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Vollständige Version anzeigen : GeoControl2 Build 28


cajomi
20.February2008, 08:46
I have just uploaded the build 28 of GeoControl2.
It will run for the next 4 weeks.

Added:

Preset browser for terrain presets and for filterpresets
Left mouse click on the preview image selects the preset
Left double click loads the preset
Right click shows the full size image
Left click into the full size image closes the full size image

You can access the terrain preset browser with the button on the top (Presetbrowser)
and the filter preset browser with the "Filter Presets" button on the "Filter-Level Control" panel.

If a filter is selected in the filter list, selecting a filter preset will change this filter (you can use it to only change the settings but also to change the filter). If no filter or the basic noise filters are selected, the filter is added to the filter list.
You can also change the mode in the filter preset browser at the top, with the option gadgets "add" and "change".

You can add new filterpresets, delete them but you can not create new filter preset folders or delete a filter preset folder. The filter presets are categorized according to the filter typ.

The terrain presets are free. You can add folders, sub folders, delete them and so on.

The presets are stored in the system folder for your own files (must be in english "My files" in the GeoControl2 directory.

If you add a preset, the thumbnail and the full size image are added automatically from the 3D preview.

I have added in the "Test settings" folder of the terrain presets basic presets for all erosion filters. Open one of these presets to experiment with the filter settings and to create new filter presets. If you do so, this will ensure, that the previews of the filtersettings are comparable.
Of course this does not apply to terrain settings. There you shoudl simply give your best, shading, light, pov and terrain.

New mode for selections for erosions: weighted
It is equal to "placed", but the power of the erosion is now taken from the selection. Can produce very sophisticated results.
Added the "Soft fluvial old" and "Soft fluvial old" filter.
They were replaced be the new soft fluvial filter, but I have found, that the GC1 preset very often used the soft fluvial filter, and that the results could not be reproduced with the new soft fluvial filter.
I have also renamed the thin flows to Thin flows smooth and Thin flows sharp. Sharp was the "Thin flows fast", smooth was Thins Flows. Although only the smoothing algorithm are different, this has a great influence to the results, mostly if you use it in many levels.
Added two additional controls to all erosions filters (some erosiofilters only one)
Most filters have gotten an additional "randomness" slider, which has great influence, how the erosion spreads in the terrain. The results can be very different.
Some filters have gotten a "Sediment power" control. That does mean, the higher the power of the sediments, the deeper the cuts at the end of the flows.
Added the GC1 filters "Slope smoothing" and "Valley smoothing"
The filters are very easy to use and you do not need to work with so many selectors. Also this filters were used a lot in the GC1 presets and so I re-animated them.
Filter level controls
Added more functionality, you can now switch off and on a level without setting the power to zero. Very practicale for experiments.
Added a swap colors button in the shader panel, between the two colors ("<>").
As long as the copy and paste function copy and paste only into the same position (color1 or color2) this now makes it possible to copy and paste also the colors from color1 to color2 or reverse.
Added a "follow terrain" control (and slope controls) for the "Add noise" filters.


Improvements:

Speed improved (much faster) for the "Mountain full ridged", "Mountain ridged", "Strong ridged", "Rocky hills", "Terraced sharp" and "Terraced smooth" filters.

Renderengine now stable. Shadows have no more light artefacts. Reduced the distorsions for wide angle views. Fog also works better now.

GeoControl2 is now fully Vista compatible. No more problems, if the user has no admin rights.

PW-filters are now only shown in the filters list, if there is a active pwfilter in that level.

When loading a terrain preset, the terrain size now is not changed automatically.


Bug fixes:

Tif export did not work correct, if the terrain was eroded up to zero (peaks appeared in Vue)

Removing a filter or selection no longer causes GeoControl to hang

Old presets no longer produce a selection error for pwfilter and shader

Sunposition slider now also correct, when a preset is loaded

The filters "Strong ridged" and "Cross hills" no longer produce ugly borders, when they are used with terraces.


Download link (only for GC1 licence owners, you'll need the GC1 licnece key to run the pre-release):
www.cajomi.de/Download/GeoControl_pre-release_Build28_Setup.exe

Important: Uninstall the acutal version and then install build 28. You will have to reenter your GC1 key.

Have fun
Johannes Rosenberg

CarlS
20.February2008, 09:04
Thanks Johannes, getting it now.

Added the "Soft fluvial old" and "Soft fluvial old" filter.
Was one of those supposed to say "new"?

--Carl

cajomi
20.February2008, 09:06
No, one was supposed to be named "Soft Fluvial old - invers".

Shonner
20.February2008, 09:30
Thanks for the update.

Fenring
20.February2008, 09:48
Great work Johannes, its amazing that you can make such a good product that is also well documented and relatively easy to learn basicly on your own. And most important you keep your deadlines (unlike some scenery generator from the UK, no one named no one forgotten ;-) )

alexcoppo
20.February2008, 10:09
TIFF Vue import OK !!!!!

Presets browser... I cannot find adequate words...

Thanks a lot :D :D :D

monks
20.February2008, 10:38
Awesome, respect to Johannes for his hard work and dedication -and also his swift responses on the forums.

monks

mauronen
20.February2008, 12:40
Great news!
Now, let's play.

Thanks a lot Johannes.

Xpleet
20.February2008, 14:11
Excellent work Cajomi.

I just got my key today :-)

will be well worth the money when gc2 finally is out

Ailig
20.February2008, 14:50
Thanx for a new build, especially for improved tiff export, i remember erasing those bug hills in Vue editor manualy, after tons of clicking I wanted to change resolution..and they were there again!!! :)

eFFe
20.February2008, 15:04
Amazing work Johannes!

The preset browser is an awesome feature.


Thanks a lot!

wawadave
20.February2008, 18:22
Looking forward to trying this out!!!

Criss
20.February2008, 20:31
OK, the preset browser is just spectacular. It's very well layed out.

The new ways to modify the erosion is very realistic as it makes the erosion more randomized.

The render engine gives more precision to see what one has created before export. Good job.


Are you still going to add some means of anti-aliasing to the exported rivers and erosion masks in the selection window?

RingoM
20.February2008, 20:57
This is an Awesome versions! The browser is just fantastic.

blueman
20.February2008, 21:41
Thank you Cajomi for this release!

Blueman.

WormSlayer
20.February2008, 22:28
Downloading now - You da man :)

cajomi
21.February2008, 05:09
Thank you for this feedback......


@Criss
Smoothing the maps is still in the pipe.
What you can do now (with erosions) is following: Work with two filters of the same kind. Use the second filter only in the last level and take the maps of the filter that is not in the last level for the export. GeoControl2 enlarges a selection (or a flowmap) with a L-System algorithm, which produces very well enlarged smooth results.

Criss
21.February2008, 05:58
Interesting. I will have to try this.

tigme
21.February2008, 12:25
Thanks getting it now...


Like the presets... How do you save the preset thumbnails for presets with no image data?

Here is a quick render I did in Carrara Express

http://www.tigme.net/www.cajomi.de/geocontrol2_ter01.jpg

tigme
21.February2008, 13:39
Johannes will there be a way to directly import GEOTIFF and DEM files in the future? I can import DEM files with the DCG Plugin: GroundControl but was wondering if GeoControl would support this in the future. I guess I could Open the DEM in Carrara and save it as a greyscale map for GeoControl.

cajomi
21.February2008, 13:53
For DEM I recommend 3DEM, a freeware tool, exports the data as ter file.

A Geotiff or DEM import is a timeintensive job and as far as I have not the time, well, you have to use converters.
But please, do not export DEMs as greyscale out of Carrara, they have only 8bit heightresolution.

ElThommo
21.February2008, 21:45
Great update, I am loving the browser

tigme
21.February2008, 21:53
Hi Johannes sorry for giving you a heart attack :rolleyes: I was just using it as an example...


For DEM I recommend 3DEM, a freeware tool, exports the data as ter file.

A Geotiff or DEM import is a timeintensive job and as far as I have not the time, well, you have to use converters.
But please, do not export DEMs as greyscale out of Carrara, they have only 8bit heightresolution.

digitalis
24.February2008, 09:51
Thanks for improving GC once more.

Showing the presets in a visual way is really a great thing.

Must say, however, that I already had a shutdown upon clicking on an isoline (ISO 0) of a loaded preset, when I wanted to change it. Will contact you if it is reproduced.

Kind regards.

johnyf
27.February2008, 17:20
Many thanks Johannes...look forward to trying it out!

Xpleet
28.February2008, 22:18
Where do we find the preset for the desert smooth Dunes?

Or is that the outcome from an overdose of Thin Flows Sediment :D

cajomi
29.February2008, 05:47
You'll find a "Dunes" preset under GC-Hills in the presetbrowser.

Xpleet
8.March2008, 15:16
Cajomi are you yet working on the tiling system? The idea really sounds amazing to me.

When GC is some builds older or even released, what terrainsize can we expect and at which generating performance? I can't wait until i can kick this terrainsize of the current limit :eek: .

Or maybe you could tell us when you can give a little sneak peak on your current work :)

cajomi
8.March2008, 16:12
Currently we are working on the update for the website.
I also have fixed some bugs and added a notice field to the presets.

But most time takes the work at the presets. I have imported and improved some presets for the general preset browser and now I am working on the filter presets for the new filters. That is time intensive and I want to distribute really good presets.

The tiling will be the next feature after the pre-release is complete and the website online.

mike3121
8.March2008, 20:15
One thing I really appreciate about GeoControl is the artists presets. Also, with the road building feature you have gone a long way to set GeoControl apart from other terrain programs. Most of the earths surface has, in some way, been sculpted by man be it farm land, roads, dams, et cetera. Its fun to create some wild, raw natural terrain. However in the "real world" there's some pretty boring terrain out there.

One suggestion. It would be nice if the wheel mouse was used to zoom in and out of the 3D view. Also, a right click to rotate the 3D view, oh yes, did I say I want GeoControl to make me some hot coffee in the morning. Any other great Ideas I have and I'll pass them along. He he he he he

cajomi
9.March2008, 06:26
2D view: try holding the middle mouse button and drag

3D view: Will be implemented, but will take some time, so be patient....

artur
20.March2008, 17:16
The period of build 28 has expired. I cant run GeoControl now. What can I do?
Thanks!

cajomi
20.March2008, 18:19
Wait until tomorrow. I had planned to upload the new build today, but it is still not done.
Really sorry for this interruption.

holger53
22.March2008, 18:42
Hello cajomi,

any news?

cajomi
22.March2008, 18:59
I worked yesterday and today 12 hours a day.
But an ugly bug did hide hinself very good.
I have found it now. But for final testing and making the setup I will need addtional 2-4 hours, with fresh brain!

So I will make the final steps tomorrow - take it as my easteregg for you.
Very sorry again for the interruption.

holger53
22.March2008, 19:16
Oh no,

I just wanted to ask. Not to put pressure on you.

Just have a break and thanks for your exellent work!

Xpleet
22.March2008, 20:01
better than pre-releasing something disfunctional and buggy.

it indeed feels like an easteregg :D

monks
22.March2008, 22:45
hehe- a jolly good Easter Egg it will be too!

monks