New map - Work in progress

nitrus · Post by **nitrus** » 13 May 2005, 17:34

Always enjoyed playing big maps with islands .. so I'm making one.

no name yet - but trying for a realistic setting. Have a look at these pics and tell me what you think.

http://www.beanpix.com/gallery/nitrus/a050513031127

Its not ready to release yet - still got the metalmap to do, and I think TAS crashes when I put trees are too close to the edge of the map - but I need to check that.. Also its having problem tiling it efficiently cos the big texture isn't tile friendly - map comes out at about 24MB!!!

For a temp measure (until a mapeditor is out) I've modified MAPCONV to let me put trees where I want.

Anyone else having pathfinding problems with ships? With a map this complex they seem to get stuck quite often. When I get some time I'm gonna have a look at the pathfinding code as the ships seem to be choosing a path too close to the shore.

Mars Keeper · Post by **Mars Keeper** » 13 May 2005, 17:51

I want to play on that map!

It├é┬┤s really nice!

NOiZE · Post by **NOiZE** » 13 May 2005, 17:55

Looks awesome!!

Torrasque · Post by **Torrasque** » 13 May 2005, 17:57

I look really cool man! Sadly, it take 24 mo.

Michilus_nimbus · Post by **Michilus_nimbus** » 13 May 2005, 18:44

Torrasque wrote:I look really cool man!

And we believe you

The map looks great! Kind of reminds me of Expanded Confluence.

Storm · Post by **Storm** » 13 May 2005, 18:47

Wow, nice indeed!

genblood · Post by **genblood** » 13 May 2005, 18:55

..DAMN ... Looks GREAT ....

What utils did you use to make that map ..?

Can't wait till its released ....

GrOuNd_ZeRo · Post by **GrOuNd_ZeRo** » 13 May 2005, 19:09

Nitrous? that you mate?

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 13 May 2005, 20:38

Torrasque wrote:I look really cool man! Sadly, it take 24 mo.

that really isn't too bad. I have 108 gb free. Lets get these maps out :)

Storm · Post by **Storm** » 13 May 2005, 21:23

Never fear, [ FileUniverse ] is waiting for you!

nitrus · Post by **nitrus** » 13 May 2005, 21:54

I've halved its size to 12380KB

- I've removed the lightmap from the big texture and now relying on TAS to do the shadows at runtime. (35 FPS with shadows, about 60 without shadows - on my GeForce 6600GT) Actually It doesn't look too bad without shadows TAS still lights the terrain so doesn't look too flat

Been tinkering the compression method that MAPCONV uses and have switched it for one that gives more importance to features on the edges of the tiles - which I thought'd be a good idea. Seems to have worked (at least for this type of map) compression is set at 3 and still looks pretty good.

some more pics ... last two are with/without shadows
http://www.beanpix.com/gallery/nitrus/a050513071816

@GrOuNd_ZeRo: Nope, no O in my ID.

@genblood: Using PSP7 to create the heightmap freehand (with lots of fiddling - that's why some of the bays have a very circlular look to em!

Then I run the 1025x1025 heightmap through TerrTexGen which creates a 4096x4096 texture (turn off lightmap), I resize it to 8192 with PSP and up the bright & contrast. Then into my special version of MAPCONV to add the trees & stuff and use my new tile compression routine..

TerrTexGen is freeware: http://www.delphigl.de/projects/terrtex ... index.html

zwzsg · Post by **zwzsg** » 13 May 2005, 23:06

Looks like a nice map. And can tell more about and share your modified mapconv?

Post by SJ » 13 May 2005, 23:29

Looking good, but you could probably get it to look even better if you let terragen render to the whole 8192*8192 instead of resizing it. Just leave it over the night or something.

Warlord Zsinj · Post by **Warlord Zsinj** » 14 May 2005, 03:50

Very nice.

Is there any way to make the trees less clumped, and more dispersed?

Torrasque · Post by **Torrasque** » 14 May 2005, 10:46

I really like how TerrTexGen is easy to use.
Sadly, it is restricted in 4096*4096 for the texture and the heightmap must be 2^n and not 2^n+1.

nitrus · Post by **nitrus** » 14 May 2005, 11:16

TerrTexGen is quick too - if you turn off the lightmap.
I've heard of people rendering textures for 11hrs!! Mine take about 2 mins!

The source code for v1.6 is available so maybe we can change it to do the dimensions we want (8192x8192)
The changes between v1.6 and v2 are just UI and lightmap blur which personally I can do without.

Anyone know Delphi?

I used to do a bit but I haven't touched it for years.

Torrasque · Post by **Torrasque** » 14 May 2005, 11:26

I know delphi. I compile without problem...but I'm not a great programmer

I will try to watch if I can to something, but don't exept anythings.

The programme seems to accept 2^n+1 heightmap (I think it cut the heigmap) But it's good, no need to manually edit the heightmap.

edit : I can't find what's making the programme crash when I try to make a 8192*8192 texture...Perhaps a more experienced coder can to the job.

GrOuNd_ZeRo · Post by **GrOuNd_ZeRo** » 14 May 2005, 14:53

Nitrous is a buddy of mine that works on TA:1945, an advanced mod.

I was kinda hoping it was him, but I doubt he'd be making maps, he's too busy with school and his mod :)

Spring RTS Engine

New map - Work in progress

New map - Work in progress

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