Heightmap and Quads

[SquirrelStew]

Ok, why did you use Geocontrol and not TES Annwyn?

 

I am about to copy a real world location, and want the height to be as accurate as possible.

[RyuDoppler]

That was what I did, imported 16-bit Raw files from a program called Fractal World Explorer, and it looked pretty all right at times, and totally messed up other times, based on what sea level height you exported at. You have to chop up the map in a grid system, starting at 0_0.raw .

 

But Fractal World Explorer can not be the professional solution that you are talking about. Is there another external program that you are talking about, where you can create maps? I am just trying to get the big picture here.

 

Thanks.

The basic gist of the idea is using a combination of the Heightmap Editor and an image editor to help assemble a worldspace's heightmap. You would use the Heightmap editor to work on sections of the landscape, and a image editor to merge work from those sections into a worldspace scene to work off of. Mostly through import/export work coming from the Heightmap Editor. This example image should give you an idea as to what I mean by an image scene.

 

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/1602/rm369jo9.jpg

 

Beyond that, when one has worked out a heightmap to use it's all then just the matter of combining all the landscape quads into a usable ESP/ESM. There are certain functions within both the Construction Set and GECK that can help with this, but if I am recalling it correctly they aren't really documented very well. Might also be more buggy with the GECK as well. I honestly can't remember.

[SquirrelStew]

You would use the Heightmap editor to work on sections of the landscape, and a image editor to merge work from those sections into a worldspace scene to work off of.

-I'm confused. Should I not go 1. External editor, create the whole map and then 2. try to get it in to the geck and do the detail work there? it sounds backwards to start with the heightmap editor, buggy and all.

 

How much can be done outside of the geck? Can I edit textures outside, or will that not match up?

 

And should I use the Construction Set for Fallout?

 

Thanks once again. Its a jungle.

[jaysus]

i would suggest MOT to use the heightmap editor at all except maybe for importing a map, never tried that, but working in it is so utterly bugged i gave up after days of using it without any success... even the newest geck versions dont work at all... its a shame as creating a map quad by quad in landscape editing is kinda, well how to put it, mildly annoying? :P

however its better to get annoyed by that than spending hours in the heightmap editor just to see all your work vanish...

 

@squirrel

 

1. try to import a map if you like but refrain from using the heightmap editor for anything else, use landscape editing

 

2. you can edit textures outside of the geck, actually you cant edit any textures with geck, only exchange them or add new textures you created outside of it in gimp or photoshop

 

3. you only need the CS for lip synch files (movement of the lips according to the text), which you need for dialogues not for landscaping obviously...

[SquirrelStew]

Okay then, I'm getting wiser and wiser! :) I'll try to make an external map and import it, and then stick to the landscape editor.

 

Can you add other objects in these editors and import them, such as trees and vegetation (I am looking at a colder climate than the Wasteland)?

[Ghogiel]

Ok, why did you use Geocontrol and not TES Annwyn?

Why use TES Annwyn and not something else for height mapping? tbh I don't know anything about TES Annwyn, I didn't know it could even create heightmaps, I was assuming it was a importer/exporter or something there abouts.

 

I was looking at height map generation- non exactly related to TES modding, but it is all the same in the end really. TES Annwyn never came up. Just look around at height mapping in general, programs, And height maps in games. Most of what I read was just going that way, So thats where I looked.

 

I'll second the heightmap editor bugginess in the TESCS. I had my share of frustration. I don't know about the GECK, but sounds similar from what Jaysus said. I can see why you'd just landscape edit all the way. lol. :wallbash:

[SquirrelStew]

I was assuming it was a importer/exporter or something there abouts.

-I believe you are absolutely right, sorry for confusing you. As I am saying, I am just trying to get a grip of the possibilities.

 

A question on workflow. If create a map and get it into the geck somehow, and then add objects such as trees and buildings and loot, can I export (to for ex. Geocontrol) and import that map again, without everything being messed up (assumed that I do not change height on spots where there are objects)?

 

:thanks:

[SquirrelStew]

I have made some good progress and I want say thank you for the help.

 

I took a piece of height map from google earth, edited it a bit in GeoControl among others and ended up with a working landscape thanks to TESAnnwyn.

 

But before I perfect it I would like to know about my options, more specifically about textures and objects (and I do search and read a lot, but info for workflow with lands is hard to find).

 

Can I texture in a external editor (I think so), and then replace the textures with Fallouts textures? Or can I use Fallouts textures from the start, but externally?

 

I am looking at painting the whole world roughly with basic textures, and I'd like to use the FO vanilla ones. Or another good approach.

 

Thanks a lot!

[SquirrelStew]

Anyone?