Unknow mask problems

[spirit]

Hey guys,

I was close to finish my artic map and then i run in problems beyond my understanding. So i hope to find some support here.

I have a 20 x 20 km artic map. The sat map was generated using L3DT. So a 20480x20480 texture. I also have a small project to test things at 2048 x 2048.

My height map went perfect, my texture loaded great. I used a mask that was all yellow to test teh texture without bothering the mask.

Now i finished the mask but as soon as bulldozer has made all the files and its about to start it crashes. When i use my my all yellow mask it goes fine. There is only 3 colors (attributes in the mask file). its a 24 bit png file 20480x20480. There is no problem with the textures as all works fine with a full yellow map. I cant reproduce the problem in the small project. I rescaled the 20480x20480 and loaded it in the small scale project 2048x2048. It all works fine.

Since i cant ask you guys to take a look at my files (way to big) i am looking for any cause that can make bulldozer crash on maks files.

So in what cases can it all crash that you guys ran into. It might set me back on track.Maybe a maximum total size (sat + mask), maybe even the weather outside. I am getting out of idea's. I realy am out of idea's after 7 days figuring out and testing all things that came in mind.

Thanks in advance

Just to add: I already made an island myself and never ran into this kind of problems(although a zillion of other problems). Althought that was a test by 10 by 10 km just to see if i could figure it all out. I thought i had seen all probs but no

[spirit]

My layers file:

class Layers
{
class sneeuw
{
texture = "watkins\data\sneeuw_mco.paa";
material="watkins\data\sneeuw.rvmat";
};
class rots
{
texture = "watkins\data\rots_mco.paa";
material="watkins\data\rots.rvmat";
};
class rots2
{
texture = "watkins\data\rots2_mco.paa";
material="watkins\data\rots2.rvmat";
};
};
class Legend
{
picture="watkins\source\mapLegend.png";
class Colors
{
/// color names should correspond to surface layer names
sneeuw[]={{255,0,0}};
rots2[]={{0,255,0}};
rots[]={{0,0,255}};

};
};

[spirit]

It crashes after extruding hills and valleys. Preparing the textures finishes but takes a while. Did i go over the edge of what visitor allows? What annoys me is that a complete one color mask does work. Clueless i am left behind here

Yes the class legend png should not be in source dir i know. But makes no difference for this prob

[bravo 6]

Did i go over the edge of what visitor allows?

Yes the class legend png should not be in source dir i know. But makes no difference for this prob

I believe it can be done, and the problem might be in a single link or direction path for a texture file or some Visitor configuration.

About the 24 bit png, you have to be 100% sure about that.




- I advise you to change the 'rots' name of your colors, use instead rotso1 and rots2 because you might have other problems in the future.

- Try to use the original path for the legend.png, but it might not be that.

- Check your paths in Visitor3.

post pics if you need. Sometimes they say more them 1000 words.

[Atsche]

Use a 8bit mask instead of the 24bit. I use on my Islands only 8bit mask files without any problem. BIS has done the same on the samplemap.

\Sgt.Ace

[Opteryx]

It's supposed to be 8-bit.

-edit-

Bravo6

I suggest you correct your statements saying it's supposed to be 24-bit. This is simply not true and have misled a few beginners.

[bravo 6]

some programs don't have 24bit option such as PS CS3 so you must use 8bit option like Sgt.Ace and Opteryx said.

I say that because some programs have both options, 8bit and 24bit, if you use 8bit while existing 24bit you might have some problems like i had.


so to clarify:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8-bit_color

[spirit]

Thanks for the reply guys. About naming and other stuff. Sure it can be more handy but no need to do that until i have this active. Remember i can do a 1 color mask perfectly and it doesnt crash.

8 bit / 24 bit. It confused me also. In the small scale i use a 24 bit. In the big one also.

anyway before i get the 8 x 3 = 24 talk that i saw earlier. Just to be sure.

When i in windows xp right click the file it says 24 bits. Now is that a 24 bits or not? In my opinion it is.

question 2: How do i change it to 8 bit?

Question 3: why does the 24 bit work perfecty in the small scale map and not the big one?

question 4: Is there a maximum for the layers total file size. The layers dir including paa and png is in total 1.1 gig and 12k files. Is that problematic? I dont think so because a full one color mask gives no probs.

question 5 i checked on anit-aliasing. All colors are pure 255 variations exactly as described in the layers file. Any more i can try?

[bravo 6]

question 2: How do i change it to 8 bit?

what program are you using?

Bravo6

I suggest you correct your statements saying it's supposed to be 24-bit. This is simply not true and have misled a few beginners.

I have reasons not to change what i said before.
For some programs this 'rule' must be broken like i said in above post.

[spirit]

Hey mate,

Well i use Gimp, Photoshop, Paint. What ever does the job. However i realy need answer on how i can check that 8 bit version. The previous 8 bit, 24 bit 8x3 channels =24 bit got me totaly confused on how i now what a 8 bit is.

About program. dont matter, i have a pc, a mac and 2 OS on my pc. Can do anything, just need to know what it is