ArmA 3 Terrain Misc info, stuff that we haven't found better place yet :)

Terrain Builder

Q: when i hit generate layers it tell me that the default satellite file doesn't exist
A: try switching tile size to 1024 and having texture layer size be as close to 40 as possible

Q: Objects appear as grey squares in 2d map view?
A: you cannot use ArmA 2 *Binarised* P3D's. Take them from the sample MLODs instead

wtf I messed up my P drive after just clicked Prepere P drive in steam tools.
All my old P drive settings are gone with all my files.
How do I set up my p drive back as it was I had for VIS3. omfg.

after I run set up in steam tools its all messed up
I want my VIS 3 P drive back set up

ODOL P3D Models

Initially, Terrain Builder could not read binarised P3D at all.

This was patched, and cosequently someone reported the failure you mention.

At that point it seemed that Terrain Builder only showed this error for type 52's (Operation Arrowhead P3D)

After that, bis via dwarden stated they wouldn't support Operation Arrowhead binarised P3D's in Terrain Builder.

It was assumed at that point that anything else, would do. so bottom line is, i assume, that it simply isn't supported.

MCO Textures

Miro: you can leave those mco textures there [layers.cfg]… engine will just ignore them

Satellite

EMF export of an image with just the roads visible for use as an accurate “roads template” for painting was the “old” V3 approach… With TB we have “Export shapes to Imagery” so all you need to do is export an image of all your roads polylines and you can use that as a template for painting them on the Sat (so they're visible at distance) and also on the mask (so you have a non-clutter “gravel” underlay)..

Any large concrete area like runway aprons, taxiways, car parks,etc, etc can really benefit from being painted on the sat layer (and usually on the mask as well)…

A good general rule is - “if you have a landscape feature and its big enough to be seen from a distance it should be on the Sat Layer”…

Terrain Builder keys

press “S” until it says “Brush”, then use LMB to increase the terrain, and RMB to lower the terrain.
Left Alt + M + Mousewheel will change the intensity
Left Alt + B + Mousewheel will change the brush size
Left Alt + N + Mousewheel will change outer brush size only

Left Shift toggles a leveling-mode.

Satellite Import Image Format

BMP will import fastest, but your limited to a 2gb filesize. PNG is slower importing due to the compression, TIFF/GEOTIF is good for larger masks.

Global Mapper or QGis

You can use Global Mapper (or other GIS software like QGis) to open roads.shp in A3/map_stratis/data/roads.

You need to create your own road shape file shp and add it to the map config.

Global Mapper might save your shp, prj and dbf table wrong, you might check for some other tools for example QGis what can give you better results.

From OpenStreetMap you can extract portions of road networks that would go straight in your terrain.

Terrain Builder

With the DevBranch ArmA3_x64.exe as buldozer there is a new brush called “Brush tool (height set)”.

It can be enabled with active brush by press and holding “c”. You can select a height with the right mouse button (isvalid is now true). And the exact height is applied instantly to the terrain by pressing left mouse.

Short:

• Hold “C” for Brush tool (height set).
• RMB → set / pick height.
• LMB → apply height / level terrain

About roads from Bushlurker:

you can shift roads from one layer to another by drag selecting the whole layer - then in the properties panel theres a popdown for all the available layers - you can use that to merge layers by choosing a different layer from the list

so you could be drawing different type roads on different layers, then merging them into a single common layer for export

Addon Builder

As of 2014-06-22 addon builder either from stable or dev branch doesn't work. You have to download the older version AddonBuilder_67083.exe from http://tom4897.info/?attachment_id=2273

Random Info

Altis terrain from default ArmA 3 has object count: 1,779,883

ArmA 3 Topography Command

topography exports with grid lines, this is the old method from arma/arma2. ExportNoGrid exports without grid lines, this is new for arma3.

CTRL-O to open old 2D mission editor, select terrain and then SHIFT-<minus numpad> and type “topography” or “exportnogrid”, you get notification in upper part of the screen about saving, then EMF file is saved to C: root dir.

Missing WRP

If you have WRP that is missing but there is config for it, arma3 just wont show anything about it, no error, no mission editor listing, no nothing. Once you add missing WRP, then it appears and the config “comes into play” so to speak.