New terrain questions

[lmalonsof]

Hi,

I was wondering if there could be simple ways to do new base terrains and this came to my mind:

1.- Make a 3d terrain in XNA or Freeworld3D
2.- Export the terrain to a 3ds file
3.- Import the 3ds file in 3ds max
4.- Export it to NIF format (ff or ffvtr)
5.- Do... er... something to make it work. (Very accurate, I know)

Btw, I don't have the slightest idea about what are the needs for a base terrain. This is just a mental experiment and I suppose that could be many problems to solve during the process but... Would it work?
If the answer is no, I'll stop thinking silly things and I'l just focus in my next mod. If it's yes... I would give it a shot.

What do you think?

[GogglesPizanno]

I'm not familiar with XNA or Freeworld3D, but as long as you can get the mesh in 3ds format and import it, then yes it should work. Ive done it in the past.

There is still the little stuff like tagging the ground types and exporting extends and what not... And of course the dreaded "starting simple and then getting to complicated for your own good" syndrome because you had the most clever idea.

[Boalt92]

You might be better served constructing a new terrain using nifskope and parts of existing maps.  You can accomplish quite a bit by copying and pasting nodes (haven't been able to cross maps unfortunately, just FF1-->FF1 and FF2-->FF2)

The German City maps from FF2 are good for terra-skoping, so are the Prehistoric Panic/Central Park maps from FF1.

Cmdr Koenig can probably give some good advice on swapping map textures...he's the master.

B92

[cmdrkoenig67]

You might be better served constructing a new terrain using nifskope and parts of existing maps.  You can accomplish quite a bit by copying and pasting nodes (haven't been able to cross maps unfortunately, just FF1-->FF1 and FF2-->FF2)

The German City maps from FF2 are good for terra-skoping, so are the Prehistoric Panic/Central Park maps from FF1.

Cmdr Koenig can probably give some good advice on swapping map textures...he's the master.

B92

The best advice I can give in regards to textures is to have a paint program, a DDS converter (or a paint program with a DDS converter built in)...Changing textures is really very simple, though.  You just have to make sure the new texture has the same name as the old and that you have all the required textures for the terrain (you can alter them as you will in the paint program or even whip up new ones).

I've just recently ventured into the the realm of Skoping terrains...I may have some new maps springing from there somewhat soon----ish.

Dana