What terrain Software to you use?both

[Vartz 0]

Just wondering guys what do you use to generate your terrain?

so far i tried the following:

* Wilbur - Not very friendly for use in my opinion but it seems to be the only one capable to export *.png files for V3

* Terragen - very nice software, a lot of generation option but lacks and edit tools, and so needs to be exported into wilbur for editing

(both of these been recommended by Opteryx in his VISITOR 3 QUICK TUTORIAL)

* World Machine - another great generation software but it is not free and the the trail version is limited to 512x512.

( http://www.world-machine.com )

[Linker Split 0]

Personally i use wilbur...

I found it really easy to use, even it's tools (erosion, and so on)...

[anc 0]

I'm trying to use GeoControl.

[dr_eyeball 16]

Someone I know recommended using Bryce by DAZ 3D for terrain editing.

[gsleighter 0]

I've been using the USGS's seamless data site seamless.usgs.gov/ to get dted data, since it's free, and they have most of the US, and some world data. The US data is pretty high quality for free downloads, with areas of 1 meter, 30 meter, and 90 meter resolutions. I use world builder to open the DTEDs, and since the trial of worldbuilder can't export the data, but can display it, use printscreen key to copy the greyscale of the area I want to MS Paint, where I crop it to the size I want. I load that into Wilber, export to PNG, and voila! High resolution DTED data, and I didn't pay anything for it. I use Google Earth for textures, zooming in and taking jpgs of the area I want, and use Photoshop to copy and paste them all into the sat mask. I use photoshop's layers and transparency to match the mask up to the elevation data. It's time consuming, but I'm working on a photorealistic 1:1 scale 15km area northwest of Bisbee, AZ called Mule Pass. http://www.rockymountainroads.com/arizona...._01.jpg

[DieAngel 0]

is there any way to pull out from google earth the heightfield data?

I haven't found how yet.

[Crowe 0]

http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/

its great!

[hedcrusha 0]

@ Crowe,

Was going to say the same thing about L3DT! It is great as you get a texture to go with your terrain and can paint roads using custom textures! Try it its the best ive found.

[opteryx 1562]

@ Crowe,

Was going to say the same thing about L3DT! It is great as you get a texture to go with your terrain and can paint roads using custom textures! Try it its the best ive found.

You can do that? Hmm sounds intriguing. I haven't looked much at L3DT, anyone care to write a quick tut on what you mentioned hedcrusha?

[hedcrusha 0]

Well...

You can start of by generating a random terrain by selecting "Design/inflate", "Perlin" or "fractal" (which i prefere as i think the sat map is better detailed), OR make one your self using "Blank hightfield". When you get into it youll be using the blank map to create your islands! (Possible to create as many islands as you want in one map)

So you want to try and generate one just for testing, well click on "design/inflate" as you can see x 16 and y 16 = 1024x1024 (move the sliders to see this change just under the heightfield resolution).

There is an option to use mosaic map wich generates several hightmaps which tile together.

The next window lets you edit the features of the map itself bit like terragen. You can aslo pick different climates at the bottom "default climate", and presets you can define new ones or use scottish highlands, or desert mesas, once selected click on load to load the preset.

The next window lets you select what you want to generate along with your highfield. I usualy use the onse that i want to use in arma such as heightfield, attriburtes map and texture map. Also if you want to add land or delete land use design map to as this will let you raise and lower land using a pencil tool when generated. Its also handy to have the water map as this will give you water on your satmap for use in arma with textures on and looks pretty dam nice.

The next window we have an option to select "make high-res attributes map" If you want top quality use 1 (lowest) upto and possibly higher than 512 (but havent tried as setting it to 16 took long enough) in "am/hf ratio "WARNING WILL TAKE ALONG TIME TO GENERATE DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR MAP".

Next window is texture settings cause you havent used lught map then this should be unchecked. Keep everything as is except if you want quality use highest AA and Tx/HF ratio set from 1 to 16 or upto 32 for a mosaic map "AGAIN WILL TAKE A WHILE".

Next is water level. Keeping everything as is except for checking flood water plane and allows you to set hight and water type! (But i only use water for use with raising and lowering land as you set hight from water level And also water shows on the satmap).

Next is water table madelling but havent messed with this.

So next it will start to generate your map Depending on your settings it COULD take a while.

Example of using "Fratal" setting using all options:

As you can see I prefer fractal as the satmap seems to be more detailed.

If you want to raise and lower terrain or what ever go to ""operations-design map-generate from HF" this will let you edit the valuse of your terrain. Then it will give you a blacky looking image. Darker green is lowest and lighter is higher. To start adding or lowering terrain click on edit on the tool bar. If you want to add more water check the box at bottom "spec type" then select sea seed from drop down box. Now paint away!

If you want to raise or lower land deselect spec type and check "altitude at the top Example -100 or 100 ect. You can add more errosion, terraces and lakes ect. Play around with it and see what you come up with.

Now that you've raised or lowerd land above or below sea level go to operations again and re generate the hightfield then texture map ect. Do this every time you make a change to the terrain.

There is also a 3D view to see what you land looks like Also you can raise and lower land using this but i find it a bit im-practical.

Now your ready to export your hightfield and texture map "file-export-export map" then select the map you wish to export.

Exporting the texture map allows you to save it as a png for use with your .PBL file "BUT DONT FORGET TO SET THE WATER LEVEL IN THIS PBL FILE AND THE HIGHT AS THE HIGHT WILL DISTORT YOUR VERTICES".

Now Photoshop and vistor time!

Enjoy.

Hedcrusha.

P.s. If you want to pop this into a topic of its own feel free as it will make it easier to find.

[opteryx 1562]

Much appreciated, thanks!

[hedcrusha 0]

Anytime.

[seafire6 0]

hedcrusha, thanks for the help. I've got the program and its definitely nice to use.I was wondering though how to get the map into PS and and what do we do with it there ? Any help is appreciated. Oh and is it possible to build bigger maps than 1024*1024 ?

[hedcrusha 0]

map size yes i belive.

For Phototshop just export them as a png or JPG in L3DT then open them in PS.

[Evil_Clown 0]

I tried L3DT and it works nice, its possible to export the satellite texture if you have the pro version, has anybody tested this? The free version also has limitations to high resolution textures.

If the satellite texture which is rendered is enough highres then you just saved ALOT of time. Would be extremely useful.