Get output of Basic Coverage macro split into layers

Bug Reports
#1

I’m not sure if what I’m trying to accomplish is possible, but for my sake I’m hoping it is.

I’m looking at the tutorial file which comes with the program - Rivers and Roads.tmd - and I’m trying to figure out if I can split the output from the Basic Coverage macro into separate layers. Ideally I’d like whatever gets colored as sand / rock / vegetation / erosion to be exported separately from the macro (I already know how to add parameters, etc…), so I can direct them as output to .raw files

I’m a complete noob when it comes to this tool, all I know how to do is generate height / normal maps but unfortunately for me, I need the bitmap split up into several bitmaps with each texture / color / whatever residing in a seperate bitmap (so that they act kind of like layers in photoshop).

Anyone have any idea how to do this?

Thanks,

Zach

#2

This is definitely possible, but it might be a good idea to review what you’re trying to accomplish first. The Basic Coverage macros’ main strength is that it does the combining, ordering, etc for you. If you want to keep all the layers separate and combine them later, its probably easier to create your own RGB texturing network.

For a good example open up the file “(RGB) Basic Texturing Example” in the World Machine examples folder. It shows a simple RGB network being created.

The basic idea is to send each bitmap to a file before it is combined with all the rest. You could wire from each of the “Color Generator” nodes to a bitmap output device and simply dump that color set to separate files. Your program will then do the layering of the textures itself (what the chain of combiners is doing in this example)

As far as getting the same output as the Basic Coverage device, the thing is that to achieve the same result you would need to put the layers together in the same way in your application – this is potentially possible but I can’t give any specific advice on that part of the work.

#3

Remnant,

Thank you very much for the quick response, I played around with the macro last night and pretty much did exactly what you’re describing.

I think combining the power of WM and L3DT I’ll be able to create all the height maps / alpha maps / textures I’ll need for my project.

Thanks again, and great work on the application, it’s a gem!

#4