Feature Request for a 4 dimensional terrain export
I have been wondering if it would be possible to include a terrain exporter that saves lateral displacements, too?
Keeping the 3-dimensional version, there is to add the following information only for each pixel:
At which height is an intersection.
Saving this data with 1 octave means only 2 pairs of intersections added, 2 octaves in the options would save 4 additional intersections.
The question for me is ... will such a loaded terrain (i.e. 4096² by 3 octaves) be faster to render than a terrain with 3 Compute Terrain nodes?
Thanks for your input,
Volker
Uum...Would you please explain what you mean.. :)
Hi Zionner,
at the moment you can export your fractal terrain, your place of interest with Heightfield by shader node to a .ter-file
Loading this calculated Ter is much faster than letting your computer do everything each render.
But it does not save overhangs or other lateral displacements - yet.
The Heightfield by shader takes some time (get a coffee for a 1024², go shopping for a 2048² and get a good book for a 4096² resolution) and it may take longer to calulate the entire terrain when the displacements are considered, too.
But when thinking of an animation, every second counts. And if my idea is faster, I would love it :-)
Ah...I See it now....Yeah I think this is quite an interesting Idea...If Planetside dosent Do It.....Then I'm sure someone could produce a plug-in for TG 2
Thanks
Zionner
How would you export the texture/shader values? Because they are usually done with heightfields/2d images.
By 4th dimension do you mean export a seperate heightfield for each frame of animation?
Also what does the Heightfield by shader do when it comes across an overhang?
If the micro exporter did not cull polygons (except those outside the camera view), you could export a square Lwo object (not a heightfield) in a way similar to what you describe by using an orthographic camera pointed downwards.
Quote from: Insquall on August 02, 2007, 09:15:15 AM
How would you export the texture/shader values? Because they are usually done with heightfields/2d images.
By 4th dimension do you mean export a seperate heightfield for each frame of animation?
Also what does the Heightfield by shader do when it comes across an overhang?
If the micro exporter did not cull polygons (except those outside the camera view), you could export a square Lwo object (not a heightfield) in a way similar to what you describe by using an orthographic camera pointed downwards.
1. The export should calculate any displacement before the 'Compute Terrain'. Shading certain areas might be too difficult else.
2. 4th dimension is not bound to terms of time, I described in the first post what the 4th dimension for this exporter would be.
3. The
Heightfield by shader just saves the highest point.
4. ??? ,-)
I think, this will be the next step in terrain creation, real 3D geometrie, not only 2D projection. But I think, this will take some time.
I hope, that I will be able to create a fast and easy (for developers) usable 3D format for terrains in GeoControl 3.
Huh, that sounds very interesting Cajomi. :)
Cool.
Quote from: cajomi on August 07, 2007, 12:52:48 AM
I think, this will be the next step in terrain creation, real 3D geometrie, not only 2D projection. But I think, this will take some time.
I hope, that I will be able to create a fast and easy (for developers) usable 3D format for terrains in GeoControl 3.
Quote from: cajomi on August 07, 2007, 12:52:48 AM
I think, this will be the next step in terrain creation, real 3D geometrie, not only 2D projection. But I think, this will take some time.
I hope, that I will be able to create a fast and easy (for developers) usable 3D format for terrains in GeoControl 3.
I know there was discussion about this (and you were involved) on another terrain forum, but I cannot find it! It was a forum purely on the conception of terrain and how they are/will be created.... Am I just having hallucinations or was there really a forum like this?
I think it was at terrainmasters.
Or possibly the Terrain Summit: http://terrain.cg-arts.org/forum/
- Oshyan
Quote from: Oshyan on August 07, 2007, 03:41:01 PM
Or possibly the Terrain Summit: http://terrain.cg-arts.org/forum/
- Oshyan
Thats the one
I have a big reply pending over there. Very interested in voxel possibilities...
- Oshyan
Ah, um, as soon as I started reading this thread I thought: Johannes thread on the TerrainSummit... ;D We need this boffins! ;)
monks
Yes, it will be needed. So may be in one year..........