New Maps using L3DT

[SlapHappy]

Hallo.....

A lot of people have been asking about developing new terrains for TOW. I have been playing with a program called L3DT which is a graphics program specifically designed to create terrain maps.

There are two height field maps which get textured in each TOW map "package"...nearHF.raw and farHF.raw. NearHF.raw is a 1024 x 1024 meter presentation of the terrain. FarHF.raw is a 2048 x 2048 meter map.

L3DT can import and export "RAW" data files. It also supports random generation of maps using a wizard-based system. I have successfully generated a map and used it in place of one of the "stock" HF maps in TOW. Unfortunately they just don't seem to be interpreted properly when used in-game. They look pretty normal in the L3DT 3-D viewer, and the map dimensions are correct, but in the sample I tried the map looked mostly like a pool table except for some gigantic cliff-like drop-offs (and I mean huge). The whole things seems upside-down. I haven't been able to import existing TOW maps that look right, either, for editing.

I'm pretty sure I just haven't got the parameters set correctly for the imports and exports. Apparently the RAW format does not contain specific info in it's headers when importing to an editing package. That info has to be supplied by the user. It would be helpful to know what additional processing needs to be done to get these to look right. The random-generation capabilities of the program really make this attractive, because it would be possible to literally pump out several terrain models without any background knowledge of 3-D modelling. Of course, the overlays would still be required (texture creations).

L3DT standard version is 100% free and handles maps up to 2048 x 2048 in size. This is perfect for TOW since that is the standard map size. Would anyone else like to try this out? Perhaps there is something I am missing to make viable maps with this tool.

http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/

[Tartari]

Ok, I will try!

[SlapHappy]

Pre-made maps seem to like either Ushort or Ushort (spanned) import option. Ushort loads the maps with a much wider elevation range relative to sea-level. The spanned option limits the range to values between 0 and 255 meters.

Also, to get maps to be used, you must delete the QuickLoadHF.bin file for the particular map. This causes the program to reconstruct the map using the original HF file.

[Tartari]

Ok, Slap!

[rofl]

I have successfully generated a map and used it in place of one of the "stock" HF maps in TOW. Unfortunately they just don't seem to be interpreted properly when used in-game.[/QB]

I tried to use the ardennes highmaps on the vyasma map, the landscape looks ok but all the trees, buildings and grass remain on the original high, maybe all objects must be removed and the texturemaps must be clear bevore using a new highmap

I'll try that out tomorrow.

Originally posted by SlapHappy:

Of course, the overlays would still be required (texture creations).

I figured out how to change textures, grass and groundconditons but still no idea how we could edit the roads.

[SlapHappy]

I think the roads and rivers have a height element which is intrinsic to the underlying terrain. If you look carefully at the height maps you can see canals where the rivers run and flat paths where the road textures are overlayed.

Of course you have to load up the terrain map separately to see this in detail.

Open L3DT

click file ---> import ---> heightfield

load the nearHF.raw file for the map of choice

click "next" button

click "options" button

set width and height to value of "2048"

set mode to "Ushort (spanned)"

click OK

set horizontal scale to 1 (default is 10) otherwise map scale is 2k x 10 instead of 1:1 ratio.

click OK

map will load into viewing frame.

click the 3-D button to view in 3-D mode.

[SlapHappy]

Originally posted by rofl:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />I have successfully generated a map and used it in place of one of the "stock" HF maps in TOW. Unfortunately they just don't seem to be interpreted properly when used in-game.

I tried to use the ardennes highmaps on the vyasma map, the landscape looks ok but all the trees, buildings and grass remain on the original high, maybe all objects must be removed and the texturemaps must be clear bevore using a new highmap

I'll try that out tomorrow. [/QB]</font>

[SlapHappy]

Originally posted by SlapHappy:

I think the roads and rivers have a height element which is intrinsic to the underlying terrain. If you look carefully at the height maps you can see canals where the rivers run and flat paths where the road textures are overlayed.

Of course you have to load up the terrain map separately to see this in detail.

Open L3DT

click file ---> import ---> heightfield

load the nearHF.raw file for the map of choice

click "next" button

click "options" button

set width and height to value of "2048"

set mode to "Ushort (spanned)"

click OK

set horizontal scale to 1 (default is 10) otherwise map scale is 2k x 10 instead of 1:1 ratio.

click OK

map will load into viewing frame.

click the 3-D button to view in 3-D mode.

You can also see various flattened areas where buildings and other items occupy points in the original maps.

[Dr.Jones]

Originally posted by rofl:

I figured out how to change textures, grass and groundconditons but still no idea how we could edit the roads.

Look into load.ini file of the specific map, see

[ROADS]

CreateRoads = 1

RoadsConfig = Roads.xml

If you inspect the Roads.xml, you see all definitions and attributes of the roads, futher look for

<SplineFile>Roads/Road_2.bxt</SplineFile>

and in this file where are the splines of the road, shame that's binary format.

br.

Dr.Jones

[rofl]

Yes i know that, i can disable or change the roadtypes but create a new one seems impossible.

ATM i disable them all by "create roads = 0" and use only a groundtexture, that looks ok for contryside roads but not for asphalt.