New brush tools

[Aaron]

Hi Everyone,

I've added a brush tool for the attributes map to the latest dev build of L3DT Pro (on the restricted downloads page; consult your reg/sales e-mail for link). Now you can paint the distribution of land types without having to export/import to/from an external image renderer. The tool only applies to the 2D map display at this stage, but I have plans to generalise the brush tools so that they work with both the 2D and 3D interfaces in a future release. Anyhoo, the userguide for the AM brush is over here.

I've also added to the 3D heightfield editor a thermal erosion tool and a cliffs/terraces tool. Here is an example of using the thermal erosion tool to carve a roadway on a mountainside:



Obviously a 'proper' spline-based road tool would be the preferred solution, but until such time as it is ready, the thermal erosion tool may suffice.

Feedback is most welcome. As usual, installing a dev build will not interfere with your existing installations of L3DT.

Best regards,
Aaron.

[Rummy]

I have been playing with this for a day now and it is great to see this level of function and overnight as well. I truly look forward to painting attributes maps in 3d. Any chance we will see a drape feature in 3d?

[Madcowthomas]

Attributes map tool is really awesome, that with the thermal erosion tool. Thinking make some very nice road in the map.

Awesome Job!

Oh a thought if place a folder or textures in with rest of the textures will the attributes map be able use them or this something has to be programmed?

[Aaron]

Hi Madcowthomas,

I'm sorry, it's not that easy. You need to create new land types using the climate editor to hold those textures. I'd also recommend that you create your own climate to hold these custom land types. The place to start is the climate manager:

http://www.bundysoft.com/docs/doku.php? ... es:manager

If you follow that user-guide through to the climate editor, and thence the land type editor (in particular, pane 3), you should be able to find all the info to do this. Please let me know if you get stuck.

Cheers,
Aaron.

[monks]

I've been using Sapphire and it's pretty excellent. It does just enough. Imo, you should avoid getting caught up with all doodas and widgemies- skies, trees, all that stuff. Maybe your core users would want that I don't know- but it's nice to see a 3d modeller that is lean.

I've noticed the status info top right can get lost against the backdrop -maybe change the colours? or better still move the mouse pos stuff over to the bottom or the mouse pointer or something.
It'd be nice to have a snap to and an undo.

monks

[Aaron]

Hi Rummy,

Any chance we will see a drape feature in 3d?

Yes, it's on the to-do list. I give no ETA, however.

Cheers,
Aaron.

[Morgan]

I like the cliff/terrace brush idea

And also thnx for the road tool or w/e it is, in BF2 editor I have major problems with the edges of the roadsides or w/e

[Aaron]

Hi Monks,

Imo, you should avoid getting caught up with all doodas and widgemies- skies, trees, all that stuff.

I'm going to support skyboxes in Sapphire once I've read the chapter on OpenGL textures, but I won't do any of the fancy dynamic sky generation stuff. As for trees, I agree with you, there are much higher priorities. Tree rendering would be nice, but an undo feature would be much better.

I've noticed the status info top right can get lost against the backdrop -maybe change the colours? or better still move the mouse pos stuff over to the bottom or the mouse pointer or something.

Sure. Both are on the to-do list now.

It'd be nice to have a snap to and an undo.

Undo is on the to-do list. Can you explain what you mean/want with snap-to?

Cheers,
Aaron.

[monks]

Having the option for the mouse tool to snap to vertices in the underlying mesh (those that are visible) , so that you can affect vertices with pin point accuracy.

btw, I think the raise tool with the two visible altitude positions is a great idea.

monks

[Aaron]

Having the option for the mouse tool to snap to vertices in the underlying mesh (those that are visible) , so that you can affect vertices with pin point accuracy.

The current implementation snaps to vertices, but it doesn't check whether they're the ones rendered or whether they've been merged in the ROAM tessellator. I'm not sure parsing up the tree from un-merged to merged triangles could be done in a way that would be sufficiently fast for hit-testing with the mouse.

Cheers,
Aaron.

[monks]

OK, speed is more important.

monks

[DeathTwister]

Hay Boss and crew,

Wow downloading now the updates, been busy with GG's TGA, and our vid game project, (kinda waiting on TGEA to get together more) but now have questions and need to post tomorrow after I check out this new build ya all talking bout /smiles, WTG Aaron.

I will post on this new build tomorrow, and ask ma questions, /drools a road tool, can't wait.


FWI: Hay Monks enter Aarons contest if you have not yet please my brother /winks. I grabbed a seamless texture of yours yesterday off texturesource and it reminded me to holler at ya /winks and smiles.