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.asp

Some Nice Features For The New Heightmap Terrain System

1. 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 procedure


1. Generate 3D Terrain from EarthSculpter, with map size 513x513



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"



* Approach B: Load Height map (png, jpg, bmp) as the terrain for iclone5 - this can be easily edited by image editor


3. Use Earth Sculpter to create the color Mask file for 4 terrain textures

>>


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.zip

6. Under iClone5 Terrain tab, press Alt-Shift-J to load Terrain defined in the INI file

===
Terrain Script in the INI file

Supported 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


*sample project in Earth Sculptor

Thanks for that. I have Earth Sculptor and wondered if it would still be useful with iClone 5.

---

thanks for detailled .

CGTRADER

Hi! All, I have made some revision over the heightmap terrain guide. Please use Alt-Shift-J to load the terrain ini instead of using Alt-Shift-S, sorry for the error.

Hi,

We followed all the steps given in the posting. However, when we do step 4) about "Save map", we are not getting the related texture maps nor the INI file.

We are getting the xxx_c.png and xxx_d.png file.

What we may be missing? Please help

We are using EarthSculptor1.11 and iClone 5.13.

With Regards,
Samir Jain

Are you using the "Detail" tool as described in step 3 to create the color mask file? In addition, you need to manually create the INI file, or modify ini from other maps.

Please let me know whether it works now for you. :)

Are you using the "Detail" tool as described in step 3 to create the color mask file? In addition, you need to manually create the INI file, or modify from the ini from other maps.

Please let me know whether it works now for you. :)

Thank you very much for this "ini"formation ! :cool:

Best

tripfreak :)

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Any Idea what is my mistake?


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liebe Grüße vidi

meet us here

@Exchanger

Thanks for your reply. We were missing the INI file as we were thinking the INI file will get created as part of Save map step. After your last post, we took the INI file from the ZIP you attached and then modified it according to our terrain (the name of material files, obj files etc). And then it worked. Yahoo !! Thank you so much - I appreciate your help.

@vidi
Today - we were getting the same error "Failed to create height map ...." at some point. We have seen it comes whenever some file name referred in INI file is not present in the directory. Please check all the files referred in the INI file - see if they are present in that directory.

Regards,
Samir Jain