Tutorial - Adding Trees to Zones

[GeorgeS]

This PDF contains a detailed description on adding tree meshes and creating transparent leaves.

I think it's fair to let everyone know how it's done as this is a community project and so many have helped me get this far.

It is a completed work, however I will make additions and revisions at any time.

Here it is in its entirety (edited link - should work now)

http://www.wizardportal.com/optimaiv/orion2/eqemu/Creating_EverQuest_Tree_Zones.PDF

link for media to tutorial
http://www.wizardportal.com/optimaiv/orion2/eqemu/mytree.zip

GeorgeS

[Windcatcher]

Very nice tutorial. Now that I've read it I think I remember why the client has problems with the fringes. I think it has to do with using bilinear or trilinear filtering. They allow the engine to blend texture pixels so they look...well, less pixelated, but it also means that the adjoining mask color will bleed into the pixels that are visible. I think this is also the cause of the lines that you get at the edges of your textures -- the filtering also causes the pixels from the other end of the texture (e.g. the trunk of the tree) to blend across the texture edge to the other side.

You shouldn't have to edit eqzoneviewer's .INI settings to manually load a zone. It has menu entries that let you load a zone manually from any folder. Now if it would only not blow up on my ATI Radeon x800 Pro so I wouldn't have to run it from my laptop...

Another way to deal with transparent tree textures is to start with a 24-bit .BMP file and click File...Convert to transparent bitmap. It pops up a dialog where you can select the input and output texture filenames. When you click Ok in the dialog, it will look at the pixels in the four corners of the input .BMP file to determine the transparency color (choosing the color that's most prevalent as the transparency color). It then creates a new 32-bit .BMP file where the alpha value is 0 for the transparency color and 255 for all others. This technique assumes that your external 3D modeler can read this texture file, but this way the tree textures really will show up properly in OpenZone. The issue with the color of the fringes will still remain, however.

I'll look into the bugs you found. I could have sworn that I had fixed the issue with newly exported mesh objects not showing up in the mesh list...

[GeorgeS]

This method uses an external program I wrote which takes the .scn file containing the 3ds object and texture info and replaces key portions to be transparent in EQ. This is also an easy way to import lots of transparent tree/leaves into the mesh library.

tutorial link
http://www.wizardportal.com/optimaiv/orion2/eqemu/Creating_Transparent_Mesh.pdf

Link to scene texture modifying tool
http://www.wizardportal.com/optimaiv/orion2/eqemu/tc.zip

Reference Objects for Tutorial
http://www.wizardportal.com/optimaiv/orion2/eqemu/mytree2.zip

This method is faster than the previous manual method. I actually became very proficient at making tree zones now. You can too.

GeorgeS

[Sakrateri]

Hey George, you still have these tutorials around, links are old, thanks .

[GeorgeS]

I'm looking at the archives for that site now - will let you know if I found anything

GeorgeS

[Amphitryon]

Sorry to necro, but I was wondering if there was a place now to get these tutorials anymore or if anyone who still has them woulnd't mind sharing?

Thanks

[GeorgeS]

If WC does not have these, then they are long gone

GeorgeS

[EternalBlack]

As far as tutorials go, Depending on what modeling program u are using, I can assist you. If you have 3ds max, I would be happy to make a tutorial showing how to make trees whether they are low poly or high, as well as how to scatter them across the given terrain that you have quite easily. I have been working with OrisonSeven's team to create some new stuff, but we have come across a few issues and are hard at work attempting to get around them. If you are looking for an openzone tree creating tutorial, thats different. Any other tutorials for terrain, object, or whatever u may be trying to do using 3ds max and openzone, I will try to do as well.

Using an external modeling program for trees and terrain will give you much more control over the outcome when it comes to the details.

Please let me know if this is something you are interested in.

[Fritzism]

Any other tutorials for terrain, object, or whatever u may be trying to do using 3ds max and openzone, I will try to do as well.

Using an external modeling program for trees and terrain will give you much more control over the outcome when it comes to the details.

Please let me know if this is something you are interested in.

I would love some tutorials on how to import objects from modern versions of MAX (2010 in my case). I remember trying some old import your own mesh tutorial that I just couldn't get working.

[EternalBlack]

Ok, So in hopes of posting a few tutorials, I began making a few different ones... The only issue is that I recently built a new computer, and now Openzone crashes upon finalizing turning any imported mesh, poly, or whatever for that matter. This is truly frustrating seeing as I even reverted to an older version of OZ which had worked on the older computer. After looking at any differences between the two setups, reverting back to 3dsmax 08 rather then working with 2010 still has yielded no positive results.

Not sure what is causing the error, but upon further testing, I found that OZ also crashes upon closing it, causing the standard "Microsoft Error Report" to show.

The close-crash error isnt really a problem if I could in fact get the program to compile the mesh into the .s3d file format correctly.

Current system specs are:
XP-64bit
Core i7 3.2ghz machine
12 gigs ram
Two radeon HD4870s
More HDD space then ever needed

All graphics drivers are up to date and properly 64bit supported. both versions of max are 64 bit as was the system that was used previously with no errors. Any help from Wind or whoever may have an answer would be great.

I have all the content and videos created up to the final compile issue which really means they are useless as of right now.

All textures are .bmp format with power of 2 resolution and nothing greater then 2048x2048. All mesh/poly imports have less then 64k faces per import as per the .3ds import limitation. I do recall installing some other file way back when on the old machine from the list of downloads however i dont remember if it had anything to do with OZ or its functionality.

Furthermore, upon transfering old .3ds files over to the new machine, the ones that did in fact work back on the old machine, and attempting to compile once more, the same crash error occured.

The error comes up "Access violation at address 0040462D in Module 'Openzone.exe'. Read of address 46454443" which is generated immediately before the "Encoding output file" process bar begins but after running through the beginning steps.

If I simply have forgotten some plugin file or support file, then i feel like an idiot.

Thanks for any help I can get.

--Once this issue is resolved I will post tutorials for:
Zone terrain creation through: simple drag-point design, and heightmap usage
Creation of heightmaps using photoshop
Creation of simple low poly trees with low,moderate, and high detail
Creation of tree branches and usage of alpha maps for transparent leaves
Creation of medium and high poly trees for high res terrain creation

Any other suggested tutorials I will undertake as I can and at request... following the correction/fix of my OZ functionality.

If people simply want 3dsmax tutorials, I can show those as well for modeling needs.

[GeorgeS]

I get the exact error also on win 7 64bit. The only way to get it to work is have a laptop with XP.

GeorgeS

[EternalBlack]

Strange... because my previous computer, the one that used to work ran on XP 64 bit as well with no issues at all... this now puzzles me... im gonna have to look at what the differences between the two machines beyond single core versus core i7 and whatnot. will let u know if i notice anything that stands out.

thanks for the quick reply as well

[EternalBlack]

Another Odd issue i have come across is that after setting Openzone up on my laptop, running xp 32 bit, on standard Pentium M machine... that OZ does open and close without crashing, but the same compile issue happens when i transfer the files over to be imported and then compiled to .s3d format. also, the textures do not show up even tho they do on my 64 bit desktop running the same version of OZ with the same import mesh and the same .bmp in the same folder... very strange.

Perhaps its something to do with the 64 bit variant of max... tho this never was an issue previously... and i can still enter and load the older zones into OZ... however, only from the saved OZ files... not from exporting the updated mesh files and the new textures of those older working custom zones. All of this leads me to believe that there may be a support issue with me having Max 2010 also installed even though i do my models in both to see if that was the case. As it seems... neither export type works any longer.

Also on another note, apparently my sound driver is not to happy with me seeing as after both trying to create tutorials while using the older version, there was no sound recorded. I updated the driver... and still nothing... gonna have to look and see if some other issue is causing the mic to not register.

So all in all... tho i would have liked to have posted a few tutorials already, it may be a little while unless people like silent or subtitled videos on how to do stuff... which in my opinion are much less effective and harder to follow.

Hoping to resolve these situations asap.

EternalBlack
Member of OrisonIndustries

[GeorgeS]

I had a similar issue on win7 64bit and sound on the laptop. After coming from sleep mode, the sound would not work. I would have to reboot to get that to work. Getting an updated driver from gateway fixed the problem with audio.


GeorgeS

[EternalBlack]

Ok, so an odd thing happened to me last night. After posting that i couldn't use OZ on either my 32 bit XP or my new 64 bit XP system, and it was no longer working on my older desktop, i decided to give it one more try on the old machine via remote desktop rather then move the tower over and reset all the cables. After about 30 seconds on the other machine i remembered that I had always had issues with OZ 8.5 or newer... and that I used to use 8.3 for stuff and it worked flawlessly. Remembering this, I opened OZ 8.3 and found that via Remote Desktop the terrain would not show up on screen however it was in fact present and there. I decided to tell it to compile which went without a hitch. 10 seconds later I was in game running around my new test terrain.

Very excited about this as i finally remember that the issue for me was happening with any version of OZ after 8.3. Just happy I kept the old one.

My happiness was short lived however due to the fact that the texture that I had created for the terrain, tho working, was very badly smeared and misformed almost as tho when the compiler ran, it changed the texture from a 2048x2048 to something closer to 512x512 or smaller. It appears as tho it sorta broke my huge texture into smaller tiles and then tried to blend the edges... quite poorly. Think of having a picture printed on paper sprinkled with a fine mist of water... very odd looking and the blended edges for water, rock, grass, and even the finer details within the rock are gone. Also, the shadows that I baked onto the texture to boost realism are almost grey rather then a dark black and look like eraser smears... which puzzles me.

Another note is that while 3dsmax 2010 is supported and does work for exporting, and OZ does work with these files... If i try to import my "moderately good" looking trees, OZ crashes upon compile. The trunks import fine, but the leaves/branches imported through a seperate file do not work.

I at first thought perhaps it was the total number of polys or verticies, but seeing as Max limits exports to 64k of either polys or verts, and my terrain is at 63,348, and works correcty, I am begining to wonder what the issue is.

My first thought is that there are too many high res textures being used... my branches use a 2048x2048 texture to help balance for lack of poly count... so this will be my first place to check.

As far as tutorials go... I am still working on the sound issue, and after changing drivers a few times with no luck, i may just have to create a virtual sound driver to shunt the audio input... or perhaps record audio on another machine and overlay it as I go.

Wind, if u are reading this, and know why perhaps that OZ 8.3 would work, but any newer version doesnt, please let me know. I also now realise why we were having memory issues with our old zone imports seeing as the number of high res textures was beyond insane. To give u an idea, We were using between 15 and 30 exported meshes stacked ontop of one another each with roughly the max number of polys/verts... and each with at least 15 high res textures. We were getting asked for roughly 1 terabite of memory to continue the operation... perhaps Our new work machine cluster will have better luck.

EternalBlack
Member of OrisonIndustries

[EternalBlack]

So, For those wondering what kind of stuff im talking about, and what the so called "low poly" trees look like....

Here is an image of Orison in game within the zone...
Note:
-Terrain texture tho blended between rock, grass, and shadows, is a bit smudged looking.
-Tree creation from scratch(not including texture design) to being a complete forest was about 20 mins max.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/3363/eq000019copy.jpg
By icedfate (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/icedfate) at 2010-03-18

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/4516/eq000016copy.jpg
By icedfate (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/icedfate) at 2010-03-18

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4810/eq000020copy.jpg
By icedfate (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/icedfate) at 2010-03-18

Any help on the reason for texture error would be greatly appreciated.
Tutorials up as soon as I can get a decient frame rate for capture... program i am currently running doesnt seem to be very happy.

EternalBlack
Member of OrisonIndustries

[EternalBlack]

A most recent discovery that i have come across... Openzone 8.3 works correctly on my current xp 64bit system, complies the files and creates playable zones without any flaws save for one. While viewing large mesh files with high poly count... OZ has a flickering effect causing the terrain tho textured correctly, to blink as tho constantly trying to rerender even when i am not trying to change its orientation.

To Wind... not sure what changed from 8.3 onward, but it works for me on my core i7 system running xp 64bit.

George, try using 8.3 on your windows 7 system and let me know if it works for you.

EternalBlack
Member of OrisonIndustries

[Amphitryon]

Thanks for bringing this back to life :) I like seeing these screenshots too as it gives me an idea of what is possible, that is it is possible to make zones with a pretty modern quality level.

As far as the modeler(s) I have been playing with they have been Anim8or and GMAX (tho Anim8or's inability to work right in Vista has really turned me off on it).

GMAX has been very well behaved by comparison (especially for something that is free, and long in the tooth age wise)

Even 3Ds tutorials can help..I can figure out the differences

[Sakrateri]

Anim8or's inability to work right in Vista has really turned me off on it

Lol, shouldnt that be Vista's inability to work with Animator? (or tons of other programs) try windows 7 and get rid of that rubbish.