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FPSC Classic Models and Media / Xmas Present - Terrain

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uman
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:18
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Heres a simple Terrain I made for test purposes in FPSC.

I thought this would be useful if anyone cares to make use of it and it should serve as a base of study for anyone stuck with making successful Terrains.

Enclosed is the Terrain .x file model and all the files required by FPSC already set up to use it. Just copy the whole lot into your Entities folder (user or alike).

Thereafter you should be able to just load the entity as normal placing it in your level once selected and attached to the cursor by simply clicking (placing) its position in the exact centre tile of the FPSC World.

Its a full map size Terrain or thereabouts with a flat central area where you can place all of your buildings. There is also a small flat area around the boundary as I thought it looked somewhat better in game that way when viewed from atop of any buildings - at least it did in the particular level of mine it was designed for. Useful too for hiding from enemies or opponents in MP behind the small hills. Buildings will quite happily sit on top of a Terrain entity - if need be you can lower the Terrain slightly in script so any buildings, roads or pavements etc sit on top - it should be fine with the current script settings though.

The Terrain was designed so that an invisible boundary of segments would be placed all around the level at some point which works effectively, but you will have to make that yourself if you need it - thats easy enough to do.

This Terrain works perfectly well with me so dont blame me if it does not with you. As I made it and the texture you can do what you want with it freely.

2 Attachments.

Attachment 1. Screen shot seen before showing the Terrain in place in an MP level.

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uman
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:24
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Attachment 2.

Zip file containing all other files.

Enjoy yourserlves and have a Happy Christmas or equivalent wherever or whoever you are.

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glyvin101
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:26
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omg thx thats the pwn
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=ChrisB=
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:28
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LoL, cool!

Are you about to rock?

Then [b]I SALUTE YOU!!!
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uman
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:35 Edited at: 14th Dec 2005 04:36
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By the way the texture is only 512 pixels square so you may like to resample it to make it bigger or use your own to fit in with your level and make a new one much bigger and raise the quality at least 1024 square.

Not sure if FPSC can handle a Texture of a anything bigger than that as Ive not tried it but ideally with a full level Terrain you could do with a Texture at 2048 or even 4086 pixels square to get a high quality look.

That will give you a large file size but as .dds its not too bad.

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Acolyte Entertainment
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 04:39
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sweet Uman! would it be okay if i turned this into a segment or do you not want me to change it?

-------- The trick to level design is leave you real life behind... follow your imagination in winding path threw fiction.

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uman
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 05:23
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The model and texture were made by me as I said and I give it to the community to do with what they wish. So chop it up and make stew with it if you want - do whatever you wish with it. Make segment/s from it if you want.

I hope that new users or those who find it difficult to make Terrains may learn something from it by looking at the model to see how many polys its composed of etc.

Hopefully users will find it works OK and it will show that Terrains which some say are difficult are in fact easy to make and use in FPSC despite difficulties with working with them in the editor itself.

I would suggest that users test Terrains in an empty level first. Then build a level and add the Terrain after placing further things on top of it if needed. This because its difficult to work in editor with the Terrain in the level as it gets in the way.

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Safak
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 16:38
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Thank You uman !!!

I will try using it and merry christmas to all.

Regards,

Safak
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himynameisali
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 19:07
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Nice (screenshot) but where do you put it, I mean in the directories?


[i]" You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same "[i]
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Les Horribres
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 20:45
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The long awaited Uman Terrain...
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uman
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 22:36 Edited at: 14th Dec 2005 22:37
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Ali M,

Keep all the files together - put them in the Entities folder or a subfolder there - make your own folder if you like.

I use :

entities\MyEntities

In there I also use sub categories, so could you, but theres no real need - sub category folders just make it easier to find stuff quickly once you get a lot of entities made all mixed up together.

These files Are OK in one entity folder but remember when using FPSC that some kinds of object FPSC insists on being located in default directories - this is not one of them so any entities folder should do.

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glyvin101
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 23:12
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hey when i put it in its really huge i cant see anything else on my screen taht i made a player start and when i ran the game i just died i did not see the terrain even in there like i said tho when placing it it takes up ALL my screeen any ideas?
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Safak
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Posted: 14th Dec 2005 23:45
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Hi glyvin101,

Same here, trying to understand ....

Safak
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uman
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Posted: 15th Dec 2005 00:15 Edited at: 15th Dec 2005 00:18
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This is for everyone. Terrain Tips.

Firstly if anyone dies then put some default ground tiles in an empty level to walk around on to test it and you wont die. When the Terrain is then placed correctly you can delete the ground tiles if you like you wont need them.

A couple of things - firstly - I have said that its difficult to work with full level size Terrain as it makes it difficult to see anything else in the level.

Even placing it is difficult as the render shroud which lights it up to a ridiculous extent makes seeing and placing it difficult.- though if you zoom out - you should see its outline near to the world size extents all around. You may find playing with the render shround size may help you see more clearly.

Make sure it dont exceed the world size and when you place it that it does not extend anywhere on any side beyond the world boundaries so you must get it in the middle or it wont show up. If the model is too big try scaling it down in script which may help you get a feel for placing and working with it.

Though you dont need it place some default ground floor tiles in an empty level so you can stand on them and then place the Terrain - run level - if you cant see it then ask yourself where is it?

Either its not rendering cos its beyond the world size somewhere or its hiding above or below you - thats all the options. If its hiding place some floor tiles a few levels up and re run test level with terrain in there and look down to see if you can see it.

You may need to try placing it a few times to get it to show up as placement is difficult and as said FPSC wont render it if its outside the world boundaries anywhere at all.

Trial and error is how I learned to place it which why you should use an empty level to test it out before trying to place it in an existing level.

I got the Terrain in to a finished level perfectly placed as you can see in the Screen Shot. If I can do it, so can you.

I said its not easy but could not be said to be hard either - a little patience is required - thats all.

Hope that helps.

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gps
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Posted: 15th Dec 2005 03:32
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Here's how I did it (after falling off/through the terrain to my death a few times )

In the .fpe script I changed 'scale' from 100 to 25.

In the editor I zoomed out to the maximum and made sure the world grid was centred on screen before loading the terrain entity. At 25% scale it's not too hard to see. I placed the terrain, then went up a level and placed a couple of ground segments, then added the player start marker.

Hit test game, and I'm standing on a platform of ground segments above a dinky terrain. So I hop down and have a run about. Very cool See attached screenie for snapshot of my visit to Umanland...

Nicely done uman, thanks!

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uman
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Posted: 15th Dec 2005 06:01
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gps,

Nice Screen Shot - Very nicely done - and you can clearly see from that excellent shot the position of the Terrain and that it exists.

Once you have cracked it as you have you can then go back to script and scale up the Terrain as required up to max of 100%

Dont go above a scale that will take the entity outside the FPSC world size as I said as that will cause erratic behaviour in FPSC and may stop the Terrain rendering at all.

Good luck all.

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Safak
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Posted: 15th Dec 2005 15:26
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I did it ! it worked !

thank you all, just follow detailed instructions above.

Regards,

Safak
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himynameisali
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Posted: 15th Dec 2005 20:57
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How do you actually walk/run on the terrain ??


[i]" You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same "[i]
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uman
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Posted: 16th Dec 2005 02:19
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I dont understand the question - sorry

Try using the player movement keys on your keyboard.

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Nue B
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Posted: 16th Dec 2005 03:06
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UMAN, Will you Post a tutorial for creating such terrains Please?
And did you use 3DMax?

Nue B. or not Nue B. That is the question.
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uman
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Posted: 16th Dec 2005 13:06 Edited at: 16th Dec 2005 13:25
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I have written here previously regarding how I make Terrain. Sorry to make a detailed tutuorial that would do it justice using text and pics I dont have time for at the moment. Maybe another time.

My methods can be varied. I use whatever tools are necessary to achieve an end objective If one cant do it then I find one that can - most things can be done one way or another if an engine will support it - FPSC is limited when it comes to Terrains as with many other things.

Basically I use two methods by and large.

Make a Terrain Texture or Skin.

1. GameStudios model editor (MED) from hand created (or otherwise) greyscale heightmap generate a HMP terrain. Alternatively use MEDS own Terrain generation tools. Export in whatever file format is required for conversion to .x file. Easy.

2. I use MPSplit - a low cost terrain generation program (search on google) which has the capability to create massive terrains and output as many pieces for stitching together automatically in engines such as A6 GameStudio or in the case of FPSC will output a Terrain as single piece. The software is really designed to work with A6 and can also in that instance can also utilise auto features in A6 for auto stitching and LOD on large Terrains - features not available in FPSC. The same principles for using Greyscale heightmaps and export, saving apply - though HMPSplit also supports bump and mipmap usage on a Terrain which can be transferred along with the texture for application and visual enhancement for much improved Terrain quality in the A6 engine but not in FPSC needless to say. Still HMPSplit outputs a HMP Terrain file which can be used as is in engines that support them or converted to another format for use in any engine.

Further to this any modeller in which you can then open any format you can convert to for use therein can be used if you can use vertex manipulation to further refine a Terrains shape precisley though its generally not necessary.

One important tip for using Terrains in FPSC circumstances - design or plan you level first - ideally build your level first - using ground floor tiles to stand on wherever necessary - the default one if necessary. Put your world construction in to your satisfaction. i.e. your buildings and so on. Now you have your construction then you will know where to make the hills and where you need flat areas on your Terrain - Yes. Now in FPSC editor zoom out and screen grab the editor window so you have a pic of your level with all construction lines shown on it. Now you use that pic in the background of your Greyscale Heightmap making Pic prog (generated/painted in Photoshop or whatever)to see where you should make the heightmap place the hills - Yes. Easy - its not rocket science - just requires a little patience, thought and a method.

Dont be in too much of a hurry to get the Terrain done and yes I know you cant wait to get it into your game but not very practical - do the level construction first or you wont know where to make the bumps in your Terrain and you will end up tweaking it forever. - its just common sense.

Hope that helps.

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Silvester
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Posted: 5th Jan 2006 17:51
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errrrr
one thing:

its invisible unless i hold my mouse on the red point.
and its always 5 layers higher then i place it.......

My life is dedicated to dark,when i fail the world will be in lights hands.......
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Nukd
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Posted: 25th Jan 2006 18:59
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Nice one uman.

One thing still bugs me like with my own terrain experiments:

If you don't place floor tiles or player start marker you'll fall through the terrain and so will all the enemies too (enemies will fall through with or without the player start marker). Is there any way to fix this or do you have place floor tiles covering the entity area?
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