How do I render in Topographic lines only

anaoshak · October 18, 2008, 02:13:11 AM

Is there anyway of creating topographic lines in this program? Countour lines that are intervals to show the terrain.

A little like this ..

http://www.compassdude.com/i/topographic-map.jpg

http://bp1.blogger.com/_lofizJ7zoB8/RzOBHldK9sI/AAAAAAAAAHM/Iaa3aKt-KLE/s400/topography2.jpg

Do any of you all know any programs that can do this? I'm using an intel macbook in case that matters.

Oshyan · October 18, 2008, 02:30:56 AM

There is no automated function to create a render effect of this type. Using Function Nodes, which are mathematical building blocks, you could probably create a solution, but unless you are mathematically inclined and willing to experiment it's probably not worth the time. It would also only be lines, with no altitude readings.

The bottom line is TG2 is not primarily intended as a GIS application, so it does not have many of those types of features. However you can export terrain from TG2 that other applications like GlobalMapper can read, and you could then create topo lines on another program.

- Oshyan

old_blaggard · October 18, 2008, 03:08:34 AM

While what Oshyan described with TG2 is definitely possible, you can't do the same thing in TG 0.9.

Oshyan · October 18, 2008, 03:21:27 AM

Ah, I hadn't noticed this was TG 0.9! Ironically I believe there was a topo lines function in one of the plugins, possibly Sean O'Malley's SOPack, or the strata plugin?

- Oshyan

cyphyr · October 19, 2008, 01:50:26 PM

A simple imagemap with black horizontal lines on a z or x projection with repeat selected should do the trick.
For example a 1000px x 1000px white bitmap with a single black (choose your colour) pixel line at 100 pixel intervals scaled in the image map node to 1000 x 1000 (the scale is in meters) and set to repeat on the x or z axis will produce contour lines at 100m intervals.
Richard
oops yeah I too should read the section heading first, yes what Oshyan says

lol

anaoshak · October 20, 2008, 02:14:19 AM

Sorry guys but I hate to hide behind any sort of ignorance but this seems to be the case...

Will the plugins work on a Mac as well as an unregistered version (I'm a college student).

I'm new to terragen although I did explore it a bit when I made maps for quake 3 in higschool. Now this is more out of a personal interest.

Thanks

stuck · October 22, 2008, 08:15:20 AM

I don't know about a MAC but if you download this set of tutorials and read the one called
Surface Maps.pdf
it will tell you how to get strata effects in TG 0.9
http://www.ashundar.com/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item210

stuck

AndyWelder · October 22, 2008, 11:55:49 AM

The SOPack plug-in contains the SO Contour Overlay which could serve your needs.

Mandrake · October 22, 2008, 01:37:36 PM

Quote from: Oshyan on October 18, 2008, 03:21:27 AM
Ah, I hadn't noticed this was TG 0.9! Ironically I believe there was a topo lines function in one of the plugins, possibly Sean O'Malley's SOPack, or the strata plugin?

- Oshyan

Your right Boss, I remember lines on one of those plugins.