Planetside Software Forums

General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: snake_eyes on May 14, 2011, 12:23:40 PM

Title: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: snake_eyes on May 14, 2011, 12:23:40 PM
Hi everyone, I know this should be easy, but I can't figure it out.

I've imported an object, a simple mound, from Sketchup into Terragen.  I also have a grass population that is covering the natural terrain that the mound sits on.  What I want to do is apply the grass to the surface of the mound as well.  I've tried playing around with the "computer terrain" function of the population, pointing it towards the surface shader of the mound.  However, that's still not working, so I must be doing something wrong.
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: Oshyan on May 14, 2011, 01:28:57 PM
Unfortunately objects cannot currently be populated on.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: snake_eyes on May 14, 2011, 01:51:28 PM
Thanks, now I don't have to pull my hair out anymore wondering!  I can just use Photoshop.
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: Henry Blewer on May 14, 2011, 02:00:36 PM
You can build a mound using the simple shape shader. Plug it into a power fractal for some variation in the shape. The population should work on this.
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: bobbystahr on May 14, 2011, 11:55:48 PM
Quote from: njeneb on May 14, 2011, 02:00:36 PM
You can build a mound using the simple shape shader. Plug it into a power fractal for some variation in the shape. The population should work on this.

O K...I give up...could you post a network setup and/or a .tgd......losing my mind not getting this...feeling dumb.. ...
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: Henry Blewer on May 15, 2011, 08:41:22 AM
Basically, the house object sits on top of a round hill; a half sphere flattened out to look more like a hill.

So add a simple shape node in the shaders group. Change the Type of shape to circle/ellipse. Increase the polygon sides to make the shape more circular. Open the Displacement tab and set an appropriate amplitude. Next choose a Displacement edge profile-> Radius.

Now add a power fractal and plug the simple shape shader into the power fractals input connector. This all connects to a Surface Layer's child connection. Just play around until the hill shape looks right.

Last thing is to add the house object without the hill part of the object. Use the right mouse button to get the coordinates for the house object and paste these into the objects Translate input.
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: bobbystahr on May 15, 2011, 09:41:08 AM
Thanks man...understood all of it till the connections.....that ought to help. Will run this up the flagpole and see what I come up with.. ...
Title: Re: Cover object's surface with grass population?
Post by: Henry Blewer on May 15, 2011, 10:23:46 AM
That's why a added the screenshot. I am not the best 'explainer'. But at least I'm not the 'decider'. ;D