heightfield

[schwi77]

Hi there,
Maybe a silly question...
I would like to manage different heightfield independently. But since they all connect to each other (like a train) and plug into 'compute terrain' it won't allow me to do that in the terrain section.
I would also like to do the same in the shaders...

For example: a volcano in background and some strata pillars in foreground... i would even want to have some huge canyon in front of all that...

Thanks.
f.

[cyphyr]

Its very do-able
You "just" need to set up your blend shaders so the mask out unwanted areas of your volcano, towers and canyon.
I'm working on a complex scene at the moment that has multiple terrain types. towers, river canyons, floating rocks, and power fractal terrains.
Use the merge shader (try the different settings but "choose by altitude> Highest raise" seems to work well), the painter shader (blend by shader) to paint in the areas you want your features to be in and the power fractal (blend by shader).
Good luck
Richard

[schwi77]

Thanks Richard!
Would you mind sending a screenprint of the nodes (merge shader>blendbyshader>powerfractal)!
I'm not familiar with blender shader nor mask.
I read a couple of tutorial on mask but don't quite get it yet.
I'm wondering what is the order to put things in relation to the outcome.

Greatly appreciated!
f.

[bobbystahr]

For texturing I find my best solution to be using the Paint shader. Once you have all the terrains loaded go to top view and zoom out till all features are in the preview window ans wait tilll it's 100% rendered then press pause. Now you can Paint with good accuracy and without continual refreshes.
Load a paintshader and when loaded rename to whichever feature you want to start with. Making sure that the Flow is full on and there's no fall off, paint to totally cover the feature you've selected. Do this for all features with distinctive names [I also number the paint shader, 01VOLACANO Paint shader, like that]to make them easy to fond when selecting them on the Distribution shader which you will use to place these 'masks'.
In the Shader tab add a Surface layer for each feature and then in the Blend shader slot go"
Create new shader>Colour shader>Distributuion shader...and then
go to the Distribution shader and in Blend by shader go Assign> and select the appropriate Paint shader
Back in the Surface proceed to colour your feature with what ever you chose, Power Fractal, Image map etc. then move to the next feature and proceed the same.
The Paint shader can be reused for multiple textures on a feature and the further distribution of these textures can be controlled by the height constraints, slope constraints...all the features in the Distribution shader and it will only affect the texture in the Paint shader masked areas.
I hope this helped and not confused you...if the latter say so and I/we'll attempt more accurate explantions.. ...

[schwi77]

thanks a lot!
just to be sure. where do i put the painted shader? it doesn't show my the entire plan but only parts of it. right after base color?
the rest is very clear... i won't be able to try it tonight... hopefully tomorrow.

thanks again.

[bobbystahr]

attached is a screen grab showing where the Paintshaders are on the terrains and where you utilize them in the Shader tree. Note that on the Surface layer 02 on the left of the image the paint shader appears in the slot: Blend by shader and you access this by the button[...] to the right...select Assign and then select the appropriate Paint shader from the list presented. I've just used the test colour function to illustrate but you could use an Image map or Power Fractal just as easily.. ...

[schwi77]

sorry about that my question wasnt clear.
the screen shot you sent me is on the shader tab.
there are 2 surface layer with fractal break up in it.
but i dont see the node of the painted shader.

i think it's in the terrain tab.
but when i select the painted shader and go in the function
there is that blue square giving me access to a 'windiw' to pain in.
So, in this window i dont see my items that i want to paint.
my question is where in the terrain tab should i place the painted shader node.
or am i doing something wrong?

thanks again.
f.

[bobbystahr]

If you look at the displayed dialogue bottom left of the scr grab you will see a box with a check mark in it. Next to that in the type field you'll see *02generate02Painted shader*, which is the label for that particular Paint Shader which appears in the top view at the top right of the screen grab.
To the right of that text box is a button with a + and a small arrow on it. Click on this and select Assign and select the Paint shader you created for that particular terrain feature.
Now any texture or map you apply to that Surface layer will be constrained to the area described by the Paint shader.
I don't think I can be any more clear than that. If you post a .tgd of the scene you'd loke to work with and let me know what tou want to do with it I could create the Paint shaders for you and return post it so you could explore it and figure out what I have't been able to impress you with..

[bobbystahr]

i think it's in the terrain tab.
but when i select the painted shader and go in the function
there is that blue square giving me access to a 'windiw' to pain in.
So, in this window i dont see my items that i want to paint.
my question is where in the terrain tab should i place the painted shader node.
or am i doing something wrong?

thanks again.
f.

A more direct response having re read your post shows me your problem. I always, when doing large area coverage, work from a zoomed out top view. I zoom out till I can see all my terrains/terrain features and drag my 3D preview window as large as it willl go. Then with the Navigation arrows I center the terrains, wait till the 3D preview renders to 100% and click Pause to stop redraws.
I then start to create Paint shaders, one at a time obviously, The paint shaders aren't  anywhere really till you create them which situates them in your scene, and stores them in the .tgd. you activate them by adding a Surface layer and proceeding like I have described in my previous posts on this subject, using the Assign button...Best bet is upload a .tgd so I can show you

[schwi77]

i won't be able to work on it for a few days.
i'll be back on the drawing in a few days.
will post my tgd...
f.