Heightfield Export LWO

Heightfield Export LWO

Overview

Heightfield Export LWO allows you to export a heightfield terrain into a Lightwave LWO format 3D geometry file for import into another 3D application. The LWO exporter automatically creates 1 or more LWO files in optimally sized chunks, depending on the size of the heightfield. For larger heightfields multiple LWO files will be exported with correct alignment specified in an accompanying LWS scene file. Large heightfield exports are split in this way to avoid overly dense geometry and large model files. The Heightfield Export LWO takes a heightfield node as input and outputs the LWO to the file destination specified when the Export to File button is pressed.

Settings:

• Export to file: Click the Export to File button once the desired heightfield shader is connected to the node's input, and the file output path is specified (see disk icon on right). The LWO file(s) and any necessary LWS scene file will be generated and saved in the specified output path.
• File Output Path field: Specify the file output path. You can type in a path manually, or use the disk icon to the right to browse for your preferred save path.
• Disk Icon: Click to open a file browser where you can specify an output path and file name for the generated LWO file(s).

A heightmap or heightfield is an array of height values, usually in a grid which describe the height at specific points in a defined area. Heightfields are used to represent real-world and virtual terrain in a specific, easily converted format. Most heightfields can be represented as simple image data in grayscale, with black being minimum height and white being maximum height.

A single object or device in the node network which generates or modifies data and may accept input data or create output data or both, depending on its function. Nodes usually have their own settings which control the data they create or how they modify data passing through them. Nodes are connected together in a network to perform work in a network-based user interface. In Terragen 2 nodes are connected together to describe a scene.

A shader is a program or set of instructions used in 3D computer graphics to determine the final surface properties of an object or image. This can include arbitrarily complex descriptions of light absorption and diffusion, texture mapping, reflection and refraction, shadowing, surface displacement and post-processing effects. In Terragen 2 shaders are used to construct and modify almost every element of a scene.