There's been a lot of talk recently about tutorials and I'd like to talk out an idea. Its hardly even concrete yet but here goes.
There's two issues, peoples desire for a simple solution to their Terragen issues (how do I do this or create that effect?) and the easiest way to actually learn Terragen.
A lot of the time people seem to want a simple solution, "Oh just press that button" (simplified) but with Terragen we have a very open ended system, even the developers express surprise at some of the work that has been created. Hmm, I guess that makes it more akin to a render engine, MentalRay etc in a way. So when someone is asking how to make, say a beach, there are just too many possible ways, possible interpretations and final desired outcomes to be able to give a particularly useful answer. Some times a screen shot or even a simplified tgd file can help. And there is also a distinct desire NOT to do it for the enquirer; part of the joy of this program is finding ones own solutions, something I would not want to take away from the student.
The second part, what is the best way to learn Terragen, is also complicated by the same issues. Only knowing how to make a beach (one method), and then a hill side, add in a forest etc, all separate elements will still not enable one to actually "learn" Terragen. Although an intelligent raid of the File sharing section could I'm sure produce some great images.
These are all good resources and very welcome but do not teach anything of the principles of why something is done. Learning is done by a kind of osmosis. If you like they could be seen as a teaching resource, the clay and paint. Even the tutorials fall in to the same category, they provide information but only to a specific goal.
To actually learn Terragen a set of principles must be learnt, an operating methodology, a "Terragen Modus Operandi" if you like.
Do you agree?
Some of these principles will be simple logic, understanding the flow of the node structure, some will be more mathematical, the dreaded blue nodes for example. And some will be of an artistic nature, rule of thirds for example. Understanding these (I'm sure there's many more) should be the backbone of a more specific goal orientated learning approach (like we have now with shared files files that do a specific job or tuts that teach a specific method)
So to a question, what would you say were the
Primary Principles and Working Methodologies of Terragen, and what would be the best way to convey them.
Sorry for the ramble and please, no disrespect meant on the huge amount of work that has gone in to the resources already at out disposal. This is on a different tack entirely.
Cheers
Richard