4 réponses à ce sujet

[Olblach]

I've been spending the day testing around terrain generators for use to make areas in NWN2 with YATT. World Machine 2, L3DT and Terragen 2 seem to be very powerful but I've found a very simple program that makes excellent maps. And on the top of that you can still import what you've done in the above mentioned programs before using YATT.

So it comes from the Sim City 3K community and is called SC3K Map editor.

http://www.tenermerx.com/sc3maped/

As a bonus the authors recommend trying another map editor from CyberWire (SimCity 3000 Terrain Editor): 

http://www.avbrand.c...ojects/terrain/

I found it quite fun to use specially to make mountains and canyons, but the other is more powerful.

So what is great about these tools? It is that they are very simple to use and the save file can be directly used into YATT.

So basically you create a project, medium size will get you an area 16x16 and large 24x24, not sure about the smaller sizes but you can still reduce them later so no problem here.
You will get 2 views, one isometric the other 2D, there are others displays that you can check later.

Then you select an area (or all if you just want a basic terrain) and apply transformations to it.
The documentation is quite clear. Just make sure you are editing the whole area, you can zoom out to check that out.

Also if you want to import what you've done to World Machine 2 you will need to convert the bmp file to 24 bits or it wont work.

Otherwise you can just take the save file into YATT and your height map will be done!

The only problem remaining is how to set the heights right. I've got decent results in YATT with -5,+40 as min and max heights but I have not figured that out completely yet.

Olblach

[dunniteowl]

Thanks Olblach! I tried L3DT and I never was happy with it, and because I was never happy with it, I never got as far as converting them with YATT. Please keep us updated. I'll have to download those other things and check them out. If this saves me time, then I'd be happier in my building. I just can't get my head around the whole L3DT and it seemed like a lot of work to get to know how to use it.

I'll admit, I had high hopes for YATT and L3DT, but they're just not for me. I tried the World Machine and that didn't do it for me either. I still have to build 'by hand' my exterior areas. So if this SimCity map editor can give me at least quick and halfway decent results and it's as simple as you claim, then I might actually become productive. Or that other one you mentioned.

I'm always willing to invest an amount of time into learning something new if it can ultimately save me more time later. And I am even willing to spend that time to ultimately discover that I cannot do it better than I did before, because then at least I know where I stand.

Thanks again, Olblach.

dno

[Olblach]

Well maybe you need some pictures to believe



 (i made this mountain with a river  in a few clicks)

Then after importing with YATT and a little texturing in NWN2 Toolset and i got this:

I really like how the terrain looks. Even if you are good with brushes it would take you 2672673673 hours to do this!


Now I need to figure out how to do the texturing with World Machine, I know it can but don't know how yet

Edit: there, that was not so hard you just need to use "Select Height" not the "Height Splitter", and of course you need the right size for the texture files.

Modifié par Olblach, 10 octobre 2010 - 01:06 .

[dunniteowl]

Exellent! I am going to be looking this over during the coming week. I have most days off for working with things like this (means I am currently unemployed) and I intend to dig in and get moving in a more game design oriented fashion.

Again, if this proves to be that simple, then it's quite possible I may actually complete a module of the scope I have in mind. I love making areas and creating movement oriented adventures. So hopefully this will reduce my area creation time to where I can actually implement some of my ideas.

Thanks again!
dunniteowl

Modifié par dunniteowl, 12 octobre 2010 - 05:17 .

[Olblach]

I know the feeling I have a good dozen of exterior areas to finish myself

If you try texturing with World Machine make sure you set the slope to zero until you are satisfied with the heights then you can add some to blend the terrains.

I like this better than complete automated terrain builder because you have your word to say.

Throwing random grayscales pictures into YATT is fun too I just figured out how to make the elemental plane of earth