Baffled by photoreal ground polygons

[bob.bernstein 0]

extra polygons to cover gaps, when its not needed? Each to their own, but I'd look at that decision again if it were me!To change to a gmax approach now is nothing more than making a box at 512m x 512m, eliminating the lower 4 vertices, making a material from the images you already have made, and appling the material. The change Arno is reminding you to make is simple. Especially if you still have the fs2002 gamepack installed...just run the polygon model using the fs2002 gamepack, and check "keep files" in the makemdl options.The edit the line ADDOBJ to ADDCAT, and add a layer number...you can see this spelled out at ARNO's website under Gmax tweaks. Then just recompile using bglc. B

[ShezA 176]

Bob,I agree that is the easiest method and gives a very nice look. Of course the pain is the alignment of textures.Shez

[bob.bernstein 0]

I just started with 1 m/pixel imagry. Then I made 512m x 512m polygons. my latest work called for a grid 2 across and 4 down...so, I took a 1024 across by 2048 pixel down rectangle of my bigger 1m /pixel image and defined that as the imagry that would lie on all the polygons. Then its child play to divide that image into its 512x512 pieces, and they lay perfectly with no adjustment over the polygons. The polygons lay perfectly against each other using the align tool, and once aligned into their pattern, I grouped them so I could move the entire group wherever I wanted.No fuss, no muss...the imagry lined up as good as before I carved up the 1024x2048 image. B

[arno 1]

It's just a known limitation of the polygon features. You would have to use a TexPoly instead of a Poly to be able to give the mapping. Only GroundMaker had that feature (was really a great tool, unfortunately support stopped).I would never consider using this sort of polygons to place phototiles, just for that reason. It is better to make a simple grid in SCASM or in a 3D object designer (and adjust the code for ground polygons).

[arno 1]

For the Fs2004 gamepack it seems adding a zbias_ to the ground polygons is enough to stop the bleed through (of course a flattened area below it is still required).

[ShezA 176]

Yep. I actually had already cut up my image so it became easy. The problem I am resolving is how to use AFCAD/SGX with ground tiles. This will be the best solution as the taxiway drawing is so easy and the edges are nice and rounded. I am slowly cracking it...Shez

[arno 1]

>The problem I am resolving is how to use AFCAD/SGX with ground>tiles. This will be the best solution as the taxiway drawing>is so easy and the edges are nice and rounded. I am slowly>cracking it...It is not possible get AFCAD/SGX polygons or taxiways on top of ground polygons made with GMax (or SCASM). You can still make the AFCAD file for the AI of course, but no visual objects will be shown (unfortunately).

[ShezA 176]

That is correct Arno. Forgot to mention this earlier, the material must begin with the name zbias_ or the flashing will occur.As to the polygons under SGX/AFCAD I refer to your answer in the other thread. I am going to try and use Terrabuilder to do this. AFW and GMAX do not work.RegardsShez

[bob.bernstein 0]

my solution was to carve lines out of the material over the taxiways using gradient alpha channel and dxt3 compression.

[bob.bernstein 0]

but you can expose these objects by cutting a channel in your material using the alpha channel!B

[ShezA 176]

Would this not be a lot of work? If one can place ground tiles easily with Terrabuilder or SBuilder then all one would have to do is place the taxiways on top with SGX (AFCAD2 would not be easy to use as a background map could not be imported for accurate placement).Shez

[arno 1]

True, but especially when you place 1 meter resolution photos, I think the concrete, etc in there looks a lot better then the default textures. It has more variation and gives a more realistic look.You only want the markings to show on top of it, as these always look bad in the textures.

[arno 1]

Yes, of course this is easier, if you use SBuilder or TerraBuilder, but then you can not get a resolution of 1 meter per pixel. So if you want that higher resolution, you will have to do these other tricks.

[ShezA 176]

Is the texture resolution (and pixel clarity) not just a factor of the texture tiles used? I know you can use 512x512 textures, so if the texture was sufficiently well detailed the ground would be sufficiently detailed too.Shez

[arno 1]

Yes, but on the mesh you can only use 256x256 textures per LOD square. Thus you can never get higher then a 4.8 meter per pixel resolution. Using bigger textures has no influence, as the higher mips are just not used.