Author
I am completely confused about what games do to create terrain. I am using directx/c++ and have tried terrain generators with confusing results.
If i want to create a simple terrain with a few hills or curved ground do i create this myself with about 100 triangles, or use a terrain generator or what is a common way?
Hi,
There are several ways of doing terrain, after all, terrain is just another model in your 3d-space, it just happens to be rather big. Some games where the terrain areas are rather small it is totally ok to create a 3D triangle model with a modelling program.
However, there are few point to consider when creating terrains.
- Usually it is easier to edit the terrain using a height map or map contour curves than triangle soup
- a huge terrain modelled as triangle mesh might take insane amount of memory compared to the stored/packed height map
- a terrain using height map is one way of optimizing the memory usage. The idea is based on the fact that most of the time terrains are rather flat and don't have complex shapes. Of course, as a trade off, you'll loose the ability to integrate caves and cliffs easily to the terrain.
Can you tell what kind of confusion you are facing?
Best regards!
Author
i am having massive problems using software to create a heightmap and load into directx/c++ as a raw file. I only have an example of heightmaps and raw files which is hard enough. I dont have examples of other file types to load in.
I use terragen.9 but there is a bug in the raw file export. SO i use world machine and i create a raw file but directx loads it and i get a mess!
I dont know what information i need to use a raw file into directx ?I know vertice nuber 128X128 and colors for height terrains.
I need this for directx to understand the raw file
number of vertices per row and column, cell spacing and height scale which i have no idea of how to get from a raw file?
I use terragen.9 but there is a bug in the raw file export. SO i use world machine and i create a raw file but directx loads it and i get a mess!
I dont know what information i need to use a raw file into directx ?I know vertice nuber 128X128 and colors for height terrains.
I need this for directx to understand the raw file
number of vertices per row and column, cell spacing and height scale which i have no idea of how to get from a raw file?
When you save the .RAW file, make sure that you save it without header information (or if you want the header (and you probably don't), the loading code should take that into account).
Also, if you just want to make sure that your code works, use an existing heightmap (you can find lots of those with google, usually attached to tutorials that show how to load then), and later worry about creating your own.
Also, if you just want to make sure that your code works, use an existing heightmap (you can find lots of those with google, usually attached to tutorials that show how to load then), and later worry about creating your own.
You can also use photoshop to create RAW files. Create a new file, and specify the width and height you would like (i think by default you need to hard code the height and width into the terrain generator youre using, as theres no header in the RAW file).
Then specify color mode as greyscale - 8 bit. You can then draw your heightmap using all the tools photoshop has to offer.
When your done, file > save as, then specify from the format drop down menu, "Photoshop RAW". Then click save. A box will pop up asking you if you would like to specify a header, say no (or set header to 0). And you're done!
Then specify color mode as greyscale - 8 bit. You can then draw your heightmap using all the tools photoshop has to offer.
When your done, file > save as, then specify from the format drop down menu, "Photoshop RAW". Then click save. A box will pop up asking you if you would like to specify a header, say no (or set header to 0). And you're done!
Author
ok i found world machine which creates raw files heightmaps. i load into some c++ code with size and spacing and it works.
I dont get an option for without header information but it works.
q)My problem is now a 256X256 with a few hills isnt that big. How can i make a bigger terrain or maybe put together 2 terrain maps?
q)I can use the tutorial code and understand important parts but is it necessary to understand the whole 500lines of code , as there is many calculations? I know what the parts are doing and what to change to make things work but i couldnt write it again off the top of my head.
I dont get an option for without header information but it works.
q)My problem is now a 256X256 with a few hills isnt that big. How can i make a bigger terrain or maybe put together 2 terrain maps?
q)I can use the tutorial code and understand important parts but is it necessary to understand the whole 500lines of code , as there is many calculations? I know what the parts are doing and what to change to make things work but i couldnt write it again off the top of my head.
It's actually very simple.
Create a structure that holds you image data, then load your heightmaps into that!
(Pseudo code)
Create a structure that holds you image data, then load your heightmaps into that!
(Pseudo code)
struct Terrain{ char data[256][256]; point2d pos; void render();};Terrain terrain1, terrain2;void load(image,terraindata){ image.loadInto(terraindata);}void main(){ load(terrain1.wan, terrain1.data); load(terrain2.wan, terrain2.data);}void render(){ setPos(terrain1) terrain1.render() setPos(terrain2) terrain2.render()}Quote:
but i couldnt write it again off the top of my head.
...Understanding how the code works is much more important then remembering the code. As long as you know how it works, you should be able to re-implement it in different ways to achieve your desired results.
I personally still recommend going against *.raw files for the reasons discussed in your previous post. It is good that you have got it working for the most part though :)
Author
Most terrains are flat and any big objects are further models.
i can create a terrain with a raw file but with problems; i created a 64X64 with textures and the thing runs 10fps!
I want to use a X file but i dont believe i can get the height of given triangle for camera movements
so my best bet is to create a file eg ter file and parse it into a directx mesh, and split it up .
Is this correct?
i can create a terrain with a raw file but with problems; i created a 64X64 with textures and the thing runs 10fps!
I want to use a X file but i dont believe i can get the height of given triangle for camera movements
so my best bet is to create a file eg ter file and parse it into a directx mesh, and split it up .
Is this correct?
Quote:
i can create a terrain with a raw file but with problems; i created a 64X64 with textures and the thing runs 10fps!
Hm...The type of file being used should not create this problem. (i.e., It does not matter the file type.) Your problem may be elsewhere in your main loop and rendering code.
Quote:
so my best bet is to create a file eg ter file and parse it into a directx mesh, and split it up .
This is up to you (Although I do recommend against *.raw files.) Nonetheless, unless you are loading the file every frame, it would not be the cause of your current problem.
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