I am still trying to get my head around WM->ProgramOtherThanTerragen workflow.
Preferably I would like to have a 16 bit greyscale BMP output in WM but I have not figured out how to do that yet. I’ve been settling for 8 bit bmp (which contrary to WM documentation actually exports in RGB rather than greyscale) then importing that to a program called G16ed for my game program heightfields. I’m not sure I lose critical detail, but detail is lost none the less.
If anyone here is familiar with UED you would probably better understand the end I am working toward.
PS gives severe banding upon opening any of the sixteen bit options currently available in WM.
Has anyone actually done this or is the advice so far theoretical 
PS gives severe banding upon opening any of the sixteen bit options currently available in WM. Has anyone actually done this or is the advice so far theoretical ;)
Make sure you turn off any Color Management in PS. The conversion from RGB → Grayscale can get mangled if you don’t.
Also, I have heard, but never confirmed, that Pre-CS2 versions of Photoshop didn’t handle 16-bit images right. In other words, I do know that CS2 works with 16-bit images just fine. In fact, check out:
http://www.richardrosenman.com/software/downloads/
Look for Pix Map plugin. It will allow to to import 16-bit PGM files from WM. Not necessary, but a possible work around for older versions of PhotoShop.
I’m sure your aware that Import > Photoshop RAW would work for the 16-bit RAW export.
You can also use HDR Shop to import 32-bit float files, which you can export into 32-bit tiff’s which Photoshop will read just fine. (don’t use HDR Shop’s Radiance format, it’s lossy)
I guess I’d be most concerned about your export path. Photoshop should be handling your 16-bit data fine.
Pre-CS versions can’t handle 16-bit greyscales. At least not here. It’ll load the image properly but then you can’t do anything with it unless you convert it to 8-bit greyscale.
Actually CS2 tells me:
“Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of document”
when I try to open the r16
I’ve tried every output believe me…
This is why I scratch my head 
I will give that plugin a try though thank you.
Well PGM was close. I get an import, but the top half is noise, and the bottom half is black.
On the plus side, I’ve been introduced to a cool set of filters ty 
Are you sure you guys have actually DONE this? lol
Output as .ter, convert to 16 bit .tif with Terraconv, load into Photoshop (CS2 preferred), edit, save as 16 bit .tif, use Terraconv to convert back to .ter.
- Oshyan
Actually CS2 tells me: "Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of document"
How are you trying to open the .r16? Just using the open command?
I don’t use CS2 personally, but in previous versions of photoshop, you can open .r16 files using the “Open As” command, select RAW type, open the .r16 file, select 1 channel, 16bit, IBM PC ordering, 0 header. I can’t imagine they would have gone backwards at all in the ability to open a 16bit raw file.
BTW, as far as I’m aware there is no official 16bit-per-channel BMP at all. The unreal engine supports a completely unofficial 16bit BMP extension (much like Povray’s 16bit TGA format). Are you really able to export this unofficial format from Photoshop in the first place?
Furthermore, G16ed supports import of 16bit RAW files. So why the need to change formats at all? Just go to Import->RAW Data, expand the file filter to . so you can see your .r16 file, select it, and you’re set.
(BTW, I have split this topic off, as it was starting to get tangential to the one that it started as a reply to).
The only reason I’m using PS is to convert from RGB to Greyscale.
I can export 8 bit TGA and BMP from World Machine, but G16 will not open those because I get an invalid planes error message.
So I’ve been using PS to convert the World Machine output to greyscale 8 bit BMP (because the output mode seems to be RGB even if it is a desaturated RGB) and then importing that to G16. Where I use a couple of smooth passes before saving as the needed 16 bit BMP format.
I’d like to cut out PS completely. I’m not sure if I can save the proper 16 bit format from PS because I’ve never been able to open one of the sixteen bit formats. I’m just hoping that if I can open one of the sixteen bit formats in PS, I’ll be able to figure out how to save it in a format that G16 will recognize thus eliminating the loss of detail that comes with ‘squishing’ the file to 8 bit.
I just got home so I’ll try and use ‘open as’ and I’ll try again to import a sixteen bit raw directly to G16 now that I have some more experience workign with the filetypes, but that IS something I’ve tried before which always netted me the ‘invalid planes’ message.
AWESOME!
By using ‘open as’ the raw file remains sixteen bit greyscale.
By saving with PS using a .raw extension, G16 imports it with no problems.
There seems to be just the TINIEST bit of loss as I needed to do one smooth in G16 to remove some jagged areas although this might just be something that doesn’t show up as readily in Terragen since I can get up close and personal with it in UED. And I’m sure as hell not complaining about that because the detail in this new file is much much MUCH better than the previous method. All the subtle little rolls are showing up and it is beautiful.
I can’t believe it was something as simple as that :o
Thank you!
Photoshop is quite retarded when it comes to 16bit. It seems to be “patched on” support, where some filters don’t work with it, and a whole other bunch of limitations which really don’t make sense. Doesn’t WM export 16bit tiffs/pngs? Most 3D programs support either of those.
Photoshop is quite retarded when it comes to 16bit. It seems to be "patched on" support, where some filters don't work with it, and a whole other bunch of limitations which really don't make sense. Doesn't WM export 16bit tiffs/pngs? Most 3D programs support either of those.
My own experimentation has shown that PS handles 16-bit files just fine, so long as you don’t convert the file from RGB > Grayscale or visa versa.
The problem seems to be that when PhotoShop, including CS2, converts from Grayscale to RGB, it reduces the bit depth of the image to 8-bit, despite saying it’s still 16 bit.
So it depends on your workflow I guess. If your app accepts 16-bit grayscale TIFF’s, your money. Save out from WM as 16-bit RAW, open in PS, and away you go. BUT, if you just gotta have RGB, you should try downloading HDRShop. HDRShop will import the fp32 files from World-Machine and let you save them as a variety of 32-bit file formats, including 32-bit TIFF. 32-bit TIFF’s are well supported in many apps, so it may be a good way to go.
I personally think this strange lack of support for 16-bit images might actually be because the general feeling is, why not just move to 32-bit and skip 16-bit? It makes sense to me, and for Height Field editing, is a welcome standard indeed.