Hello all,



Here are some ideas and comments about the management of vegetation and others ideas for Reloaded Beta 2.



VEGETATION :



Since this new version, the vegetation is very better, because it has new settings. However, improvements are still needed...



For example, if the map is full of vegetation, the visual vegetation stops too quickly and the rest of the map is EMPTY. Vegetation must appear wherever it shout be.



For this to be possible without eating the graphic resources, must still appear distant vegetation with NO movement of the distant leaves, and lower the visual quality of the distant vegetation. This is better than making it disappear completely. If not, the terrain loses its credibility, especially when the végétation appears during the moves across the map... (See this screenshot made ​​with a medium-end computer)



SAVING :



There is also a small problem with saving the environment. If I choose the desert terrain and the red sky, I save and reload the map, the original ground (green) is charged with the clear blue sky. But it is a detail for now



RELOADED BUTTONS / OPTIONS :



We should also think about integrating a textures Menu for the Terrain. For example, if you make a right-click on "Paint Ground", "Paint Rock" and "Paint Grass" buttons, a window opens and allows me to choose the texture that I want to apply. It is always better than to manipulate textures files in the Reloaded directory.



TERRAIN EDITING :



It also lacks some options to sculpt the terrain. I encourage TGC developers to refer to the terrain editor of "3D World Studio". It is not as advanced as Grome or World Machine 2, but offers few options, very simple, to make the most realistic terrain.



For example, the "Noise" function is very useful. This function allows you to build mountains and rugged hills. Currently you have to give too much time to get what the "Random Level" gives. But I am aware that this is already a lot and that's just the beginning.



WATER OPTIONS :



The water is much too light (too transparent) and lack of realism. Choose the color of the water would help to create a more realistic environment. Allow movement of water (small waves) would also help. It should be an ON/OFF button to turn OFF the water, because it prevents the creation of natural canyon.



More difficult : it should be possible to create a puddle, pond, lake or a pool, anywhere in the map. Not only by digging the ground to find water...



LIBRARY :



Currently, if I load an entity in the library, it appears in a vertical visual list. This is great. But it would be even better if the entity could be deleted from the list when you decide to remove or replace in the game. For example, right click on the entity proposing to remove it from the library. If not, the "fpscreator.com" button could be replaced by "Refresh library".



That's all for now, but I invite everyone to participate.

Several good suggestions there. In particular:

Thanks you Green Gandalf.

I continue on something else.



THE SUN :



Currently, no adjustment is possible with the sun.

In skybank directory, there are files "skyspec.txt"



It contains the following lines :







I changed "SunStrength" to "0" for a night skybox (no sun). But the sun is still there. These parameters are they really available ? It would be great they are available

I think the sun is hard coded at the moment so you cant get rid of it or really adjust it a great deal which is not helpful in some circumstances.

Yes Uman, but it will integrate this functionality sooner or later, and the sooner the better.



TERRAIN NORMAL, SPECULAR, DIFFUSE... :



No settings available. The terrain 'shines' permanently. I have a license for 'Hero Engine 2'. Here is a screenshot of the terrain editor. Maybe you have the opportunity to inspire you.



You are on the right road and I encourage you to continue in your efforts to improve !



Cheers

ROAD, RIVER, CAVE AND TUNNEL GENERATOR :



Read this topic.

The distant vegetation should become like decals that always face the player. A single plain image of the plant.



This is how they did Turok for Xbox 360, a game with lots of plants in it at multiple distances.

Good idea. It displays the replacement material before approaching the real foliage. Another approach, used in Hero Engine 2 which greatly helps in creation :



RGB GRASS/FOLIAGE COLOR SYSTEM :



The color of the foliage and grass (on the ground) is managed by a RGB color system. In a second, it profoundly changes the color of the grass (and environement), and you win an amazing time because it avoids creating (and load) unnecessary textures.



With the same tools as the terrain editor (paint brush), you paint the floor (and others environements) to apply the RGB color of your choice. It's really fantastic, very fast and very powerful at the same time.



I built an entire map with this system. The result is spectacular and beautiful! It is much simpler than creating texture files, and the system requires much less graphic resources.



I add it to my list. But I think it is important to use ALSO the current system, with textures, to achieve specific things.

Here is a screen capture of RGB color system (Vertex Color System) in HE2.



You see the normal soil (brown) with textures. I apply RED color in this zone, over texture. The result is immediate. It is easy and powerful...



The possibilities are endless!

Here, the same method for vegetation.

No texture for the flowers. Just brush/paint with a Windows color palette



Design time : 10 seconds!

An essential tool for environmental design...