Did not see this here or in the main suggestions list, so thought I might make a thread about it.
For reference and context, you can view the terraforming tools here.
[video=youtube_share;IOO1u-JEvX4]https://youtu.be/IOO1u-JEvX4?t=56m8s[/video]
The system in development is exceptionally simple, easy to use and very, very powerful. The reason for it being powerful is the simple fact that the terrain algorithm itself contains the metadata needed to automatically change the texturing in different height maps according to a set of rules that work in real life. Here is an example of what I am talking about.
(click for full res)
Voxels are also very powerful for applications like representation of terrain in games and simulations. Voxel terrain is used instead of a heightmap because of its ability to represent overhangs, caves, arches, and other 3D terrain features. These concave features cannot be represented in a heightmap due to only the top 'layer' of data being represented, leaving everything below it filled (the volume that would otherwise be the inside of the caves, or the underside of arches or overhangs).
If you add to that the ability to paint/retexture an area and inbuilt texture blending/meshing via the intensity tool, the possibilities for this are enormous.
I think that one thing is missing though. I have read (and replied) to threads about painting scenery on the map (rocks, bushes, forests etc), but I am speaking about the landscaping/terraforming tools themselves.
And this is the ability to have more than one brush for the terraforming tool. Right now, we can set the diameter of a circular brush, as well as set the intensity (or the apparent transparency/opacity, if you like) of the tool itself. The brush itself though remains fixed, at least from what we have seen so far.
Terrain brushes, or world painter brushes would be lovely to have. For reference, here are the standard terrain brushes that the Unity engine has.
For reference, right now Planet Coaster has shown the third brush in the upper left side.
It does not have to be anything extravagant like the following (the following work with minecraft I think).
http://www.moonday.fr/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Displacement_brushes_1k0.blogspot.com_.png
https://i.imgur.com/xy3l2uw.png
After all, the real power of the terrain tools the game will have comes from their simplicity. Something more than a circular brush though would really help in landscaping (for example, take a look at the last three brushes in the unity image above).
And here is an example from RCTW, using 4 standard Unity brushes for the terrain tool. I'm not posting this to incite a change or a suggestion because another game has this feature, just for reference as an example of how these things look.
Hope that this is something that will be added to the game. And yes, it works with Cobra, Voxels and the custom texture blending/meshing Planet Coaster will use. Your thoughts?
For reference and context, you can view the terraforming tools here.
[video=youtube_share;IOO1u-JEvX4]https://youtu.be/IOO1u-JEvX4?t=56m8s[/video]
The system in development is exceptionally simple, easy to use and very, very powerful. The reason for it being powerful is the simple fact that the terrain algorithm itself contains the metadata needed to automatically change the texturing in different height maps according to a set of rules that work in real life. Here is an example of what I am talking about.
(click for full res)
Voxels are also very powerful for applications like representation of terrain in games and simulations. Voxel terrain is used instead of a heightmap because of its ability to represent overhangs, caves, arches, and other 3D terrain features. These concave features cannot be represented in a heightmap due to only the top 'layer' of data being represented, leaving everything below it filled (the volume that would otherwise be the inside of the caves, or the underside of arches or overhangs).
If you add to that the ability to paint/retexture an area and inbuilt texture blending/meshing via the intensity tool, the possibilities for this are enormous.
I think that one thing is missing though. I have read (and replied) to threads about painting scenery on the map (rocks, bushes, forests etc), but I am speaking about the landscaping/terraforming tools themselves.
And this is the ability to have more than one brush for the terraforming tool. Right now, we can set the diameter of a circular brush, as well as set the intensity (or the apparent transparency/opacity, if you like) of the tool itself. The brush itself though remains fixed, at least from what we have seen so far.
Terrain brushes, or world painter brushes would be lovely to have. For reference, here are the standard terrain brushes that the Unity engine has.
For reference, right now Planet Coaster has shown the third brush in the upper left side.
It does not have to be anything extravagant like the following (the following work with minecraft I think).
http://www.moonday.fr/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Displacement_brushes_1k0.blogspot.com_.png
https://i.imgur.com/xy3l2uw.png
After all, the real power of the terrain tools the game will have comes from their simplicity. Something more than a circular brush though would really help in landscaping (for example, take a look at the last three brushes in the unity image above).
And here is an example from RCTW, using 4 standard Unity brushes for the terrain tool. I'm not posting this to incite a change or a suggestion because another game has this feature, just for reference as an example of how these things look.
Hope that this is something that will be added to the game. And yes, it works with Cobra, Voxels and the custom texture blending/meshing Planet Coaster will use. Your thoughts?
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