Planetside Software Forums

General => User-contributed Tutorials => Topic started by: hyper1 on December 21, 2006, 02:27:07 PM

Title: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: hyper1 on December 21, 2006, 02:27:07 PM
Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago Matt gave a call to arms to either make some entries into the documentation, or to make a tutorial.  Well, I decided to make a tutorial.  When I first began using Terragen 2 there was no documentation, and I just had to muddle though most of my questions.  In writing this tutorial I wanted to cover the aspects of TG2 which I found puzzling or frustrating.  Additionally, I have made some objects for use with the tutorial.  These are high polygon models that hold up well even at close range.  They are my little donation to the cause!  Enjoy them. ;D

In the tutorial you see my note to direct questions to my email address and if you do that its ok with me.
However, I will look to answer question within this forum as well!

It was pointed out to me that there might be some confusion about an omission that I inavertenly made in the tutorial PDF.  When you load the "Empty terrain" you must press the "Generate" button to get Terragen 2 to create the starting terrain!  Second, your camera will be moved to a different location during the tutorial.
Gary Poole

Here is the PDF alone, without objects:
[attach=1]

You can download the tutorial zip file with all example objects here:
[link expired]

- Gary
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Oshyan on December 21, 2006, 03:03:49 PM
Thanks Gary, this is very helpful. :)
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: terrabill on December 21, 2006, 03:43:12 PM
WinZip doesn`t recognise the download as an archive
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Oshyan on December 21, 2006, 03:47:25 PM
Quote from: terrabill on December 21, 2006, 03:43:12 PM
WinZip doesn`t recognise the download as an archive

Bill, what version of Winzip is it? I've opened this zip with several archivers and had no problems. It seems strange that the "mother of all zip programs" would have a problem.
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: terrabill on December 21, 2006, 04:14:49 PM
Oshyan---WinZip 8.1 SR-1 (5266)

Just downloaded it on a different machine and TugZip opened it without problem and looking back the manner of download suggests the file was corrupted and only partially transmitted

EDIT

Seems like  the fault lies in my copy of WinZip, I just upgraded it as a matter of course and I cannot recall using it since the upgrade, preferring TUGZip.
Just tried again on the other machine and the attempt to save cut short at 74.7kp after one second (no use) so instead of save, I went to open and downloaded to a temporary file---Download successful
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: hyper1 on December 21, 2006, 04:22:24 PM
Bill,
I used AlZip to create the file maybe WinZip just doesn't like its way of doing things.  Like Oshyan says I have'nt had anyone else complain YET, but if it doesn't work out for you I can always send you the broken up zip package by email.  Conversely, you could try another free zip program like AlZip or JustZipIt they are both real handy, AlZip has the advantage of being able to read a whole bunch of compressed formats.
Gary
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: carbon on December 21, 2006, 05:24:26 PM
For me Winzip and Winrar complain of 'unexpected end of archive'

d/l and installed tugzip and it can see the files and directory structure but when I come to extract them I just get an empty directory


[later]

Just d/l and installed ALZip

it gives 'Error Header corrupted'

Didn't you say you packed it with ALzip??

Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Oshyan on December 21, 2006, 05:32:14 PM
Quote from: carbon on December 21, 2006, 05:24:26 PM
For me Winzip and Winrar complain of 'unexpected end of archive'

d/l and installed tugzip and it can see the files and directory structure but when I come to extract them I just get an empty directory

Sounds like you have a bad download. What is the size of the file?
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: carbon on December 21, 2006, 05:34:43 PM
Quote from: JavaJones on December 21, 2006, 05:32:14 PM

Sounds like you have a bad download. What is the size of the file?

Sorry I edited my last post before I read this one....

file size is showing as 652,372

is this a Mac to Pc thing?
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Oshyan on December 21, 2006, 05:45:30 PM
Quote from: carbon on December 21, 2006, 05:34:43 PM
Quote from: JavaJones on December 21, 2006, 05:32:14 PM

Sounds like you have a bad download. What is the size of the file?

Sorry I edited my last post before I read this one....

file size is showing as 652,372

is this a Mac to Pc thing?

I believe the file was originally created on a PC so that should be no problem. The file size is way too small, indicating a broken download. Are you on broadband or dialup? The full file is 15.5MB.
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: carbon on December 21, 2006, 05:59:21 PM

Quote from: JavaJones on December 21, 2006, 05:32:14 PM

I believe the file was originally created on a PC so that should be no problem. The file size is way too small, indicating a broken download. Are you on broadband or dialup? The full file is 15.5MB.

hmmm curious

I d/l it again with a different name after your last post and got exactly the same filesize.

Just tried now and it comes in at 15,827,562

Winzips  ok  :)

thanks

Carbon
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: hyper1 on December 21, 2006, 06:17:31 PM
Carbon,
I tried it again myself.  The first time I did the download it downloaded 152K then blazed to the finish.  The resulting file of course was empty.  I tried a second time and it worked fine!  Go figure!  I unzipped the file with "JustZipIt" and it unzipped just fine with all files intact.  Maybe the bad downloads have some time-outs occuring.  However, anyone who would like me to send them just the PDF or the entire file via Email I'd be glad to comply, at least until this all gets sorted out.
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Gilly on December 22, 2006, 04:35:57 AM
oooohhh cant wait to give this a run through.  It all unzipped fine for me.

Thanks Gary

regards   


Gilly

oh just noticed, i justed used xp's own unzipper, just in case it has a bearing on things  ;)
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Fisherman on December 22, 2006, 09:29:32 AM
When I open the file "Empty Terrain" all I get is a flat surface. I followed the tutorial up to where it says " the finished image should look something like this." Mine doesn't even come close. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: FrankThomas on December 22, 2006, 09:33:45 AM
Fisherman - you need to hit the Generate Terrain button before you see it.

See above
"it was pointed out to me that there might be some confusion about an omission that I inavertenly made in the tutorial PDF.  When you load the "Empty terrain" you must press the "Generate" button to get Terragen 2 to create the starting terrain!  Second, your camera will be moved to a different location during the tutorial."
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: stargsr on January 14, 2007, 11:07:21 AM
Hi Gary,

First, I want to thank you for your tutorial.  I am on page 9 in populations.  On step 6, you take us back to the terrain node.  When i click on terrain, I am not sure which box to check to apply the object?  Could you give me a little more detail.

Thanks
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: burtward on October 27, 2007, 06:11:29 AM
Quote from: hyper1 on December 21, 2006, 02:27:07 PM
Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago Matt gave a call to arms to either make some entries into the documentation, or to make a tutorial.  Well, I decided to make a tutorial.  When I first began using Terragen 2 there was no documentation, and I just had to muddle though most of my questions.  In writing this tutorial I wanted to cover the aspects of TG2 which I found puzzling or frustrating.  Additionally, I have made some objects for use with the tutorial.  These are high polygon models that hold up well even at close range.  They are my little donation to the cause!  Enjoy them. ;D

In the tutorial you see my note to direct questions to my email address and if you do that its ok with me.
However, I will look to answer question within this forum as well!

It was pointed out to me that there might be some confusion about an omission that I inavertenly made in the tutorial PDF.  When you load the "Empty terrain" you must press the "Generate" button to get Terragen 2 to create the starting terrain!  Second, your camera will be moved to a different location during the tutorial.
Gary Poole

Here is the PDF alone, without objects:
[attach=1]

You can download the tutorial zip file with all example objects here:
[link expired]

- Gary


Dear Gary:

I am new to Terragen 2 and have downloaded your first tutorial, Basic Scene Construction with Object & Image usage.  My problem occurs on page 3 of your tutorial where you direct me to select "Create Shader" followed by selecting in the sub menu, select "Surface Shader."  My version of the Terragen 2 software (build 1.9.04.1 - Terragen 2 Technology Preview (Deep) with animation),  has in the sub menu, only two choices that contain a second sub menu called "Power fractal shader V3."

The first choice is called "Colour Shader" and the second choice is called "Displacement Shader."  There is no choice for "Surface Shader."  I have tried both shaders separately, and both have resulted in what appears to be a corrupted image (please see my scene file attached).

I have followed your instructions exactly, and every time I apply the shader just before the first render I get a corrupted render.

Can you tell me what, if anything, that I am doing wrong?

Perhaps, there is a software bug or maybe the software doesn't work properly with my operating system.  I am running Microsoft Windows Professional 64-bit on a dual Quad 3.0 machine with 32GB RAM and a QuadroFX 5600 PCIe video card.  I am using three Cheetah 15,000 rpm 300GB drives (two are striped RAID 0) and two Hitachi 1TB drives for storage.

I am hoping that the code writer(s) for Terragen 2 will make their software compatible with a PC 64-bit operating system and be able to take advantage of the 8 cores that I have, as well as take advantage of the 32GB RAM.  I am also hoping that they will provide compatibility with render farms so I can use my render farms to produce backgrounds in 2048x1556 resolution for the feature films that I will be making.

Any help that you can provide to me would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Regards,

Burt Ward
email:  vfx2@gentlegiantsrescue.com
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: rodpacker1 on March 17, 2009, 11:18:43 PM
Hm, does the download for the pdf still work?  I am getting a 159kb file instead of 300kb and can't open it?
regards
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Arandil on March 18, 2009, 05:19:24 PM
404 error on the zip download now.  Are you reposting?

Arandil
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Arandil on March 22, 2009, 04:46:13 PM
404 still on the zip. ???
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: benagle on April 10, 2009, 10:57:48 AM
The example objects don't exist....I guess this is old information.  2006? 
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: j_petrucci on April 26, 2009, 01:13:45 PM
The ZIP file does not exist anymore... :(
Can it be mirrored on another server?
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: Oshyan on April 26, 2009, 10:12:35 PM
The file has been restored.
Title: Re: Surfacing,Objects,Populations
Post by: fengcheng14 on March 19, 2011, 04:15:54 AM
谢谢楼主,我终于找着组织了,哈哈。