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[Uriah]

Is it possible to create custom road textures that can be applied to roads, runways and leveling ground?

Specifically, there are some road "textures" which seem to use an alpha mask, like the white stripes. This would allow me to make a texture which creates two parallel roads (actually the same road) with a grassy median between them.

I dug into the textures folder but can't find much info in the forum about road textures.

Regards,
Uriah

[KW71]

So far, I only have been able to replace the existing, in this case 05.dds and 05n.dds, C:\Program Files (x86)\Outerra\Anteworld\textures\terrain\ground
which is used for gravel roads:

[Uriah]

Nice work! Is 05.dds the color and 05n.dds the normal? Is the color alpha masked or does it use an opacity map?

It should be easy to find what file defines the road material library. If you do a keyword search of the Outerra directory for '05.dds' it will turn up which files refer to that texture, or else it is called from a DLL and cannot be modified.

Regards,
Uriah

[KW71]

Here is the path:

"So far, I only have been able to replace the existing, in this case 05.dds and 05n.dds, C:\Program Files (x86)\Outerra\Anteworld\textures\terrain\ground
which is used for gravel roads:"

Yes, 05.dds is diffuse and 05n.dds is normal map. There are nor alpha channel, neither opacity map  (at least "on sight") that can be modified.

[Uriah]

Yeah there must be a file defining all the different road materials. So the edges of your texture are using the same opacity/alpha as the gravel road, which means it is a common map used by multiple materials. I am not on my computer, or else I would have the answer already.

The short answer is it is definitely possible to make custom road textures with opacity, hopefully I can find a way to make new types and not overwrite existing ones.

Regards,
Uriah

[KW71]

"hopefully I can find a way to make new types and not overwrite existing ones"

That would be great, Uriah! Would make a huge difference. I really hope you find the way

[Uriah]

It seems in order to add new 'road type' and or 'markings', the option value and name <option value="X">Example</option> need to be added to the desired user interface.

I did a text search for one of the texture names using Sublime Text, and that turned up nothing, so I searched 'road' and the results listed the files I was looking for.

We know the color and normal maps are in '.\textures\terrain\ground', the opacity maps are in '.\textures\roads' and use a cut-off value listed in profiles.pgm. This is a great way to handle it so it makes sense because the layers can re-used, which is done by the '.\www\mixer.html', so that the 'markings' can be ontop of some of the road types.

What I do not know yet is where/how <option value="X"> is defined, as well as how the layers are assigned per option.

The most obvious files to start with are:

'.\Anteworld\www\roads.html'
'.\Anteworld\www\mixer.html':
'.\Anteworld\www\builder.html':
'.\Anteworld\www\editor.html':

These contain everything involved in the road tools that I can find, and should be all is necessary to include new road types, markings and materials, reference  new diffuse, normal and opacity maps, and mix the markings with the new road types.

I will put together a demo soon for the AeroKinetics mod which will include Space Launch Complex 37B launch pad with custom textures specifically designed for the crawlerway, launch pad, flame trench, parking lot and fuel pipe-lines running from the storage tanks to the launch pad. I think displacement mapping is also possible so that a road could have raised features such as curbs, sidewalks, storm drains and many other things. I have had this in mind for some time now and it is time to get it done.

Here is the key I just made for current road types, and markings, materials combinations.



Regards,
Uriah

[Uriah]

Now who can tell me where the marking textures are hiding? Could markings be in a different file format, or defined by geometric tables elsewhere? There is nothing in the textures folder.

I'll try to map the road material system between all the files and post a relationship diagram. It isn't simple I can tell you that much right now!

-Uriah

[Revolver]

So far, I only have been able to replace the existing, in this case 05.dds and 05n.dds, C:\Program Files (x86)\Outerra\Anteworld\textures\terrain\ground
which is used for gravel roads:

Looks good!

[Uriah]

I created ten new road materials and a few opacity maps, for new types but plugging them in is a total pain in the...

I haven't tried yet but maybe the texture mod support works for roads too. Where is Kelvinr? He would know if anyone does.

Regards,
Uriah

[StrakanXJ]

How did this go? Is there a way to add custom roads? I notice there is a dirt road option so Im assuming I am just missing something blindingly obvious.

[KW71]

No yet... So far you can only replace the existents.