Alternative to the ramp texture node question
 

Hi all,

I'm writing a landscape generator tool using python on Maya 2011 and am fine with the technical side of things, but I have a slight issue with how to proceed to texturing the terrain.

I have 3 high resolution textures with matching normal maps. For single textures the following works fine...

PlaceTexture2d plugs into the normal map and texture file nodes (I set repeat to 5 for both U and V in texture2d)

The normal map file node plugs into a bump2d and I set bump2d to tangent space with a low bump amount.

I plug the bump2d and the texture file node into a shader (lambert)

Doing this look great even in the the projective viewport (on high quality) and it render pretty well too.

But when I introduce a ramp texture node and use the RgbTo Hsv to connect the heightmap image to the UVcoords, with three textures in three different inputs of the ramp texture node, everything goes blurry in the projective viewport, and when rendered the normal mapping looks off (but does use the texture repeats when rendered)

I'm guessing the ramp texture node is rather limited and am just wondering if anyone could point me towards a method that will multitexture (using the heightmap image for coords) and maintain the repeatuvs that the three textures use?

Ok, I just figured out that the final shader can be baked at a high resolution with uv range set to entire range. This might suffice (have to play with bump mapping yet), but am concerned about having such a large image at the end.

Tips welcomed :)

I cant help you but as a Surveyor I am interested in how you go with this....I can create DTM's in CAD but then to get them to work in Maya is a pain. Post some screen shots when you are done please...I would like to see how this turns out.

cheers bullet