Middle Earth DEM Project

[Redrobes]

S'funny cos I had a setback which I fixed eventually. All the text was coming out a few mm away from where it should and this was a problem. I forgot an offset so its alright now.

So latest... you wont be able to read the really small print like Cair Andros for example but you can in the high res version. I'll get one of those to you shortly like after a new height map and updates etc. I think I have the ability to do italics and other fonts but I dont think it needs it right now. I could do with the umlauts and accents and other stuff but will look into that later tho.

I expect that the names are for the wrong age and other ME issues but you know me - total ME luddite

So to the map...

[Midgardsormr]

That brings up a question: What period will this map represent? Obviously, the terrain is suited for anything following the ruin of Beleriand, but when it comes to labels, what are you shooting for?

[monks]

Hi Midgardsormr, Third Age 1640 which is when the map sources were set. But right now we're not going to get that detailed. The map is more generic at this point.

So far, 6 hours rendering n WM. This may be a 24 hour job. It's rendering as a single terrain. Oh ye, there is hfz in the output options...ha. So it's coming over to you as that. Stephen must have put that in without telling anyone. He's not been active in the WM forums since October 20th. Wow, work hard, play hard.

Oh yes, I left the erosion in by accident, d'oh! It's not a major erosion. What do you reckon Robes? If I take it out it'll certainly speed up the render by a LOT. It'll also increase the potential size of the render but that doesn't seem to be a problem right now- we're about 80% into it.

monks

[monks]

ok scuppered that run. I was running erosion on everything. Bad idea. Not necessary.

I'm going again. I'm going to leave erosion on mountains only. Hills, etc will be unprocessed.

monks

[Redrobes]

Midgard raises a valid point. Is there a ref map link that I should look at for the correct names for the map.

[monks]

There's the topo of course. You should have at lest one of those knocking around.
This render is a beast. I think this is going to be tomorrow morning guys- running all night.This has really surprised me. Sorry for the delay. I've got 2 erosion devices in there on the mountains only. Jeez...
If it goes caput I'll just take out all erosion and simply run that- that'll be about 4 hours max. So either way mid tomorrow.

monks

[Redrobes]

Been looking at veg today and figuring out why GTS has not been giving as good a veg maps as it ought to. I think I have found the answer but running it through to see now.

Came across this today too. Anyone for cake ?

[monks]

ahahaha! The Minas Tirith cake!! nutta! "I ate Minas Tirith"


Ok pulled the plug on that last run. No erosion. running now. Should be done by tonight.
I reckon that the full erosion render may well take a week or more...*gulp*...

monks



///Steve any chance of you modifying DF to render out cakes? ...maybe a cake shader in there or something?

[Redrobes]

Heh a cake shader eh ??? Hmmm not a lot of call for that one but you never know...

I have a render out. I made it do the full bung in the middle of the Mistys and then do some cheap bypass off that area so no snow in the north etc - just enough to tell me whether this is worth it or not. I think it is looking at it as we have Fangorn and Lorien full now and no duff region in Mirkwood. The new code makes getting the Veg right much easier than before. Veg growth before was a criminally sporadic process. There is some scope that this new veg change might help with rivers too... in that bizarre kind of way GTS works.

Anyway - is this better ?

[monks]

yeh! looking great! This is a lot better in all areas. Top left is maybe not quite as richly varied- can't guage that too well from what I can see here. Great job Robes!

OK dem called RENDER is going up into the dems folder of the CartoGuildComp (phase2 dir).
It's a hfz and opens fine in L3DT and GM yipeeeee!!!! We have a nice suite of apps now to work with

nipping out... oh yeh btw there's a bit of a horrid line around the Misty quad (that didn't show up in WM probably because it is works differently with rendering things)- I think a bit of blurring/brushwork is in order. Hopefully the erosion will help too.

Rauros hills are not done- needs work- flat. Also the beach in the south is still very flat. These jobs can be done tomorrow as last minute things depending on when you start your run.

some screenies to follow later...

monks