Simple ArmA 2 Terrain Tutorial

[IceBreakr]

AFAIK BIS allows us to use A1 content for new addons (its on devheaven somewhere).

[Alliexx]

So i can use these addons, give them a different name, ( so we wont have conflicts with people starting to distribute all kinds of versions of Plants and Roads) and provide people with it with my island?

I havent found out how to distribute them "inside" my island yet, but i will find a way, it was possible in arma1 so there must be a way.

Its pure for conflicts in the future, i mean its at the moment already a madhouse on the internet with addons for this game, conflicts and such.

So i like to release only some complete addon, without seperate PBO's, all addons used by me will have a unique name, so conflicts should be at a minimum.

Also to overcome the problem of people releasing parts of plants, in a folder called plants/roads. Bla Bla Bla, smoked myself retarded again,
later,
Allie

[Icewindo]

AFAIK BIS allows us to use A1 content for new addons (its on devheaven somewhere).

Yep the MLOD license clearly states you are allowed to use the models for ArmA1+expansions and following sequels.

"1) Bohemia Interactive grants to you a personal, nonexclusive License to open, modify and distribute the ArmA Sample Models for the purpose of designing, developing, testing, and producing non-commercial game content for PC game ArmA and its sequels or expansion packs."

Also see:
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=66013

[[APS]Gnat]

I havent found out how to distribute them "inside" my island yet, but i will find a way, it was possible in arma1 so there must be a way.

See;
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=87125

Its currently allowing me to add custom rocks and runway cross-ways to my Sands terrain.

[Alliexx]

Hi all,

I have managed to pack addons inside my island, without any errors

Thanks for the info about the open sample addons from BIS, i'm really bad at reading ALL, i mean there is so much, that i didn't read the part about the open addons license agreement, i didn't know that.

Thanks again,
Allie

NOTE: If i'm home i'll explain with a sample what i did.

[Icewindo]

Thanks for the tutorial, it really helped .

May include info on the random object script as it's a very nice tool to cover wide spaces naturally, I found it very effective. ( http://forums.bistudio.com/showthrea...ghlight=script )

Is there any library including pictures for all plants/bushes in ArmA 2?

I found one for structures and other objects, but not for vegetation so far ( http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=5895 ) . I can always place them in bulldozer and see, but that's not very effective .

Here's also one for A1 vegetation/objects (just go to about the middle, as the rest will be in german):
http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=2006

[Beton]

As far as i know threre is no library jet. Bis is using botanical names for the new models. I use this as orientation e.g. quercus = oak, canina = Rosa canina = Rose.
For the Arma 1 plants you have to look into the mlods. The textures are mostly named with the botanical names. And then just use Google

thats all

[Genpatton043]

Everything is fine until I get to import the P:\TUT\TUT_SampleMap\Source\mask_lco.png, and I get the error :

error loading p:\tut\tut_sampleMap\source\mapLegend.png

I'm getting the very same issue and as far as I can tell, all the paths are what they should be.

[Alliexx]

Hi there,

Make sure you have a "Sat_lco.png, Mask_lco.png, Maplegend.png and a Layers.cfg file in your source folder of your project.

Make sure that the colors used on your mask_lco.png file are all defined in the layers.cfg file.
Make sure that the paths in the layers.cfg are all pointing to your texture folder (P:\tut\tut_samplemap\data\texture_name.paa.
Make sure the path to the maplegend.png file in the layers.cfg file is right.

It must have to do with a wrong path or missing file, it might also have to do with difference in size of the mask and sat png files, make sure they are both the same size.

Make sure when creating your sat_lco and Mask_lco that you save them as PNG, (NON INTERLACED !)

Keep us posted of your results,

Later,
Allie

LAYERS.CFG sample

class Layers
{

class xxpisek
{
texture = "ca\antikythira\data\xxpisek_mco.paa";
material="ca\antikythira\data\xxpisek.rvmat";
};

class xxtravajih
{
texture = "ca\antikythira\data\xxtravajih_mco.paa";
material="ca\antikythira\data\xxtravajih.rvmat";
};

class xxmesto2
{
texture = "ca\antikythira\data\xxmesto2_mco.paa";
material="ca\antikythira\data\xxmesto2.rvmat";
};

class xxpole1
{
texture = "ca\antikythira\data\xxpole1_mco.paa";
material="ca\antikythira\data\xxpole1.rvmat";
};

};

class Legend
{
picture="ca\antikythira\source\mapLegend.png";
class Colors
{
/// color names should correspond to surface layer names
xxpisek[]={{255,255,0}};
xxtravajih[]={{0,255,0}};
xxmesto2[]={{99,55,0}};
xxpole1[]={{0,0,255}};
};
};

You do understand that in this sample you should change the paths to your textures, probably something like "texture = "TUT\TUT_Samplemap\data\xxpole1_mco.paa"

Again this is a sample, you have to alter it to your needs.

Later

Maplegend.png



The Maplegend.png is universal, so you can just copy it here of the site.

Also in the RVMAT files in your DATA folder you need to check for the right paths ! The RVMAT files from your textures in the data folder.

[Alliexx]

Hey mate,

Are we talking about my samples or are we talking about the sample files from SgtAce his tutorial ?

When you download the sample tutorial map (so NOT MINE), everything should be in order, but maybe you want to try another sample,

ftp://ftp.fraghaus.com/arma/satpics/testmapempty.rar
The sample from this link is the version in which you have to start visitor from the terrain.png, you import a file called "terrain.pbl" in visitor and your island is created, then you have to compile the textures before you see any result in bulldozer.

While this link:
ftp://ftp.fraghaus.com/arma/satpics/testalldone.rar
every thing is done for you, you open up the "test.pew" file and you can start bulldozer straight away, you can then save the "world" as an ".wrp" file and you can bin it up to test "ingame".

Maybe reinstall the tools too, make sure you completely remove them first(this is probly not needed tho, but maybe you fckd up the directory structure.

The samples you download can go straight to your P drive, i always work on the "P" drive, not in the armaworks folder, other people maybe say no to this but it is the most clear and clean drive representing the whole structure of the P drive that is needed to edit in visitor or O2, but also needed to binpbo your project to be able to be used ingame.

This sample has still a buggy config file, clutters needs to be updated, and more is wrong, but you can always empty the config file of defines not wanted.

LAter,
Allie

---------- Post added at 04:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------

Hi guys,

This is my P drive layout for now, the Buildings2_Ind_cementworks, is like with the plant placed in the buildings2 folder, i removed "buildings2_" from the name.
The ca folder under my "TAG" folder "XX"(P:\xx\ca), contains all cpp files from all addons in the (P:\CA) folder. Its the litte "xcopy" trick from SgtAce his tutorial: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/A...rrain_Tutorial

Heres the picture : http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6226/pdrive.jpg

Any comments always welcome.

Later,
Alphons