Two Terrain Files

[Jon Seattle]

As mentioned in the Guild meeting transcript this week (I was not present) I did finish two RAW files for the Alps landscape. Note that both are just rough starting points -- much of the detail needs to be done in-world. The external RAW editing tools are not very fine grained.

Attached to this post are one image and one RAW file for each plan. Because of the rendering limitations of the Backhoe program the images below are about 2/3 the actual height. That is they are squashed. If you want to see and or edit the RAW files I recommend you find a Macintosh and try Backhoe, or a similar program for Windows or Linux. Both files were complete some time ago, but I complied with a request not to post them.

The steps2.raw RAW file (first one shown below) was made to match the landscape model TOP made for Rose and the Alps project almost exactly. Like that model it does not include roadways and riverbeds -- those would presumably (and better) be done with in-world tools once the RAW file was installed in a sim.

The steps2.raw file was made mainly with image tools. I started with a grey scale gradient in the red channel which I fitted to the elevations by going back and forth between backhoe and photoshop. I then posterized the gradient into five levels. I mixed in (at 5%) another gradient, moving left to right on even shelves and right to left on odd shelves. This gives each shelf a "ramp" moving the ends of each shelf a bit closer to each other. The same recipe can be used again if more terrace steps are desired.

I have no idea what steps2.raw would look like if rolled into a sim -- Possibly the cliffs may have to be covered in prim rocks due to texture stretching.

[img:3lxgc2su]http://jonathan-smith.info/snapshots/steps2-half.jpg[/img:3lxgc2su]
[url:3lxgc2su]http://jonathan-smith.info/snapshots/steps2.raw[/url:3lxgc2su]

[img:3lxgc2su]http://jonathan-smith.info/snapshots/half-height.jpg[/img:3lxgc2su]
[url:3lxgc2su]http://jonathan-smith.info/snapshots/middle.raw[/url:3lxgc2su]

[Moon Adamant]

Thank you Jonathan, i was going to post shortly on this myself.

I will remember everyone that raw files are just a handy saving of work - imagine what it is to bring a height like this by hand, from the water level The final landscaping is done with the inworld tools, so both terrain maps are but approximations to two ideas of terrain.

Landscaping appearance is also dependent on props like trees, roads, boulders, water features, containing walls, etc - and the buildings to be placed there as well. Thus the final task of the building wg will be the relaying of the final terrain to the CDS Masterplan, since the uploaded raw file won't be faithful to the final terrain.

And, very importantly, a terrain which is destined for commercial sale must also be designed with consideration to the plots that will fit in the terrain.

With all this in mind, it's up to the building and financial workgroups to use these files as useful startpoints for the final terrain map and parcel map