WorldCluster thoughs

[alexei.garbuzenko]

WorldCluster is really powerfull tool but it still need some improvements:

1. Parameters for multiple WorldClusters

It is really bad design that all WorldClusters share same generations params stored in .cfg file. Having 3-4 clusters and updating them after terrain change is really a headache. I'd suggest to store all generation params in world.xml file. It would be very rarelly used but actually, who cares about 1-2kb of code when we have hundred megabytes of textures?

 

2. Seed value (as in WorldClutter)

Topic says it all. We need to store and use this value.

 

3. Intersection check for nodes

Some kind of checkbox needed for node intersections cause with high density there are lots of cases when nodes are spawned too close.

 

4. Easy conversion from Cluster to Clutter and back

There are many cases when Cluster should be used instead of Clutter and vice-versa cause of slow processing or other issues (i.e. distant trees should always be there, not spawning over time with Clutter), but it often happens that final decision is made when one type of object is already created, so we need to step back and create another container with same parameters that is really boring. Even more, with mesh-based Clutter/Cluster objects in new version such conversion could become even more useful, so it is a good point to think of simple 'Convert to WorldClutter' button or something similar.

[frustum]

The first and the second is ready.

[Cristianwolf712]

I want to bump this literally old thread for supporting Mesh Clutter/Cluster conversion, or even merge some more features.

For example: Unlike simulations, some games support to modify your environment during runtime, like chop down some trees. For that I want to have the feature to place my objects by mask (World/Mesh clutter), but add/remove/reposition some objects during runtime (World/Mesh cluster). I really appreciate to place the Cluster objects with a mask.

 

A workaround at the moment is very bumpy because I can't find any useful algorithm/design guide for implementing that mask feature on my own. Next, in Valley demo a grass node is used to support an LoD. Using that for mesh cluster will not work easily because removing/adding some objects to the world also affects the ObjectGrass node.