19 replies to this topic

[Rob38]

This topic will be used for any questions I have regarding coding, mapping, scripting, modeling, etc.  Any help is greatly appreciated.    

 

My first question is about hardware fog.  Does anyone know if it can be adjusted at all during the game?  Is there also a way to turn it on and off during the game?  Hardware fog can create some very nice looking environments, and I want a hardware fog set up for the day time and then  one for night as well.

[Lauri]

Not to be picky, but wouldn't this be better off in the BFME2 modding section? So that all who venture there can see it and asnwer, and all who venture there can see the answer?

[Mathijs]

Yes, I thought the same. Rob?

[Ridder Geel]

Indeed i guess that's where it belongs

On the subject of the question though... Took a look, couldn't find anything obvious in the scripts that could alter it... maybe the weather effects the fog, but I don't think so..

[The Splat]

essentially this isn't so easy to do, the script is buggy and IT WILL not work in certain ways (IE you wont be able to have two different fog types so easy), Your method however is to do the following :

 

Make a Water Area with fog based settings , looking at the Evil campaign Rivendel Prelude mission to setup the water appropriately.

Set the water to the height of 0 

 

Make a timer script like so -   If true then set seconds countdown timer t to 100

make a water script like so   --     INACTIVE       IF TRUE then Raise Water doing damage of 0000 over 3 seconds

Make your last script the timer is up script -    If t=0 then enable script water

 

As you can see this allows for the "fog" to be adjusted in game HOWEVER there maybe pathing issues and all other kinds of mess ..

 

There is a map peggy made ( {IP}hendenbar ) which demonstrates this effect nicely with the blood pool (it was my lesson map before I stopped mapping due to broken computer) ... If I recall its called haradrim adventures in the sand.

[Rob38]

Fair enough.  I will be using this topic to post a variety of different questions in relation to my mod, but if I can get more responses in the BFME2 modding section, then it can be moved there.

 

@The Splat - I will test this method and see what happens.  I will post results once done testing.  Thanks for the idea.

[Mathijs]

Thread moved to BFME2/RotWK Modding.

[Rob38]

Has anyone tried to create terrain textures beyond 1024x1024?  Whenever I try to raise the texture to the next proportional size (2048x2048), the texture will not appear in-game.

[Ridder Geel]

Considering how relatively old BFME is, it wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't support textures of those dimensions, at least on terrain

But to answer your question, no I have not tried it, maybe I will if nobody else says they tried it and that its not possible

[Radspakr Wolfbane]

Terrain textures should tile so I couldn't imagine there being a need for terrain that big.

An option is to divide it up into pieces and put it in that way and letter them so RobDirt1A etc.

[Rob38]

So after lots of more testing, I appear to have learned more about terrain textures.  What I was trying to do was increase the overall resolution and quality of the textures.  The initial thought was to simply create larger textures images such as 1024x1024.  It appears, however, that this does not change the resolution of the textures on the terrain.  Instead, the texture simply repeats less.  In other words, a 1024x1024 texture has the same resolution and quality of viewing as a 256x256 texture file.  The tiling just does not repeat as much with a larger texture file.  Any thoughts on how to improve the overall resolution of textures?

[MattTheLegoman]

That's what I have been researching.

 

I have split up the parts of terrain texture into the following

• name.tga
• name.tga's alpha
• name_nrm.tga
• name_nrm.tga's alpha

The features:

• The texture itself - the bigger it is the less tiled it looks - so that's still a bonus - I didn't know you didn't know this. =p
• The normal map - which casts shadows and gives highlights.
• One of the alpha channels softens the specular - or the radiance of the texture - specular is good for ice, and a little bit is good for rocks and grass
• I have yet to test what the other alpha does.

[Pixel]

Instead, the texture simply repeats less.  In other words, a 1024x1024 texture has the same resolution and quality of viewing as a 256x256 texture file.  The tiling just does not repeat as much with a larger texture file.

 

Then, it's likely a limit of the engine, one would assume. It's probably hardcoded, so that no matter the size, whether it be 1024x1024 or 256x256, it is automatically scaled downwards. Perhaps it has something to do directly with the tile size in Worldbuiler. Just a stab in the dark, to be honest.

 

Edit: Just had a look and found the exact same result as you. The resolution really doesn't seem to matter much, it simply tiles far less, the bigger it is. But, quite honestly, that makes it look far better. If you use textures that you've perfected, so they're truly seamless....it should look better than the old, low-resolution terrain textures.

 

An option is to divide it up into pieces and put it in that way and letter them so RobDirt1A etc.

 

 

This method works, but can be a little messy and will require more than a fair share of blending.

Edited by Pixel, 20 May 2014 - 03:23 PM.

[MattTheLegoman]

I checked the alphas and I found that the texture's alpha controls the specular from the normal map. It is a mask to the specular lighting. The normal map's alpha doesn't seem to do anything.

[Pixel]

I've taken a look through virtually all of the data/ini files. There's nothing at all that would allow for the resolution to be increased through code. And, the power of two rule, doesn't work past 1024x1024, as aforementioned and tested by Rob.

 

It would appear this is indeed a restriction of the engine. Unless, someone else has a suggestion.

[Rob38]

Thanks to everyone who has looked into this and provided more information and feedback.  Looks like I will just have to move on and accept what I can do.

[Ridder Geel]

You could... (Sure call me an idiot if you want) Model everything in 3ds max, and place it under the terrain, then disable terrain rendering via scripts

(Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the massive lag which you may experience when doing so, but yes that should work)

[MattTheLegoman]

That is what we do when we use rocks and cliffs. =p

[Rob38]

I actually thought about that Ridder but the massive amount of work that would be required is just way too much.  Plus, I am not sure how units will look walking on top of the models.  There will most likely be tons of clipping.  It would work if you have absolutely flat or specific angle surfaces, but any sort of organic land would likely not look good with units walking on it. 

[Ridder Geel]

True, true... there are quite a few possible downsides