Planet Image Creation

[navanod]

Yeah, it takes a bit of tinkering, but definitely doable (I think I have Flexify 2). I started with a blank image 2325 x 1100. Once you get your map preset the way you like it, the second button under the axis globle outputs the whole works to a photoshop file with all of the textures as layers (which saves a bunch of time if you're doing several planets). Open up that psd file, hide all of the layers except the 'land color' layer. Duplicate that layer, hide the original, then run Flexify2. Check "Transparent gaps" to get rid of the white background, set input to "Equirectangular", and output to "Icomap". Hit Okay. Then you just need an appropriate hex grid the right size. Here's the one I use (in the gallery, under Maps)

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Gallery/images/6737/1_IcoHex.png

If your document size is set the same as I listed above, paste it into another layer over the icomap. It should fit with a minimum of fuss, but if needed, scale the size up and down. Make sure you set the scaling constraints on, otherwise the hexes will get distorted. Makes it a fairly simple matter to do things like this

If you use the same process with the hex layer on a much larger map, then you can crop down for detail maps that have the right scale hexes without a lot of hassle.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Perfect! thanks!!

Hex file fits perfect on top of terrain with your dimensions!

Nice looking map above, and gallery of 3d pictures.

 

[navanod]

Glad you like!

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Hmmm well I was able to wrap the mural layer onto a rectangular in Swift 3d and then use the land bump layer, and was able to output to your resolution, somehow able to use your hex grid.

After which I realized I should have used the land color layer and the land bump layer. Of course I couldn't figure out how I was able to get the first part done and so I couldn't get the land color layer to interact with the land bump layer.

full resolution version link

full resolution version link

 

[navanod]

You're definitely on the right track. It takes some practice, but it gets easier.

 

[Shonner]

Bryce may be free still so you can give some height to your terrain and add proper sea level to oceans. I use Carrara and Vue (not free), Bryce works the same though.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Bryce may be free still so you can give some height to your terrain and add proper sea level to oceans. I use Carrara and Vue (not free), Bryce works the same though.

I'll have to check out Bryce this weekend.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Playing around a bit more with the Flaming Pear plugin. I turned off clouds in this picture to get a "clean" picture of the surface. I think using the mural layer outputted without clouds will give you a 3d surface.

link to full rez picture

 

[Shonner]

Looks good. I use the heightmap from that plugin (if I do fractal terrains) and render them with star lighting coming from some angle in my 3D apps when I do 3D maps.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Looks good. I use the heightmap from that plugin (if I do fractal terrains) and render them with star lighting coming from some angle in my 3D apps when I do 3D maps.

Cool Shonner, I would like to try that with Bryce later. I have to watch some videos on the materials interface though, its confusion with all the options.

I have noticed using navanod's suggested image size that I'm not getting any warping in the picture that I was getting from smaller sizes.

 

[Shonner]

Cool Shonner, I would like to try that with Bryce later. I have to watch some videos on the materials interface though, its confusion with all the options.

I have noticed using navanod's suggested image size that I'm not getting any warping in the picture that I was getting from smaller sizes.

My images are 2048 x 1024, so the plugin generates planets using that resolution. Seems to work ok for that kind of terrain mapping and making spherical Traveller maps with.

 

[ScotHarvest]

An easy PHOTOSHOP planet image creation technique is found here on this thread...

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=30789

it makes very passable planets.

EXAMPLE: