I need your help

[Αplion 1122]

Well, for some time I'm reading everything possible in order to find out how terrain importing works.

My target is to import a Greek island into ArmA so after I found the desired heightmap image I was ready to start.

Following Opteryx tutorial it was simple to import my 2048X2048 PBL image into Visitor and playing with erosion to have a fair terrain result viewed in Bulldozer.

My next step was to have a good sat map which it was not difficult as I already had that kind of image.

So I've create a sat map 20480X20480 px in PNG format.

Next step was to create the mask map. for this purpose I've been use an exported image from visitor and paint it in photoshop using the color pallete from MAPLEGEND.PNG

Finally I resize the mask map also to 20480X20480 px.

For exercise purposes, I took the main textues and rvmat files from rahmadi, changing the paths (into rvmat) in order to reflect mine.

Also I took the layers.cfg from the same island replacing the paths into.

After these steps (and always following Opteryx tut step by step) I went to Tools--> "Import Satellite + Mask in visitor.

After some time this proceedure was done and I had many PNGs and RVMATs into my Layers directory.

I convert these PNGs to PAA and also I made some spot checks in order to ensure that into RVMATs the paths was correct.

Loading my terrain into Bulldozer I noticed that I had a textured terrain but it was just like to put the sat map on my terrain.

I create the .wrp file and I packed my terrain in order to give it a try in game (I use Opteryx example config replasing the name of the map).

Loading my map in game I had this http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/aplion/lesvos_import.jpg in editor, which is fine.

The problem is in-game as I'm seeing the sat map on my terrain and only in case I'm standing on ground I can see in an area about 10 meters around me the texture of an area (grass or whatever should be).

Take a look on this http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/aplion/terrain.jpg

I thought that sat map should be visible only from a specific height above the ground and not covering the terrain as basic texture. Is there any tip in order to be able to see the terrain textures instead the sat map infront of me ?

Is there any possibility that this problem can caused by config wrong values ?

Any help will be much appreciated.

P.S. please excuse me for my bad English.

[datakill 1]

Hi,

I see exactly the same kinds of textures when I try my map ingame. But to my opinion, it's not a big deal as you'll have to add manualy the grass, sand, and other textures the same way you'll have to add the vegetation.

I hope i'm not wrong and maybe Opteryx will tell us if I'm right.

[Αplion 1122]

....... you'll have to add manualy the grass, sand, and other textures the same way you'll have to add the vegetation.

to be honest I thought that there was no by hand texturing using that method.

If I'm wrong on that please let me know.

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]I thought that sat map should be visible only from a specific height above the ground and not covering the terrain as basic texture. Is there any tip in order to be able to see the terrain textures instead the sat map infront of me ?

Is there any possibility that this problem can caused by config wrong values ?

There is nothing wrong. This is exactly how it is supposed to work. I was initially just as confused as you are. The sat_lco.png is much more important than one would think, because the engine uses it to draw not only very distance but also mid-range terrain. It uses a greyscale texture image in this mid-range view to texturize the sat_lco image.

I believe the distance controlling when the close up texture changes to mid-range texturing of the sat_lco is controlled in the config.cpp file. Note the variables:

noDetailDist = 40;

fullDetailDist = 5;

No doubt drawing the textures farther out will cause a frame rate hit.

[Sergei_Q 0]

I have no advice as per the original post...

but... I for one welcome this new arena for hot Lesbian (Lesvian for you modernists) action!    

[Αplion 1122]

Quote[/b] ]I thought that sat map should be visible only from a specific height above the ground and not covering the terrain as basic texture. Is there any tip in order to be able to see the terrain textures instead the sat map infront of me ?

Is there any possibility that this problem can caused by config wrong values ?

There is nothing wrong.  This is exactly how it is supposed to work.  I was initially just as confused as you are.  The sat_lco.png is much more important than one would think, because the engine uses it to draw not only very distance but also mid-range terrain.  It uses a greyscale texture image in this mid-range view to texturize the sat_lco image.

I believe the distance controlling when the close up texture changes to mid-range texturing of the sat_lco is controlled in the config.cpp file.  Note the variables:

noDetailDist = 40;

fullDetailDist = 5;

No doubt drawing the textures farther out will cause a frame rate hit.

According this, maybe the solution is not to use real photo sat map but make one more simple.

Anyway I'll keep trying waiting for any advise by community side.

[Rhodite 3]

Sergei_Q

Nothing but spam

Next offense will result in a WL and a PR

[ANZACSAS Steven 395]

Hi dudes,

I have experimented with grass combinations in arma,And the following paramaters -

noDetailDist = 40; -clutter objects dissapear at 40m fromplayer

fullDetailDist = 5; -full quality lod 's at 5m from player.

Control the lod's of the clutter objects on the terrain.

[phaeden 0]

I don't quite understand the problem. Can someone rephrase it?

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]According this, maybe the solution is not to use real photo sat map but make one more simple.

You are correct. Using real images introduces shadows (and in some cases light reflections off buildings) which simply do not look realistic "in-game." Better to paint your own sat_loc image like the islands included in ArmA. They use portions of real imagery finely retouched and blended together.

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]I don't quite understand the problem. Can someone rephrase it?

Aplion didn't realise how very visible the satellite image is when viewed in game, even from ground level, and fairly close up. If you check out the links in his original post, the second image shows the dark blotchy terrain which he apparently does not like (I don't really want to put words in his mouth - but that is what I understand).

But there isn't a problem per se, it's just how the graphics engine works in the program.

[Αplion 1122]

Nicholas is right. I thought that the sat map should be viewed only from a specific height above ground. I thought that when I'll be on ground, the visible textures should be the main (detail) textures and not the sat map layed on my terrain.

As far as I understood, the sat map must be absolute relative with the main (detail) textures. Also the sat map must be simplified regarding the reflected areas on it, so it is better to paint a map using the main (detail) textures rather use photoreal sat images.

[Αplion 1122]

I still have huge problem especially with Mask map.

Working in Photoshop I didn't found a way to produce ONLY four colors. The result, when I'm importing my map into visitor is to have different four base textures but not in places I want to be. Also I noticed that I'm having grass texture (with grass) when I'm on seaside, causing some grass into sea when I'm on the beach.

Any help ?

[Nicholas Bell 0]

I don't have Photoshop, and use PSP8 most of the time, but in Photoshop Elements you can select pencil instead of paintbrush to avoid anti-aliasing. The color picker allows you to manually set the RGB values to those in your layers file.

As far as the problem with grass in the water you need to use a terrain that does not have vegetation clutter as beach to separate the water from the grassy terrain. I am using "pisekplaz" which looks like soft beach sand. The mask file of course has to have a beach painted on using this terrain.

[Αplion 1122]

OK I've managed to have my Mask map in four unique colors but now I have another problem. Every time I'm trying to import sat and mask maps, visitor crashes in the middle of this procedure !!

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Try manually deleting all the files in your Data/Layers folder and start a "fresh" import.

[Αplion 1122]

OK I found the problem, my mask map was 8 bit instead of 24.

So I did the import and conversion, I even change the paths into .rvmat files in order to reflect paa instead png.

Now my island not shown into game

I'm using the same config as before, I don't understant what it might be wrong !! it is just not shown in ArmA ... not exist

I'm going crazy

[raedor 8]

Looking forward to that island, I've been there for a bit more than a month last year.

Good luck!

If you need a beta tester... I can also help you with your config

[Αplion 1122]

Looking forward to that island, I've been there for a bit more than a month last year.

Good luck!

If you need a beta tester... I can also help you with your config

thanks raedor, I'll keep this in mind

[raedor 8]

BTW that height map is not correct or not correctly scaled... Olympos + Lepetymnos are both ~970m, not ~400m

[Αplion 1122]

BTW that height map is not correct or not correctly scaled... Olympos + Lepetymnos are both ~970m, not ~400m

I know but I just try to make the island more playable as so high ground has no meaning in game.

Anyway I can give it a try using the real height map

[raedor 8]

BTW that height map is not correct or not correctly scaled... Olympos + Lepetymnos are both ~970m, not ~400m

I know but I just try to make the island more playable as so high ground has no meaning in game.

Anyway I can give it a try using the real height map

Yes, you're right, ArmA doesn't high hills very much. I guess you'll see what feels better.

Do you plan to make the whole island in the real size or smaller?

As a little easter egg you could add a tank wreck somewhere near Antissa, I found it!

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]Now my island not shown into game

I'm using the same config as before,

I had this problem once. Delete everything in the temp folder you have designated for packing/binarizing. Also delete the old island PBO in whatever addon folder you have. And double check your config.cpp file to make sure it's correct (sure you've done that!.

Hope it helps - it worked for me.

[raedor 8]

Quote[/b] ]Now my island not shown into game

I'm using the same config as before,

I had this problem once. Delete everything in the temp folder you have designated for packing/binarizing. Also delete the old island PBO in whatever addon folder you have. And double check your config.cpp file to make sure it's correct (sure you've done that!.

Hope it helps - it worked for me.

Alos make sure that the config class of the island has exactly the same name as the wrp file.

[Αplion 1122]

So finally I've got my island in game !! now ....... my textures seems to be fairly good but near some beaches there is some strange blue color covering the sand !!

I think that it must be some missplaced sea textures from my sat map.

The only thing I can figure out is that I must make my sat map bigger than my ground terrain.

Is that right or there is something more I can do in order to fix this ?