Delta Force Barracks Forums

So You Wanna Be A Terrain maker

LoA - 1-29-2004 at 02:58 PM

i been makeing terrains since df1 and im going to tell you the MAIN tools i use hopefully by the time your done you will have something like this http://www.terranova-exp.com/~loa/expbhd08_LoA_jurasicpark.jpg so here we go im going to attempt to list some stuff that you will need to make terrains for bhd and for the most part any of the df games.
first off is some kind of paint shop. i prefer adobe photoshop over paint shop pro but psp works just fine.in those programs you can create your height map "the grey scale" which is your height map. allways referd to as terrainname_d in all the df games but bhd.bhd uses a cpt tool which i will get too. you will allso use then for your color pics which are allways referd too by terrainname_c.you will need to your paint shop to make those,you can use bryce to make color pics for your terrains as well as terragen but they will allways need to be touched up in your paint shop. personaly i prefer bryce 5 to terragen all though terragen does a fine job.all so in both programs you can create height maps but i feel they just dont come out as good as the ones you may learn how to do by hand in a paint shop kinda bland all thugh i use them for a hill here and there,but none the less kick butt for color pics, now those are the only tools you need to make terrains for df games other then bhd.im geting to bhd after the links to those apps

for adobe photo
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html

for Bryce 5

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel/Products/productInfo&id=1042551234521&content=Features

for terragen"the only free one"

http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/

now on to bhd terrains these are a little harder because of the poly terrain simply put nova is useing a new style terrain engine and with the tools available its 99.9% inposible to make a flawless terrain 100% glitch free so dont get discouraged when you see some errors do your best and work around it as a mapper.i cant explain it better then major headache does in his tut for makeing bhd terrains so heres his link.
http://www.dfarena.com/dfaweb/terrains.htm

now the link for the great fwo ravens cpt converter http://www.dfarena.com/~files/FwO_CPT_1.zip

please keep in mind that you need to make your height map a bmp for the converter and my advice is to convert under 40% any higher and terrain might look fo****eyed.well you think im going in to technique or how ever its spelled your crazy, that must be learned from trial and error and from ones own creativeness. but if you need a hand give me a shout i will try to help out. oh yeah let me know if this helps out. love to see a terrain forum moveing along.

LoA - 2-6-2004 at 08:49 AM

well the mod tools are here, nova has released there "terrain maker" which is nothing more then a cpt converter yes it works, but please keep in mind you will still need all info above except for the fwo ravens cpt converter.

now a quick review the cpt released by nova works fine with the exception of the amount of time it takes to convert 5 to 10 min. and the worst part of it is it dumps 680 files in to the export folder with the cpt and well thats all that matters i guess.so other then haveing to delete 680 files every time you convert a cpt it works pretty good.

Brilliant

Pseudopath - 2-10-2004 at 07:46 PM


Just what I was looking for.

Thanks. will give it a go asap.

LoA - 2-11-2004 at 12:27 PM

great glad to see this is some help to folks,any questions dont be afraid to ask.asking is the best way to learn

I'll ask then...

Pseudopath - 2-16-2004 at 07:13 AM

Any ideas why this isnt working?

pseudo_terr.zip (4.42 Mb)

Thanks for your help.

Can Someone......

*SD*LONGBOW - 2-16-2004 at 11:55 AM

Ok guys listen up.I have no clue how to make a terrain so could someone E-Mail me a terrain that is like grass.My E-Mail is socomkid15@yahoo.com

LoA - 2-16-2004 at 12:35 PM

ok just looked at your terrain and works fine for me,only with 2 issue though,

1 your height of the terrain is low which will give you problems if you attept to put tunnels and anything else that sinks below absolute 0 z height, a good way to cure the terrain would be to add a new layer probably white then under layer options use something like overlay,softlight or diffrence one of those layer options will lighten things up a bit then flaten layer and play with the image brightness/contast option. all so make sure you check the offset to see if it created a new seem. all so i sugest you stay away from the blackest of black that will give you the lowest height in the game and well as you can tell thats no good.

2, while looking at your terrain file you had water height at -10. well thats no good cause it will max the height out on the water and every map you make you will have to make sure you have water 0 checked in the med options,if the reason you tried -10 was cause it was comeing up through the terrain when you didnt want it was cause of the absolute 0 height on the terrain.

the files of yours i put in my directory was,
pseudo.cpt
pseudo_c.tga
pseudo.trn
pseudo_f.pcx
pseudo_m.pcx
pseudo.tga

i all so tooka ss while in there and dont mind helping on the height map if you have a problem converting it over to a higher height.lol if you havent seen your terrain let me know i will send the ss.

if i didnt answer the question let me know will try again but like i said other then those problems looks fine to me

LoA - 2-16-2004 at 12:40 PM

*SD*LONGBOW that isint very direct, grass terrain for what game? df1 df2 dflw bhd?all so all the games come with grass terrains.or are you looking for a terrain to learn from? not sure what your looking for.....

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Pseudopath - 2-16-2004 at 01:03 PM


not only have I not seen my terrain I have tried again, and failed, to view it!!!

I cannot understand why you can view it but I cannot!

I have another pack already a VERY basic one but if you dont mind tryng that I would be grateful. If it works I need to look at my set up...

let me know...

PS a SS would be appreciated, thnx.

ohhh and

Pseudopath - 2-16-2004 at 01:04 PM


No other terrain forums are active so thank you for your help!!!

hum...

Pseudopath - 2-16-2004 at 01:20 PM


when I add the indiviual files they work but the pack dont...

LoA - 2-16-2004 at 04:57 PM

well at least u got to see it finaly, im haveing some problems with pacs myself so i think you might want to try the dfb moding forum http://www.dfbarracks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=114

sry cant help you with the pac thing but i have been haveing issues with them in the past week

LoA - 2-16-2004 at 05:00 PM

by the way when your working on files such as terrains clouds or reskining default models just use the /d in your dfbhd short cut like this

"C:\Program Files\NovaLogic\Delta Force Black Hawk Down\dfbhd.exe" /d

it just seems like a hassle free way to test files easy to put in and take out

Pseudopath - 2-16-2004 at 09:26 PM


Thanks for all your help mate, I appreciate it.

Pack problems sorted!

Pseudopath - 2-17-2004 at 12:55 PM

Simply make a folder called "Mod" in your main BHD folder, put your pff file in it and then add "/mod your_MOD" to either your game or MED shortcut, where your_MOD is your_MOD.pff and voila!

Hope that helps mate!

LoA can u help me?

mew - 3-3-2004 at 07:40 AM

LoA can u help me? cuase i`m only 12 but i want to make terrainens but i don`t kno how so could you maybe send me a "very easy!" guide on how to make a terrainen? plz and if u can send it to coolmew774@hotmail.com

help

desert_eagle - 5-14-2004 at 01:28 AM

hey i'm a map maker
but for my next map a need a special terain
where do i download terainmaker
so i can make that terain

LoA - 5-14-2004 at 03:14 AM

if you read the top of this post it explains what you need to make a terrain.there is no terrain maker other then a person that does it

Distant Storm - 2-8-2005 at 08:10 AM

can i ask is there any adobe or word documents of simple tut's on terrain making, as listing how to do it on here is simple but it is much easier with screenshots and good old fashoned Simpleness

i just started terrain making as u know generating terrain then it has save import export export as a raw file and then when you done all that its like what now :(
can anyone give me a doc or adobe formated tut ? with simple language but detailed instruction

wubbaldo - 4-24-2005 at 07:40 AM

Good afternoon all:
1. In the header of this thread there is mention of

this link, but it no longer functions
http:// www.terranova-exp.com/~loa/expbhd08_LoA_jurasicpark.jpg


2. for Bryce 5

http://www.corel.com/servlet /Satellite?pagename=Corel/Products/productInfo&id=1042551234521&con tent=Features

The link no longer takes you to bryce 5, unless I am seeing things, or do not know the name of the program I'm looking for.

Also,
now the link for the great fwo ravens cpt converter http://www.dfarena.com/~fi les/FwO_CPT_1.zip

This link does not function either..

LoA - 8-6-2005 at 08:35 AM

yeah i know sry things change hard drives die and stuff is lost :(

Jet~Man - 8-20-2005 at 08:47 PM

Ok, so I open PSP and then do what? lolol... j/k.

Map making would be fun once you learned how I'm sure. Getting started is a pain.

Any more links or advice for making DF2 terrains?

Thanks for any help.

lockdown - 8-28-2005 at 08:07 AM

i would very much like it if sum 1 could create a flattish-snow terrian for jotr/jo:e

or at least give me a summary with short notes and simple ways to create ur own..

coz i dont no if im doin it right or not jus doesn't seem like its workin with the fwo_cpt i can't find no cpt files anywhere on my comp yet when i look manualy i can c them.
cheers

~lockdown

help lol

SUA-Squad_Admin - 9-6-2005 at 03:58 AM

im dying to know how to make a sig lol but that isnt really the subject here but if someone could help me that would be nice lol

-ba-col-spyder - 12-30-2005 at 11:31 AM

ok...this sounds kool but..where do u download the terrain maker??

Pseudopath - 12-30-2005 at 06:42 PM

Please see post by LoA :-

Quote:
Originally posted by LoA
if you read the top of this post it explains what you need to make a terrain.there is no terrain maker other then a person that does it

where do i??

-ba-col-spyder - 1-8-2006 at 10:07 AM

ok...firsts off,do i have to download terrain maker or sumtin??? HELP!!!
:(:(:(:(:(
THX I APPRECIATE IT

;¬|

Pseudopath - 1-8-2006 at 10:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by -ba-col-spyder
ok...firsts off,do i have to download terrain maker or sumtin??? HELP!!!
:(:(:(:(:(
THX I APPRECIATE IT


Not sure if this will help you but try it anyway :-

DFBHD MOD Tools

- Pseudopath.

killer39 - 8-24-2006 at 11:29 AM

i downloaded Terragen. I need help on how to make the terrain converted to work in JO IC. I have made the terrain already but I am stuck. HELP!!!!

LoA - 8-24-2006 at 01:36 PM

im sorry i can not help i do not use terragen

killer39 - 8-25-2006 at 09:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by LoA
well the mod tools are here, nova has released there "terrain maker" which is nothing more then a cpt converter yes it works, but please keep in mind you will still need all info above except for the fwo ravens cpt converter.



I can not find the "terrain maker"

LoA - 8-25-2006 at 11:12 AM

it comes in the bhd mod tools and is called TrnGen