zoom3
  {
   zoomMax = 1e+030.0;
   format = "XY";
   formatX = "0";
   formatY = "0";
   stepX = 10000;
   stepY = -10000;
  };
 };

	class Ambient{};
	class AmbientA3
	{
	maxCost = 500;
	};

	class Clutter
	{
		#include "cfgClutter.hpp"
	};
	class Names
	{
		#include "Cimbia.hpp"
	};
};


};
class CfgWorldList
{
class Cimbia{};
};
class CfgMissions
{
class Cutscenes
{

};
};



#include "cfgSurfaces.hpp"

Not sure why you're using "Cimbia" both as a "NameTag" folder AND as a "Project Folder"... Normal procedure would be a "Tag" folder on P:\ with your name or tag, then all your projects inside there...

eg:

P:\Bush

P:\Bush\My_First Terrain

P:\Bush\My_First_Terrain_Modelspack

P:\Bush\My_Next_Terrain

P:\Bush\My_Silly_Hat_Addon

etc etc...

Keeps things neat and easy-to-backup...

Still - give the above config a check over - add any missing files such as "picturemap", make sure all the paths are correct then - give it a go....

B

[Aus 10]

@Aus

Let's get it working first, and therefor it is not necessary to change that.

Give tips on how to solve the problem, and not what should be done better.

whats your problem mate? simply telling him where he needs to maybe change the config, growup.

[domador_de_yonkis 10]

Should the P: drive still be in my computer after a restart? Mine keeps disappearing and I have to re-run the "prepare P: drive" stuff again and again.

Not at all... but my personal solution is to make windows8 launch mapdisk.bat at startup in this way:

first create a mapdisk.bat shortcut then press [Windowskey]+R

type "shell:common startup" (without coutes).

"start window" will popup then just drag the mapdisk.bat shortcut in to the window. That´s all on win7 should be the same

sorry for my bad english I hope u get it!

[ramirez 10]

I have my terrain imported with my Satmap, mask, and have my layers set up. However when I open buldozer my terrain looks like this:

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd494/RamirezLPD/Buldozer2014-04-1622-43-21-30.gif~original

Any ideas on what could be causing this?

Thanks guys!

Edit: Here are my Mapframe properties: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g89xcfs8f4zfh4c/MapIssue_Mapframe_Properties.png

Edit 2: Also note that it does not do this ingame. Only Buldozer

Edited April 17, 2014 by Ramirez

[jakerod 254]

I have my terrain imported with my Satmap, mask, and have my layers set up. However when I open buldozer my terrain looks like this:

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd494/RamirezLPD/Buldozer2014-04-1622-43-21-30.gif~original

Any ideas on what could be causing this?

Thanks guys!

Edit: Here are my Mapframe properties: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g89xcfs8f4zfh4c/MapIssue_Mapframe_Properties.png

Edit 2: Also note that it does not do this ingame. Only Buldozer

Try changing your texture layer size to 30. Other than that, it might be a bad buldozer install or TB not finding the registry. Try the 30 first though and then we can go from there.

[Rektavu 10]

None of the downloads is working :/

[1para{god-father} 105]

Is there a list of keys that can be used in Buldozer ? i.e copy / paste object / lower them etc...

[Schneeder 10]

Is there a list of keys that can be used in Buldozer ? i.e copy / paste object / lower them etc...

If you go into Arma 3 and go to where you can change your controls for playing there is also one for buldozer called development or something.

[1para{god-father} 105]

Cheers never seen that before thanks :)

[Lanix 10]

The Map textures are not showing up in buldozer at all. I regenerated layers 4-5 times with different settings and still no luck, I have also double-triple-quadruple checked the layers.cfg. The only thing that I am not sure about is the Terrain Builder Tools>Preferences options. Data Directory is set to P drive and Project directory is set to the main project directory (which is P:\<Project>) I cannot seem to find any real info on what these should be set to (or I have overlooked it / am just being stupid).

Thanks

EDIT: After so much work I got the textures to show up, but....

http://i.gyazo.com/6040d77a429a71fc21b24c1c3579345f.png (1453 kB)

Any ideas?

I have also already tried Changing the settings in the Samplers tab a few times to no avail.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Lanix

[Polygon 11]

Why isn't this thread sticky?

[luki 53]

I Got a problem:

At the "Press Generate Layers" at the bottom I'm getting an error:

Layers generation - Default satellite file doesn't exist.

I had the same problem just now and it has nothing todo with the path, you have to create the mapframe after importing the sat mask ect... , at least that worked for me.

[1para{god-father} 105]

Sorry ignore me :)

[spookygnu 563]

one day a tutorial will appear that will have everything in it, where you won't get bugs when you try and do it, all the files and software you need will be in one place, ie one package, not searching all over the net for pbo tools this, pbo tools that, all the user will have to do is follow a simple readme with EVERYTHING at their disposal all installed by one simple installer and they'll be a lot less frustration and hair pulling from those that are first attempters.

Jakerod, I like you tut, thankyou, I'm not flaming here about your work, I managed to follow it fully with no problems (until a certain point) and I was well happy to see an island I'm more than familiar with in the sample files.

that certain point I got to was "connect to buldozer", wtf is wrong with this thing, I've run it as admin, both the terrain builder and the buldozer.exe and still nothing. what I'm quite perturbed at is the fact that solutions to this issue people have managed to work out, but only by jumping through Mahooosive hooops. Grrrrrr! this is the basis of what I began this post about. Why can't there be a much more user friendly application or software package that will intergrate all the things we need for simple terrain building. It just doesn't make sense tbh. granted some of the more experience coders and modders may beable to solve issues like this but for a game that gives us the ability to create things, why are we going all over the place to find things that are made by the gen public and not BIS where it should be in one place for ease of use and access?

[jakerod 254]

one day a tutorial will appear that will have everything in it, where you won't get bugs when you try and do it, all the files and software you need will be in one place, ie one package, not searching all over the net for pbo tools this, pbo tools that, all the user will have to do is follow a simple readme with EVERYTHING at their disposal all installed by one simple installer and they'll be a lot less frustration and hair pulling from those that are first attempters.

Jakerod, I like you tut, thankyou, I'm not flaming here about your work, I managed to follow it fully with no problems (until a certain point) and I was well happy to see an island I'm more than familiar with in the sample files.

that certain point I got to was "connect to buldozer", wtf is wrong with this thing, I've run it as admin, both the terrain builder and the buldozer.exe and still nothing. what I'm quite perturbed at is the fact that solutions to this issue people have managed to work out, but only by jumping through Mahooosive hooops. Grrrrrr! this is the basis of what I began this post about. Why can't there be a much more user friendly application or software package that will intergrate all the things we need for simple terrain building. It just doesn't make sense tbh. granted some of the more experience coders and modders may beable to solve issues like this but for a game that gives us the ability to create things, why are we going all over the place to find things that are made by the gen public and not BIS where it should be in one place for ease of use and access?

I'm hoping I or someone else will be able to make a more indepth tutorial to help out. I have been lacking time though. Addon Builder will pack PBOs but Mikero's stuff is generally better (sorry BI). I had that problem with buldozer once but I can't remember what I did to solve it. Maybe run TB as admin too.

[Polygon 11]

Anybody to turn this text tut into a video tut? Would help many newbies.

[Chairborne 2594]

one day a tutorial will appear that will have everything in it, where you won't get bugs when you try and do it, all the files and software you need will be in one place, ie one package, not searching all over the net for pbo tools this, pbo tools that, all the user will have to do is follow a simple readme with EVERYTHING at their disposal all installed by one simple installer and they'll be a lot less frustration and hair pulling from those that are first attempters.

Jakerod, I like you tut, thankyou, I'm not flaming here about your work, I managed to follow it fully with no problems (until a certain point) and I was well happy to see an island I'm more than familiar with in the sample files.

that certain point I got to was "connect to buldozer", wtf is wrong with this thing, I've run it as admin, both the terrain builder and the buldozer.exe and still nothing. what I'm quite perturbed at is the fact that solutions to this issue people have managed to work out, but only by jumping through Mahooosive hooops. Grrrrrr! this is the basis of what I began this post about. Why can't there be a much more user friendly application or software package that will intergrate all the things we need for simple terrain building. It just doesn't make sense tbh. granted some of the more experience coders and modders may beable to solve issues like this but for a game that gives us the ability to create things, why are we going all over the place to find things that are made by the gen public and not BIS where it should be in one place for ease of use and access?

What's wrong with buldozer?

Check if the path is correct, and also check the name of the .exe, maybe it's Arma3.exe and not buldozer.exe.

I also remember reading there were syncing issues between tools and buldozer when the tools were launched from steam, try saving the direct link to Terrain Builder in your programs bar or on your desktop then retry, it worked for me when using Object Builder.

[spookygnu 563]

@ jakerod: really nothing wrong with you tut, i was surprised i followed it so well myself with my very limited knowledge base of terrain making. This is the first time i saw a productive piece of work appear on my screen. Otherwise, like when i first opened the tb i was just clicking away and had no idea what to do. I did run both programs as admin last night and still nothing.

@ chairborne: i appreciate what you are saying and i hope it works for me too, but i don't actually understand how to do it. A tut on doing things like this for example would help newbs at terrain building like me no end. It might sound pretty simple to do but written as you said makes no sense to me unless its a step by step. I was reading all the other posts and even saw capt's videos aswell a few threads back. It so easy to switch of the program or tut and move on if you don't quite get it. Sorry dude! I do need a bit more expansion on how to do that.

[fully 1]

Were does one download this terrain builder?

[spookygnu 563]

Its part of the a3 tools package you get from steam.

Where your games list is on steam, theres a menu that will say either installed, recent, played or whatever you have it set too. Hold ya mouse over it and a dropdown box appears. There should be an option called tools. Click that and you go to the steam tools library. Find arma 3, you will probably see it say not installed, install it, wait, and then you have them.

What you are best doing though is, find out what else you need to get going. Such as mikeros tools etc, this is my gripe with the whole mod making process for arma, nothing is easy and convenient. Not like the cryengine sdk or udk where you get everything you need in one package. This was the basis of my previous posts. Mod making should be a simple process to get going i feel, without having to do this, do that, rely on others to supply fixes etc, one package and one setup would help no end.

this might help out!

http://ohplz.ca/tuts/00/index.html

Edited May 11, 2014 by SpookyGnu