mikebart

yep, I can remember being in exactly the same boat as you when i first started delving into Oxygen 2, everyone was talking about the named properties window which wasn't there :)

Im not too sure about A3 trees but they seam to still use the TreeAdv shaders from A2OA, not sure but it looks like they're doing something different from looking at the tree textures in A3, I noticed the far lods share the same texture maps, maybe batching groups of tree models in distant lods? Here are some trees, bushes and clutter mlods that use the TreeAdv shaders, theres some .psd's in there aswell: http://www.mediafire.com/download/fhrf8kypq91zihx/mb_veg_mlods_v0.9.rar you can get the .paa textures from here: http://dev.withsix.com/projects/mb-veg edit: you dont need a config file unless you want to be able to place your models in the mission editor, everything about the tree is defined in named properties in the .pd3

thanks guys!, that sorted it, clutter is now working. cheers for the help.

Hi im trying to convert my source files for Mana Island NZ to arma3 p drive and hoping to pick things up where i left off. when I use the Addon Builder to build the pbo's im getting quite a few errors, but the main one for me at the moment is clutter not showing in game. Im having this error pop up when i launch Arma 3: "No entry 'bin\config.bin/CfgSurfaces/CfgSurfaces.rough'." Here are my config and cfgsurfaces files, I think it would have to be something to do with those two files but I can post up other files if it helps. Also, feel free to point out other problems with the config if you see any. Thanks in advance. config.cpp: #define ReadAndWrite 0 #define ReadAndCreate 1 #define ReadOnly 2 #define ReadOnlyVerified 3 class CfgPatches { class mb_manaisland { units[] = {mb_manaisland}; weapons[] = {}; requiredVersion = 0.1; requiredAddons[] = {"A3_Data_F","A3_Roads_F","A3_Structures_F","A3_Map_Data"}; version = "2014-1-14"; fileName = "mb_manaisland.pbo"; author = "mikebart"; mail = "mikebartlett1980@hotmail.com"; }; }; class CfgWorlds { class DefaultWorld { class Weather { class Overcast; }; }; class CAWorld: DefaultWorld { class Grid{}; class DayLightingBrightAlmost; class DayLightingRainy; class DefaultClutter; class Weather: Weather { class Lighting; class Overcast: Overcast { class Weather1; class Weather2; class Weather3; class Weather4; class Weather5; class Weather6; }; }; }; class DefaultLighting; // External class reference class mb_manaisland: CAWorld { access = ReadOnlyVerified; worldId = 4; cutscenes[] = {}; description = "Mana Island"; icon = ""; worldName = "mikebart\mb_manaisland\mb_manaisland.wrp"; pictureMap = ""; pictureShot = "mikebart\mb_manaisland_data\data\ui_selectisland_mana_ca.paa"; plateFormat = "ML$ - #####"; plateLetters = ABCDEGHIKLMNOPRSTVXZ; longitude = 30; // positive is east, in degrees? latitude = -45; // positive is south, in degrees? class Sea { seaTexture = "a3\data_f\seatexture_co.paa"; seaMaterial = "#water"; shoreMaterial = "#shore"; shoreFoamMaterial = "#shorefoam"; shoreWetMaterial = "#shorewet"; WaterMapScale = 20; WaterGrid = 50; MaxTide = 0; MaxWave = 0.25; SeaWaveXScale = "2.0/50"; SeaWaveZScale = "1.0/50"; SeaWaveHScale = 2.0; SeaWaveXDuration = 5000; SeaWaveZDuration = 10000; }; class Underwater { noWaterFog = -0.01; fullWaterFog = -0.01; deepWaterFog = 100; waterFogDistanceNear = 5; waterFogDistance = 30; waterColor[] = {0.12,0.12,0.12}; deepWaterColor[] = {0.0,0.5,0.8}; surfaceColor[] = {0,0,0}; deepSurfaceColor[] = {0,0,0}; }; class SeaWaterShaderPars { refractionMoveCoef = 0.03; minWaterOpacity = 0.0; waterOpacityDistCoef = 0.4; underwaterOpacity = 0.5; waterOpacityFadeStart = 60; waterOpacityFadeLength = 120; }; class OutsideTerrain { satellite = "A3\map_Stratis\data\s_satout_co.paa"; enableTerrainSynth = 0; class Layers { class Layer0 { nopx = "A3\Map_Data\gdt_grass_green_nopx.paa"; texture = "A3\Map_Data\gdt_grass_green_co.paa"; }; }; }; class Grid : Grid { offsetX = 0; offsetY = 0; class Zoom1 { zoomMax = 0.15; format = "XY"; formatX = 000; formatY = 000; stepX = 100; stepY = 100; }; class Zoom2 { zoomMax = 0.85; format = "XY"; formatX = "00"; formatY = "00"; stepX = 1000; stepY = 1000; }; class Zoom3 { zoomMax = 1e+030; format = "XY"; formatX = "0"; formatY = "0"; stepX = 10000; stepY = 10000; }; }; startTime = 12:00; startDate = 05/08/2010; startWeather = 0.0; startFog = 0.0; forecastWeather = 0.0; forecastFog = 0.0; centerPosition[] = {2500, 2500, 300}; seagullPos[] = {2560, 150, 2560}; ilsPosition[] ={0.0,0.0,0.0}; ilsDirection[] ={0.0,0.0,0.0}; ilsTaxiIn[]= {0.0,0.0,0.0}; ilsTaxiOff[]= {0.0,0.0,0.0}; drawTaxiway=false; class ReplaceObjects {}; class Sounds { sounds[] = {}; }; class Animation { vehicles[] = {}; }; class Lighting: DefaultLighting { #include "cfgLight.hpp" }; class Clutter { #include "cfgClutter.hpp" }; clutterGrid = 1.0; clutterDist = 150; noDetailDist = 95; fullDetailDist = 55; midDetailTexture = "mikebart\mb_manaisland_data\data\mb_manaisland_middle_mco.paa"; minTreesInForestSquare = 4; minRocksInRockSquare = 4; hazeDistCoef = 0.1; hazeFogCoef = 0.98; horizonParallaxCoef = 0.045; horizonFogColorationStart = "0.8f"; skyFogColorationStart = "0.7f"; soundMapSizeCoef = 4; satelliteNormalBlendStart = 10; satelliteNormalBlendEnd = 100; class Ambient { #include "cfgAmbient.hpp" }; class Names { #include "mb_manaisland.hpp" }; class Armory{}; }; }; class CfgWorldList { class mb_manaisland {}; }; class CfgMissions {}; class CfgSurfaces { #include "cfgSurfaces.hpp" }; CgfSurfaces.hpp: class CfgSurfaces { class Default {}; class Water {}; class mb_grasssurface: Default { files = "mb_soilgrass_*"; rough = 0.05; dust = 0.1; soundEnviron = "grass"; character = "mb_soilgrassclutter"; soundHit = "soft_ground"; lucidity = 0.3; grassCover = 0.0; maxSpeedCoef = 1; }; class mb_drygrasssurface: Default { files = "mb_drygrass_*"; rough = 0.05; dust = 0.2; soundEnviron = "drygrass"; character = "mb_drygrassclutter"; soundHit = "soft_ground"; lucidity = 0.3; grassCover = 0.0; maxSpeedCoef = 1; }; class mb_forestfloorsurface: Default { files = "mb_forestfloor_*"; rough = 0.1; dust = 0.1; soundEnviron = "forest"; character = "mb_forestfloorclutter"; soundHit = "soft_ground"; lucidity = 0.3; grassCover = 0.0; maxSpeedCoef = 1; }; class mb_cliffsurface: Default { files = "mb_cliff_*"; rough = 0.1; dust = 0.07; soundEnviron = "rock"; character = "mb_cliffclutter"; soundHit = "hard_ground"; lucidity = 0.3; grassCover = 0.0; maxSpeedCoef = 1; }; class mb_soilsurface: Default { files = "mb_soil_*"; rough = 0.01; dust = 0.3; soundEnviron = "dirt"; character = "mb_cliffclutter"; soundHit = "soft_ground"; lucidity = 0.3; grassCover = 0.0; maxSpeedCoef = 1; }; }; class CfgSurfaceCharacters { class mb_soilgrassclutter { probability[] = {0.24,0.60,0.05,0.03,0.01,0.04,0.03}; names[] ={mb_c_grassshort01, "mb_c_grasslush01", "mb_c_grasstall01", "mb_c_forestweed01", "mb_c_forestweedgroup01","mb_c_taraxacum01", "mb_c_tussock01"}; }; class mb_drygrassclutter { probability[] = {0.5,0.4,0.05,0.01,0.04}; names[] ={"mb_c_grassdry01", "mb_c_tussock01", "mb_c_forestweed01", "mb_c_forestweedgroup01", "mb_c_taraxacum01"}; }; class mb_forestfloorclutter { probability[] = {0.05,0.5,0.1,0.1,0.3,0.2,0.03}; names[] ={"mb_c_grasslush01", "mb_c_ulmus01", "mb_c_ulmus02", "mb_c_ulmus03", "mb_c_forestweed01", "mb_c_forestweedgroup01","mb_c_taraxacum01"}; }; class mb_cliffclutter { probability[] = {}; names[] ={}; }; };

ah ok, ill sort this out. I release mods so infrequently I forgot all about bikeys, thanks for the heads up.

thanks guys, the mb_veg_lite mod works on any island that uses mb_veg, you probably want to have mb_veg running and then run mb_veg_lite with higher priority, because i havent updated mb_veg_lite with the new trees and there are a few new trees in the latest update.

Thanks for all the nice comments guys, going by the time its taken to create all the vegetation on the island, I think it would probably take me about 10 years to do that, I just dont get alot of spare time these days.

I think its at a good difficulty level as it is now, im hardly a skilled player but im managing to get through it slowly (up to the motor pool) getting killed alot but not finding it impossible, i save alot though. The only real problem im having is when i get AI to place satchels, they tend to detonate them out of the blue and kill half the team, but i think thats an Arma2 AI issue

Hey Kommiekat, im not quite through it yet but I've really enjoyed the mission so far, I have an updated version of mb vegetation now available for download which fixes the annoying flickering tussock plants, thanks for using mana island for the mission, fantastic work to all those involved. http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?104825-mikebart-s-Project-s&p=2224379&viewfull=1#post2224379 edit: hey, I've just noticed you've included the mb_manaisland, mb_veg and mb_rocks inside you're mission, thats probably not a great idea (i know i dont update often but I do it eventually :) ), It would be better if you just treat these mods the same as the other mods required for the mission and have people download them seperatly. This way's better for me because then I can keep my work updated, get credited properly and make sure the latest versions get distributed, its better for you because it insures that people who download your mission get the latest version of manaisland etc... and hopefully experience a bug free and finished island.

Update: i've updated mb_vegetation with the A2OA treeAdv shaders so all the flickering issues found with the tussock have been fixed, vegetation drawing in front of fog in the distance has been fixed too. You can also find mlods for the newer versions of the vegetation on this page. https://dev-heaven.net/projects/mb-veg there is a newer version of Mana Island NZ in the works, so hopefully wont be too far away from release. @wipman: thanks for posting about all those bugs, I should have all the road blocking issues ironed out in the next release.

pretty much sums it up:

oh ok, the ambient and the MCA were way too dark, I should have tested it out. Try this out, worked pretty well for the mb_tussock model; ambient[] = {1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0}; [color="#FF0000"]//increased ambient to 1.0 [/color] diffuse[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0}; forcedDiffuse[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5}; emmisive[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0}; specular[] = {0.045,0.045,0.045,0.2}; specularPower = 300; PixelShaderID = "TreeAdv"; VertexShaderID = "TreeNoFade"; class Stage1 { texture = "#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.5,0.5,1.0,1.0,NO)" class uvTransform { aside[] = {1.0, 0.0, 0.0}; up[] = {0.0, 1.0, 0.0}; dir[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0}; pos[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0}; }; }; class Stage2 { texture = "#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.75,0.75,0.75,0.6,MCA)"; [color="#FF0000"]//increased the MCA to 0.75, before it was too dark, think of it as another ambient control[/color] uvSource = "tex"; class uvTransform { aside[] = {1,0,0}; up[] = {0,1,0}; dir[] = {0,0,0}; pos[] = {0,0,0}; }; }; //}; yeah they're pretty cool trees, im attempting to make the messmate eucalyptus you can see why they're called messmate by the picture below, "because they make a mess mate" I like the dry brush, it looks like you could put alot of it down and still get good performance, the treeAdv shader should help it shade nicely and corrospond with a light source. edit: I just noticed that, that .rvmat receives no shadow, you need to use "TreeAdv" in the vertex shader and use a .can for the diffusemap, just multiply the noisey image i posted a few weeks back onto the alpha channel of your .ca and save it as .can. do you use photoshop?

hey Robster, try this out instead. Because you're using the NoFade shader you dont really need to use the ".non" bitmap for the normalmap, and should get away with just using the flat colour ".no" try using the TreeAdv shaders, they should give you a cleaner image (not so degraded around the edges) also I dont think the old NormalMapThrough shaders work with "AtoC" I didnt really test this myself, so i hope it works ;) ambient[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0}; diffuse[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0}; forcedDiffuse[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5}; emmisive[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0}; specular[] = {0.045,0.045,0.045,0.2}; specularPower = 300; PixelShaderID = [color="#FF0000"]"TreeAdv"[/color]; VertexShaderID = [color="#FF0000"]"TreeNoFade"[/color]; [color="#0000FF"]class Stage1[/color] { texture = [color="#FF0000"]"#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.5,0.5,1.0,1.0,NO)"[/color] class uvTransform { aside[] = {1.0, 0.0, 0.0}; up[] = {0.0, 1.0, 0.0}; dir[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0}; pos[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0}; }; }; class Stage2 { texture = [color="#FF0000"]"#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.25,0.25,0.25,0.6,MCA)"[/color]; uvSource = "tex"; class uvTransform { aside[] = {1,0,0}; up[] = {0,1,0}; dir[] = {0,0,0}; pos[] = {0,0,0}; }; }; //}; btw; do you know what the treecrown stages do?, I remember seeing them in Arma 1 trees but never really figured them out

hey Robster, theres a few different ways of doing it. Nozwrite If you want a blended alpha like the tussock in mb_veg, you need to sort alpha in O2 (Faces/Sort Alpha), and use the "nozwrite" render flag in the .rvmat, that should fix those edges. Its not really meant for vegetation though, you get a few errors sometimes and they draw in front of fog, but you can get away with it on a smaller terrain, cheep tricks but with costs. mainLight="None"; fogMode="Alpha"; ambient[]={1.0,1.0,1.0,1.000000}; diffuse[] = {1.0,1.0,1.0,1.0}; forcedDiffuse[] = {0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0}; emmisive[] = {0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0}; specular[] = {0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,1.0}; specularPower = 1.0; renderFlags[]= {"NoZWrite"}; PixelShaderID="Normal"; VertexShaderID="Basic"; treeAdv I dont think you have to use an _mca or a second UVW channel for treeAdv, you should be able to give that stage a colour value instead of a bitmap and i think the shader would still work. ambient[]={0.5,0.5,0.5,1}; diffuse[]={0.38039216,0.28235295,0.62352943,1}; forcedDiffuse[]={1,1,1,1}; emmisive[]={0,0,0,1}; specular[]={0.1,0.1,0.1,1}; specularPower=126; PixelShaderID="TreeAdv"; VertexShaderID="TreeAdv"; class Stage1 { texture="mikebart\mb_veg\mb_trees\data\mb_t_ulmus_foliage_NO.tga"; uvSource="tex"; class uvTransform { aside[]={1,0,0}; up[]={0,1,0}; dir[]={0,0,0}; pos[]={0,0,0}; }; }; class Stage2 { texture="#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.5,0.5,0.5,1,MCA)"; //replaced "mikebart\mb_veg\mb_trees\data\mb_t_ulmus_forest_MCA.tga" with a colour value, adjust to suit uvSource="tex"; //changed "tex1" to "tex" class uvTransform { aside[]={1,0,0}; up[]={0,1,0}; dir[]={0,0,0}; pos[]={0,0,0}; }; }; the ambient value in treeAdv controls how much the tree shades overall, its hard to explain but to get an understanding of that, see what happens when you decrease ambient to 0.1,0.1,0.1,1.0 and then increase it to something like 4.0,4.0,4.0,1.0 but without the lightmap (_MCA bitmap) on the second UV, you wont have any baked in ambient occlusion or colour variation. _can stands for colour alpha noise, If you have a look at the _can textures used for foliage in A2OA, you'l notice the noise on the white parts of the alpha channel, this is used in game when the alpha polygon becomes adjacent to the players view, that polygon fades kind of noisely, im sure you know what I mean from looking at trees in game. above is a 2048 bitmap of the right sort of noise you need for the _can texture, just multiply this over your alpha channel. _mca is basically a lightmap, not sure what it stands for but thats pretty much what it does, the image below shows an _mca mapped to a second UVW channel, unlike the _ca or _can's every UV is mapped to be unique (no overlap of UV's) the _mca below also shows details from the _can from the first UVW channel, hopefully you can get a better idea of whats going on from this: Grass If you're intending to use that plant just for clutter, just use the grass shader, ambient[] = {0.3,0.3,0.3,1.0}; diffuse[] = {0.1,0.1,0.1,1.0}; forcedDiffuse[] = {0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0}; emmisive[] = {0.0,0.0,0.0,1.0}; specular[] = {0.0000,0.0000,0.0000,1.0}; specularPower = 1.0; PixelShaderID="Grass"; VertexShaderID="Basic"; mainLight="Sun"; fogMode="Fog"; renderFlags[] = {"AlphaTest32"};

yeah, i've tried quite a few tree generators and scripts but never really been happy with the results, you just have absolute control with this, its got some great artist editability, but you still have to put a bit of time into it to get good results, it sure beats modelling by hand though. Multirez is good for trunks and branches but i find its not for the foliage. For the foliage i pick out from the UVs which planes I want to remove, particually the non structural ones used for filler, add an edit poly modifier, detach the selected polys from the model and then select by random and delete a percentage of them, that way i dont lose any of the planes used for the structure of the tree in the lower lods. Here are some offline renders of some gum trees i made using the script; close ups: you can download them here: http://www.mediafire.com/?tojv3ovf9auhooc They're not game ready or anything and only have the first LOD, the file also includes the .max file with textures and the projection jig used to render to texture the high poly foliage, if you have the ATree3d script you can edit this foliage and change the type of tree.