Questions from a Newbie
Hello All!
I am new to ProFantasy Software. I'm excited by all the capabilities in FT3 and CC3. However, as many of you can probably relate, it's a bit overwhelming at first. I have watched most of Joe Sweeny's videos, but as I start to mess around, I have a few questions.
First: What is the Prescale Offset? I mean, I can see some of the effects it does... but how is the "Raise Prescale Offset" fundamentally different than using the "Raise" function? I see it was even a "new button" added in FT3 from FTPro since so many people wanted it... so how does it work and what is the difference? I want to understand what I'm doing, not just click random buttons.
Second: I have an old map I made in Fractal Mapper that I want to convert to FT3. I exported the "silhouette" (black and white only), and have figured out how to convert the land to a specific altitudes using an image overlay and the "color-to-altitude" conversion. I've event tried using the "Peak" and "Basin" to give it some features. My problem is that whenever I try to "Roughen" the terrain, it usually makes some of my land masses submerge below sea level. I can artificially prevent this by making the land start at say 3000 feet above sea level, but then the "edges" are beveled and much too far above my sea level terrain. Smoothing isn't sufficient to fix this. I'm obviously just starting out, but can anyone give me good advice how I can convert my land masses to FT3 while also getting some of the nice texture from a FT3 synthetic world?
I'm told this is a very friendly community, and I can't wait to learn from you (and hopefully one day contribute!)
I am new to ProFantasy Software. I'm excited by all the capabilities in FT3 and CC3. However, as many of you can probably relate, it's a bit overwhelming at first. I have watched most of Joe Sweeny's videos, but as I start to mess around, I have a few questions.
First: What is the Prescale Offset? I mean, I can see some of the effects it does... but how is the "Raise Prescale Offset" fundamentally different than using the "Raise" function? I see it was even a "new button" added in FT3 from FTPro since so many people wanted it... so how does it work and what is the difference? I want to understand what I'm doing, not just click random buttons.
Second: I have an old map I made in Fractal Mapper that I want to convert to FT3. I exported the "silhouette" (black and white only), and have figured out how to convert the land to a specific altitudes using an image overlay and the "color-to-altitude" conversion. I've event tried using the "Peak" and "Basin" to give it some features. My problem is that whenever I try to "Roughen" the terrain, it usually makes some of my land masses submerge below sea level. I can artificially prevent this by making the land start at say 3000 feet above sea level, but then the "edges" are beveled and much too far above my sea level terrain. Smoothing isn't sufficient to fix this. I'm obviously just starting out, but can anyone give me good advice how I can convert my land masses to FT3 while also getting some of the nice texture from a FT3 synthetic world?
I'm told this is a very friendly community, and I can't wait to learn from you (and hopefully one day contribute!)
Comments
The prescale offset was a relatively late addition to FT. It's probably how the painting tools should have worked in the first place, but the problem is that it's a non-linear effect defined in a non-intuitive fashion. FT computes altitudes according to the following equation:
altitude = (fractalfunction + prescale) ^ exponent * scale * roughness + offset
where
# fractalfunction is the fractal function that's the basis of the world (it usually gives a result in the 0 to 2 range)
# prescale is the prescale offset editing value that can be painted or set. This value will usually be pretty small, on the order of -1 to +1
# exponent is the non-linear adjustment used to get the continental shelves. It is usually around 2 for areas above the shelf level and 1/2 for areas below it. FT doesn't provide a way to directly edit this value
# scale converts the output of the fractal function to the final world range. The way to control this value in FT is to set the Highest Peak and Lowest Depth values in the World Settings property sheet.
# roughness is the roughness editing value that can be painted or set. This value will usually be pretty small, on the order of 0 to 2 (the default is 1). A value of 0 "turns off" the fractal parts of the world and a value of 1 shows the full normal fractal world. A "blank world" is a world where the roughness is set to 0. As you raise the roughness from 0, the fractal parts show through, lowering your land if there is ocean in the fractal and raising it if there is land in the fractal.
#offset is the roughness editing value that can be painted or set. This value is defined in world units (meters or feet) and is linearly defined. It's the simplest to understand and easiest for the software to work with. The big problem with it is that it fights with the continental shelves. But, most of the fancier tools like fill basins, incise flow, and several of the others work exclusively with this channel. It would be nice if they worked with the prescale channel, but they don't.
For roughening up the surface without involving the fractal function, consider the Tools>>Global Noise operation.
I have managed to create my land masses starting from a flat map, roughened it up a bit, and made the edges more natural. My terrain is all between sea level and about 2000 feet, which is a perfect baseline. Now I am trying to add mountains. I keep trying to use the prescale offset painting, but I keep getting artifacts with altitudes in the millions, which is hampering my progress. Also, since my map is based of an old map I had made, I have some predefined mountain regions I want to recreate... but it's really hard for me to make it look as natural as the "synthetic world" mountain ranges. Any advice?