Splatmap resolution?

[saindd]

I'm importing a 2048x2048 splatmap texture from World Machine when creating my terrain and associating terrain materials with each channel from the splatmap. It works fine, but the resolution of the painted layers is very very crappy. For example:

http://i.imgur.com/kdL3qNI.png

Is this related to the brush resolution in Torque? How can i tweak this?

[Johxz]

check the size parameters

[saindd]

That only changes the detail texture size and how it's distributed. I'm talking about the terrible resolution between the blends there, look at the area between dark and bright textures. No matter which brush i use to try to "cleanup" after the splatmap import, it's just painting some ugly polys.

[marauder2k9]

do u have an example of what it should look like?

This looks to be caused by the base tex size, when u zoom out so far torque uses the terrains basetex as the texture u see on screen, instead of up close detailed textures

[saindd]

Well, here's a screenshot straight out of the docs:

http://docs.garagegames.com/torque-3d/official/content/documentation/World%20Editor/Editors/images/PathPaintAfter.jpg

[Duion]

A smooth good splatmap can cover the seams to some extend.

[Azaezel]

Did a little poking http://imgur.com/a/SddS8 kinda limited by the 512 demo restriction... What's your meters per pixel import wise?

[saindd]

2 meters per pixel, 5000 height scale. 2048x2048 maps, PNG 16.

Maybe the color range i'm using in the splatmap might be the cause?

[LukasPJ]

Terrains in Torque3D uses vertex painting. So the less vertices per meter, the rougher the resolution of the splatmap. I usually use 1 meter per pixel for my terrains, but you have to tweak it to what works for you. Remember that rendering terrains are costly, and you want to use various tricks to improve the looks of the terrain, rather than just cranking up the resolution.

It's possible that my advanced blending solution will work when deferred shading / PBR has made its entry, can't say for sure, but you are welcome to check it out:

https://github.com/lukaspj/Torque3D/tree/Editor-Integration-For-New-Blending

It's based on this article:

http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AndreyMishkinis/20130716/196339/Advanced_Terrain_Texture_Splatting.php

But had the issue that it lost the alpha value between layer batches, so it would only work for up to three textures. Afaik, deferred shading should free up that alpha value, making it possible to implement.

The relevant PR: https://github.com/GarageGames/Torque3D/pull/712

[saindd]

The problem is that the terrain ends up being really small at 1 meter per pixel, versus a 2048x2048 heightmap.

[saindd]

Is there any fix planned to support more layers being imported per heightmap? What if, instead of loading RGBA, i only import 8-bit grayscale masks? Instead of combining channels in World Machine, i can export them individually as heightmaps. Would Torque support that?