old site closed

[bsisko]

Now that the old GG site has shut down, how do I replace files that I have purchased or re-acquire activation codes to software I have purchased.   Right now, I need the activation code to L3DT that I purchased through GG.

[Duion]

Didn't you write the code down when you purchased it? I think I used the free version successfully, but there are probably better terrain generators out now.

[Nils]

Quote

If you have any enquiries, please address them to sales@bundysoft.com

Bundysoft isn't active though, the website is under maintenance for years and nothing has changed.

If you're unable to get the Pro version from GG going then look at the free version:
 

Quote

L3DT Standard is the freely available general-use version of L3DT. It includes all of the commonly used features, but lacks some of the more advanced or experimental features of the Professional Edition

Link: http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/downloads/standard.php

Good luck!

[Duion]

From the comparison page it seems the professional version is not necessary, the only serious limitation maybe the texture size, but I generated 4k terrains with it, I just upscaled it on export from 2k to 4k. http://www.bundysoft.com/docs/doku.php?id=l3dt:editions

Edited February 27, 2023 by Duion

[bsisko]

Hate to beat an old horse to death.  But my computer just crashed, and I lost all files on it.

Sadly,  I did not back up several key features.

The standard version of l3dt works, but when I try to export to torque, it does not find a function. 'Gen_Alpha'.

The solution seems simple.

1.  Find the function.  I get no response from bundysoft

2.  Determine which images are are the alpha maps and use a program like gimp to layer them .  

Which images are these?

3.  Eport to torque outside of l3dt.  How do I create a torque .ter file?

[Duion]

Just export to png images, I never found the export to Torque feature reliable, but I use L3DT for one cool feature I calculate lightmaps, then export them as image file and overlay the lightmaps over the basetexture Torque generates after you made your terrain in an image editing program and then you have lightmaps on your terrain. Then to prevent Torque from overwriting the basetexture file since it is just a cached type of file I added an engine change to add a menu entry to disable overwriting of the basetex file.

I totally recommend editing the basetex file by hand in image editing software, because it gives you much more fine control and lets you add new features such as lightmaps or color variations resulting in a much more realistic and interesting terrain.

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

4 hours ago, Duion said:

resulting in a much more realistic and interesting terrain.

.

[bsisko]

Duion,

Are you saying that I do not need to export to the .ter file.

All I need to do is layer the .png files together.   Do they need to be merged.  Or do I load them separately?

If so,  how do I load in separately?

 

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

So, Bisisko , Im confused , does l3dt export a texture which is applied as a basetexture ? or can you just make a solid black and white no alpha texture . personally I dont see how the texture might be useful to torque 3D .  

[Duion]

@bsisko

Torque3D can import a heightmap, so you only need that one, additionally I think you can import texture layer maps if you also want the texture layers imported, but I always painted the terrains in Torque because you will most likely edit the terrain in Torque anyway.

@fLUnKnhaXYU

L3DT also generates a basetexture I think you can use that, but Torque will always overwrite it, so it does not matter what you do with it since it will immediately be overwritten as soon as you touch the terrain in Torque, that is why I added another option in my fork to have a checkbox to set if the basetex is supposed to update or not.

 

The basetexture defines how your terrain will look from the furthest distance and it is generated out of the basetexture from every texture you used to paint the terrain combined and then buffered in the basetex.dds file which then is used to vertex paint each vertex that makes up the terrain wich then gets blended into the terrain/textures and defines the main color of your terrain.

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

On 2/5/2025 at 8:43 AM, Duion said:

I use L3DT for one cool feature I calculate lightmaps

Impressive . May I ask how you find the quality of the heightmaps . what size range is available from this Standard version . and the painting how would you compare it to torque3d terrain painter .

Bsisko , sounds to me like take that heightmap because , and , Im sorry , but , sculpting intricate terrain in torque3d isnt even , and just chuck in ol' torque and let it do the TER thing . It would seem nice if L3dT could be used to generate some usable terrain teture masks to go with that height map . ty for letting me butt in .

[Duion]

They are just heightmaps has nothing to do with quality, what matters is if the terrain was good. I never bothered a lot with terrain generators, since the difference only comes to play if you want larger maps since in 256x256 or 512x512 levels it may not even be noticeable if you used a terrain generator or not, even with 1024x1024 terrain the use of terrain generator may be questionable only in terrains 2048x2048 and larger it becomes really noticeable. Smaller terrains you can easily sculpt by hand in Torque makes no difference if you use a terrain generator just makes everything more complicated.

 

Here is a level I made this image is without baked lightmaps in the basetex

and this image is the final version with baked lightmaps I think:

Depends a bit on taste wich one you like better, but I think its an improvement. It reminds me I actually exported the map from Torque3D into L3DT, calculated the lightmaps and exported the lightmap png and overlayed it in gimp over the basetex file, its basically a hack, it works but you cannot move the light source in Torque after it.

That is a 2048x2048 terrain btw and it took a long time to sculpt and fill with assets. I think I started roughly sculpting the terrain in Torque exporting it through heightmap into L3DT let it generate erosion, then exported it back to Torque, build the level until finished, then exported it back into L3DT generated lightmaps and overlayed the lightmaps over the basetex. The only thing you really gain from a terrain generator is to calculate erosion and maybe lightmaps or other layers you can use to artistically modify your basetexture a bit so your level will look unique. It would probably be better to add an erosion painter in Torque3D then you can skip terrain generators alltogether for the most part, you can also learn to draw erosion by hand, just need to learn how nature works.

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

Duion , lovely pics , aren't they of "battlegrounds highlands" or something ? reeking with FPS attraction and really look like a fun map . are they still in service ?... anyway , to me , The terrains shadows look very nice but I wonder . and guess what , I'm no expert on the stuff , but , does the provided light map functionality not satisfy you ?

Bsisco , may I ask Sir , why the concern ,..is it the TER exporter in the "Professional Edition" or something ? good luck tho and sorry .

[bsisko]

I was unaware that Torque had an alternative solution to import height maps.  I thought the only way to get a map from l3dt to torque was to use the export option in the standard version of l3dt.  That version is broken.

I have lost the activation key to the pro version (which does work). and do not know how to get a response from bundysoft.

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

Why dont you ask the new members , Me thinks they could be from Madrigal .

[Duion]

Yes Uebergame is still in service, though I have to fix Steam version I think. Torque has no lightmap functionality, just realtime direct shadows.

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

On 2/12/2025 at 5:27 AM, Duion said:

It would probably be better to add an erosion painter in Torque3D

Yes , but , thats sorta going out there isnt it ? besides think of the mess that the scripters might try and create in a networked environment . besides , between us , I've already posted about trying to set the noise generator factor in the editor settings and when I enter a suggested value of say whatever , and all it does is add like the root folder address or something like that as the value . so at the very least the default values are like nuts . So .

[bsisko]

@fLUnKnhaXYU,

I was unaware of this information.  Do they actually have permission from bundysoft to support L3DT.

@Duion,

"Uebergame",  is this an response to my question, or are you talking of something else?

[Azaezel]

On 2/16/2025 at 8:59 PM, fLUnKnhaXYU said:

Yes , but , thats sorta going out there isnt it ? besides think of the mess that the scripters might try and create in a networked environment . besides , between us , I've already posted about trying to set the noise generator factor in the editor settings and when I enter a suggested value of say whatever , and all it does is add like the root folder address or something like that as the value . so at the very least the default values are like nuts . So .

https://github.com/TorqueGameEngines/Torque3D/pull/1388

[fLUnKnhaXYU]

Wow Duio , ... 

AZ! -