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Some cool features...

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Some cool features...

Postby mauronen » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:09 am

Hi Aaron.
What do you think about features of ScapeMaker?

http://www.shedeki.net/sm_e/

The most interesting are:
- The UI (sliders for each parameter grouped by context, real-time preview)
- Rivers design (i don't know the algorithms, but the result seems cool)
- Vegetation design (random or custom)
- Clouds
- Atmospheric effects

Cheers
Mauro
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Postby Aaron » Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:10 am

Hi Mauro,

Woo, I like! Thanks for pointing this out.

I haven't has time to play with it yet, but the screenshots look most impressive. The UI looks neat. The results most pleasing.

- The UI (sliders for each parameter grouped by context, real-time preview)


Yeah, the screenies look good, but I'd have to mess with it for a while to make any worthwhile assessment. As for the real-time preview; definitely a nice feature, but alas this isn't compatible with L3DT's main terrain algorithm, which isn't strictly procedural, and so I can't implement something like that. The next release of L3DT will have a different sort of preview function, but more on that soon (stay tuned).

It certainly looks like they've stolen the march on me with the rivers. Very impressive. I guess I'll have to pull my finger out and get that working.

As for:
- Vegetation design (random or custom)
- Clouds
- Atmospheric effects

Very nice features, but I'm not planning on adding these to L3DT, since it's not actually a 3D environment. Vegetation mapping, sure, but not design.

Anyway, thanks again for brining this to our attention. Definitely food for thought.

Cheers,
Aaron.
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Postby mauronen » Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:41 pm

Hi Aaron
Some other feature requests:

1) What do you think about an UNDO function? Especially in the design map section it's very useful.

2) Since there are presets in many wizards (Default, New Presets...,Load, Save, etc.) what do you think tu put them in the edit map pencil?

3) In Preferences it's possible tu put an option that allow to make a backup copy of the files. If isn't possible of ALL files, at least of the CORE files (.def,.mgf,<xxxx>_DM.dmf,<xxxx>_WBL.txt and all the <xxxx>_<yy>.mmf files).

4) In Edit schemes for design map section it would be very useful a Restore to Default button.

5) In View > Display Map menu and View > Buffer Size, any time that i restart the program, the previous settings where lost. Is possible to save them in any of the project files? (for example, in the .mgf file).

6) Keyboard shortcuts and icons in the palette that duplicates the function in each menu.

Cheers.
Mauro
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Postby mauronen » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:06 pm

L3DTVi2:

1) It would be cool (or keyboard-safe and joystick-safe, if you want...) to increase the speed (in any direction) like user wants. In very huge maps (like mines) it's impossible to fly all over the land.

2) It would be very useful a little 2D map with a point representing the current place. The user could point in another place of the map and, instantly, the 3D change accordly.
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Postby Aaron » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:45 am

Hi Mauro,

Mauronen wrote:1) What do you think about an UNDO function? Especially in the design map section it's very useful.


I'll have a think about undo, but I can't promise I'll implement it. L3DT would need to keep a backup copy of the map, which will cost users in terms of RAM. Alternatively L3DT could have the backup cached to HDD, in which case it's not much better than saving the DM before you make a change and re-loading it if you make a mistake. I'll consider it.

Mauronen wrote:2) Since there are presets in many wizards (Default, New Presets...,Load, Save, etc.) what do you think tu put them in the edit map pencil?


Sure, I'll put it on the to-do list, if it's not already there.

Mauronen wrote:3) In Preferences it's possible tu put an option that allow to make a backup copy of the files. If isn't possible of ALL files, at least of the CORE files (.def,.mgf,<xxxx>_DM.dmf,<xxxx>_WBL.txt and all the <xxxx>_<yy>.mmf files).


I'll consider it, but since you can back-up your files in Explorer, I don't think this will be a high priority.

Mauronen wrote:4) In Edit schemes for design map section it would be very useful a Restore to Default button.


Okay, that seems quite reasonable. I'll put it on the to-do list.

Mauronen wrote:5) In View > Display Map menu and View > Buffer Size, any time that i restart the program, the previous settings where lost. Is possible to save them in any of the project files? (for example, in the .mgf file).


Oops, buffer size should be save in one of the .ini files (I guess I forgot). As for storing the last map viewed (ie 'View->Display map'), that can probably go in the .def file, but I'll have to think some more about that.

Mauronen wrote:6) Keyboard shortcuts and icons in the palette that duplicates the function in each menu.


OK to shortcuts (already on the to-do list). As for putting all menu options into the toolbar, that would add some 60+ icons, which I think is a tad excessive. I don't like toolbar clutter.

Mauronen wrote:1) It would be cool (or keyboard-safe and joystick-safe, if you want...) to increase the speed (in any direction) like user wants. In very huge maps (like mines) it's impossible to fly all over the land.


Sure, I think I know enough Delphi to add a speed-up/slow-down key.

Mauronen wrote:2) It would be very useful a little 2D map with a point representing the current place. The user could point in another place of the map and, instantly, the 3D change accordly.


I agree it would be nice, but I have no idea how to do it. I didn't write L3DTVi2, and I don't know enough Delphi to make those sorts of changes. As the developer has trundled off to do his own thing, the only way we're going to see that sort of functionality is if people want to hack at it themselves - and the source code is provided with L3DTVi2 in the installer for this very purpose.

Cheers,
Aaron.
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