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Vollständige Version anzeigen : GeoControl Build 11


cajomi
2.April2007, 12:55
This now was a long time since the last build, and there are a lot of improvements:


Reduced memory usuage
GeoControl now needs for the erosion of a 8192 terrain 335MB less memory. I hope, that it is now absolute stable on 2GB ram systems


Improved erosions

All erosions now produce flowmaps, separated for each erosion. The flowmaps are all improved. For example try the map of Fluvial Hard Terraces.
If the same erosion type is used more than one time, each erosion produces a own flowmap.
Flowmaps are also generated, if the erosion is not in the last level (needed for example for selections)
A erosion can be proceeded in its own selection (the selection starts with the first level after the first run of the erosion)
Soft fluvial and Thin Tlows/Thin Flows Fast are deeply improved. In general there is no more need to use the "Add Noise" filter to avoid to straight flows. The random is now in the erosion itself. Both erosions can now "live" for a while in a flat area, with a extrem low slope, even in horizontal areas.
To get this work, the slope dependence must be increased or the power of the erosion reduced. You will see, that Thin Flows reacts very strong to this settings. The speed was also increased.
Also the other erosions now work better, and faster.
Soft Fluvial and Thins Flows can now prodcuse Mäander like flows (mostly visible with a flowmap). To be not misunderstood: There is no "delta like" sediment adding.3D Render Engine

The render engine has been completly reworked.
You will see this at once. Take a look at the render panel and play with the sliders.
The sun position is not so optimal. The next build will have control over it.
Also the sliders are not optimal. The camera settings will get another method.

Shading

GeoControl now offers a complete shading/texturing system. Although the shaders can not be exported in this build, all settings are saved. With the next build, the rendered images and the shaders can be exported/saved.
The shading is layer based. That means the shader at the bottom of the list is the topmost shader. Where the shaders appears is controlled with a general alpha setting and the selections, which are used in the alpha channel.
Every selection can be controlled in the shader panel with three sliders: black, grey and white, for setting the black, middle grey and white point of a selection.
The way, a blended alpha channel "blends", can be set with the "noisy blend" slider. This changes the blending form smooth to a fractal noise, which is controlled with the alpha channel.

Have fun
Johannes Rosenberg

downloadlink: www.cajomi.de/Up/GeoControlAlpha_Build11_Setup.exe (http://www.cajomi.de/Up/GeoControlAlpha_Build11_Setup.exe)

monks
2.April2007, 15:26
Awesome work Johannes- I'll have a play later today :)

monks

digitalis
2.April2007, 17:47
Johannes,

Will be tested in the course of this week.

I certainly hope that the 'keep seed' now works, because in Build 10 it didn't , and that was unpleasant.

You indicate some very radical improvements (3d render engine), that makes me curious.

Kind regards.

cajomi
2.April2007, 17:57
The reported bugs, and some unreported, were fixed. I have changed a bit the general behavior. Now, the slider settings and checkboxes are stored, no matter, whether the terrain was generated or not with this settings. So keep seed now works as expected.

Kathye
2.April2007, 18:10
Ah... 'absolutely stable on 2GB systems" is that the system requirement for the new GeoControl?

I thought I just had trouble with version 10 because my hard drive needed emptying and clearing out but maybe my 1GB RAM is too puny these days?

Thanks for the new update, I shall look forward to trying it and seeing if I can run this one. (And dream of the cash to buy myself a dual core, with massive RAM :) )

cajomi
2.April2007, 18:42
The 2GB ram are needed for 8192 * 8192 terrains. The memory improvement does also affect smaller terrains, so a 4096*4096 terrain should be absolutly no problem with 1GB ram, even 768 MB.
Of course, GeoControl need some free disc space. You can install GeoControl to any partition or hard drive you want. Often the problems are in the main drive (C:/), but other drives have enough space. I recommend, to install it new on a drive, where more space is available.