Contents 1 Description 2 Terrain Properties Editor 3 Deformation Tools 4 Paint Tools 5 Height-Paint Tools

Description

This interface allows the user to create and customize a terrain at will. For the customization it is supplied another interface that allows the user to configure its size, detail and other parameters (See Terrain Properties). Besides the basic configuration there is also a diversity of tools that allow the user to deform and paint the terrain mesh in real-time. Next is a brief description of this interface main menu.

1. Terrain

   Enable/Disable - Enables/Disables the terrain, removing it from view.

   Reset - Resets the terrain to its default state.

   Load - Opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available terrains in the user media libraries. Upon selection, the current terrain will change accordingly and all changes are lost.

   Save - Opens a file browser interface, allowing the user to save the current terrain state and configuration to an external file. You should save to a file with the extension .mft so you can upload it later as a Media Item.

2. Edit - Currently this sub-menu options are disabled. **To be implemented**'
3. Heightmap

   New Heightmap - Resets the deformations applied to the terrain, leveling it to 0.

   Load Heightmap - Opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The current terrain heightmap will be changed to the selected one. All changes are lost.

   Smooth - Smooths the heights of the entire terrain.

   Erode - **To be implemented**

   Generate - **To be implemented**

4. Deform Tools - If clicked the interface will change to the Deformation Tools.
5. Paint Tools - If clicked the interface will change to the Paint Tools.
6. Height Paint Tools - If clicked the interface will change to the Height-Paint Tools.

Terrain Properties Editor

1. World Size - The size of the terrain along the X-axis and Z-axis.
2. World Height - The size of the terrain along the Y-axis.
3. Page Size - The number of vertices per side of the terrain. The bigger this value the better the detail of the deformations.
4. Alpha Size - The number of pixels of the alphamaps per side of the terrain. The bigger this value the better the detail of the applied textures.
5. Tile Size - The number of vertices of each batch of the terrain mesh. This value should be played with, depending on the size and complexity of the terrain to increase performance.
6. Pixel Error - The tolerated error on LOD calculations. The lower this value, the more accurate the calculations but the slower they will be.
7. Active LOD - If checked activates LOD increasing performance at the expense of visual accuracy.
8. Normal Mapping - If checked activates the Normal Mapping to the terrain.

Deformation Tools

1. Tools - The selected deformation tool. To view and select a different tool, click on the + button. It will popup a dialog with the following tools:

   Raise - Raises the highlighted terrain by the specified value in Strength with the shape of the selected Brush.

   Lower - Lowers the highlighted terrain by the specified value in Strength with the shape of the selected Brush.

   Flatten - Flattens the highlighted terrain using the specified value in Strength with the shape of the selected Brush.

   Smooth - Smooth the highlighted terrain using the specified value in Strength with the shape of the selected Brush.

2. Size - The size of the highlighted area.
3. Strength - The strength of the deformation.
4. Brush - When clicked, opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will be used for deformation purposes and will affect the way the vertices will be changed.

Paint Tools

1. Size - The size of the highlighted area.
2. Strength -
3. Brush - When clicked, opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will be used for paiting purposes mapping it's shape onto the terrain.
4. Diffuse Texture - When clicked, opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will be the one used for the diffuse texture of the selected layer.
5. Normal Texture - When clicked, opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will be the one used for the normal texture of the selected layers. This will only be used if the option Normal Mapping is enabled in the Terrain Properties Editor.
6. Tiling - The size of the textures in the U and V coordinates.
7. Import Alpha - Opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will replace the alpha-map of the selected layer.
8. Physics Material - The selected physics material of each of the layers. These materials are the ones created in the Physics Properties Editor. When a representation with physics enabled touches the terrain, the layer with more intensity in that point will have it's material react.

Height-Paint Tools

This tool allows the user to paint the entire terrain based on its height. Besides the interface there will be also auxiliar planes to help the user predict the end result.

1. Visible - Sets the auxiliar plane visible or invisible.
2. Active - If checked, selects the layer to be painted onto the terrain.
3. Diffuse Texture - When clicked, opens the Library Explorer interface showing all the available textures in the user media libraries. The selected texture will be the one used for the diffuse texture.
4. Height Range - The minimum and maximum height where will be painted each active layer.
5. Paint Terrain - When clicked, the terrain will be painted with the configured options. All changes made to the painting of the terrain will be lost.