I did check out a few topics related to this but couldn't quite find the answer so I'll just ask the question here directly; How do you make terrain in Nexuiz maps using gtkRadiant as the map editor? I'm guessing the latest original Radiant doesn't come with any features for terrain building and terraforming, and the only type of terrain the engine supports is BSP based terrain like every other surface. I was first hoping Radiant might have some built-in support for making terraformable terrain with raise, lower, smooth and flatten tools like you can do in other systems and engines which have terrain like that.

So what's the easiest way to make terrain in a map the way you want? I'd prefer something that doesn't require you to make the terrain externally then export - import it as I may want to modify the terrain over what I already have on the map and blend it carefully over other surfaces. Maybe there's at least a plugin for gtkRadiant to allow you to make a brush that can be terraformed "lively" from the 3D viewport? That would rock if possible... I also don't expect it to support multi-texturing as that's likely an engine limit, that's something I would do in the texture itself, just want a way to terraform terrain geometrically if that's possible. Thanks.

Short answer: No.

Longer version: You may use plug ins like gensurf or external generators like SavageX's java based one. Only way to make terrains "purely" in radiant is to make them brush by brush, or patch by patch if you try those. If you go the brush path make sure you use gtkradiant 1.4 or 1.6 and use face dragging. even with this, its a very time consuming process, so i would not consider it for anything large-large. results can look wicked tho so it may be worth it.

Personally i prefer the models path. Its just easier to get a nice looking mesh with a model editor (and easier to make ure its poly count is sane).

tZork: could you make some new maps. Nexuiz is starved of new good maps.
Maybe some origianal unreal-esque ones (like ariza or radikus) in style.
I wish TOEN got into svn

This Tremulous map includes much manual Radiant terrain: http://www.dasprids.de/files/Maps/ancient_remains
As does SimonOC's PoM Q3 map: http://www.simonoc.com/pages/design/maps_q3/pom.htm
The .maps are available for the above.

I scribbled some triangular brush terrain tutorials here: http://www.haosredro.com/mapping/index.html
IIRC automated terrain generators were used for the ons-reborn and arahia Nexuiz maps.

I totally recommend my terrain generator utility: http://savagex.planetnexuiz.de/ImgToMap.zip (source: http://svn.icculus.org/nexuiz/trunk/tools/ImgToMap/ )

You paint terrain in your favorite image editor as heightmap. Transparent parts of the picture are spared out, so you don't necessarily have rectangular terrain. It generates a skybox and visblockers beneath the terrain.

See http://forums.alientrap.local/viewtopic.ph ... t=imgtomap for a quick introduction.

SavageX wrote:I totally recommend my terrain generator utility: http://savagex.planetnexuiz.de/ImgToMap.zip (source: http://svn.icculus.org/nexuiz/trunk/tools/ImgToMap/ )

You paint terrain in your favorite image editor as heightmap. Transparent parts of the picture are spared out, so you don't necessarily have rectangular terrain. It generates a skybox and visblockers beneath the terrain.

See http://forums.alientrap.local/viewtopic.ph ... t=imgtomap for a quick introduction.

I finally tried that terrain generator utility today. It looks like something very good though I had one issue with it; It doesn't work because off a very simple PNG image it generates a 400mb .map file that kradiant cannot open in more then 5 minutes. I also set all generation details to min but its at least 390mb.

Also, Taiyo.uk, where can some IIRC automated terrain generators be found at? Are there any for Nexuiz around there? Is there anything else that can be used?

MirceaKitsune wrote:Also, Taiyo.uk, where can some IIRC automated terrain generators be found at? Are there any for Nexuiz around there? Is there anything else that can be used?

I think it may have been SavageX's.

I don't know much about them as all my terrain has been manual so far.

IIRC = "if I remember correctly" btw

Taiyo.uk wrote:IIRC = "if I remember correctly" btw

*laughs at that... didn't know that shortcut and thought that's a technology used for terrain generators Anyway yeah I was wondering if there are others out there too so if anyone knows I'd like to know all choices that exist.

MirceaKitsune wrote:I finally tried that terrain generator utility today. It looks like something very good though I had one issue with it; It doesn't work because off a very simple PNG image it generates a 400mb .map file that kradiant cannot open in more then 5 minutes. I also set all generation details to min but its at least 390mb.

Sane input image sizes are like 65x65 (up to 8192 brushes) or 81x81 (up to 12800 brushes) pixels. Terrain *really* is pretty low-res and no tool to generate brush-based terrain will make the .map files any smaller if you're going overboard with resolution.

SavageX wrote:Sane input image sizes are like 65x65 (up to 8192 brushes) or 81x81 (up to 12800 brushes) pixels. Terrain *really* is pretty low-res and no tool to generate brush-based terrain will make the .map files any smaller if you're going overboard with resolution.

That fixed it, my file was way too big. A 48x48 one is just perfect and does what it should. Its also not too low-res I think, its a good enough resolution from what I seen. Do you also have any non-java versions of that generator around too though?

Nope, no non-Java version available. Given that Java runtimes are available on every relevant (for map-making) platform I see little reason to port it.

I love your terrain generator.