A few questions

[jakerod 254]

A <s>couple of</s> few questions.

1.) How do I set the topographic line details? For example can I make it so that there is one for every 2 meters or change it to every 10 meters or so. Right now it seems to be on one line for every 50 meters which makes things difficult. In visitor 2 it was 10 meters I believe.

Solved- see Canukausiuka's post below

2.) What values do you use for terrain erosion? Whenever I use Visitor's terrain erosion on specific areas it either makes the terrain very jagged (if I don't check final blur) or it makes it dig a rectangle into the ground (if i check final blur). I have messed about with different values but either way its either lumpy or its dug down. In visitor 2 it never did this unless you chose some extreme values. Do you guys know values that don't do this?

Not really solved but I am just going to use wilbur instead

3.) I use the method of making my heightmap a png and then opening a pbl to get it into visitor. Is there a way to change underwater elevations using this method? It is very time consuming, annoying and most importantly unnatural looking using the method of manually changing the coastal zones especially with the terrain erosion not working well.

Wilbur solves this one too

4.) Using the png/pbl method of importing terrain always seems to give me beaches that are really steep when in fact the real terrain has beaches that are very flat. Does anyone know why this is?

Also wilbur solveable

5.) Is there any way to make a template for the objects? What I mean is define them once and then I can just import something into my new map and there will be all the artificial objects and natural objects the way I want them? I think in Visitor 2 .per files might have solved this.

Thank you for your time.

[Planck 1]

For number 1/ and possibly 3/ as well.

Try View Menu....Define Configuration....Colors - height, this allows you to set a 'From' value and a 'Step value for the heights as well as the colours.

Planck

[jakerod 254]

For number 1/ and possibly 3/ as well.

Try View Menu....Define Configuration....Colors - height, this allows you to set a 'From' value and a 'Step value for the heights as well as the colours.

Planck

That doesn't seem to do anything. The colors on the left are still in 50m intervals no matter what I do. I have tried messing around with the two numerical values but those don't seem to do anything either. If I am using it wrong let me know but I tried everything I can think of. Thank you for the reply though.

[Planck 1]

No, you are correct, they don't seem to do anything.

I just presumed it worked when I saw it there, but have never had cause to try using it yet......till now.

Maybe it just doesn't work or requires to be used in a certain fashion, yet to be discovered by us.

Planck

[canukausiuka 1]

I'll check my projects when I get to my home computer.  I think there's a way to do that.

Okay, here's how I did it (not perfect but it works):

- Go to View -> Define Configuration

- Go to the Colors - Height tab

- In the bottom right, change the elevation interval

- Nothing will happen just yet, but click OK

- Now, on the toolbar, select "Elevation interval - gray scale" (7th from the left for me)

- You should now see the terrain w/ the contour interval you selected

I don't think you can get the full color terrain spectrum w/ the contour lines for low elevations.  Hope this helps.

PS: To use a png heightmap for the underwater terrain, you can probably draw the features as low points on the terrain (so black = bottom of the water, not the shoreline), then import it and edit the terrain height range to "move it down" so that the shoreline is where it should be. I've not tried this though.

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]2.) What values do you use for terrain erosion?

Have long given up attempting to use the V3 erosion filter.  Use Wilbur instead - it has comprehensive erosion routines.  Wilbur Homepage

Quote[/b] ]4.) Using the png/pbl method of importing terrain always seems to give me beaches that are really steep when in fact the real terrain has beaches that are very flat. Does anyone know why this is?

How are you creating your heightmap?  I have not seen this issue using a variety of heightmap editors.  Using a smoothing tool in an editor does a fine job of deceasing the slope.

[jakerod 254]

@Canukausiuka- that worked thank you.

I think the elevation data was just crappy for my island which is why my island had cliffs on the ends. I have started to use wilbur now and it is working a lot better although there are still cliffs but it is a lot easier to smooth them out. I also figured out how to do the under water heights as well.

5.) Is there any way to make a template for the objects? What I mean is define them once and then I can just import something into my new map and there will be all the artificial objects and natural objects the way I want them? I think in Visitor 2 .per files might have solved this.

[jakerod 254]

My Terrain:

Heightmap 1024 x 1024

Size: 10240m x 10240m (10.24km x 10.24km)

Max Height: 358

Min Height: -39

Climate: European, strong winds from South-West, by which I mean mountain tops will have rocks and low plants and same with any ridges that face that direction and aren't shielded.

I was just wondering what you guys think of this. More detail or do you think its okay? And do you think the map size is alright?

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Yeah, I think it's big enough   That's a lot of area to place objects and detail properly.  Looks interesting.

The heightmap looks fine, but without knowing what elevation parameters and the environment, it's hard to comment.  I personally would recommend not going wild with high elevations - there are plenty of islands out there with totally unrealistic elevation extremes.  Plus the vehicle path-finding AI doesn't consider elevation changes.

Keep at it, the fun part of the process is over. Glad you were able solve some of your issues with Wilbur.

[jakerod 254]

The heightmap looks fine, but without knowing what elevation parameters and the environment, it's hard to comment.  I personally would recommend not going wild with high elevations - there are plenty of islands out there with totally unrealistic elevation extremes.  Plus the vehicle path-finding AI doesn't consider elevation changes.

forgot to mention that

Max Height: 358

Min Height: -39

Climate: European, strong winds from South-West, by which I mean mountain tops will have rocks and low plants and same with any ridges that face that direction and aren't shielded.

I think the least fun part for me will be the sat mask. Elevation stuff was fun but I really like making the towns and such... or at least I did in the ofp days.