Tutorial for Visitor3 ?

[Big Ofp Fan 0]

I dont get it.

Just try since it out and comming no step forward

I used the basic from beghoff, great work btw , an if I had make the png's and the cfg's and try to import I become this error

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">Cannout use satelite map. Segment size in Texels 7.82813 x 7.82813

I heavly frustrated

[Atropin 0]

i made a testisland with terragen & wilbur, imported it in vis3

1024x1024 square, 10m =10240x10240 pixels sat map & mask

than i did the texes, sat & mask like berghof explained

only 1 texture to begin, mask = 1 colour, sat map imported from vis3 view and converted it to png

seems to work, importing now...

EDIT: f**k!! foget to cut out blue edges

[rstratton 0]

i made a testisland with terragen & wilbur, imported it in vis3

1024x1024 square, 10m =10240x10240 pixels sat map & mask

than i did the texes, sat & mask like berghof explained

only 1 texture to begin, mask = 1 colour, sat map imported from vis3 view and converted it to png

seems to work, importing now...

EDIT: f**k!! foget to cut out blue edges

now how the heck did u import that into visitor 3?

[opteryx 1562]

Cut the blue edge? I've read about that but haven't had the need to do it yet (I think), how do you crop it correctly BTW?

-edit-

Quote[/b] ]now how the heck did u import that into visitor 3?

Step 1:Make a 16bit (or 8bit?) PNG grayscale map.

Step 2;Then open a txt file and put in it:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">class cfg

{

PNGfilename="world.png";

squareSize=5.000000;

originX=0;

originY=0;

minHeight=120.000000;

maxHeight=735.000000;

};

save it as world.pbl or something, just make sure it's a pbl file.

Step 3: Make sure the PNG file and pbl are in the same directory.

Step 4:In V3 make a terrain by going to Project--> New.

Step 5:Go to Project -->Import terrain from picture--> and choose the pbl file you made.

I'm sorry but I can't help you with the nit picking because I'm still very lost myself.

[Atropin 0]

now how the heck did u import that into visitor 3?

What do u mean?

Island

------

Saved as txt File with Wilbur and rename to Island.xyz, than taked "import terrain from XYZ" in Vis 2

Sat & Mask

-----------

Painted with Photoshop (10240x10240) saved as png, made Layer.cfg & copied maplegend.png from Berghoffs example.

than under "Tools" -->"Import Satellite & Mask" and follow the instructions...

[Atropin 0]

Cut the blue edge? I've read about that but haven't had the need to do it yet (I think), how do you crop it correctly BTW?

Don`t tried it so far...

I think select the edge colour with "magic Wand" in Photoshop than invert the selection and pull the image in a new one with the measurings of the selection, than change picture size...

PS: oh SRY for Doublepost

EDIT: Do i have to change all the pngs to paa MANUALLY now?

EDIT II: So i exported my world as wrp now, which folder i have to pack as pbo now? Someone fave a example cfg?

Structure:

P

-

ca/Island --> Island.wrp,Layers,cfg

ca/Island/layers --> sat,mask,maplegend

ca/Island/data --> Textures + rvmat

Layers --> 10000000000 of f*****g pngs & rvmats

so what with them??? should i pull them into island/layer folder?

EDFIT III: cfg ready packing pbo...

[opteryx 1562]

Um can someone tell how to save my project?

[csj 0]

I save mine as <ProjectName>.pew

the .pew you have to insert yourself.

[opteryx 1562]

Thanks for the quick reply, worked like a charm.

On another note; Why in the world is this program so extremely un user friendly? Surely BIS couldn't have made Sahrani with this? I mean I've only gotten the basics down by now, but from what I can tell this is the most unpractical map editor for any game I've ever touched. There's no real or useful terrain modifier brushes, you can't edit terrain in real time, moving objects around in real time is done in a very unpractical way, camera panning is hard and probably a lot more I haven't even discovered yet

Fortunately I'm a patient person as long I see some kind of progress, it maybe slow but I can live with that.

[Atropin 0]

i`m not amused.... why this step with mask & sat maps... i dont like it...

my northpole map

have to find out how is works with the textures....

[fasad 1]

Okay, good morning.

Batch conversion of PNG -> PAA is easily done with pal2pacE.exe, part of BI's texView2 tool. Converting all PNG's to PAA (and updating all rvmats in layer directory) results in a normal looking game world

Note detail texture in forground, satellite texture in background.

Now to try to get it in game.

[USSRsniper 0]

Tried this tool, and its confusing, BIS wiki page just makes it even more confusing... It was much easier creating island in WRPtool....    Don't like this sat map step, ebcause i'm not good at photoshop.

[opteryx 1562]

Has anyone gotten around to understand road laying yet?

I tried laying them out as regular objects but that made buldozer lag so I'm sure that's not the way to do it.

Also, is there a way to manage object better? I'd like a way to add all objects to the objects panel, but I'm not sure if I have ever object there because I can't select all when adding

Oh and one more thing, for some reason my satellite and mask aren't getting updated after I import them, then edit and import again (yes I've done as fasad did png to paa and edit rvmat etc..).

[fasad 1]

Lessons learned :

- Your islands working folder should NOT be in P:\CA\, It should be P:\myIslandName\

- If you have put it in P:\CA, you can recover from this by moving all files, then changing all V3 settings, all configs and rvmats to refer to "myIslandName\....."

- You apparently need to manually create PAA's when you finish your island. PNG's give simplified (but close) results in buldozer.

- Satellite mask seems to be imported very dark. Probably an rvmat setting?

- Satellity mask partially used edge tiles are funkified, might need a manual repair job (or better mask size choice).

- In game, the very extremity satellite mask texture displayed in the mission editor appear to flick between two different sections depending on zoom???

- As with V2, your terrain textures should be offset to align with the heightmap, looks like 1/2 cell to the SW??

[opteryx 1562]

img]http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/aghiawie/armaland.jpg[/img]

Lessons learned :

- Your islands working folder should NOT be in P:\CA\, It should be P:\myIslandName\

- If you have put it in P:\CA, you can recover from this by moving all files, then changing all V3 settings, all configs and rvmats to refer to "myIslandName\....."

- You apparently need to manually create PAA's when you finish your island. PNG's give simplified (but close) results in buldozer.

- Satellite mask seems to be imported very dark. Probably an rvmat setting?

- Satellity mask partially used edge tiles are funkified, might need a manual repair job (or better mask size choice).

- In game, the very extremity satellite mask texture displayed in the mission editor appear to flick between two different sections depending on zoom???

- As with V2, your terrain textures should be offset to align with the heightmap, looks like 1/2 cell to the East this time?

Crap, well thanks for the heads up.

Also I've noticed that all those thousands of satellite/mask pics that get cut up is in png format, will they change to paa once I do this?

[fasad 1]

Quote[/b] ]

Also I've noticed that all those thousands of satellite/mask pics that get cut up is in png format, will they change to paa once I do this?

Not for me, I wouldn't be suprised if their is an option to do this built into V3 (as was case with V2), but I was happy to do it this way :

- install BI texview2

- copy pal2pacE.exe and ijl15.dll (might not be needed) into my layer folder.

- create and execute a batch file, example line : <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">pal2pace.exe M_000_000_lco.png M_000_000_lco.paa

edit: or just <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">pal2pace.exe *.png

(takes about 5 mins crunching, i initially tried using photoshop and paaPlug, but it was much, much slower)

- change all references in layers\*.rvmats from png to paa

A good text editor makes these last two steps quick and easy, I used Notepad++ (free).

As for the roads, no progress, V3 won't accept any road model I feed it (I've even tried the OFP roads, as ODOLS and MLODs...)

[opteryx 1562]

Thanks for the info!

but when I execute Pal2PacE.exe I get this:

After that I press enter and nothing happens, what's wrong?

[fasad 1]

Nothing is wrong, Pal2PacE is a command line program - ie it has no GUI. It can only be effecively used from a command prompt.

To use it, open a command promt in the location it resides, and type the commands.

or create a batch/command file (this is a general windows/computer use skill, nothing BI specific). For further info, use google.

example: batchConvert.bat

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">pal2PacE.exe M_000_000_lco.png M_000_000_lco.paa

pal2PacE.exe M_000_001_lco.png M_000_001_lco.paa

...

pal2PacE.exe S_010_010_lco.png S_010_010_lco.paa

[opteryx 1562]

Nothing is wrong, Pal2PacE is a command line program - ie it has no GUI. It can only be effecively used from a command prompt.

To use it, open a command promt in the location it resides, and type the commands.

or create a batch/command file (this is a general windows/computer use skill, nothing BI specific). For further info, use google.

example: batchConvert.bat

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">pal2PacE.exe M_000_000_lco.png M_000_000_lco.paa

pal2PacE.exe M_000_001_lco.png M_000_001_lco.paa

...

pal2PacE.exe S_010_010_lco.png S_010_010_lco.paa

Yeah okay, I made a bat file from a txt with:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">pal2pace.exe M_000_000_lco.png M_000_000_lco.paa

but it did not change the M_000_000_ico.png into a paa.

Also am I going to have to copy all the file names in the bat manually, or write them out?

[fasad 1]

Did you check the arguments suit your file names (although they probably would have the same name)?

Did you run the batch file?

I used dir > file.txt, then edited it with macros (found in any decent text editor). It took about 30 seconds. These are generic IT/pc skills, use Google to find more help.

There are smarter ways of creating single line batch file to do the job, but I don't know them either.

[opteryx 1562]

Did you check the arguments suit your file names (although they probably would have the same name)?

Did you run the batch file?

I was a million % sure it was correct, quadruple check even, then I copied the name of the png and now it works, think my eyes are saying good night.

Surely this isn't the way we're meant to make islands? There must be some missing features in V3.

Thanks anyway.

[csj 0]

Any chance of somebody pasting a cfg to get our masterpieces in game?

Maybe I missed this section in the tutorial but it kinda seems an important part of the process.

[fasad 1]

Based on desert/intro/rahmadi's config.

Change every "isle2007" to suit.

Quote[/b] ]// config.bin - 14:05:46 08/25/07, generated in 0.02 seconds

// Generated by unRap v1.06 by Kegetys

// Separate rootclasses: Disabled, Automatic comments: Enabled

#define ReadAndWrite 0

#define ReadAndCreate 1

#define ReadOnly 2

#define ReadOnlyVerified 3

class CfgPatches {

class isle2007 {

units[] = {};

worlds[] = {isle2007};

requiredVersion = 0.1;

};

};

class DefaultLighting; // External class reference

class DefaultLighting_CA : DefaultLighting {};

class CfgWorlds {

class DefaultClutter {

scaleMin = 0.9;

scaleMax = 1.4;

};

class DefaultWorld; // External class reference

class Intro : DefaultWorld {};

class isle2007 : Intro {

access = 3;

cutscenes[] = {};

description = "Isle2007";

icon = "";

worldName = "\isle2007\isle2007.wrp";

pictureMap = "";

pictureShot = "";

plateFormat = "ML$ - #####";

plateLetters = ABCDEGHIKLMNOPRSTVXZ;

longitude = -40; // positive is east

latitude = -40; // positive is south

class Grid //OFP style Aa00 - JJ99

{

//colorGrid[]={0,0,1,1};

//colorGridMap[]={0,0,1,1};

offsetX=0;

offsetY=0;

class Zoom0

{

zoomMax=0.2;

format="XY";

formatX="Aa";

formatY="00";

stepX=256;

stepY=256;

};

class Zoom1

{

zoomMax=1.0;

format="XY";

formatX="A-";

formatY="0-";

stepX=2560;

stepY=2560;

};

}

startTime = 8:30;

startDate = 07/06/2007;

startWeather = 0.1;

startFog = 0.0;

forecastWeather = 0.3;

forecastFog = 0.0;

seagullPos[] = {1272.84, 150.0, 14035};

centerPosition[] = {2500, 2500, 300};

ilsPosition[] = {2545, 3000};

ilsDirection[] = {0, 0.08, 1};

ilsTaxiIn[] = {2495, 2725, 2495, 2850, 2508, 2860, 2508, 3000, 2520, 3010, 2545, 3000};

ilsTaxiOff[] = {2545, 2445, 2520, 2425, 2495, 2445, 2495, 2725};

drawTaxiway = 0;

class ReplaceObjects {};

class Sounds {

sounds[] = {};

};

class Animation {

vehicles[] = {};

};

class Lighting : DefaultLighting {};

clutterGrid = 1.11;

clutterDist = 55;

noDetailDist = 40;

fullDetailDist = 5;

minTreesInForestSquare = 3;

minRocksInRockSquare = 4;

class clutter {

class GrassGeneral : DefaultClutter {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_general.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0.3;

swLighting = 1;

scaleMin = 0.75;

scaleMax = 1.0;

};

class GrassFlowers : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_flowers.p3d";

};

class GrassLong : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_long.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0.6;

scaleMin = 0.6;

scaleMax = 1.1;

};

class GrassSevenbeauty : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_sevenbaeuty.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0.2;

scaleMin = 0.7;

scaleMax = 1.1;

};

class GrassYellow : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_yellow.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0.2;

scaleMin = 0.7;

scaleMax = 1.1;

};

class GrassDesert : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_desert.p3d";

};

class ForestFern : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_forest_fern.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0.1;

scaleMin = 0.9;

scaleMax = 1.1;

};

class SmallRocks : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\rocks\clutter_stone_small.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0;

scaleMin = 0.9;

scaleMax = 1.1;

};

class FlowersColor : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_smetanka.p3d";

};

class FlowersWhite : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_white_flower.p3d";

};

class MushroomsHorcak : GrassGeneral {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_horcak.p3d";

affectedByWind = 0;

scaleMin = 0.85;

scaleMax = 1.25;

};

class MushroomsPrasivka : MushroomsHorcak {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_prasivky.p3d";

};

class MushroomsBabka : MushroomsHorcak {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_babka.p3d";

};

class MushroomsMuchomurka : MushroomsHorcak {

model = "ca\plants\clutter_muchomurka.p3d";

};

};

class Subdivision {

class Fractal {

rougness = 5;

maxRoad = 0.02;

maxTrack = 0.5;

maxSlopeFactor = 0.05;

};

class WhiteNoise {

rougness = 2;

maxRoad = 0.01;

maxTrack = 0.05;

maxSlopeFactor = 0.0025;

};

minY = 0.0;

minSlope = 0.02;

};

class Ambient {

class BigBirds {

radius = 300;

cost = "((1 + forest + trees) - ((2 * rain)) - houses) * (1 - night) * (1 - sea)";

class Species {

class Hawk {

probability = 0.2;

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class Birds {

radius = 170;

cost = "(1 - night) * ((1 + (3 * sea)) - (2 * rain))";

class Species {

class Seagull {

probability = 0.2;

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class BigInsects {

radius = 20;

cost = "(5 - (2 * houses)) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)";

class Species {

class DragonFly {

probability = "0.6 - (meadow * 0.5) + (forest * 0.4)";

cost = 1;

};

class ButterFly {

probability = "0.4 + (meadow * 0.5) - (forest * 0.4)";

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class BigInsectsAquatic {

radius = 20;

cost = "(3 * sea) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - windy)";

class Species {

class DragonFly {

probability = 1;

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class WindClutter {

radius = 10;

cost = "((20 - 5 * rain) * (3 * (windy factor [0.2, 0.5]))) * (1 - sea)";

class Species {

class FxWindGrass1 {

probability = "0.4 - 0.2 * hills - 0.2 * trees";

cost = 1;

};

class FxWindGrass2 {

probability = "0.4 - 0.2 * hills - 0.2 * trees";

cost = 1;

};

class FxWindRock1 {

probability = "0.4 * hills";

cost = 1;

};

class FxWindLeaf1 {

probability = "0.2 * trees";

cost = 1;

};

class FxWindLeaf2 {

probability = "0.1 * trees + 0.2";

cost = 1;

};

class FxWindLeaf3 {

probability = "0.1 * trees";

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class NoWindClutter {

radius = 15;

cost = "(20 * (windy factor [0.1, 0.2])) * meadow * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - forest) * (1 - houses)";

class Species {

class FxWindPollen1 {

probability = 1;

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class SmallInsects {

radius = 3;

cost = "(12 - 8 * hills) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)";

class Species {

class HouseFly {

probability = "deadBody + (1 - deadBody) * (0.5 - forest * 0.1 - meadow * 0.2)";

cost = 1;

};

class HoneyBee {

probability = "(1 - deadBody) * (0.5 - forest * 0.1 + meadow * 0.2)";

cost = 1;

};

class Mosquito {

probability = "(1 - deadBody) * (0.2 * forest)";

cost = 1;

};

};

};

class NightInsects {

radius = 3;

cost = "(9 - 8 * hills) * night * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)";

class Species {

class Mosquito {

probability = 1;

cost = 1;

};

};

};

};

class Names {

class Veg_1 {

name = "";

position[] = {2713.62, 2140.92};

type = "VegetationPalm";

radiusA = 50;

radiusB = 50;

};

class Veg_2 {

name = "";

position[] = {2446.09, 3038.29};

type = "VegetationPalm";

radiusA = 50;

radiusB = 50;

};

class Veg_3 {

name = "";

position[] = {2940.52, 2923.19};

type = "VegetationPalm";

radiusA = 50;

radiusB = 50;

};

};

};

};

class CfgWorldList {

class isle2007 {};

};

[csj 0]

Thanks fasad,

I did try the desert cfg but I obviously fuped somewhere.

[fasad 1]

Me too, I think it's 'cause there is no worlds[] = {intro}; in cfgPatches in intro's config. Or something