Shaping
Updated 05 Apr 2018
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Upper levels: - QuArK Information Base - 1. Introduction to QuArK - 1.7. Terrain Generator in QuAr... |
1.7.4. Shaping |
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Shaping is the process of creating a terrain by moving the up and/or the down face of adjoining polys that make up the terrain surface. QuArK provides two vary powerful tools for you to work with in this process. As a general note, none of the Terrain Generator Selectors or the Texture Applicator will have any effect on terrain surface areas that are placed in a separate folder that is hidden by using that function which can be accessed using the Edit menu-View Group on QuArK's main Menubar or by clicking the LMB, with the mouse cursor over that particular folder and selecting Group is hidden from the pop-up menu. This feature is especially useful when working on terrain areas that are close to, above or below other sections of terrain. |
Index |
Basic Selector & Dialog Box |
cdunde - 05 Apr 2018 | [ Top ] |
The Basic Selector Dialog box is used to change the way the terrain will be created as a pull is taking place by entering two sets of values per input window. The first value being a percentage factor, which is applied to the second factor, and the second amount in units that will be added or subtracted from the actual movement. The dialog box can be dragged to any location by placing your mouse cursor over its blue title bar, holding down the LMB and moving it. It can also be resized like any other window and it will remain open and on top of the editor for your use until you click on the X button to close it. The first time you use the dialog box it will have default values already set in it that are also the default settings for that particular Terrain Selector. Once these settings are changed they are stored and saved to keep them the same until you change them again in another session of QuArK. With that covered, you are now ready to drag and shape your terrain. The dialog box can remain open or closed during this process. It is best to use the editors Side or Front View to do the actual dragging of the terrain. Although both, the dragging and selection process, can be done in any of the 2D or 3D views. However, you will notice, if you do your dragging in the 3D views, that it will be much slower and jerky in appearance. Place your mouse cursor over the center blue movement handle and holding down the LMB slowly move your cursor towards the top of the editor view. You should now see your terrain taking shape as you move your mouse further. If the size and amount of terrain you are moving is not too large, you will also see the changes in all of the other views, including the 3D views, as well. If not, briefly pausing, without releasing the LMB, will allow the editor to catch up for the redrawing of all of the views. This is the process that QuArK has to go through and why, sometimes, you may not see movement in the other views while you are dragging. One other item about dragging. If the 3D view should become distorted during a drag, you can usually clear this up by pressing your Tab key a couple of times. This is the Default Hot Key to cause all of the views to be redrawn. This can also be done while you are dragging if need be. Control of your mouse movement is the key here! Because of the way that QuArK processes terrain movement, the mouse curser will not remain on the center handle, but will tend to drift above or below it, depending on which direction you are dragging. This is normal. There is also a delay in movement reaction by the editor, for the same reasons, which can sometimes cause a run away effect to the terrain you are dragging. If this should happen, simply stop moving your mouse and release the LMB without canceling your terrain selection. Then click on the center handle again and slowly start your movement in the opposite direction. This will stop the run away movement all together and reset the handle co-ordinances to react properly once again. If you are unable to use the stop and restart method because things have just gone too far already, then use the Edit menu Undo / Redo... function which will usually take you back to a safe point from which you can start from again. For these reasons I highly recommend that you save your work and/or make a backup copy as you reach critical stages in your map editing process.
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Touch-up Selector & Dialog Box |
cdunde - 05 Apr 2018 | [ Top ] |
Special Key Options: Alt can be used to select the primary face for its individual movement. However, this application may not always work. Ctrl to force the face vertexes to snap to a point on the grid for re-aligning them. Hold the Ctrl key once the drag has started. Shift while holding the LMB will allow panning in the 3D view to see your work from a different direction and inspect changes. Using the Color Guides: Sometimes the Color Guides can be very helpful and other times be a bit obstructive when you are trying to see the results of your work. Because of this, a number of different options are available for better control of their use and display in the 3D views. As covered in the 3D views Options Dialog Box section there are Color Guide settings for each type of 3D view that QuArK has to offer and that work in conjunction with the Color Guide in the Touch-up & Paint Brush dialog box shown above. In addition, selecting the faces in an area you are working on will add further dimension and assistance in determining exactly where the common vertex points are on the terrain surface by outlining those faces in red creating a grid effect. (view 1 below) Once a selection has been made, the redline grid will disappear and only the selected faces will be outlined. (view 2 below) As the drag is made by the dark blue drag handle, another in green will show where the drag started incase you decide to return to that position to cancel the drag. (view 3 below) This comes in handy in very complicated or detailed terrain. After a drag has been completed, the redline grid will reappear including the faces that have been moved. (view 4 below) With all of the Color Guides activated (checked) the entire color scheme will be displayed. (view 1 below) If the guide is un-checked on the 3D views Options Dialog Box, for that particular 3D view, then only the primary face will be outlined in yellow with its dark blue drag handle and red stationary vertex boxes showing. (view 2 below) When it is also un-checked on the Touch-up & Paint Brush Dialog Box then only the dark blue drag handle will be shown. And finally, if the Red faces options is un-checked for that view on the 3D views Options Dialog Box as well, then even though the surface area is selected in the 2D views, the redline grid will not be displayed in that particular 3D view. (view 4 below)
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Other Vertex Movement |
cdunde - 05 Apr 2018 | [ Top ] |
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