Difference between revisions of "Fractal terrain"
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'''13.''' Now you want to hit '''''file''''' and select '''''save'''''. What this does is automatically generate the cells and adjusts their height map based on the file previously imported. What I generally like to do while in the height map editor is move my cursor around the terrain and place it over an area that "should" be costal based on how it originally looked in the FWE, then check the lower left hand corner of the height map editor to find what cell it is in. At that point I close down the '''Heightmap''' editor and go to that cell in the cell editor window then check in the preview window to make sure everything looks right. | '''13.''' Now you want to hit '''''file''''' and select '''''save'''''. What this does is automatically generate the cells and adjusts their height map based on the file previously imported. What I generally like to do while in the height map editor is move my cursor around the terrain and place it over an area that "should" be costal based on how it originally looked in the FWE, then check the lower left hand corner of the height map editor to find what cell it is in. At that point I close down the '''Heightmap''' editor and go to that cell in the cell editor window then check in the preview window to make sure everything looks right. | ||
[[Image:verify.jpg]] | |||
Now as for the TESCS and importing. There is some important things to note here. First once you import anything into the heightmap edito it will always auto-import properly named files for that world space. Meaning if you work on two worldspaces at once, generate a 0_0.raw for one, implement it, and then make another 0_0 for the other and enter back into the heightmap editor for the first area it will automatically pull in the new 0_0. This is a boon because you can make changes on the fly in FWE (raising/lowering the sealevel, doing erosion and such) and immediatly see the results in the TESCS Heightmap editor just by hitting import again; however, it is also a curse because if you accidentally hit save it will overwrite whatever you already did so be careful when working on 2 areas at once. Also make sure you have no .RAWs still in the heightfield directory (it renames them after you save in the editor) if you go to edit another area as even if you have never importd into that area there is the possibility it may still auto import. | And there you have it you just imported some brand new, quickly generated terrain into your game. There is still a long way to go as you still have to "texture" it all but at least you have some base to go off of now. | ||
Now some notes on FWE, and importing terrain in general in TESCS. First, yes I realise that FWE does not generate really good terrain on the 1024x1024 setting. Don't get me wrong it does an AWESOME job, but piecing together a whole world from it would be quite a feat. Getting randomly generated terrain to all line up just right is near impossible I think; however, that being said it is absolutly awesome at generating whole entire worlds when you use the higher level settings (at the bottom of the generate land and water dialog box). By all means play around with it and you will see what I am saying, however if you do make sure to select the lwoest res full world map until you get one you like and then use the Map->Enlarge Globe function or else it will take forever to generate, especially on the highest setting. Now if some enterprising coder out ther could just find a way to right an app to go through the binary data files and automatically sift out and name what segments go where to break the entire generated world up into 1024x1024 pieces then everyone could rejoice as building worlds would be a cake walk. | |||
Now as for the TESCS and importing. There is some important things to note here. First once you import anything into the heightmap edito it will always auto-import properly named files for that world space. Meaning if you work on two worldspaces at once, generate a 0_0.raw for one, implement it, and then make another 0_0 for the other and enter back into the heightmap editor for the first area it will automatically pull in the new 0_0. This is a boon because you can make changes on the fly in FWE (raising/lowering the sealevel, doing erosion and such) and immediatly see the results in the TESCS Heightmap editor just by hitting import again; however, it is also a curse because if you accidentally hit save it will overwrite whatever you already did so be careful when working on 2 areas at once. Also make sure you have no .RAWs still in the heightfield directory (it renames them after you save in the editor) if you go to edit another area as even if you have never importd into that area there is the possibility it may still auto import. So it is BEST before starintg any new heightmap project to makesure you Heightfields directory is completely emptied out of any files except the RAW files you intend on using. | |||