How to find parameters for terrain mod textures?

[Ennedi]

I would like to use textures generated by the terrain mod more intentionally. These textures appear in various conditions (height, angle etc.). It would be good to know these conditions, but I don't know how to read terrain mod files. Could anybody help me? 

[Andreas]

I guess the only person who really knows how those files are working is Cycledogg, but usually, he's taking extended summer breaks, so it might take a while until he settles in here again.

[Heblem]

You can modify those conditions at the terrain controller file in reader, just change the numbers where it explain what it makes  like the width of the beaches, or if you want snow in your terrain mod, etc etc...

hope this helps 

[Ennedi]

Thank you guys for quick answer!

The Terrain Properties exemplar in CPT No 6 Terrain Controller has about 70 parameters. I looked at the carefully, some of them are self - evident, but some are a bit mysterious. I was looked for parameters wchich decide about appearing various textures from CPT No 5 and I didn't find a simple answer. Doing an ingame terraforming i see if I change the angle of 4 neighboring tiles (one common corner), the texture changes not only on these tiles, but 3 - 5 tiles away. I would like to know what are principles of these changes.

I'm afraid Andreas is right and I should ask CP

Thanks again! 

[beskhu3epnm]

This all depends on what you intend on doing. If you use ILive reader, you need to open the primary terrain texture file from the terrain you are using. You do not need to open No.3 or No.4.

If I am using the Columbus Terrain Mod (No.7), I open that file specifically to make my changes. Now you have some choices to change:
MaxTerrainHt - Changes the maximum value for terrain to be present. Can be used up to 6000m. This also affects how the terrain textures are applied (ie. raise it up to 6000m, and snow will occur at much higher elevations).
MaxNormalYforCliff - This changes at what angles the rock texture will appear. The higher the value, the less angle that cliffs will appear. 0.70 is the most realistic angle that I've discovered after some pretty intensive study.
Temperature Range Factor - This exemplar changes the elevations at which terrain textures are applied. If you have 3 textures, for example:
1. Lowlands (dk green)
2. Mid-Level (lt green/brown)
3. Snow (white)

Changing the temperature range higher will cause texture 1 to appear from the lowest elevation to a much higher elevation. Snow will appear at higher elevations. If you lower the temperature range, snow will appear much lower, and the lowlands texture will be nearly non-existent.

My best combination is to raise terrain to 6000m and adjust temperature range accordingly.

I hope this helps you in what you would like to accomplish!

[Ennedi]

@beskhu3epnm,

Thank you very much for your explanation!

1. I use DatGen, but I have ILive Reader too (but I'm not experienced in use it).

2. Now I am using Italia and Olympic terrain mods (I tried also other mods from this series). Sometimes I change CPT No 5 and beach mod.
In my current MD (Shosaloza) I use Italia Terrain Mod + PEG Red - Brown Granite Rock Mod.

3. In fact, now I don't want to change any parameters of the terrain mod. I think it is well composed and my knowledge is too liitle to start from this point. Instead of it, I try to research the behaviour of this mod making experiments with terraforming. Now I'm preparing the update to my MD (it will be ready in 2-3 hours) and I will show there some of these experiments.
I try to make the precise terraforming to force the particular texture to appear. It would be very good to know specific parameters needed to achieve this goal. In my opinion such practice is necessary before I will think about changing specific parameters (and I would like to do it in future  ) I also think it is possible to achieve very interesting effects manipulating these textures.

4. To do any useful work it is necessary to make experiments in a scientific way  I mean dont change more than 1 factor at a time and check boundary conditions. But to do it I must understand function of these parameters - and I must say your information is very important for me  Thank you very much!

[beskhu3epnm]

No problem, Ennedi,

If at a later date you need some step by step help, feel free to drop me a line. I can get you set up perfectly. As your current MD will need no modifications, maybe one in the future will!! As I have tons of experience in this field, I will not lead you astray.

Take care

beskh

[M4346]

I am bookmarking this page and watching future developments! I have always been fascinated by the sheer ingenuity of CP's terrain mods and I would like to understand better how they work. I find it amazing, for example, how his tree mods work so well with his terrain mods, and then I also just stand in awe of the immense beauty of his terrain textures and its detail.