TOTAL TERRAIN 2 - v0.32 - new download - SAVE and LOAD are available

Community Forums/Showcase/TOTAL TERRAIN 2 - v0.32 - new download - SAVE and LOAD are available

mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#1]
I was thinking of seeing if George would help sell this for me, but I would much rather it was freely available. I hope some of you will benefit from it.

SAVE and LOAD are in now: either in native .tot format or regular greyscale .bmp. You can also save and load the Colourmaps. Still to add saving of lightmaps, and I want to refine them anyway. Also still to add: undo/redo, help files and preferences, and refine the Sea Map - but as it stands it is a fully working app and you should be able to get on with making your terrains.

Click the Total Terrain picture in my signature to access it via Blitz Showcase and PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK! :)


Beaker(Posted 2003) [#2]
This is great, thanks!!


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#3]
v0.33 is up now, it improves the SeaMap texture which used to look a bit ugly. And I used DarkLordz's UPX shell to crunch the .exe down a bit. I don't know if the recipient has to have the same UPX shell installed on their machine, I hope not.


Beaker(Posted 2003) [#4]
Nah, should be fine. UPX is a standard tool for crunching EXEs.


darklordz(Posted 2003) [#5]
Hey 10x mrtricks for using my lil tool. And MasterBeaker is right. other ppl don't need upx installed and neither do you :P My lil shell has upx integrated into it...

Sooeeeh hows it working out for ya???

BTW Great works you've done with TT2, I liked TT1 but TT2 Is verry impressive stuff....


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#6]
Yeah, Darklordz, it's great! Obviously I haven't been too thotough with it yet, having only crunched one file, but it works really sweet! I especially like the items added to Windows right-clicking on an exe... Is that something you could only do in PB or UPX, or is it something that's quite easy to add from Blitz or Install Maker? I'd love to add "Edit with Total Terrain" to right-clicking BMP's and TOT's...

Actually while we're on the subject of Windows; If I have TT as an .exe, the folder it thinks is CurrentDir() when started up is different depending on whether I've double-clicked the actual exe, or a shortcut, or a start menu shortcut etc. Is there a way to start it up knowing which folder the ACTUAL EXE is in, regardless of it being moved around by the user? I want to utilise a .cfg file, but I'm thinking I may have to put it in the root folder which I think is a bit messy.

Also, how do command lines work? If I sort out Windows so that double-clicking on a .tot file opens Total Terrain, how do I get TT to open that .tot automatically?


Beaker(Posted 2003) [#7]
mrtricks - i've got a little problem. For some reason my graphics card has stopped working in windowed mode. I've tried fiddling with DX and drivers to no avail, so I may have to re-install windows at some point. In the meantime I couldn't trouble you for a non-windowed version could I?


darklordz(Posted 2003) [#8]
@mrtricks> The context menu items are added from within upx shell using windows api. All i do is create registry keys in the HKEY_Classes_Root\exefile\ I added 2 exe's in the package that shell my upx shell with the cmdlines -ADDREG and -REMREG (I know it could be done easier but the installer would not cooperate)

This context menu thing is something that could be accomplised with userlibs as well. If you want i can show you a small example.

About the Actual Program Dir is also easy....
Using windows api but you'd need to peeks the real path...
agan i'll post sample but it would be easier to, create a program tht just shells your main exe and then exits....

samples comming on when i get home


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#9]
@darklordz: I am really a bit ignorant when it comes to all this - you may as well have just been speaking ancient Greek :( but if you have samples that are easy to upload maybe I'd understand them...

@Masterbeaker: it is an option I intend to add to the preferences dialogue anyway, but what you say gives me pause. Does it not run at all in windowed mode? Because I was going to have TT run first in windowed mode, then save a .cfg file of all preferences and redo the graphics mode. If it can't run windowed on some machines that means the option couldn't be set. I'll have to think my way round that, but in the meantime if I get time today I'll upload a quick-fix for you...


darklordz(Posted 2003) [#10]
Hey mrtricks I hope you don't mind...
Created an installer. I find em so handy :P
http://www.balpoint.com/temp/Install.Total.Terrain.2.exe

try it. im looking up the api right now


darklordz(Posted 2003) [#11]
[EDIT] Fudge it.....
Will you use a external dll for registry commands in blitz


superqix(Posted 2003) [#12]
mrtricks:

Excellent tool. Here's some feedback...

1) I'd like to see a Terrain=LoadTOT() command for one-stop hmap, texture, and lightmap loading.
2) It would be great to add a "Insert Entity" tool that would let you place a B3D file (or at least a place holder for one) on the terrain.
3) Light casting direction for the lightmap would be cool.
4) Load your own, or disable the sea map.

Just some ideas. Still a great tool!


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#13]
1) terrain = LoadTotalTerrain() definitely coming soon.
2) Not so sure about this one... TT is intended as a pure Terrain solution... entities is getting into the realms of world editor and that might mean I never get it finished.
3) Yes, I'm going to overhaul the Lightmap routines pretty extensively at some point and make them more user-definable (and also cast shadows)
4)I'm in the process of overhauling the texture system right now. You can have up to 4 textures to paint with (like layers in Photoshop), although if you want to see the Lightmap and Seamap they have to sit in two of the slots. It's looking pretty sweet and TT remembers the textures you've used before and what scale they were at, even if you restart it. Textures you've loaded in a previous session are all stored in a simple dropdown menu.

Also:
- screen res is now definable;
- you can just drag a .tot or .bmp file onto the Program icon and it will automatically run with the terrain loaded
- optional autobackup of files you're overwriting

More soon! :)


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#14]
Hey Darklordz, that's a really nice installer. I particularly like the like Globe icon. Is that your own installer? I usually use ClickTeam's Install Maker but it's not quite as pretty as yours.

As to DLL's, I don't think so. I found that the SystemProperty() command and CommandLine() commands do everything I need in terms of locating config files etc.


darklordz(Posted 2003) [#15]
I use CreateInstall. I purached it a while back. So yes it is my own.....
Cool saves me tons of work.
But i was reffering to a registry dll...since blitz does not do that....


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#16]
I've just uploaded Build 35 and it's a big update.

Whole new texture system: 4 texture 'slots' can be loaded with either nothing, a new texture for painting, a loaded texture from the hard drive, the lightmap or the seamap. All textures (including lightmap and seamap) can be saved from this dialogue, and TT remembers textures you've been using the next time you open the app, keeping them in a simple pulldown menu.

Also, screen res is definable... keys are definable... there is a new paint tool (right mouse button)... a new additional mouselook mode for those not keen on the current one... bug fix for saved heightmaps... 32x32 terrains now possible... the file menu has thumbnail previews... and you can drag a TOT or BMP onto the program icon to open it automatically.

Click the Total Terrain logo below to get it (579Kb).

Here's a simple loader for the TOT files. I'll try and make it more succinct, but it should work fine. Takes a bit of time on 512 or above though, because of the ModifyTerrain() command.
Function LoadTotalTerrain(filename$)
	file=ReadFile(filename$)
	tsize=ReadShort(file)
	terrain=CreateTerrain(tsize)
	For a=0 To tsize
		For b=0 To tsize
			h#=ReadFloat(file)
			ModifyTerrain terrain,a,b,h#
		Next
	Next
	CloseFile file
	Return terrain
End Function


@Darklordz: I'm not sure why I'd need the registry...

PS. I'd be made up if a few people voted on the Blitz Showcase entry... :)


Beaker(Posted 2003) [#17]
All works lovely now. Thanks for the update. This is one nice tool.

All I would request now is that the cursor keys are emulated on WASD as well (better for us right handers).


mrtricks(Posted 2003) [#18]
Go to Options > Preferences (or press F11). You can redefine the movement keys however you like. (Personally I prefer arrows and I'm a right hander but there you go.)