Outerra forum

Outerra Engine => Technology => Topic started by: giucam on May 16, 2013, 05:53:06 am

Title: Vertical cliffs
Post by: giucam on May 16, 2013, 05:53:06 am
I'm wondering if Outerra can render exactly vertical cliffs like the ones below. In a simple heightmap system it isn't possible because you can't have two 3d points for a unique point in the latitude/longitude grid, but there are ways to work around it with a more complex system.

(http://i.cubeupload.com/6mj5dp.jpg)
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: cameni on May 16, 2013, 07:39:02 am
There are ways how to achieve it, combining the horizontal displacement technique and the vector modifier. Cliffs like these have to be defined in the vector overlay, since the info is lost in the discrete sampling of raster data. OT terrain generator then produces terrain shape as needed, refining the tiles more across steep elevation changes.
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: mctash on May 16, 2013, 12:25:31 pm
On a bit of a tangent, but I have a question (which may have been asked before, apologies if so). Does this mean that eventually users will be able to provide local terrain corrections in a vector layer? Or even swap out the base terrain data on a per region basis?
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: cameni on May 16, 2013, 05:49:41 pm
Might be possible. Obviously depends on what software we are talking about, but for example in a simulator based on OT it would be one of things that a 3rd party developer could be able to provide to users - more detailed regions, coastlines etc. Smaller vector based modifications may be also possible as a part of the gameplay elsewhere.
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: mctash on May 16, 2013, 08:09:57 pm
Ah that's great. The reason I asked is that in my local area, North Wales, we also have very steep cliffs on the coast as well as rapidly changing heights in the mountainous area of Snowdonia. Outerra has an extremely good depiction at the moment but a local eye can of course see the things which are slightly off. It's would be nice if at some point Outerra users can submit local terrain enhancements.
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: ZeosPantera on May 16, 2013, 08:24:33 pm
Will it ever be possible to apply textures to completely vertical land features is the question. I know currently vertical textures get pretty messed up.
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: cameni on May 17, 2013, 03:34:04 am
On your card Zeos you don't even have any vertical things. I must display a big warning to people running on <5000 that it's completely broken and ugly.
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: Chaoz on May 17, 2013, 09:49:31 am
well everything has an end ;)
Title: Re: Vertical cliffs
Post by: ZeosPantera on May 17, 2013, 09:30:13 pm
I try and put a disclaimer on all the videos and pictures I upload.. MA SHIZ BROK!