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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 01:34:03 PM

Title: Manual on Objects?
Post by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 01:34:03 PM
Is there anybody out there who has a write up on Object Control in TG2?? I go bananas not finding anything on the net and my objects are doing everything else instead of sitting on the ground.
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: yossam on September 05, 2013, 01:51:40 PM
Do a search in the forum...............you will find just about anything you will ever want to know.  :)
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: cyphyr on September 05, 2013, 03:04:46 PM
One thing to bear in mind is that populations calculate where the ground is from the shader that is plugged into their "terrain shader" input. If you have large enough displacements (depends on your scene but a meter or two here and there can make your objects sink of float "relatively") within your shader group this can cause a mismatch.
If you want to guarantee that your objects sit firmly on the ground take the last node before your render node and plug that into your object populations "terrain shader".
Hope this helps
:)
Richard
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 03:22:53 PM
I am not so advanced... :-\
I only wanted to put only one tree on the ground to see how it looks like so I can figure out how to work with objects as this is my next step in the learning curve but not even that one object can stick to the ground. When I have a flat terrain and I import an object it stays on the ground but when I have some terrain then my tree goes everywhere but on the ground. There must be a button that can be clicked to get an object on the ground no? I will try what u mentioned in your last line.
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: bobbystahr on September 05, 2013, 04:02:28 PM
Quote from: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 03:22:53 PM
I am not so advanced... :-\
I only wanted to put only one tree on the ground to see how it looks like so I can figure out how to work with objects as this is my next step in the learning curve but not even that one object can stick to the ground. When I have a flat terrain and I import an object it stays on the ground but when I have some terrain then my tree goes everywhere but on the ground. There must be a button that can be clicked to get an object on the ground no? I will try what u mentioned in your last line.
are you using TG3 0r 2...in 3 there is a drop to ground button on the object's widget when the object is selected
The attached pic is TG3. in TG2 simply select the object and using the yellow arrow that that points up, lower the model to the ground.
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: cyphyr on September 05, 2013, 04:11:23 PM
Bobby's right :)
Also shown on Bobby's picture there's a series of small buttons below the tree object. On the left is a ">", this enables the XYZ translation handles, next to that is a small diamond, this is the rotation handles, next to that is an arrorw pointing up and to the right, this is to enable scale handles and finally on the far right is the one you want, a small "v" shape pointing down. this drops your object to the ground. Note that it will place the objects origin on the ground.
Richard
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: yossam on September 05, 2013, 04:13:29 PM
He is using TG2...............I told him the same thing yesterday.  ???
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 04:25:59 PM
Using TG2 unfortunately? Maybe I have to upgrade to 3 to make it easier... :o
See my screenshot. There is the object...but whatever I do it not stays on the ground
I left the object control panel open at the left bottom...
You guys probably see what is wrong but I cannot right now...If I move the camera around it seem to me that the object is moving with the camera.... :o :o :o
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: yossam on September 05, 2013, 04:36:44 PM
Take your mouse and using the green handle, pull the object down to the terrain.  :)


Or up, depending on where the object is located. It would be easier if you switched to wireframe mode..............go to the blue box at the top left of your preview window. Click on it and select wireframe.
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 04:50:33 PM
YES! Wireframe!!! Much better....THANK YOU!!!!!!
I can see it now where is the tree exactly!
Thank you guys.... for all of you who answered me on this :D
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: jo on September 05, 2013, 06:01:05 PM
Hi,

Something else you can do to place objects is right click in the 3D Preview with the mouse over the location on the terrain where you want the object. Choose "Copy Coordinates" from the menu which pops up. Now go to the objects parameter view. Look for the Translate parameter. To the right of that is a button with a clipboard icon. Click on that button and choose "Paste Coordinates" from the menu which pops up. This works in TG2 as well as TG3.

Something to keep in mind is that copying coordinates from the preview is more accurate when the preview is more detailed.

I'll make a start on a guide to using objects in the not-too-distant future.

Regards,

Jo
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: bobbystahr on September 05, 2013, 06:12:42 PM
Quote from: jo on September 05, 2013, 06:01:05 PM
Hi,

Something else you can do to place objects is right click in the 3D Preview with the mouse over the location on the terrain where you want the object. Choose "Copy Coordinates" from the menu which pops up. Now go to the objects parameter view. Look for the Translate parameter. To the right of that is a button with a clipboard icon. Click on that button and choose "Paste Coordinates" from the menu which pops up. This works in TG2 as well as TG3.

Something to keep in mind is that copying coordinates from the preview is more accurate when the preview is more detailed.

I'll make a start on a guide to using objects in the not-too-distant future.

Regards,

Jo
Was about to post the same thing and can't figure why I didn't before as it's the system I use always...brain cramp I guess. By far the easiest and most accurate method.
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 06:37:23 PM
Exactly!
This is what I was looking for...this is all make sense...thanx Jo! ;D
I was 100% percent sure that there is a way like this!
Except I am new to TG so I could not figure it out by myself... :o
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: bobbystahr on September 05, 2013, 06:42:12 PM
Quote from: archonforest on September 05, 2013, 06:37:23 PM
Exactly!
This is what I was looking for...this is all make sense...thanx Jo! ;D
I was 100% percent sure that there is a way like this!
Except I am new to TG so I could not figure it out by myself... :o
The Right click...the key of life, hee hee hee
Title: Re: Manual on Objects?
Post by: Oshyan on September 06, 2013, 05:25:23 AM
I definitely recommend an upgrade to TG3. All TG2 knowledge/experience will translate over, the fundamentals are the same, just lots more tools to work with.

- Oshyan