bushlurker

you've just got the "circles" and "squares" and "roads" categories and you want stuff laid out more logically in categories in the Template Library? Remember that with V4 "export/import" files each line is simply an "objectname" plus its positional data, etc - no "path to object"... TB doesn't care where the object is - when it's importing it's just looking for that objectname... So - you could... "export all objects" to file - delete all objects in the project - delete all template library categories... Create all your new Template library categories - making sure all objects you need are included Import objects again... You'll still have only one or two object "Layers" (one for each import file you used), but as each object is read off the import file list, as long as TB finds it in a Template Library somewhere, it'll assume thats the correct model and use it.... B

Arran! Fascinating geology and a workable "pseudoflint" stone that had people flocking to the island since prehistoric times.... One of my favourite weekend off destinations :) With the new Terrain Builder tool it would probably be possible to do it full-size at a reasonable resolution... but, as you rightly note, probably not an ideal "first project" at that size.... It should be perfectly possible to "scale" your DEM size within L3DT... From the Top Menu... "Operations > Heightfield > Resize heightfield & Horizontal scale" are your two main controls over "Grid Size" and "Cell Size"... One important thing to note however, is that when you scale "horizontal distances" it's also a good idea to scale "vertical heights" to match, otherwise you can distort the "character" of the landscape beyond recognition ... Take "Goat Fell" on Arran as an example - it's basically a bigass extinct volcano - and looks like one too... Big triangular mountain - part of a ridge of mountains, it's peak is above 800 meters... BUT - it's also few Km WIDE, which makes it a steep but not impossible climb (more of a steep walk really)... Imagine you kept the height the same, but narrowed the horizontal distance by - say - 75%.... You'd end up with a "mountain" which is approx 500m wide and over 800m tall - that's not a mountain anymore - more like a gigantic unnatural "spike" So - to keep the proportions in line with each other, you'd need to scale all vertical heights by a similar amount... L3DT Menu - "Operations > Heightfield > Change Vertical Range" (while making sure the "Zero meters" shoreline remains in the same relative position)... That way, the landscape will still "look like Arran", albeit a small "mini-golf" depiction of Arran... The Mighty Goat Fell will be a 200m high hill, but at least it'll all be in proportion... Personally, I'd keep Arran in reserve as your first "serious" project... at approx 32 x 16 Km it's perfectly doable at full-size and would be a much more rewarding and impressive project at that scale. The whole point of a "First Project" is to basically "try everything once"... Import a heightmap, get a basic sat & mask layer on top, assign a few ground textures and a clutter mix or two - then on to the tricky stuff like laying a few roads and placing some objects to create some sort of little location or two. The idea being that when you come to do this stuff "for real" you've already done it once so you don't waste so much time puzzling over the mechanics of how stuff works and can focus on actually getting the landscape together and putting stuff down on it... As such, the First Project can be just about anything as long as it's small and quick to work with - it's unlikely it'll ever become a full-blown "release" - that's not it's purpose - it's simply a vehicle for learning... Anyhow - just an opinion there... Good Luck with whatever you decide to tackle, and Welcome to the "Terrain Dudes Club" - you're in for a lot of fun if you get hooked on this aspect of modmaking! B

All the sprawling urban hugeness and excitement of Arma 2 Fallujah - and then some! (approx 6 times the size, if I remember correctly!!) This promises to be an all time classic project - the new enhanced assets, the new improved landscape... it's all hugely exciting! Well done guys! this is the terrain I'm most looking forward to at the moment!! B

Hi again... Okay! - looks like you know what you're doing... The most important concept to grasp here is that there's a difference between placing models ON a terrain (via the editor), and placing them IN a terrain ("built-in" via Terrain Builder). You're using Mikero's PboProject - that's always a good idea! I notice you have this... ".....a3 (just the configs)" Back in the BinPbo and Arma 2/OA days, it was necessary to have a "configs-only CA" folder at the Main Project Folder level for your terrain. This was so, when you packed the terrain, if there were any "CA buildings" with animations - doors, ladders, etc - BinPbo would "find" the appropriate config files for those CA assets - at the "directory level" it was looking at... If you had a "Custom Buildings Pack" and it included buildings with animations, then likewise - it was necessary to have a "configs-only folder for IT - also at that appropriate Main Project Folder level... I'm guessing from the fact you're including a "configs-only A3" folder at your Main Project Folder level that you understand this concept and the reasons behind it... Brilliant!, 'cause it's always a chore to explain... :) I can just move directly to the "With Mikeros PboProject, none of that is necessary anymore" part... With Mikeros PboProject, none of that is necessary anymore... :) There's no need to start making and including any of these "config-only" folders anywhere... However - you DO need to point PboProject to the location(s) of the configs of any model assets which have animations which you have included IN your terrain... Press the "Setup" button on the main PboProject window... The section titled "Used only when building islands"... You should have some preset paths here already - "P:\CA" and "P:\A3" probably... That covers the default stuff... You should also add the paths to any of your custom buildings packs which have animations... PboProject will "trawl" these locations and acquire any config info it needs as it examines each building you've included IN your terrain. The other thing to note here is the bit where it says... "Enter all paths to configs that declare "land_xxx classes..." This is the other vitally important part of models with animations which you want to use IN a terrain... For animations to work in a model placed IN a terrain, it MUST have... class Land_TestBuilding_1 and the model filename must match the classname exactly (apart from the "Land_" bit), eg: model="TestBuildingsPack\TestBuilding_1.p3d; *major-league cast-iron rule there.... For buildings with anims placed ON the terrain via the editor, different rules apply, so it's often the case that, if one or more of the elements above are incorrect, a model will behave OK in the editor, but not when part of a terrain... B

This is an issue with the binarize process... Can you give us a brief rundown of your "models pack" P:\ drive structure, plus your binarizing/packing procedure...? B

When you launch buldozer it allows you to view "the contents of the mapframe", basically... Your mapframe currently has no contents... What you have is a single layer of raw data loaded... Essentially, at a minimum, you have to locate both mapframe and your "data layer" in the same worldspace (bottom-left coords to 0,200000 UTM Zone 31N, SubZone N)), then decide on a size for the mapframe (width & height in meters), which corresponds to the grid size and resolution you want your heightmap to be - Set your "Terrain Sampler" parameters (in the Mapframe Properties "samplers Tab") to match that desired grid & cellsize, then "Rebuild Terrain" (in the Mapframe Properties "Processing Tab"), which will "Sample" that specified section of your height data layer (or all of it if that's what you specify) into the mapframe, at the res you specify... At that stage - you actually DO have a heightmap and (unlike Visitor 3 which would crash if you tried this sort of thing) you - should - now be able to view the contents of that mapframe in Buldozer - and see your heightmap (though of course it will be white and untextured at this stage)... B

Try these two links... Basic Road Tutorial and... Road Creation Have fun! B

You could make your own "mini-@a3mp" with just the plants you want from the Arma 2 mlod models & textures release by following the instructions above. Then you'd add your new plantspack to TB as a template library... You'd then need to swap the @a3mp models that are currently on your terrain for your own new ones... Then, again, as above - you'd binarize your plant pack as a separate pbo and include both in your island modfolder in-game... B

Big Thanks to Mikero! - Without his MoveFolder tool, moving a dozen models from one location to another would take - literally - all day!!!... With MoveFolder you're done and gone in 60 seconds... ;) B

You'll need Mikero's "MoveFolder" tool - plus any other "required" tools... from HERE Then you'll need a copy of your old CA folder from your Arma 2 Tools P:\drive - paste that onto your Arma 3 P:\ drive * Remember - the Arma 2 models don't exist in Arma 3 - you CAN'T just use this CA stuff on a terrain and expect it to work in-game - the only reason you're putting it on P:\ is to make models packs from, since everything, including the tool you'll be using, assumes that all work happens on P:\ * Now you have a P:\CA to draw textures from, but the models themselves are still the original Arma 2 binarized ones... What I did at this stage was to download the Arma 2 mlod samplemodels and overwrite all the models I was interested in using in P:\CA with the mlod models... Now, if/when you use the more complex "Crunch from config" option in Move Folder you'll be drawing on the unbinarized models too - which is what you want... However, for something simple like a tree pack where the models have no config.cpp, you can use the simpler "Crunch from p3d" option... Here's how... * Make a folder - P:\YourTag\My_Trees_Pack * Go to P:\CA\Plants2\Trees - pick the trees you want (they're mlods now, remember :)) - copy and paste them into your new folder - JUST the .p3d models themselves... * Run MoveFolder *Set "Destination" to that new folder (ie: P:\YourTag\My_Trees_Pack) * Tick the "Move CA/A3" box (it's now gonna look on P:\ for a CA folder and - it'll find one! :)) *Click - "Crunch from P3d content" - wait 15 seconds.... * You're done! The Mighty Mikero's Magical Movetool will search the models for paths to textures and rvmats - go to that location in P:\CA and fetch them, dump them in a data folder in your new pack, then repath all internal rvmat references to this new location, then repath all internal references within each model to their new texture & rvmat locations - no further work required... (Done manually, the same job would take 15 minutes or more per model!) Now you can add those models - from that new location - to Terrain Builders template library and use them on a terrain... Technically, this will be a separate addon so it needs a config, even though plants generally don't... This will do - edit the name, save as "config.cpp" and drop it in the trees pack main directory beside the models ... class CfgPatches { class my_trees_pack { units[] = {}; weapons[] = {}; requiredAddons[] = {}; }; }; When you pack your island to go in-game - pack that folder too - as a separate addon pbo, and drop it in the same modfolder... B

NeoArmageddon has published his handy little conversion tool! It will add your offsets and allow you to enter simple values for all the randomisation parameters as well - works nicely... Full instructions and download HERE at the new armamapmaking.info site... Remember to thank NeoArmageddon next time you see him around! ;) B

Here's a simple "inherits most stuff from Stratis" config which should work OK - assuming you have everything else correct.... Not sure why you're using "Cimbia" both as a "NameTag" folder AND as a "Project Folder"... Normal procedure would be a "Tag" folder on P:\ with your name or tag, then all your projects inside there... eg: P:\Bush P:\Bush\My_First Terrain P:\Bush\My_First_Terrain_Modelspack P:\Bush\My_Next_Terrain P:\Bush\My_Silly_Hat_Addon etc etc... Keeps things neat and easy-to-backup... Still - give the above config a check over - add any missing files such as "picturemap", make sure all the paths are correct then - give it a go.... B

With the arrival of Terrain Builder, things have changed a little on the Import files format front. The import file now contains more parameters - which is why old-style Visitor 3 import files - and the basic "Raw Output" from World Tools no longer works... I believe someone was planning on coding a small utility to convert "old" import files into "new" - though I haven't seen a formal, public release for that so far... Meantime - here's a basic rundown of the differences between Old and New, and how to mash one format into the other in a form TB won't spit out like a Bad Taste.... For this method, you'll need a decent text editor like Notepad++ and a Spreadsheet program - like Microsoft Excel... Firstly, the differences in file content.... Old Visitor Import File Format... <Path to object and/or object name><position_X><position_Y><Relative_height><Rotation> New Terrain Builder Import File Format <Object_name><position_X><position_Y><Yaw(rotation)><Pitch><Roll><Scale><Relative_height> A few things to notice.... * Old Visitor format contained no "Scale" info * Old Visitor format contained no "Pitch" or "Roll" info * Old Visitor format accepted "path\name" or "name" - depending on how the object was named in the Visitor object lists. Since old Visitor 3 format didn't include scale information - World Tools output doesn't include any... The old method to randomise the sizes of wild vegetation, etc was to set randomisation parameters for each object in Visitor, then, as you import, each placed item is randomised according to the parameters you set for that class of objects... So how do you convert from one to the other? Well - for now... manually :( This isn't as tricky as it sounds, though you need to be careful, and extremely large files (million+ objects) can take a few minutes... First thing you need to do is get rid of the Paths in the Object Names parameter - if present... This can be done pretty easily in eg: Notepad++... Just Search for the different "ca\plants2\tree\" text blocks and Replace them with - nothing... Once you're done with that, next step is to import your Import File into Excel... (Can't remember exactly how I did this... "Basic Textfile Import or something). Once you have your file in Excel, you'll have a column for each parameter... First thing to do is to add that 200000 offset to the "Easting position coordinate"... To add an offset in Excel... * Type your offset value in an empty cell * Select and "copy" it * Select all of your target numbers column * Then hit - Edit > Paste Special > Add Next you have to rearrange the columns in the correct order as specified above. Almost there... Final step is to add in the "Missing columns" and fill them with either truly random numbers, or "dummy values"... Here's a single example of how to do this... * Create TWO new columns * In the first empty column type "0.7+1.2*RAND()" (or whatever min/max values you want to use) * You'll see a random number created in the cell * Copy and paste this formula all the way down that column - the whole column will have random numbers * NB * This formula will cause new numbers to be generated every time you do anything with the spreadsheet, so... * Select the whole column > Copy > (select second empty column) > Paste Special > Values This will copy the values - but not the formula - into your second column, which you can now assign to "Scale" and then delete the temporary formula column. * I'd suggest that you simply fill the "Pitch" and "Roll" columns with Zeros "0" for now - you rarely want to mess with that anyway... Export your doctored spreadsheet as a textfile with semicolon separators and you - should - have a fully functional Terrain Builder Import File. Sounds like a bit of a fuss, but it's actually fairly straightforward and allows you to get on with things until such times as a dedicated utility program is publically released... Have fun... ;) B

Good point - apologies... I'm usually more on the ball with keeping info public... I'm quite sure person915 won't mind me quoting our PMs, so here's his original question(s) and my replies... Original Question... PM Version of same... Reply #1 PM Follow-up Question #2 PM Reply #2 Hope this helps..... B

Hi there... Got your PM on this topic but I'll reply here since you've posted a public thread... Not absolutely sure if the 8192 grid size is fully functional as yet... I've only heard of one person experimenting with that size so far, and there were importing issues, though it could have been an issue unrelated to the actual size... However, "upscaling" won't really improve things too greatly. You'd probably be far better off starting from scratch... That (really old) demo was never meant as a serious terrain, it was really only ever intended as a "scale demo" to give people an idea of how big a map the Falklands would need to be... Not sure if anyone has been pushing the limits as far as object count is concerned yet. I've managed approx 1.5 million rocks/trees on a large "forest areas fill", which behaved fine both in TB and in-game... Still got a lot more to add, so I might well hit the 5 mil mark in due course... If I have issues with that you can be sure I'll report them... side questions: No idea on this one - sorry. Loading the heightmap into L3DT should give you some idea of the % of land above water which might help you calculate a rough figure though... Could be - it looks low-quality enough ;)... You could always ask him I guess... Increase in size? Again - scaling up is generally not conductive to increased quality. If you can find a better heightmap, starting from scratch might be a better idea... In general, if you're planning on adding hills & jungle & cities and changing things around to such an extent, and you're set on using a Real Place as a starting point, you might be better picking a different island, roughly the size and shape you want, for which there's better quality heightmap data available - such as anything within US territory, for example, or any of the other countries which offer free heightmap data of better quality than SRTM 90m/px - which is what that old Falklands terrain was based on... However - should you be dead set on using the old Falklands stuff, then just in case anybody bugs you about it - I made that old demo, and you have full permission to use it, mash it into something else or otherwise do anything you want with the data..... B

Just in case ArmaPilot doesn't post back on this one - consider it solved via Skype/PM... Problems were - old tools suite, plus - obviously, Sat & Mask too small... Both issues were addressed & terrain behaved nicely after that... B

A truly impressive accomplishment!! This looks like a MASSIVE timesaver, and would be of tremendous benefit to anyone with an Arma 2 map to post - which is most of us!!! Well done Ian - absolutely terrific piece of work!!! *EDIT* Here's a couple of fast screenshots from an early test-run of this impressive tool on my little Arma 2 "Carraigdubh" map which IanB was kind enough to use as one of his test terrains... Road network correctly imports - one layer per road type - all pre-classified for use with Arma 3 roads... Road network in Buldozer - (using default Arma 3 textures - for now)... Terrific stuff!!! B

Having done all the above - navigate to your Terrain Builder folder - find the Terrain Builder.exe - right click > Properties > Compatibility... and tick the box labelled "Privilege level: Run this program as administrator" that should sort the Buldozer issue.... B

I'd suggest you use NeoArmageddons modified version of that mapdisk.bat file... Get that here - http://www.armamapmaking.info/mapdisk Edit this line at the start... set ArmAWorkPath=C:\ArmA3Work .. to point to your Arma 3 Tools folder wherever Steam installed it to... (C:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3 Tools - if I remember from your previous posts...) Backup your current mapdisk.bat file in that Arma 3 Tools folder and replace it with that one... You should now be able to send a shortcut for that to the desktop - or put one in Windows Startup and it - should - start properly every time... B

Mikero's Arma3P will install all the appropriate .dll's for you... however, if you want to do things manually... My P:\ root directory looks like this... **NB** Ignore certain folders in this list... Bush - (my personal "NameTag" folder... scripts - (experimental folder to do with "roads viewing in buldozer - more info on that elsewhere and later once we understand it more - ignore it for now) Tex TexConvert Tools - (these were leftover "experimental" folders and aren't part of the necessary stuff) My procedure was... * Install the BI "P:\ drive" from the Steam Tools Launch Menu in Steam * Run Mikero's "Arma3P" over the top of that to get all the stuff the BI routine misses out - like the .dll's and the entire contents of the game unpacked to P:\ (That'll be handy once TB is fixed to accept Arma 3 objects) * Run TB itself - Once - from that Steam Tools Menu in Steam (That writes the necessary registry keys) * Go to the P:\Terrain Builder folder - rightclick Terrain Builder.exe - set it to "Run As Administrator" (Again, this shouldn't be necessary, and prevents easy-dragging of data into the TB window, but it's - currently - a necessary step (I think) to make Buldozer run as "P:\Buldozer, and not as your main game Arma3.exe) * Edit the path in "Mapdisk.bat" - see "Mapdisk.txt" for details..... From now on - run TB directly from that P:\Terrain Builder location... Due to some truly admirable brainstorming and collaboration on the Skype Terraindudes Channel over the last few days, our understanding of Terrain Builder has increased dramatically... There's a few flaws we need BI to fix - and they seem to be really on the ball about addressing those, which is terrific... I'm pretty sure some more comprehensive tutorials will start to appear once people have finished pushing the limits in all areas with their test maps, pooling the information gained from all the tests, and drawing some conclusions as to the best all round workflows... Meantime I suggest you keep an eye on Jakerods "QuickGuide" tutorial for the latest basic operations info... B

Blur-read in a hurry... sorry... :) Suggest you use L3DT for this sort of heightmap operation - it's much more controllable... the Heightfield > Operations > Adjust Vertical Range option gives a visual histogram type readout (with "sea level" indicator where relevant), and easy max/min controls... Easy enough to export from TB - import to L3DT & Tweak - Export and Import again... Since it's a 4096 heightmap, the L3DT standard freebie edition won't do, but if you don't have L3DT already, you can ask - and be sent an immediate 3 month serial for - the full unrestricted Pro edition which will handle 4096 with ease.... B

I think we narrowed the Buldozer not starting problem down to * having the appropriate .dll's from the main Arma 3 game folder on the P:\ drive (Arma3P does this for you) * Running Terrain Builder in "admin" mode from the P:\Terrain Builder folder.... The only registry entries are for binmake and the texture conversion configuration locations... nothing to worry about there - they're written for you when you - Run Terrain Builder at least once from the Steam Menu... B

I think you might want to rethink this procedure a little... From your first "before" pic - your height ranges are... Lowest point on map = 2.2km above sea level Highest point on map = 11.8km above sea level (your highest mountain peak is approx 3km taller than Mount Everest!!!) After the operation... Lowest point on map = 14 meters above sea level Highest point on map = 11.8km above sea level Are you absolutely sure that's what you intended to do? and, are you absolutely sure about that overall height range???, it's - literally - Out of this World.... B

That's a manual for VBS2 Visitor 4 by BI Sim - this is BI's Terrain Builder - there's no guarantee that UTM facility has been preserved or works as it does in VBS2 Visitor 4 - in fact, at the moment, it seems that it doesn't... B

If it's a big map, try leaving it overnight.... ;) My 51km 40960 sat layer test map took 9 hours to process the .paa's - including the v4w GRID file... Looked for all the world like it was frozen, were it not for the trickle cpu and disc access usage I noticed in TaskManager... which is why I just left it alone, and - it finished successfully - eventually... B