Radius and a rock formula...

TheBadger · April 12, 2011, 05:02:50 PM

Hello,

Will someone please tell me how to change the size of a planet object. The default is 6.378e+06, but I am not familiar with this notation.
And whenever I move the radius slider the planet 02 vanishes. Dose the radius slider work the same way as the other sliders?

Also, dose anyone have a good formula for lava rock? That is, I would like to know how to make jagged lava rock cliffs as both a heightfield and within a power fractal

Would be great if there where a resource or collection of formulas for common rock faces such as granite, sand stone, lime stone Lava Rock, and so on. Not .TGDs or .TGCs, but written formulas (instructions).

Dune · April 13, 2011, 02:30:18 AM

You could see the e+006 as the number of 0's behind the first numbers. So this would be 6378000 meters. You should match this radius with the negative center number to keep the camera near the surface. The center moves as much down as the radius, that's why. Just change the 6 by a 4 in both, and you'll have another size, but the same POV (kind of). Or change both +06 in +04 and it'll change dramatically in size.

Oshyan · April 13, 2011, 02:31:06 AM

The numerical format is Scientific Notation, often used for very large numbers. The slider in that case has an incorrect range from 0 to 1, so it can't be used to easily adjust the radius at sizes near the default. Direct numerical entry is recommended in that case. I'll file a bug for the slider issue as it really shouldn't be that way. The default size is the same as Earth by the way.

- Oshyan

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 06:27:01 PM

Thanks guys,

So let me get this straight: If 6.378e+06 is 6378000 meters, than inputing 6378000 x 2 into the radius field will give me a planet 02- 2 times the size, and inputing 6378000 / 2 will give me a planet 02 half the size.

Correct?

Oshyan · April 13, 2011, 07:33:43 PM

Correct. And you do not need to input scientific notation to get correct results, though it will convert your inputs into that notation for display. So for a planet 2x the radius of Earth, you'd use 12756000.

- Oshyan

airflamesred · April 13, 2011, 07:49:12 PM

I like your formulas idea- though would it differ from a tgc?

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 07:58:14 PM

Thanks Oshyan and Dune,

Its working good for me now.

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 08:04:26 PM

airflamesred,

It would be different in that rather than having a file to edit you would have the formula to build up from the ground on your own. Im new to 3d and Terragen, so the formulas would be more educational.

Also, when someone posts a readymade file it tends to be by someone who knows Terragen very well, and they are posting it for others who know the program just as well. I have not even seen a tutorial on how to use a .tgc

Oshyan · April 13, 2011, 08:09:56 PM

The "formula" idea sounds basically like a simple step-by-step tutorial. More of those would be nice, but of course it's easier just to share a TGC/TGD.

- Oshyan

dandelO · April 13, 2011, 08:23:04 PM

Quote from: TheBadger on April 13, 2011, 08:04:26 PM
... I have not even seen a tutorial on how to use a .tgc...

Since you mention that, someone asked me on another site recently for help on that(maybe it was actually you, TheBadger, under a different name?). This is just a quick explanation of the use of clipfiles for someone who doesn't already know.

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 09:16:29 PM

Oshyan,

The main problem I am having with this software is learning it. I have no doubt that terragen is a great program and that it will help me realize many creative ideas that were out of reach before, but the learning curve is huge.
It seams to me sales of terragen would increase two fold if there were more tutorials, because everyone interested would be able to more quickly use the program to create there visions. word would spread faster and popularity would grow from all the new work being shown.

Planetside staff have all probably heard this before though.

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 09:19:54 PM

dandelO,

Hello. No I havent spoke with you before. But have recently downloaded your "cracks" file. its perfect for something Im trying to make now, but I don't know how to use it. Could you point me to a more detailed instruction, or perhaps provide one here?

Thanks

Oshyan · April 13, 2011, 09:20:51 PM

Yes, it's a common concern and we certainly agree that more documentation and other information is needed. We're working on some major upgrades to the available reference info and also have some other plans to help address these issues.

- Oshyan

TheBadger · April 13, 2011, 09:30:06 PM

Oshyan,

Thats great.
What do you think, Is terragen going to be an industry standard? That is, do you think that this is the ground floor of a new money tree for artists the way photoshop or maya and other programs have become? seems possible.

Oshyan · April 14, 2011, 12:23:32 AM

I think natural landscape design and rendering is a huge market and we have one of the best tools available. The ever-increasing use of blue/green screen, set replacement and extension, and the increasing costs of filming on-location mean that high quality virtual environments will be extremely important to film, TV, and more. As with other parts of the industry, no one tool is likely to truly dominate. In other markets Zbrush and Mudbox, or Maya and 3DS Max (and others), share the market. I expect the same to be true here.

- Oshyan