Texture Layers

This dialog allows the user to configure the settings of a texture layer.  The options are detailed below.

General

Name:  Name of the layer that appears in the list.

Enabled: When unchecked, stops the layer being used in the final texture.

Update Preview: Gives immediate feedback of how the texture will affect the overall layer.

Texture

Load Texture:  Allows the user to select an image file to use with this layer.

Save Texture: Allows the user to save the current image file to disk.

Create Texture:  This allows the user to generate a texture for use with this layer.

Seamless Texture: Modify the current texture to the make seamless texture dialog. 

Solid Colour: specify a solid colour to use instead of a texture.

Auto-scale:  Determines the best scale to use for each texture.

Manual Scale:  Allows the user to manually alter the scale of the texture.

Overall Weight: Determines how much the texture will influence the overall texture. 0 means no influence, 1 means full influence, linearly scaled.

Angle: Specifies the angle of the texture in the layer.

Settings

Height

Altitude Constraints: Checking this makes the layer only affect the overall texture for a certain range of heights in the terrain, otherwise the texture affects the whole height range.  The heights are in the range of -1 to 1.  0 is the zero ( base ) level of the heightmap. -1 is the lowest height. 1 is the highest part of the terrain.

Min: The minimum height affected by the texture.

Max: The minimum height affected by the texture.

Blend Fn: Specifies how this layer will blend with other layers at the edges of the layer's influence.  The options are:

• Flat: blends the same across the height range.
• Gradient Up: blends progressively in a linear fashion up to the maximum height.
• Gradient Down: blends progressively in a linear fashion up to the minimum height.
• Hump: blends more strongly in the top of the height range.
• Trough: blends more strongly at the lower values of the height range.
• Curve Up: blends progressively in a curve up to the maximum height.
• Curve Down: blends progressively in a curve down to the minimum height.
• Line Hump: blends more strongly in the top of the height range falling off linearly to the edges.
• Line Trough: blends more strongly at the lower values of the height range falling off linearly to the higher values.
• Random Edge: blends with random noise.  The higher the blend parameter the more noise is added to the layer.

Blend Param:  For some blend functions, you may specify the strength of the blending effect.  Lower is less effect. For example, for hump, the minimum setting removes the hump function.

Slope

Slope Constraints:  Checking this makes the layer only affect the overall texture for certain slopes on the terrain.  This is useful, for example to keep "water" textures away from cliffs and steep slopes that water would run off.

Min: The minimum value for the slope from 0 to 90 degrees.

Max: The maximum value for the slope from 0 to 90 degrees.

Blend Fn: See the height range blend function description above.

Blend Parameter: See the height range blend parameter description above.

Aspect

This is useful to limit a layer to a particular direction and arc of effect.  For example, if you wish to model drifted snow you may wish to limit it to the northern slopes where the sun would not fall.

Aspect Constraints: when checked, specifies the direction and arc of influence the texture will have.

Direction: the angle the aspect is calculated from

Angle Range: the angle of the arc that the texture layer will affect.

Blend Fn: See the height range blend function description above.

Blend Parameter: See the height range blend parameter description above.