User Tools
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision | ||
|
mapping:creatingterrainheightmaps [2006-07-30 00:38] 127.0.0.1 external edit |
mapping:creatingterrainheightmaps [2013-01-07 12:07] (current) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
| 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. | 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 Ca3DE 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. | + | 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. | 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. | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
| The obvious and best choice for editing the height-maps of terrain entities is CaWE. | The obvious and best choice for editing the height-maps of terrain entities is CaWE. | ||
| - | Unfortunately, CaWE has live height-map editing not yet implemented. | ||
| - | This will be done in one of its future releases. | ||
| - | Once that feature is implemented, it will be 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. | + | 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. | 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. | 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. | ||
| - | ==== Paint Programs (Photo-Shop, Paint-Shop, Gimp, ...) ==== | + | ==== 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/ | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== L3DT (Free/Commercial)==== | ||
| + | Under developement for many years, **L**arge **3D** **T**errain is an app made for game devs. The basic version is free but there is also a Pro version that costs about 34$ for an indie license.\\ | ||
| + | http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/ | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Geo Control 2 (Demo/Commercial)==== | ||
| + | Quite new and very powerful in all its features, Geo Control offers a 31 day demo with all features or can be purchased for 129€.\\ | ||
| + | It offers many realistic features like erosion, isoline control for artifical leveling and a nice gradient based texturing system. | ||
| + | There is also a version 1 available for a lower price. | ||
| + | http://www.geocontrol2.com | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== World-Machine (Free Edition/Commercial) ==== | ||
| - | If nothing else works, regular paint programs may be used to create and edit height-maps. | + | 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.\\ |
| - | Such programs normally don't have a 3D preview of the gray-scale image interpreted as a height-map, so their usefulness is limited to simple cases. | + | 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. |
| - | ==== World-Machine ==== | + | ==== Leveller (Commercial) ==== |
| - | 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 (upcoming (in May 2006)) Ca3DE 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. | + | 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. |
| + | http://www.daylongraphics.com/products/leveller/ | ||
| - | ==== Leveller ==== | + | ==== Terragen (Free Edition/Commercial) ==== |
| - | While this program might serve as an intermediate solution until CaWE has it's own editing implemented, I was a bit disappointed by its cumbersome use. | + | 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! http://www.planetside.co.uk/ |
| - | ==== Terragen ==== | + | ==== Earth Sculptor (Commercial/outdated) ==== |
| + | A small app, that works fine and allows for decent manipulation. Unfortunatly it's development stopped since 2008, but still its worth noticing it | ||
| + | http://www.earthsculptor.com/index.htm | ||
| - | 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 3D Engines ==== |
| + | There are a few games with a great support for terrain editing, such as Crysis or Unreal3. | ||
| + | Epic offers the Unreal Developer Kit as a free alternative, and the terrain editor is capable of exporting. This may sound strange but still offers another option which is also completly free. | ||
| ==== Other Programs ==== | ==== Other Programs ==== | ||
| - | The above and other programs are listed and linked at http://www.ca3d-engine.de/e107_plugins/links_page/links.php?cat.11 | + | If you have experience with other programs, please add them here. |
| - | Among them 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. | + | 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 ===== | ===== 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. | + | Use any of the above mentioned programs for creating the initial height-map. However 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. | 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. | 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. | ||
mapping/creatingterrainheightmaps.1154212709.txt.gz · Last modified: 2013-01-07 12:07 (external edit)