Messages

556

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Build Loading Added!)

« on: October 07, 2015, 12:12:49 AM »

What happened here?:
-pic-
It doesnt look like anything loaded there but it still made room for it

That's just the Flat Area generation feature. If you want, you can choose to have some areas of terrain be flattened without the build being loaded on top - like if you want places to easily build on top of. That can be toggled though.

557

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: October 06, 2015, 11:52:19 PM »

i mean ive got no expertise in this but ill gladly test it out if youve got a spot you're willing to let me have

Would love to help test this

Great, added to the list. =)

I'd be happy to test it if you want

We just hit the cap sorry, thanks for offering to help though.


Update: Build Loading is basically done!
This feature allows you to load your own .bls saves randomly into the landscape.


GUIs and Build Uploading:

The Build Loading GUIs allow you to choose which build you want to upload to the server - builds must be under 20,000 bricks, can be located anywhere on the map within 100000 meters of the origin, and must fit within a cubic area of 256 meters (equal to 8 64x Baseplates). Once selected, your client will gradually send the .bls file to the server, and then the server will replace all UI names with datablock names, and will calculate 3 addition files that will be used for rotating the build (items and emitters will also be rotated with the build). During conversion, the server will also calculate a bounding box around the build, and save all the files relative to various grid sizes based on the bounding box size - from 2 to 256.



Loading Builds:
Loading builds from converted files works very similar to loading a .bls save, so events, audio files, lights, items, etc. are all supported. The generator will automatically take conflicting colorsets into account, so you don't have to worry about always using the same one each time. Builds are loaded relative to each chunk; for smaller builds, only one build can be loaded per chunk.

Placement Algorithm:
Builds are loaded based on the conditions you set for each build. Not only can you set how often a save will be loaded, toggle if a specific build will be used or not, and set whether or not it will be automatically / randomly rotated. But, you can also choose where in the landscape that build will generate (i.e. terrain, shore biome, underwater, on the water surface, floating islands, mountains and in any of the 3 custom biomes). Builds will only be loaded if the conditions you left unchecked are all true (i.e., if you have mountains disabled and no mountains are present at a specific location); conditions you enable will be true by default. The generator will automatically precalculate large areas of terrain in advance, and then will flatten an area of terrain relative to the size of that build.

Flat Area Generation, Caves and Detail Bricks:


If desired, you can also enable flat area generating, which will still allow some areas of terrain to be leveled, but without generating the build on top. This was a feature recommended to make building easier for varied terrain slopes. Detail bricks will generate normally for flat areas, but will not be generated where builds are present. Also, the generator will prevent caves from intersecting flattened areas.

Flat areas work independently of build loading, so you can have either or both enabled at the same time. You can also set the frequency of flattened areas, as well as the grid range allowed for them to generate (between 2 to 256 meters). Both build loading and flat areas work for SkyLands and floating islands, and you can choose to generate them based on the highest or lowest point of the relative area they are being generated in.

Super Admin Support:
An toggle option is also included to allow non-host super admins to upload their own saves to the server, as well as to manage previously uploaded saves.

Known Issues (I'll try to fix these in time for the Pre-Release update):
-Sometimes the bottom layer of floating islands sticks out above the top layer
-Vehicles don't always stay on their spawns when builds are loaded (vehicle spawning is disabled for now)
-Flat areas and build loading can sometimes cause openings in terrain
-Sometimes builds will float when loaded for floating islands





Also, a few improvements have been applied to SkyLands for the next update. All I have left to do now is to finish GUI previewing, then I can sending out the Betas.

558

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Small Update, Testers Cap Increased)

« on: October 05, 2015, 11:08:26 PM »

this looks way better from the last PTG mod and i would very much like to be a beta tester for this

Could I test this? Terrain generation was something I always wanted in blockland, and the old terrain generator was kinda odd, but this one seems promising.

Of course, added y'all to the list.


2 testing slots are still open! I'm hoping to send out the Beta by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.

559

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Small Update, Testers Cap Increased)

« on: October 04, 2015, 05:50:16 PM »

how mingus how did you do that

that looks incredible

Thanks, it's all based on the "Fog Ref Height" you set in the GUI. Any bricks close to that height will be closer to the color you set for those bricks. Anything below that height and closer to the ground will become more saturated / lighter, and anything above that height and further away from the ground will become darker. It seems to give a really good illusion of depth.

I am super excited for this mod to be finished

Not much left to finish at this point. =)

Can I be a tester?
I got kinda frustrated with the last one not liking me and being like "Eh, whatevz, mirroring it around 0 0, too bad, dude."
Also, using EventZones, you can make ANY brick act as a water brick. Can you make it so that's an option, having normal-bricks-with-zone-code as water? they're just  (Onminigamereset, createzone center 0, onminigame reset, zone, become water), no collision or raycasting, and rendering but with the water FX applied.

Could I be tester?  This mod seems very promising.

Sure guys, I added y'all to the list in the OP. I'll consider adding that as an option; it would be an interesting feature, but could cause serious lag when the smaller bricks are used.

560

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Small Update, Testers Cap Increased)

« on: October 04, 2015, 01:19:44 PM »

I'm so excited for this but at the same time I don't want my blockland to die of lag, lol

If you use the larger brick sizes for terrain, then you should be good. =) That lag graph is kinda experimental anyway lol.

daaamn, i always wanting to become a terrain guy but got lazy infact i will test this out.
ign: haloz­³ (ok yeah its not an alt seriously, i made this name up.))

Lazy builders are certainly welcome.

Hey could I become a beta tester? I could see this working very well with video production

Sure, I replied to your PM and added you to the list on the OP.


6 testing slots are still open!

561

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: October 03, 2015, 11:16:51 PM »

Gamemodes can have a server.cs, which is executed when you start the gamemode. You can't write any code into the gamemode.txt.

Iirc you can have gamemode properties set in gamemode.txt so maybe you can have the user set the values in the gamemode.txt and process it all when the gamemode object is created.

Thanks guys, I'll include a server based function that can be executed in the Server.cs file for gamemodes. Presets would have to be loaded on the server-side, but that shouldn't be too much of a hassle to setup.


Update: Build Loading is now 95% done! Builds can be loaded onto floating islands (in addition to the terrain, underwater and the water surface). Detail bricks will automatically avoid builds once loaded, and you can also enable details (from the default biome) to generate on floating islands.



A lag preview graph has been added to the preview window, which will show (in milliseconds) how long each chunk takes to calculate and render. In addition, the depth simulation option for previewing is now working.



If all goes well, the Beta update should be rolling out to the testers by next week!

Edit: Oh, and I'll be increasing the cap for the amount of testers to 40, since the next 2 updates will be the most crucial for testing. So if you would like to reserve a spot, let me know!

562

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: October 01, 2015, 09:14:35 PM »

I wonder if it's possible to load a certain ptg preset when starting a gamemode, so when the starts the terrain is loaded and generated
this could make some gamemodes much more interesting with build loading

Someone else did suggest that as well, so I'm going to try to include a function that will load a preset and immediately start a routine after. I'm not that familiar with gamemodes though, can you execute functions from the gamemode file?

563

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: September 29, 2015, 09:34:50 PM »

Could you please send me PM's on this account? I got banned on my previous and I don't receive PM's on my new account.

Sure no problem.


Here's some pics showing my progress with build loading. The placement algorithm is close to being done!

564

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: September 27, 2015, 11:36:35 PM »

There's a bug that effect the way how bricks break.

For example if I would make a tower of bricks and wand or hammer the bottom supporting brick. It would only delete that one brick and leave the others floating.

Thanks, I've actually known about that issue for awhile, but should have that adjusted before the final release.

Great!, is this version going to be more simple than the other?

It should be much easier to use than the previous versions. =) The GUIs have been set up to be more intuitive and easy to figure out, and there will be video tutorials included as well to reduce the learning curve.


Still making progress with build-loading; right now I'm finalizing how terrain is flattened when builds are loaded (for both terrain and floating islands). For build-loading, I still need to finish colorset conversion, preventing details from generating inside loaded builds, flattening terrain for skylands and I need to fix and issue with flattening terrain for mountains.

565

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: September 25, 2015, 12:27:58 AM »

Did the testing updates get postponed. Or is it coming in one big shipment.
I've been working around with it, found some glitches and stuff. Should probably post.

I was hoping to get all the features working for the next release - the Beta, so it would come as one big update. But, I'm thinking it might be best to release the Beta once I finish GUI previewing and Build-Loading, and then finish the rest for a Pre-Release test. The latter is probably what I'll end up doing.

Also, please keep those bug reports coming. =) Someone mentioned an issue with bots before; are there any issues with using bot spawns as details, or when using bots and resetting a minigame / changing a gamemode?

566

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: September 22, 2015, 01:16:50 AM »

just to point this out, but thats not cool..

I apologize if that was offensive; I'll be buying the song anyway, but I was just saying that any donations towards it would help out. The private mods weren't really that important, just very, very small projects that weren't really good enough to be released publicly, and were meant to make slight improvements to my server. I was planning on releasing one of them with PTG anyway, such as a brick that sets a random item for that brick once planted - like if you wanted to have random items spawn across the landscape when hosting DMs with PTG.

I removed that from the OP though; anything that's good enough to be release publicly will always be released publicly.

Old version of this isn't doing anything so I guess I have to wait for this.
...
...
...
*explodes because he is not a patient person*

Development is drawing to close, the only main things I have left to do are:
-GUI Previewing (close to being done)
-Build-Loading (About 85% done, I'll actually be posting another progress update regarding this soon)
-Boundaries for infinite terrain
-Dynamic Stream Bricks
-Modular Terrain Support
-Events and Third Party Support
-and the remaining issue fixes.

Not much left!

567

Add-Ons / Re: ☐⇄☐ Item Storage

« on: September 09, 2015, 10:33:34 PM »

I'm having trouble adding any of the mods with the right click. any suggestions?

You mean for installing add-ons? One option is to select the file by using and holding left-click over it, and then drag it into your Add-Ons folder. Or, you can move the file by right-clicking the add-on and selecting "Cut" from the pop up menu. Then, open your Add-Ons folder, select an empty space and right-click, and then select "Paste". Hope that helps

568

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3

« on: September 09, 2015, 06:45:45 PM »

Bump, I'm back from vacation! Development for PTG has resumed, and actually the development cycle is starting to near it's end; there are only a few things left to finish before the Beta release, and the final release of the add-on.


GUI - Previewing
The ability to preview landscapes before actual generation has returned, and will be greatly improved. Previews are done completely client-sided, and should be a lot more accurate than in version 2. Previews support just about all features, except for showing details and loaded-builds. Some new additions to previews include being able to toggle certain layers (i.e., hiding water, clouds, etc.), and I'm also planning on adding an option for simulating fog / giving an illusion of depth. This feature isn't finished yet, but I've made some progress:


Enlarging Preview Images
Another few feature is the ability to enlarge small preview images for player builds, loaded builds and for presets. Just click the image to open it in a new window - you can even maximize the window for a fullscreen view.


Noise Scale Auto-Fixing
Since there seemed to be some confusing regarding noise-scales, I decided to add a function that will automatically fix any issues with them for you, while attempting to maintain the ranges you have set. There are two ways to auto-fix issues: either by selecting the button under the noise scales in the GUI, or by selecting the button that pops up with the error message.


New Chunk Saving / Loading Options
Another new addition is the ability to set certain chunk saves as permanent or non-pemanent. To set a save as permanent, just drag-and-drop your desired files into the folder that's automatically created for you. Permanent saves are never removed by the server under any circumstances, which is great for setting up builds on the landscape which you don't want to be deleted - i.e. like a spawn room. You can also now choose weather or not for the server to automatically remove old, non-permanent chunk saves to make room for new ones, if the chunk save limit is reached. Lastly, you can now choose weather or not to load static values for chunks from saves.

Other Changes:

✔ Noise scale checks now only run for features that are enabled
✔ Chunk Manager now shows the amount of saves for the current seed and chunk size
✔ Presets now only load into the GUI when you're on a server
✔ Adjusted noise scale snap and clamp value ranges for uploaded settings
✔ Improved server-sided error checks
✔ Dropped the Simplex GUI (more complicated to include than I thought, not necessary with the inclusion of presets and would delay development)
✔ Dropped the option of allowing mountains within certain biomes (may overcomplicate noise scales and isn't really necessary)
✔ Dropped the option to autosave all chunks on local quit (also not really necessary)

569

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Edge FallOff Added)

« on: August 31, 2015, 01:01:54 AM »

I'll be taking a break from development and posting for about a week, but I'll post another update soon.

570

Modification Help / Re: Procedural Terrain Generator v3 (Edge FallOff Added)

« on: August 25, 2015, 10:12:48 PM »

Edge falloff has been added! For those who don't know, edge falloff is a feature for finite terrain that forces the edges of the landscape to gradually snap to the ground. It was requested over a year ago - mainly to make island landscapes appear more realistic, but it works with all terrain types, including Skylands.



It also supports clouds and floating islands, which is useful in preventing large openings at the edges of the grid. Once the feature is enabled, all you have to do is set the falloff distance, which will alter the height of bricks that are within that distance from any of the four edges.



In addition, you now have the option of expanding the mini control window for the Complex GUI, which will give you more options and greater convenience when controlling the generator.



Other changes for the next update:

✔ Added a new server command to allow any player to see their current position and facing-direction (can be toggled)
✔ Added isObject checks to prevent console error spam
✔ Console echo messages now include a player's id
✔ Added a new server command "/PTGClearAll" which takes the place of the Purge function - clears static and non-static chunks
✔ Change the "/PTGPurge" command to now delete saves for removed chunks
✔ Updated / slightly simplified the Chunk Manager GUI
✔ Updated the "/PTGcmds" and "PTGrmt();" functions
✔ Added the Simplex GUI (still need to finish it and add the functionality for it)
✔ A lot of other small fixes and improvements