Help: black ground problem

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 03 Jan 2006, 22:48

I am trying to learn how to create maps. I have most everything working, but when I run the map it has a black ground, as if the texture map did not load. I have heard of a similar problem problem before, but I am not sure if they are the same. I am not using a skybox, and it only seems to happen with maps I have made (I have not seen it on other maps).

Also, in the course of trying to track down this problem, I compressed a few other maps and simply renamed the files. The result was very similar, the texure map did not load but instead came up as a pink ground. I am not sure if these things are related.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I might check or on what this problem might be? Could I be compiling it wrong?

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 03 Jan 2006, 23:19

Scale your heightmap up by 1 pixel.

genblood · Post by **genblood** » 03 Jan 2006, 23:29

I've made a map 40x40 ... if the shadows is set to on. You will
cast a black shadow. Most likely its a bug ...

The biggest map I've made without problems is 24x24.

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 03 Jan 2006, 23:40

I am not sure I understand what you mean Das Bruce. Do you mean offset it up or down by one pixel?

My map is not big, I think I set it as 8x8.

Forboding Angel · Post by **Forboding Angel** » 03 Jan 2006, 23:52

8x8 map

Heightmap should be 1025x 1025

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 04 Jan 2006, 00:10

ah ok, I already did that

My tex map is 4096x4096 and my height map is 513x513.

AlexMax · Post by **AlexMax** » 04 Jan 2006, 07:04

Try replacing your featuremap with a blank one. All of my black map related problems were because my featuremap was screwed up.

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 04 Jan 2006, 07:33

lol! I don't have a feature map, maybe that is why.

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 04 Jan 2006, 07:44

hmm, nope I guess that was not the problem :(. I added a blank feature map and I still had a black ground.

Weaver · Post by **Weaver** » 04 Jan 2006, 08:02

Could you post the mapconv output, there may be some clues there.

aGorm · Post by **aGorm** » 04 Jan 2006, 14:46

Obvios i know, but i asume you have a metal map?? and that its black with red on it (and no other colours). Just trying to coverer all the possiblities.

The Pink this is were you have renamed the texture file, of which teh name is hard coded into the terrain file, so when the terrain loaded it could not find the texture file, and replaced everything with pinkness. While similar i doubt its related to ur problem (as we know teh cause and solution and it dont fix ur black problem!)

Also system specs might be usefull.

aGorm

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 05 Jan 2006, 11:28

bah, I'm getting the same crap with Fizzy Lakes now, the minimap is good, but the ground is baically black except for the sand and snow (which are naturally bright colors). Since the sand and snow do show up afterall, I'm inclined to think that it might be a gamma-problem, w/ my minimap rendering normally, but the actual map having a very strong dark "correction" to it.

Full Size image
For the moment, I'm just using a rip from XantheTerra for my lighting:

Code: Select all

		FogColor=0.8 0.75 0.6;
		FogStart=0.02;

		CloudColor=0.9 0.9 0.9;
		SkyColor=0.1 0.15 0.7;

		SunColor=1.0 1.0 1.0;
		CloudDensity=0.55;
...
		GroundAmbientColor=1 0.8 0.6;		//ambient (non sun lit) color of ground (and grass trees etc)
		GroundSunColor=1 1 1;			//color of ground where fully sun lit (added to ambient)
		GroundShadowDensity=0.8;			//how far from the non shadowed to the ambient color stuff in shadow will go

Weaver · Post by **Weaver** » 05 Jan 2006, 15:35

Are you using the default detail texture?

loogel · Post by **loogel** » 05 Jan 2006, 19:28

I finally figured it out! It turns out I did not download the previous mapping tools and so the MapConv was missing some files, and looking at the mapConv output tipped me off. Thank you guys a lot. It also turns out that I had a white background for my metal map, though I don't know how much of a problem that actually was.

thanks for all your help.

aGorm · Post by **aGorm** » 05 Jan 2006, 23:01

Just means it may try and place geos or trees everywere if you dont include a feature map...

aGorm

FizWizz · Post by **FizWizz** » 06 Jan 2006, 02:06

Weaver wrote:Are you using the default detail texture?

d'oh! Lord, do I feel dumb for that...
Removing the detailtex line fixed my problem...

TA 3D · Post by **TA 3D** » 07 Jan 2006, 06:13

If you use a detail tex make sure its light otherwise it will make your map dark. Heres what the detail tex can do so be careful with it.

http://www.maj.com/gallery/3dbricks/TASPRING/mmsc01.png

By the way if you include the mini.dds file that mapconv outputs with the map, it will have water on the minimap like shown in the pic above.

AF · Post by AF » 07 Jan 2006, 18:10

Or alternatively, you can change the detail texture spring uses to a grey/white box instead of the dirt texture you get currently, that way you dont get the darkening in spring.

Spring RTS Engine

Help: black ground problem

Help: black ground problem