New universal dynamic grass script

[mcpxxl 2]

Threat is dead ?

[Yakbeard 0]

I'm with MCPXXL.

Where did you guys go?

We love you.

Please come back.

[ThruYerStErNuM 0]

I had a busy school quarter I just finished, but for flashpoint, I've been working on an external mission configuration program for my dynamic mission and environment configuration system.

I've been learning the .NET framework, windows forms, xml, and sql this quarter, so I've got a few unmentioned flashpoint projects lined up now.

Since Arma didnt come, I guess there is still the need for grass updates, so I will try to have a new utility and script system done in January.

I really havent been working on the grass since I released that latest screenshot, but I've decided I will release it for OFP1, probably as shorter grass objects now.

When I finish my tools for creating (and importing) configurations for whole islands, with more efficient scripts, I will let everyone know so they can start working with them, hopefully to add other foliage too. I think it would be nice to finish one decent final grass addon for FFUR in ofp1 before we move on to Arma.

I will update my website by early january.

[mcpxxl 2]

WOOOOOOOOOW  

By the way !

Does anyone have a grass_pos file for Malden ?

[KeyCat 131]

Yayyy!!!! Looking forward to get even better looking grass than what you already gave us!

I think your current grass looks better than what I've seen in the (few) ArmA screens released, I don't really like the grass being semi-transparent but maybe this will change before release?

But "as is" your's looks much much better IMHO  

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)

[mcpxxl 2]

@keycat

I saw the grass on x-box .... = BF2 semitranparent !

Grass permanent moving from left to right WITHOUT an Aircraft over it ;-).

LOL When you make a scrennshot with this on Tonal you could mean that it is BF2

No Thersum ! I wan´t your Grass with small Stones an Bushes in it... with this brilliant quality

[KeyCat 131]

@ MCPXXL: Lets hope they improve it for ArmA but I would not hold my breath  

The only sad thing I noticed today was that ThruYerStErNuM's lovely grass have a huge performance hit on my new 6600GT 256 MB graphics card. It ran perfectly fine with my old Ti4600, barely any performance hit at all even with quite dense grass (I'm using the exact same script)

I did some simple testing at various positions on Avignon noting down the fps using FRAPS...

Without any grass:

Position 1: 57 fps

Position 2: 53 fps

position 3: 44 fps

Position 4: 58 fps

Position 5: 95 fps (looking thru iron sight)

The exact same scenario/positions/addons with "medium" grass density generated by script:

Position 1: 18 fps

Position 2: 17 fps

position 3: 36 fps

Position 4: 14 fps

Position 5: 11 fps (looking thru iron sight)

Anyone experienced similar things or have any ideas on why the new 6600 GT performs so much worse than my old Ti4200 graphics card when using the grass addon?

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)

[mcpxxl 2]

Think you have to try a lot of drivers from your gfx card

I often discard new drivers because performance was not so good as the old drivers...

[KeyCat 131]

I'm using 77.77 WHQL at the moment. As you can see above I have pretty good performance (without the grass) using these drivers in OFP at 1600x1200 and using high terrain detail.

What card and drivers do you currently use?

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)

[mcpxxl 2]

Surly everytime ATI ;-) x800XT soon x1800XT 512 MB

[mcpxxl 2]

Is now early January ?

[Maverick52GZ 0]

just be patient a little while longer...

[ThruYerStErNuM 0]

Well, I've almost finished the tool for importing configurations, with a few bugs to work out still. It allows you to browse for your mission you made with the abstract objects or trigger-region object groups, and import them into an sqf file that the script system knows how to read. The sqf file is just one array with lots of information in it, that way information is not read into global variables, but is only read with loadfile commands in the scripts so there is no need to save lots of configuration information in memory. (Which contributes to the savegame bug.)

I've been working on this configuration system for awhile, and I have an array-browser in the tool that lets you navigate through the arrays in a formatted way, the formatting is done by an XML file (one per configuration type) that says what information to tag on to each element of the arrays. This way its easy to know what values to modify to change configs however you want them.

Also, the new scripts work with ECPs island detection system, which is necessary to make it so that it will work in existing missions without changing or adding anything. Maybe someone could extract that system for me so I can use it in my own uwar mod folder? I'd prefer to commit to using ECP or FFUR though.

I'd like to release a lot of older objects too, like some old vietnam objects, since I know I wont have time to finish the vietnam island I had planned 2 years ago. Hopefully a nice high-resolution ground object pack will encourage people to make quality configurations for islands, but I still need to work on getting p3ds organized and fix up some LODs.

My schedule is getting worse and worse, so I may not have time to finish this stuff this week. I aim to have it done in January at whatever quality I can.

[mcpxxl 2]

Good News

THX

[KeyCat 131]

While you are waiting also check out Berghoffs very nice Nature Pack 3. There are some grass (and very nice trees and bushes) that are a fine complement to ThruYerStErNuM's work!

Nature Pack 3 thread

I use the same script I use with ThruYerStErNuM's grass just swapping grassobjects and it can give some good variation.

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)

[mcpxxl 2]

Bump ...

Anything new ?

[ThruYerStErNuM 0]

The configuration program is fully tested and working for environment management, and with a couple more features I think it could be released as a useful tool for anyone needing to configure missions through lists of information in scripts.

I think I'll release a few new objects, the new scripts and a partial configuration system next weekend. But the majority of my older objects need much more work, so I may even pass them over to Berghoff or someone else working on foliage.

Right now I've honestly taken on more projects then I can manage, and I'll be very busy untill March.

Most intrestingly, I'm working on team of 4 (taking over from 12 others) to finish a game framework for educators to make adventure games, all online. Teachers can make games a little like the BIS Fairy Tale demo except much more simplistic and with multiplayer teamwork.

EDIT: still want to finish more... maybe the 19th...

[mcpxxl 2]

THX for the Info ThruYerStErNuM !

My prioritys are on the Grass Part ... will it be within ?

Tools for making Grasspos etc ...

[Shins 0]

I've just discovered this thread. This work sounds awesome. Am I right in thinking you are about to release a tool which lets you add dynamic grass to any mission with a few simple clicks? Would this work in MP games? What else does the tool do? Will it be usable by people like me or do i need to have some scriptin knowledge?

Can't wait to have quality grass dynamically generated in OFP. Tried some other scripts to do it but this looks like the best. Keep up the good work!

[mcpxxl 2]

Any good News ThruYerStErNuM ?

[mcpxxl 2]

Bump ... ?

[swtx 42]

Bump!! one more time.......

[nikiller 18]

hi,

First, I am sorry to dig up an old topic.

I am very interested by this dynamic grass script and I would like to convert it for Kodiak, but all the links provided are down. Anybody, got the script in his HD by any chance?

Thanks.

cya.

Nikiller.

[Bielow 10]

I may be wrong (so don't burn me) but I think that linker split had something like animations grass via scripts in his addons.

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/index.php?showthis=10254

http://ofp.gamepark.cz/index.php?showthis=10555

Bielow

[nikiller 18]

hi,

ThruYerStErNuM's Homepage for Unscripted War Grass

As made use of in the mission Body Grab by Tyger.

Many thanks!

Now I will need to learn how to convert Kodiak.

Another request: anybody got the Keycat script? I'm asking because I want to compare both scripts to see which one I will use. It seems that Keycat's script is MP compatible.

cya.

Nikiller.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Nikiller