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I think it's easiest to create a flat "platform" below the opbjects using the landclass way to automatically let FS add coastal waves. Otherwise it will be a huge job i'm afraid...
Regards,
Maarten
Regards,
Maarten
-
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WIP: South Farallon Islands
- Thread starter ProfessorKhaos
- Start date
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All good ideas guys! I've got some coastlines already defined in G2K4 given my 1st attempt... with a little bit of modifications I could adapt that to work together with my terrain object. In fact I had both my old and my new version going simultaneously and noticed that the waves worked pretty well (flatten file from object based approach took care of the height from the 1st file)
Pretty much have the model done... still have some textures and some buildings/objects to place.
Maybe some more refinements/detailing in textures. Pics from a friend were definately a help getting some of the colors corrected but it's just a start.
Looking for a few beta testers... PM me if you'd like to try it out. Probably requires a better graphics card given that the model uses a good number of polygons.
Prof K.
Pretty much have the model done... still have some textures and some buildings/objects to place.
Maybe some more refinements/detailing in textures. Pics from a friend were definately a help getting some of the colors corrected but it's just a start.
Looking for a few beta testers... PM me if you'd like to try it out. Probably requires a better graphics card given that the model uses a good number of polygons.
Prof K.
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Hey, looks great so far. Can't wait to see it finished.
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- 86
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Thanks! 
A little further along... you can see all the really little islets in this pic.
Modified the shoreline color a bit... added wave foam around the island (still going to add wave effects).
Am getting some pretty good suggestions from folks. All have contributed to the end result
A little further along... you can see all the really little islets in this pic.
Modified the shoreline color a bit... added wave foam around the island (still going to add wave effects).
Am getting some pretty good suggestions from folks. All have contributed to the end result
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- 86
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Direct link to latest beta (islands and surf)
http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=76732&CatID=fs2004scen
http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=76732&CatID=fs2004scen
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Just a few issues surfacing from the last beta version:
The surf around the island was deliberately placed a fair distance (1.5 meters) above the ground to make sure it was visible from high altitudes without flickering (video card has a difficult time telling which is in front of which when seen from a great distance away).
I may change this method to use LODs to either get rid of the surf beyond the useful view distance or substitute a higher surf level for objects that are farther away. This seems a bit tricky as LODs don't really translate to distance so much as screen resolution it seems. Perhaps CAT might help me here... I could always animate the surf height based on the viewing distance (I think... haven't tried it before).
2nd issue has to do with island colors. I've lots of reference images, yet they seem to be pretty inconsistent in terms of color. My guess is that the island goes from green to brown with the seasons and that the rock changes from light tan to dark grey when whetted by rain or mist. I'm likely going to just pick one and stick with it.
I've also optimized the island object's mesh, effectively cutting the polygon count down to about half the old value.
Attempts to directly convert a simplified version of the island mesh into a platform haven't gone well. The consequence of this is that you'll probably not to land anywhere but on the helicopter platform and you'll be able to fly through the mountain (no crash boxes either... maybe that will change but it will take some effort to map out. GMAX was doing it wrong).
Prof K.
The surf around the island was deliberately placed a fair distance (1.5 meters) above the ground to make sure it was visible from high altitudes without flickering (video card has a difficult time telling which is in front of which when seen from a great distance away).
I may change this method to use LODs to either get rid of the surf beyond the useful view distance or substitute a higher surf level for objects that are farther away. This seems a bit tricky as LODs don't really translate to distance so much as screen resolution it seems. Perhaps CAT might help me here... I could always animate the surf height based on the viewing distance (I think... haven't tried it before).
2nd issue has to do with island colors. I've lots of reference images, yet they seem to be pretty inconsistent in terms of color. My guess is that the island goes from green to brown with the seasons and that the rock changes from light tan to dark grey when whetted by rain or mist. I'm likely going to just pick one and stick with it.
I've also optimized the island object's mesh, effectively cutting the polygon count down to about half the old value.
Attempts to directly convert a simplified version of the island mesh into a platform haven't gone well. The consequence of this is that you'll probably not to land anywhere but on the helicopter platform and you'll be able to fly through the mountain (no crash boxes either... maybe that will change but it will take some effort to map out. GMAX was doing it wrong).
Prof K.
- Messages
- 86
- Country
reworked the island texture a bit and applied a few fixes to the surf... still getting a weird corner show up in the surf though the alpha map is supposed to be transparent there.
- Messages
- 38
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Hi!
It is looking really nice now! Congratulations. Little question, why are your islands brownish/greenish while the real ones on the photo are just grey rocks? Is this an seasonal issue or something like that?
Regards,
Maarten
It is looking really nice now! Congratulations. Little question, why are your islands brownish/greenish while the real ones on the photo are just grey rocks? Is this an seasonal issue or something like that?
Regards,
Maarten
Pharallon
Gorgeus
Could you consider to share sources so i can
1) learn learn learn
2) convert it for cfs2
please consider that
again great work
here my mail
luca.mengotti@amrose.it
Gorgeus
Could you consider to share sources so i can
1) learn learn learn
2) convert it for cfs2
please consider that
again great work
here my mail
luca.mengotti@amrose.it
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- 86
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There is a significant seasonal element to the island color but also from weather. With all that water around the island it takes on a color cast that depends on the day. The first image was on a very overcast and stormy day.
Here's the ref pic I'm currently using.
As you can see, matching colors is a bit of a challenge with such substantially different images.
Here's the ref pic I'm currently using.
As you can see, matching colors is a bit of a challenge with such substantially different images.
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- 86
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At some point I might release the island object. Right now it's still a work in progress. I do like the idea of making it available to the CFS crowd when it becomes a mature product.
Only stipulation is that it is copyrighted freeware (not public domain) and as such cannot be sold nor distributed at a cost to the end user. I've had trouble with sites selling my stuff under the guise that they're only selling a high speed connection. www.simnetwork.net and www.simnetwork.com are not permitted to distribute my stuff (they immediately banned me when I asked how I was supposed to download my own file for free).
Any derivative works must abide by the same rules.
www.simviation.com is the exception to the rule since they make it clear that the file can be had for free on the front page.
Only stipulation is that it is copyrighted freeware (not public domain) and as such cannot be sold nor distributed at a cost to the end user. I've had trouble with sites selling my stuff under the guise that they're only selling a high speed connection. www.simnetwork.net and www.simnetwork.com are not permitted to distribute my stuff (they immediately banned me when I asked how I was supposed to download my own file for free).
Any derivative works must abide by the same rules.
www.simviation.com is the exception to the rule since they make it clear that the file can be had for free on the front page.
- Messages
- 86
- Country
lol. there'll be houses and such. Of course if you land there when you're not supposed to the feds will cart you away... being a wildlife refuge and all.
Got your PM luca... sent you one in return. I'd be more than happy to share my source files... just want the project at a more finished state first.
Of course if you land there when you're not supposed to the feds will cart you away... being a wildlife refuge and all.
Got your PM luca... sent you one in return. I'd be more than happy to share my source files... just want the project at a more finished state first.
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There will be a landable helicopter pad there however to entice the lawbreakers in us all Hows that for a catch 22? Land off the pad and you'll fall through the earth though... 
The coast guard does land there occasionally for maintenance work on the lighthouse.
Hows that for a catch 22? Land off the pad and you'll fall through the earth though... The coast guard does land there occasionally for maintenance work on the lighthouse.
Prof, been following this with great intrest as its given me a clue as to howto add some small rock outcrops via Gmax to an area where i am remeshing.
My textures are from a screen capture of default textures and look reasonable ( yet to decide about seasonal textures ). I am impressed with the wav / surf effect you have.
I also have come to the conclusion of a default shoreline just behind the invisible edge of the islands to allow a wav effect if the line lenght is large enough to accomodate the FX file.
Looking great !
rgds Jeff
My textures are from a screen capture of default textures and look reasonable ( yet to decide about seasonal textures ). I am impressed with the wav / surf effect you have.
I also have come to the conclusion of a default shoreline just behind the invisible edge of the islands to allow a wav effect if the line lenght is large enough to accomodate the FX file.
Looking great !
rgds Jeff
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- 86
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Finished up the other islands... now on to houses
- Messages
- 86
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Just posted the north and middle farallones to www.avsim.com
If you want the entire island chain, just search for the following files (assumes you have an account at avsim... get it... it's free)
'se_farallones_beta_3.zip'
'N_M_Farallones_Beta3.zip'
or...
you could always wait for beta version 4 which should include buildings on Southeast Farallon Island
Prof K.
P.S. It may take a while for the 'N_M"Farallones_Beta3.zip' file to show up given that I uploaded it on early Thanksgiving morning.
If you want the entire island chain, just search for the following files (assumes you have an account at avsim... get it... it's free
)'se_farallones_beta_3.zip'
'N_M_Farallones_Beta3.zip'
or...
you could always wait for beta version 4 which should include buildings on Southeast Farallon Island
Prof K.
P.S. It may take a while for the 'N_M"Farallones_Beta3.zip' file to show up given that I uploaded it on early Thanksgiving morning.
- Messages
- 86
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Hi all, just a quick ground poly alpha question...
My surf renders fine using the ground polygons generated by FS2002 SDK with the discussed tweak.
One of my beta testers sent me the following photo however showing that the alpha appears to be making the transparent parts black. Almost as if the alpha channel was being rendered in the diffuse channel's spot.
Is this likely a model issue or a video card issue? Person was using ATI Radeon 9600... 128 Meg.
I'm currently using NVidia GeForce 6200 with no issues.
Any suggestions?
By the way, the texture for the ground poly is pure white in the RGB channels with only the alpha channel modified to show where surf should be present and to what degree.
Prof K.
My surf renders fine using the ground polygons generated by FS2002 SDK with the discussed tweak.
One of my beta testers sent me the following photo however showing that the alpha appears to be making the transparent parts black. Almost as if the alpha channel was being rendered in the diffuse channel's spot.
Is this likely a model issue or a video card issue? Person was using ATI Radeon 9600... 128 Meg.
I'm currently using NVidia GeForce 6200 with no issues.
Any suggestions?
By the way, the texture for the ground poly is pure white in the RGB channels with only the alpha channel modified to show where surf should be present and to what degree.
Prof K.
- Messages
- 86
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lighthouse under construction....
This one is a bit more modern albiet less dramatic. Will have an exposed beacon on the top instead of the traditional glass top... more authentic that way.
The blue squares on the building are a makeshift solar panel array.
This one is a bit more modern albiet less dramatic. Will have an exposed beacon on the top instead of the traditional glass top... more authentic that way.
The blue squares on the building are a makeshift solar panel array.