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--- mapping:creatingterrainheightmaps [2010-09-20 14:59]
Kai added price info and versions
+++ mapping:creatingterrainheightmaps [2013-01-07 12:07]
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-====== Creating Height-Maps for your Terrains ======
-The shapes of the terrains that you can create with [[mapping:cawe:editingtools:newterrain]] are defined by //height-maps//. A height-map is usually a square gray-scale image whose black pixels represent the lowest heights (0%) and whose fully white pixels describe the highest heights (100%). The gray values between them represent intermediate height values -- the brighter a pixel, the higher is the resulting terrain at that spot.
-CaWE and Cafu support height-maps in all the image file formats that are also supported for textures (''jpg'', ''png'', ''tga'' and ''bmp''), as well as Terragen (''ter'') and portable graymap (''pgm'') files.
-The image file formats usually have a precision of 8 BPP (bits-per-pixel), while the ''ter'' and ''pgm'' formats have a much higher precision of 16 BPP, and are therefore the preferred choice for height-maps.
-Height-maps must also meet the additional requirement of having side lengths of (2<sup>n</sup>+1) * (2<sup>n</sup>+1) pixels, where n is an integer between 1 and 15. Examples of typical height-map dimensions are 129*129, 257*257, 513*513 and 1025*1025.
-===== Programs for Creating and Editing Height-Maps =====
-Creating and editing high-quality height-maps can be a complicated and demanding process that typically requires the assistance of specialized software.
-I've intensively tested many software packages for this purpose, many of which just don't meet the requirements.
-Typical problems include limited or broken importers and exporters (e.g. only to and from proprietary file formats), limits in the supported high-map dimensions (e.g. only 2<sup>n</sup> * 2<sup>n</sup>, not 2<sup>n</sup>+1 * 2<sup>n</sup>+1), usability, stability (e.g. frequent crashes) and the inability to switch off the "relative height editing mode", which seemingly allows users to dig deeper than 0% or raise terrain higher than 100% by adjusting the relative height of all //other// terrain.
-The following lists mentions several programs that I consider useful or relevant for creating and editing height-maps. None of them is perfect or can do everything that is needed all in one program, so you might be also interested in reading the [ FIXME Link to tutorial about how the TechDemo terrain was made. ] tutorial.
-==== CaWE ====
-The obvious and best choice for editing the height-maps of terrain entities is CaWE.
-It is possible to edit and modify height-maps directly in the 3D view of CaWE, in a "live" manner that naturally and immediately shows the interactions with other elements of the map, as for example brush-based buildings and walls, other entities, etc.
-For more information about the terrain tool please check[[mapping:cawe:editingtools:editterrain| here]]
-Note that although CaWE would be the ideal place for height-map //editing and modification//, it is not necessarily the best place for height-map //creation//. Although that would be and will be possible, too, other programs below that are specialized on height-map creation may do a much better job in creating the initial height-map, especially if very large, natural-looking shapes are desired.
-In such cases, you would use another program to create the initial height-map, then add it to your map in "rough" form using [[mapping:cawe:editingtools:newterrain]], and then continue to edit the fine details in CaWE, for example the alignment with buildings, other brushes, etc. You may want to have a look at the [ FIXME Link to tutorial about how the TechDemo terrain was made. ] tutorial in this regard.
-==== Regular 2D Applications====
-Although not meant to visualize the actual 3d surface itself, nearly all 2d applications are able to provide a decent way of creating a highmap.
-However most of these methods are more likely to create a basic uneven surface that can then be altered inside the Cafu Editor for more precise interaction with bsp or mesh based geometry.
-While most terrain specific tools offer much more natural control over the final result (like eroding based on water and wind) almost every 2d application can provide hightmaps.
-Noise filter (like perlin noise) are very powerful and can create a wide variety of surface distortions that are great as a base.
-There are many different applications out there commercial and free, yet we would like to prefer free ones.
-=== Gimp (Freeware) ===
-Obviously the most common freeware 2d application, that mimics the commercial //Adobe Photoshop// in many ways and beyond. It matured over the years into a reliable 2d package and should be considered as a professional tool.
-By using filter and custom brushes it is a very good way to start a decent highmap
-Gimp is loacted here: http://www.gimp.org/
-Create basic landscape http://springrts.com/wiki/Height_Map_Tutorial
-=== Flash based (Freeware) ===
-Despite the negative critiqe of the last months, Flash is still a powerhorse. There are Flash apps amazingly versatile for editing, and they are always available as long as there is a web connection \\
-**Sumopaint** offers a lot of tools and filter to create highmaps http://www.sumopaint.com/app/ \\
-**Pixlr** offers a similiar experience like sumo http://pixlr.com/ \\
-**SplashUp** another flash based 2d app http://www.splashup.com/
-==== World-Machine (Free Edition/Commercial) ====
-The free edition is limited to 513*513 pixel but offers all tools. The next basic version costs 89$, can go beyond 8k resolution for maps, which also authorizes for comercial use.\\
-This program has become my favourite for height-map //creation//, see the manufacturers website at http://www.world-machine.com/ for more details. I also used it to create the height-map for the Cafu TechDemo with it. While it does not allow to "paint-edit" very fine details in a height-map, it is very good at composing logically structured terrains in a repeatable manner. The features of all logical devices that are used to build a height-map can be edited independent of each other, allowing for very flexible, reproducible results.
-==== Leveller (Commercial) ====
-Looks like it offers quite a few different tools to work with, however the price of 199 dollar is way too much and there is not much indication about when the last update actually took place.
-==== Terragen ====
-This is //the// software for terrain rendering, but due to it's "relative height editing mode" I'd not recommend it for height-map creation or editing. Terragen //is// very good though at generating a base (ground) texture from a height-map! See FIXME
-==== Other Programs ====
-If you have experience with other programs, please add them here.
-There are several other good programs, but I don't use them often. Maybe one of them has released a new version in the meanwhile that addresses some of the problems of older versions, so it might be worthwhile to have a look at them! For example, for basic terrain creation, programs like TerraBrush, Terraformer 1.8b or TerraMaker already do a good job.
-===== Summary =====
-Use any of the above mentioned programs for creating the initial height-map. Future versions of CaWE will allow you to further edit these maps conveniently in the editor. If you must fine-tune them before that, patience and creativity is required, although the above programs will help with that, too.
-Once your height-map is complete enough for use, you'll also want to have a base texture for it that represents the color of the ground and is used in the material definition with which your terrain is rendered.
-While the texturing of the terrain might be possible in future versions directly in CaWE, too, I currently just import my height-maps into Terragen for this purpose, make sure the dimensions (lateral size and altitudes) are correct, setup the Terragen materials, set the sun appropriately (full-bright and no shadows) and turn off all atmospheric effects, set an orthogonal camera view and then use the Terragen rendering result as the base texture.

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