Newbie questions

[Echo R]

I'm new to T2 and working, albeit slowly, through the tutorials but so far I haven't been able to find anything like what I want to do.

I created a topographical [bitmap] map (it's in color for other purposes but can be changed if needed). I want to take this map with the current mileage and height scale and convert it to a 3d world.... is this possible?
[attachthumb=#]
Also, if I create this small "country" on a planet and want to add additional countries would I have to start over each time I added a country or would I be able to just add each one to the planet as I go? However, for now, I'd like to add "mists" in the unexplored territory.

Keep in mind I still don't understand a lot of the terminology.

[Henry Blewer]

Yes this can be used to make a terrain. You'll have to convert this to gray scale. Go into the Terrain Tab and select the height field shader. From the Operators select Height field Load. You'll get an error message, but ignore it. Now at the top of the operator load in the image map and you should get a terrain generated from the image map.

[cyphyr]

Agreed You may however wish to create a MUCH more detailed version of your height map. At the moment your map will create distinct plateaus, 10 by the look of it at 100m spacing. You'll have a very "stepped" landscape.
Richard

[Henry Blewer]

I think adding a power fractal with about 1/3 the height fields lead in scale and 1/3 the lead in scale would break this up. A displacement added also, but the size would have to be changed to what fits.
There is also the erosion operator. It takes quite a while to calculate though.

A good paint program can convert this to more gray scale coloring, add some noise, then smooth/blur the image. This would alleviate the spikes which would otherwise be generated.

It can also be loaded into World Machine. http://www.world-machine.com/index.php and detailed there. World Machine will output a Terragen 2 file.

[Echo R]

I am assuming I would have to input the heights for each of the different greys right? What about width? M-aybe those questions will answer themselves.... will DL World Machine and take a look at it. Will World Machine take the colored map? or will I still need to convert to greyscale?
I see about the flat plateau part which would be fine for the largest green area since those are plains/ farms. But the rest would definitely need to be fractured.... although I wouldn't mind seeing at least one plateau somewhere higher up in the mountains ( that problem will be for another day).
I've heard about World Machine a number of times but I'm not sure how it is different from Terragen... is it just a simplified generator that produces good heightfields? From the pictures on the site they show some decent "photo" quality designs???
will download World Machine and take a look at it.
I use Paint that comes with ALL pc's I'm sure there are better out there but I've never looked.... any suggestions (please don't say vector type programs.... I'm lost with those)?


Odd question.... the g in Terragen is pronounced like the g in generate right?

[Henry Blewer]

Yes the g is as in generate. Simple answer first.

I have never tried to put an image map into World Machine...
I think the easiest way would be to enlarge this image to 2000 x 2000. The height field load shader likes squared off image maps. So after enlarging this, start adding details. For instance, more gray scale elevations. Think about how water erosion makes channels in a slope. This starts to add a 'fractalized' look in the paint program. Then think about where you would like there to be cliffs of small hills. Cliffs would have very high contrast between the dark (low altitude) and lighter (higher altitude) areas. The hills would not have as mush contrast.

White areas are the highest points in the terrain. Black would not produce any displacement.

I recommend that for a free paint program you get the GIMP. http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/files/GIMP%20%2B%20GTK%2B%20%28stable%20release%29/GIMP%202.6.11%20%2B%20GTK%2B%202.16.6/gimp-2.6.11-i686-setup-1.exe/download  Has the Windows installer.

Both programs produce super height fields. World Machine is a bit easier to learn. Terragen 2's height field generate creates very well detailed areas, but to really make the landscape exceptional, knowing how to use the different shaders is a must. Here is a link to the pdf John made for beginners; it's quite good! http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=7733.0

[Hetzen]

Tbh, I don't think you're going to get very good results with this approach. As has been mentioned, you are going to get large steps of elevation between each colour band. Yes you can apply fractals to break this up somewhat, but I doubt it will be what you're after.

Could I ask if you are tied to this map? Could you create a procederal landscape in TG, then work backwards to create your map. The reason being, is that you will have a whole planet to explore and stamp countries on.

If not, then I would suggest something like Geocontrol 2, where you can draw your features with 'iso lines' and use erosion features of the program to cut out rivers down slopes which then form deltas and lakes. You would then export a .ter heightfield file, and then load that into TG. I believe World Machine will do this as well.

[Henry Blewer]

Very good advise.

[Echo R]

I have to stay within the maps boundaries (though it doesn't need to be exact along the water line, that's up for interpretation) However, the mountain range does need to be where it is, other than that the rest is up to me. I do need a rain forest somewhere  ( the large group of lakes). I have a basic image in my head but I am very flexible other than what was stated.

I think I should explain my end goal with this planet which, I am prepared to take years to complete, besides, this is for fun... and well, I do have other priorities I need to do first, like work and chores...lol.

The eventual goal is to create an entire planet with numerous countries (controlled by a number of people..  the one I posted is mine).
This would be an online animated and interactive world with cities, buildings, pre-programmed people as well as members who can interact with daily life, and anything else to go with it. Now if this planet (a very basic map) wasn't already designed by someone else I would have considered doing one of those Ring worlds..... those are awesome!!!

I am an artist (mostly pencil, watercolor, paint etc. and want to expand into graphic design) I would like to eventually create all the vegetation, buildings/cities, people, animals etc through programs like Blender and 3D studio max to create a unique world that is earth like but still original.
(also, if I do manage to make some really good images, I will definitely post them free, here).

Also, I am considering graphic design work if I can learn the right programs and I think this is a great way to learn hands on, doing something I enjoy... design and art.

I am very new to Terragen and have learned quite a bit so far but I am still confused about a number of things like getting grass on a hill etc. But I thought if I could at least get a basic brown representation of the country I'd feel like I was getting somewhere!

I did do the Terrified Tutorial when I first DL'd  T2 but I don't quite understand the relation of settings to graphics at this point, I work a little everyday on one of the tuts.

My first thought was to take a flat surface and begin to "mold" it into the shapes I need but that doesn't seem easy with Terragen.
I downloaded Twisted Brush and so far really like the program, I think it could create a fairly decent topo map but once again the cliff/plateau thing is still going to be there... I would have to make minute and exact calculations down to the meter to get it to work even with added noise and blurring effects. This would take longer than I know I have the patience for! I am guessing you can't "cut" away the excess cliff or explode flat plains. However, it also seems like it would be difficult to keep the general map boundaries in line if you try to mold the land all at once??? just musing and muttering now.

[Henry Blewer]

There is a paint shader also. It's fairly good, but eats up memory quickly. But you could rough out the terrain using it.

[Echo R]

I think geocontrol is going to work though I haven't figured out how to size the image according to my map mileage but I'm hoping I can do that on T2.

I did want to mention that it took 4-5 paint programs to find one that worked. GIMP has some kind of runtime error, Twisted had some kind of write to error and the others didn't have enough of a greyscale range. I found mtpaint here;
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mtpaint/files/mtpaint/
has a greyscale menu with 255 different greys to work with. So I am furthering the detail of the terrain before moving it over to geocontrol. I can control rivers and lakes by darkening the grey one or two shades from the area it runs through or add extra dimension around lakes by including more layers of greys. I will post the greyscale map once I have completed it and maybe even the geocontrol map as it progresses.