Just what I did:
I used FastStone Capture to take screenshots via "Print-button"
I set FastStone Capture to save to Files with consecutive numbers in the name (any other screencapture program should work as well)
I set Terragen animation playback to "frame by frame" or alternatively called frame by frame manually.
Advantages:
I got a previsualisation of moving objects in relative short time (app. 30 minutes each animation)
I got a previsualisation of the moving objects in higher object quality than using usual rendering with low res and low AA.
Every safed file is surely a single frame (with fraps eg. you perhaps get the same Terragen frame 1-2 or 3 times or frames are dropped)
Disadvantages:
Only minor ones: my forefinger aches from pressing "print" some hundred times
It works best if the terrain isn't that relevant - for terrain you better wait until the 3D Preview has rendered at least 40-80 %
It needs your full concentration especially if you let run the animation automatically and your PC is fast.
But I love this way to work. So I can work easier and faster and more accurate on camera paths and object movement.
What do you think: Is it worth to wish this feature as another way for animation rendering in the new TG4?
My suggestion would be:
A special "OpenGL Rendering Node" with these features:
Select quality of terain rendering: 0, 20, 40, 80, 100, HD
Export either 3d Preview frame by frame as bmp or jpg
Or export whole Terragen window frame by frame as bmp or jpg if you have a special parameter in the left side you want to watch.
Have a look and decide:
(I did these previsualisation some weeks ago and needed some time to think about how to describe my "dream-function") But I use this technics now for most of my animations.
Here I could early find out that the heli-movement (lateral tilt) needs a bit work but I could check that the overall movement and path seems ok.
https://vimeo.com/175335106Here is the helicopter fly-by over your heads as already shown in some rendered frames in the image section:
https://vimeo.com/175334974Dear Matt and Oshyan, does it make sense to save a copy of this topic in Terragen Discussion as a feture request for TG4 (perhaps even TG3)? I don't want to post it twice but if users are interested in this idea, perhaps it could be posted there as a public poll too. But perhaps TG already has something like this feature and I am just blind - please let me know if so..