Here we finally put together the heightmap design process for whoever has the previous experience over Earth Sculptor.
http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/icnb_home.aspSome Nice Features For The New Heightmap Terrain System1. Large Terrain Size- around 9 times of iClone4 terrain size
2. Using multiple texture tiles instead one big texture image, save memory space
3. Much better rendering performance when LOD on (Ctrl-L)
4. Fast picking, easier to apply plantation (grass, tree), snap or walk on terrain, and terrain physics collision
5. Better self-cast shadow quality
6. Keep high texture detail in close view
7. keep high texture detail on vertical surface, such as cliffs
8. Future Terrain Expansion - connect height map terrains to form a bigger terrain; or endless terrain navigation
Here is the design procedure1. Generate 3D Terrain from EarthSculpter, with map size 513x513
![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6192373962_17be15e593.jpg)
2. Export either OBJ or gray scale height map
You can use either obj or jpeg heightmap, we suggest you use obj for better detail
* Approach A: Load OBJ as the terrain mesh for iClone5 (smooth, higher detail)
* please don't turn on other settings, only "center on origin"
![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6192441624_0b1da12701_m.jpg)
* Approach B: Load Height map (png, jpg, bmp) as the terrain for iclone5 - this can be easily edited by image editor
![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6192610494_6f354a5324_m.jpg)
3. Use Earth Sculpter to create the color Mask file for 4 terrain textures
![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6136/6191856717_e1fb2a3f57_m.jpg)
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![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6161/6192374014_8ed63413fb.jpg)
4. Save map, you will see all related texture maps are created in the same map folder
- the xxx_d.png file is the mask file using RGB+Alpha to keep the 4 color channel information
5. Edit the INI file, please see the sample terrain file
download the sample from here
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2471042/Forum/terrain-test.zip6. Under iClone5 Terrain tab, press
Alt-Shift-J to load Terrain defined in the INI file
===
Terrain Script in the INI fileSupported Image Formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP
[HeightMap]
file = "test.obj" ; file name for gray scale height map image or obj model
cell_unit = 100 ; 100 cm
height_scale = 50.0 ; relative scale, 50 = 1:1 to OBJ file
offset_x = -12800.0 ; no use
offset_y = -12800.0 ; no use
offset_z =0 ; 0 to align default height of iclone 0,0,0 world axis
[MaskMap]
file = "test_d.png" the mask file generated from EarthSculptor
[Material]
count = 4 ; total material number
[Material0]
diffuse_r = 1.0
diffuse_g = 1.0
diffuse_b = 1.0
specular_r = 0.0
specular_g = 0.0
specular_b = 0.0
ambient_r = 1.5
ambient_g = 1.5
ambient_b = 1.5
shininess = 0.5
shineStrength = 1.0
decal_uv_tile_x = 24.0 ;; color map tiling x
decal_uv_tile_y = 24.0 ;; color map tiling y
decal_uv_tile_z = 24.0 ;; color map tiling z for vertical surface, eg. cliff
decal_uv_offset_x = 0.0
decal_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_uv_offset_z = 0.0
decal_uv_rotate = 0
detail_uv_tile_x = 60.0 ;; detail map (blend map)
detail_uv_tile_y = 60.0
detail_uv_offset_x = 0.0
detail_uv_offset_y = 0.0
detail_uv_offset_z = 0.0
detail_uv_rotate = 0
bump_uv_tile_x = 10.0 ;; bump map
bump_uv_tile_y = 10.0
bump_uv_tile_z = 10.0
bump_uv_offset_x = 0.0
bump_uv_offset_y = 0.0
is_normal_bump = false ;; if using normal map, value = true
bump_map_weight = 0.5 ; same as iclone strength setting
decal_map = "shortGrass.png" ;;decal map = diffuse map or color map
bump_map="beehive001.jpg"
detail_map="stoneWall1_tileable_1024.jpg"
[Material1]
diffuse_r = 1.0
diffuse_g = 1.0
diffuse_b = 1.0
specular_r = 0.0
specular_g = 0.0
specular_b = 1.0 ;; you can see blue specular on brown sand
ambient_r = 1.5
ambient_g = 1.5
ambient_b = 1.5
shininess = 0.5
shineStrength = 1.0
decal_uv_tile_x = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_y = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_z = 12.0
decal_uv_offset_x = 0.0
decal_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_uv_rotate = 0
detail_uv_tile_x = 15.6842
detail_uv_tile_y = 15.6842
detail_uv_offset_x = 0.0
detail_uv_offset_y = 0.0
detail_uv_rotate = 0
bump_uv_tile_x = 1.0
bump_uv_tile_y = 1.0
bump_uv_tile_z = 1.0
bump_uv_offset_x = 0.0
bump_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_map = "brownsand.png"
[Material2]
diffuse_r = 1.0
diffuse_g = 1.0
diffuse_b = 1.0
specular_r = 0.0
specular_g = 0.0
specular_b = 0.0
ambient_r = 1.5
ambient_g = 1.5
ambient_b = 1.5
shininess = 0.5
shineStrength = 1.0
decal_uv_tile_x = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_y = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_z = 24.0
decal_uv_offset_x = 0.0
decal_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_uv_rotate = 0
detail_uv_tile_x = 15.6842
detail_uv_tile_y = 15.6842
detail_uv_offset_x = 0.0
detail_uv_offset_y = 0.0
detail_uv_rotate = 0
bump_uv_tile_x = 3.0
bump_uv_tile_y = 3.0
bump_uv_tile_z = 3.0
bump_uv_offset_x = 0.0
bump_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_map = "bigRockFace.png"
[Material3]
diffuse_r = 1.0
diffuse_g = 1.0
diffuse_b = 1.0
specular_r = 0.0
specular_g = 0.0
specular_b = 0.0
ambient_r = 1.5
ambient_g = 1.5
ambient_b = 1.5
shininess = 0.5
shineStrength = 1.0
decal_uv_tile_x = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_y = 12.0
decal_uv_tile_z = 12.0
decal_uv_offset_x = 0.0
decal_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_uv_rotate = 0
detail_uv_tile_x = 15.6842
detail_uv_tile_y = 15.6842
detail_uv_offset_x = 0.0
detail_uv_offset_y = 0.0
detail_uv_rotate = 0
bump_uv_tile_x = 1.0
bump_uv_tile_y = 1.0
bump_uv_tile_z = 3.0
bump_uv_offset_x = 0.0
bump_uv_offset_y = 0.0
decal_map = "orangesand.png"
*sample project in iclone5
![](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/6191960009_5f47c3330f.jpg)
*sample project in Earth Sculptor