====== L3DT_Atlas ======


===== Plugin information ===

^  Authors | Atlas by Ben Garney ([[http://www.garagegames.com|GarageGames]]), UI by Aaron Torpy ([[http://www.bundysoft.com|Bundysoft]]). |
^  Formats | Atlas, for [[http://www.garagegames.com/products/torque/tgea/|Torque Game Engine Advanced]]. |
^  Download from | L3DT Pro downloads page (consult your sales/reg e-mail for the link.) |
^  Last updated | 8th of June 2007. |
^  Dependencies | [[:plugins:calc:atFilterAM]] (included with L3DT), plus L3DT Professional v2.5 or later. |

<note important>
This plugin is obsolete. Please use the new, stable and feature-complete [[plugins:fileio:L3DTio_Atlas2]] plugin instead. 
</note>

<note>
This plugin requires L3DT Professional. It does not work with L3DT Standard Edition.
</note>




===== Current status ======

The //L3DT_Atlas// plugin beta-release has the following limitation(s):
  * It does not support blended textures.

===== Using L3DT_Atlas =====

To export your map to the TGEA Atlas format, select the //'File->Export->To TGEA Atlas'// menu option. This will open the 'Export to TGEA Atlas' dialog, described below.

==== Unique textures ====

If you would like to use the textures generated by L3DT, please select the 'Unique texturing' option from the //Profile// drop-list. Unique textures generally don't look as nice 'up-close' as blended textures, but they do render more quickly. 

{{:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:unique.png|:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:unique.png}}




==== Blended textures ====

<note warning>
Blended textures are not working in this plugin just yet.
</note>

To export your Atlas terrain using run-time blended textures, please select the 'blended textures' option from the //Profile// drop-list.

{{:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:blended.png|:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:blended.png}}

=== Alpha filter ===

L3DT will usually have many more land types in your attributes map (e.g. 20) than you would want alpha layers in your Atlas terrain (e.g. 4)((For the uninitiated: This is because there are speed and memory penalties when using too many textures at runtime.)). To compress your attributes map down to just a few layers, L3DT_Atlas uses a function from the [[plugins:calc:atFilterAM]] plugin that generates alpha maps based on a set of filter 'rules'. You can select the filter from the //Alpha filter// drop-list, as shown above. If you'd like to edit, create or delete these filters, click on the '...' button next to the //Alpha filter// drop list. A guide on filters is provided on the [[:plugins:calc:atFilterAM:filters|atFilterAM plugin page]].

==== Advanced options ====

If you click on the //'Advanced...'// button in the 'Export to TGEA Atlas' dialog box, you can edit all the low-level Atlas options that are otherwise available via the TGEA source/scripts. To edit a value, double-click on the entry. 

{{:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:advanced.png|:plugins:fileio:l3dt_atlas:advanced.png}}