[Fs19] GIANTS Editor - TerrainPaint Issue

[BulletBill]

For the attention of "Stegei"....

I have a problem with the changes to how we now paint terrain in GIANTS Editor for Fs19.

Originally in Fs17 the terrain was split into large grids, you could paint a maximum of 4 textures per grid. You could also blend a texture on top of another texture by changing the opacity of the brush. This last feature was very clever as it gave map makers the ability to make the terrain paint look far more natural and have a more random look.

One of the draw backs was the 4 texture limit as the grids were quite large. We asked that this limit be increased.

It was announced that in Fs19 we have no texture limit anymore. This is technically not true.
What has been done is to make the grids much smaller. Meaning you can place many more textures next to each other. Far more than the 4 we could before.
However per grid you can only paint 1 texture per grid. You cannot blend the texture on top of each other like you could in Fs17.
Instead of having terrainPaint that looks natural you have clearly defined edges around every different texture.
You can only have 1 texture or another, not a blend of the two.
It's like your painting the terrain with the brush opacity/hardness set to 1.0 all the time. You can't adjust it at all.

I am massively disappointed in this because visually the end result in Fs19 is worse than Fs17.

I pride myself in making detailed, realistic scenery maps for Farm Sim. The reason those maps have had over 3 million downloads in Fs17, is because I have the ability to know how to add the right detail and make it blend together so it looks natural and realistic.

With the change in Fs19 I cannot come even close to replicating the natural effect I acheived in Fs17.

So please can this be changed before you finish the final version of GIANTS Editor?

Can a proper blend feature be added back in? The old system was good but just need the 4 texture limit increased to maybe 5 or 6.

For me if something looks worse visually than before It destroys all immersion of the game and enjoyment. My eye is drawn to that flaw every time.

The other new feature of Fs19 which is having a negative effect visually on my maps is the "DOF" graphic effect which blurs the horizon. Because we cannot permanantly turn this feature off it ruins detail distance scenery.

I recently converted "Lone Oak Farm" map to Fs19 and one of the reasons the map appeals to players is the distance border that gives the player the feel the map goes on forever. It makes them feel like they are playing on a much larger map.
But now with thr DOF blur you cannot see any of the distance scenery.
The Blur is too extreme in my opinion and has made realistic map borders pointless.

Could we at least be able to turn this feature off in game as a simple option.
I know we can turn it off in the "console" commands but for players who don't know how to do this, or on console this isn't an option. My maps will look awful compared to what they were in fs17, and to me it seems pointless releasing maps in Fs19 when they won't look anywhere near as good.

I hope you at least read this through and understand I only say all this because I have a passion for creating beautiful scenery in Farm Sim. If something isn't to my liking I look for a workaround, but with these two issues I cannot do that.

Regards

BB

[BostonJohnny1226]

Very very well put B.B.!

[BulletBill]

Very very well put B.B.!

Thanks bud... if any other map makers/modders agree that this really needs improving I would welcome there posts and comments.

Hopefully help Stegei/GIANTS to feel its worth making the changes before they finalize GIANTS Editor for Fs19.

[Chocolatecake2001]

I have to agree with the whole texture blending point. The feature is undoubtedly a downgrade on the FS17 texture system. We're not asking to be able to blend ten textures all in to one of the small 'grids' in GE, but it feels like at least two should be able to be merged together. Without it, things like mud patches in yards are completely pointless because rather than a layer of mud it looks like an entire section of the concrete is missing.

I personally don't mind the DOF blending as much, however it would be nice to have the option in the settings menu at least to turn it down for maps with detailed borders like BB's.

As said though, it's important to make note of these things now and not when the people at GIANTS are more interested in working on DLCs and mod testing.

[Firez34]

Hello Sir,
I found this very issue today with my Ringwoods 4x map and didn't believe what was visually happening it was like painting a rough snow mask for seasons it just throws the textures on with no user control. Very disappointing. I feel the same as you sir, kindest regards Stevie.

[Mobias]

I must admit that when I was dabbling with Giants editor 8 with a view to bringing my first map (made for FS-17) over to FS-19 I thought there was something wrong when it wasn't allowing me to blend terrain textures. I'd much rather have the old FS-17 method of having 4 blend-able textures rather than more than 4 but un-blendable. At least with the former you can have a far more subtle and naturalistic look.

I also agree with BulletBill that the 'depth of field' effect doesn't work at all. It just seems like it was put in to mask the fact that map borders haven't been done right. It looks terrible with the map I've made anyway.

[NickD94]

Bulletbill I love your maps I play on console I hope they can fix the issues so you can keep making the maps as amazing as 17.

[tim1972]

I'm in the air on this one. On one hand I love that there are more than 4 choices per area but on the other I feel like my hands are tied with no ability to blend anything together. I now feel as if I need to cover edges with foliage just to hide the cheap looking lines this new system creates. Hopefully you guys can find a happy medium but I personally miss the old way of having more control. Just my thoughts..GLM.

[gnftr04]

I agree with BBs post. Would it be possible to go back to the FS17 four textures per grid ground texture painting system or something similar? I'm all for moving forward in the game mechanics and graphics but unfortunately this is a step backwards as it is currently designed.

[farmerkyle1980]

I fully agree. Bullet said everything perfect. The wheel has rolled for thousands of year because it works. Sure improvements have been made but no one said lets totally change this thing.

Of course we would love to have more than 4 terrains in a grid, but I would gladly keep that if I can have my blending back. Blending makes it real. How many gravel roads do you see in the country that are full gravel. Hardly any. Gravel thins over time letting dirt show through.

Giants......you have a wealth of resources in this world that have made your game better. Use them. Do focus groups....Talk to the people playing the game

[BostonJohnny1226]

‘Do focus groups....Talk to the people playing the game‘....... This is what the game really is lacking! Input from the people who really MAKE the game enjoyable

[Bonger76]

I agree with Bill,this has made the map detail poor.I have been scratching my head for the last two weeks with the same ? WHY,it's like they took
FS17 through it agenst the wall sweept up all the pieces and put it into FS19,their is only two thing I like that is the farmLand and the missions.
Both could of just been added the missions were a mod in FS15 wasn't as fancy but work the same.If they had just made map two high quality maps and the new equipment ,everyone would be happy.I'm realy not liking all the placeble stuff,for custom maps made of the area the moder lives in
the farm have to be made up then exported to be made as a placeble to be reloaded in to the map and all the sell points and silos, and how has this
made ,all these placeables so the player can remove all the stuff the map modder did to make the farm the way they whant it....is that not what
the editor is for.This is farm sim not farm build sim are the new mod maps just roads with fields and sell point wich might as well be placeable to.
I'm thinking of going back to FS17. When the game just starts to get good mods and more playable Giants does this,and where is the suport,for
the modders you know the ones the PC minority how have suported Giants all these years I would not bother with this game without the mods.

Back to topic I agree with Bill

[Knottypine]

What I love about FS is the amazing maps that modders create. Hearing about this is very unfortunate news, I do hope that Giants can rectify this. A definite huge step backwards for modders.

[ryankd233]

Wow...i thought it was a bug. A big one. I am so disappointed...

[Vanquish081]

Hello, I totally agree with BulletBill, it changed the opacity and value of the brush for nothing, because equally the different colors could not be mixed. The option that I also think is correct, to raise the limit to 5-6 textures per grid and to convert the previous _weight to the new FS19.

The theme of blur of the DOF background does not bother me, it is curious, but there are also people who do not like it and it is not a bad idea to include it as an option in the graphics.

Returning to the GE, why do not modify the method to limit the fields? It is very difficult to delimit irregular fields with only 3 corners, it takes a lot, is it very difficult to use one corner after another to delimit the entire edge of a field and not squares?