RenoTahoe TS Completed (with enhanced tutorial)

[Guest Javier]

Kelvin..... :-eek that truly looks great!I love those mountains.. is the project on the AVSIM library?ThanksJavier.

[Guest]

Hello Javier Sorry but the project is not uploaded in the library. I hope I could but with my 56K connection and a gigantic file +/- 360MB it would be near impossible to do. This is a whole globe tile project and not separated into the 4 sub tiles. I'm also afraid that it would take too much space on the Avsim server disks. Hopefully I would get Cable or ADSL connection soon so I can share my works with everyone.pluto1168(kelvin)

[Guest]

Kelvin,This is the first time I've seen someone actually use some of Pascal's techniques. It looks very nice, those hillsides are great --a real shame that it is too large for you to upload.Don

[Guest]

Would there be a possibility of splitting up the file in smaller, more manageable chunks?Or perhaps burn it on CD for a small fee?

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Congratulations Kelvin!I really thought my tutorial was unusable because too complicated! Now you've done it! Great!!Did you use macros?Can you tell me what was the most difficult part in the process?I'm still working on this technique, and I think I'll be able to provide something easier (and even better), so that more people can be succesful with it! For now, I'm stuck with problems with my self-mounted computer, it lasted one month before I could make it work, and now a hard disk has crashed. I had a big fear until I realised I hadn't lost any important datas (and most of all, my enhanced TS files are safe!)If you want to upload your scenery, convert the big TGA file into JPG and distribute it with a TS project file with "use existing" checked in the render box and the same project name. This has the advantage (beside the much smaller size) that users can change the elevation's options to adapt to their own system. Users have to convert the jpeg file back to TGA with Irfanview. See Paul Brooks' recent sceneries.Best regards!Pascal

[dkohl 0]

Very nice work.May I suggest compressing your TGA files into JPEG images, and then sending the JPG's and the TerraScene TSP file to AVSIM. This smaller ZIP will still be tough to upload via modem, but it'll be much smaller than the finished PODs. If not, I would be happy to do this uploading on your behalf. We can arrange to have you burn the information to CD and mail it me. I will upload it on a fast connection for everyone's benefit. I'm sure many of us with higher-speed access would be happy to do this if you were willing to share. Best regards. -DK----David KohlFly! II v2.5.240Dell 8200 P4/1.8G, 1024MB RAM, Nvidia GF4 Ti4600 v41.09, WinXP Home Edition SP1.CH Pro Pedals and Yoke USB.

[Guest]

I would give Pascal credit for this scenery I made. To answer some questions the tutorial is actually very easy to follow. It took me 2 hours of studying to understand and perform all the steps in the tutorial. The first time I used it it's abit awkward becouse of all the steps needed to be followed. Beginning took me 1 1/2 Hours of work per section and I actually started to memorize all the steps and cut down time to 30 mins per section.I have questions for Pascal, Can you explain to me in detail how to do the emboss layer becouse in this project I cheated and used the filter>stylize>emboss instead of the layer>layerstyle>bevel and emboss. Using the bevel and emboss the program embosses the borders of the project instead of the selection I made(Forest2).2nd question what are macros? (sorry have no idea)Thanks for everyones support and offer to help distribute this work. First of all I would really like to share this work to everyone here in our flightsim community and would arrange a way to upload it to Avsim file library but it may not be soon.(busy with school right now)I'll be posting more pics soon when I get to fly again.Thanks Pascalpluto1186(kelvin)

[Guest]

Bump!pluto1168(kelvin)

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Kelvin,Sorry for the late reply, I had to reinstall Photoshop.<stylize>emboss instead of the layer>layerstyle>bevel and emboss. Using the bevel and emboss the program embosses the borders of the project instead of the selection I made(Forest2).>>It's a little trick I used here. Follow exactly these steps: First create a NEW LAYER: "GreyLayer" (50% grey) (you'll see why later :-) )Create ANOTHER NEW LAYER on top ("EmbossLayer"). IT MUST BE TRANSPARENT! (Oouups! Sorry, I forgot this detail in the tutorial!!)Load selection from "Forest2" channelI presume your have the "EmbossLayer" selected, ok, now fill selection with dark 25% grey (or even darker).Now you can apply to this layer LAYER>LAYER STYLE>BEVEL AND EMBOSS. The effect should now apply to the forest borders.Merge down (mode: NORMAL)Merge down again (mode: OVERLAY)Now you might have a similar result as shown in my tutorial.Now I explain: this operation has two functions: first darken the forest so that it's more contrasted with fields and cities. Second, apply the emboss layer effect which gives a better result than the filter in this case. The intermediate grey layer is there just to capture the effect and enable to choose the blending mode.Hope I was clear enough.<<2nd question what are macros?>>Sorry, I meant Photoshop "ACTIONS" (btw, I'm not sure wether the word "macro" is also used in english. In french, it means a very basic program, often made by recording actions in an application)I was able to automate the process with actions, but it was a pain because I had to deal with some bugs in 5.5 actions.May I ask you what Photoshop version you work with?Pascal

[Guest]

Hello it's me again and I have several good news for everyone. Uploading this project to the Avsim file library is very possible now. I reworked the whole scenery and fixed a lot of problems with the exsisting work(previous pictures). I would call the previous one a beta to the one im planning to release(Not Confirmed as of now).I have a technical question to any TS guru:I compressed the segments to .JPEG images but the only problem is they are different sizes with the same compression ratio would it be possible for users to convert this to .TGA with the same image file sizes? Does Terrascene take care of the image file size difference during merging of the textures?If I release this project everyone should expect a Terrascene Project Pak since the final pod is too big to upload especially on my modem connection.I'll be posting pictures of the reworked version soon and alert everyone when I made the final decision to upload the project.pluto1168(kelvin)

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Kelvin,If you convert a file from tga to jpeg, and then users convert it back to tga, the final file is exactly the same size as the original (tga is not a compressed format). Do that answer your question?Regarding conversion, I've just read Paul Brooks' photo sceneries readme file, and it mentions some problems to convert big files with Irfanview (trying to open them). BUT: there's no need to open them! Users should just download and install Irfanview's shell extension, which is separate from the program itself. Conversion has never been so easy: right-click the file, select the Irfanview menu and Convert to TGA. I just have to verify that it still works with recent versions before everyone tries it!Cheers!Pascal

[michal 44]

The area on the Nevada side should be much more brown - I know something about it - I ski on Mt.Rose every weekend. The colors are good for the Tahoe lake area but not Reno and beyond.Michael J.

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

Sorry, Irfanview doesn't have shell extension anymore. I tried with batch convert, but couldn't convert very large files! I'll have to look into that.Forget what I said!Edit: But if you distribute not too large segments, everybody should be able to convert them. The problem arises when we try to convert a full tile in one piece!Pascal

[Guest]

Hello Micheal nice to know someone actually lives(maybe not) close to the reno area. I knew about that detail with reno area about it being more brown but it is hard to make transitions between tahoe and reno with out making it too abrupt. I also skied at Mt. Rose the past few weekends we probably just missed each other.Pluto1168(kelvin)

[michal 44]

>transitions between tahoe and reno with out making it too >abrupt.I think FS2002 depicts the area much better with good colors - my personal opinion.> I also skied at Mt. Rose the past few weekends we >probably just missed each other. I will be there probably Sunday/Monday - they have got a ton of new snow. There is also another person who often skies there and is flight sim enthusiast - Dr. Shubinski (Dr.Bob) - he lives in Reno and makes great mesh sceneries for this area for FS. You can find his work in Avsim lib.Michael J.