Bridge between hills. Help?

[Tomcat22 190]

Hi, I am working on an old bridge which can be used both for train tracks and roads. Gaps between columns can be also used for tracks or roads as in 1st image. But my first idea was to place this bridge between hills (2nd image). I dont want to place it only on flat surface but on different terrain types. When I first place bridge and then increase height of terrain on both sides bridge moves. Other than that when I place it on water and also on high level some part of the texture looks only gray (this part is generated by game to fill gap between model and surface?, as I know there was something about that problem -under ground texture or something?- I couldnt find that one. These are problems for now, I want to continue this bridge project because there is not much variety on that kind of assets but first I need to fix these problems to start to make different style bridges. I hope someone can help me, thanks in advance. Also I would like to hear your suggestions about this bridge project. 

[hitzu 139]

Bridge like this?

 

 

[Tomcat22 190]

I will try that type of bridge. I hope I can manage to merge it with terrain. Thanks!

[GC_Vos 714]

I saw your bridge earlier today, it looks really nice! I think if you wanted to build one that isn't networked, you would want the pivot at the end of the bridge. That way you could place it with the pillars at variable heights. But you would still need to find a workaround for the underground shader.

[Tomcat22 190]

Thanks for suggestion GC_Vos I will try to change pivot point and also I guess I will get rid of two side of the bridge (wall part) there will be just columns in middle, I hope it works that way we will see. I might even create modular version if this works. But I dont know how can I solve texture problem when columns reach longer height then the model. Do you have solution for that? I guess there is a script for that but I am not sure if it is for that or it is for sunken assets.

[GC_Vos 714]

This would be difficult to change, I never found a way to completely solve the texturing issue. The script Boformer wrote works for anything, it doesn't matter what you're building. But eh, fence/plaza shader will not work well on unflat terrain.

My preferred workaround is to make the whole thing a prop, but that will give you a bad draw distance. The one asset where I found a good middle ground was with my canal lock: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=532088908

I resolved most issues by having my high poly a prop, with is own lod, then to add it to a main asset with the pivot aligned roadside, but also including a second lod for futher away. You will find building lods dont have the concrete base at all, and can be uvmapped completely.

It's the only solution I found so far, is to split things up into basically 4 models. Not the most userfriendly thing to do though.

[Ryno917 102]

I knew about the prop thing, but never thought to give the asset a LOD to take over when the prop disappears. Great idea.

[GC_Vos 714]

It works surprisingly well because big props disappear at about the same distance building lods appear (~1000 meters).

[Feindbold 1,190]

You could create a prop with the same dimensions, or maybe 0,05 times bigger, to prevent overlapping glichtes (not the whole building is needed, just everything from roughly Z=0 downwards). If you place it really carefully, it should mask the grey underground texture when zoomed in.

[Ryno917 102]

Oh, that's a great idea, too. Combination of prop and asset proper up close, LOD to take over further away. Would need 3 models then: High poly asset above ground, high poly prop below ground, and asset LOD for distance.

Would you also need a LOD for the prop at medium distances? As props disappear sooner, I assume they have a LOD that kicks in before an asset LOD does?

[Feindbold 1,190]

Well the prop doesnt really need to be highpoly, according to the shown bridge, something around 64 triangles would be enough, just to cover all pillar faces. The LOD for the prop should be done, because else, the game creates one, wich will definitly ugly and noticeable. But well... 64 should be fine as LOD aswell, but one could even reduce that to 34 triangles using unconnected faces and alpha maps.

[GC_Vos 714]

The viewing distance for props is dictated by their size. Big props will max out at 1km. Small props get culled much more quickly.

So you would need a main prop, a semi detailed prop lod (which you will see fairly quickly at around 250m), a 'container asset' with some geometry you can attach the prop to, and a very low detail building lod.

There's no real way to control the transitions but if the things big enough it will look pretty smooth and there shouldn't be any overlap issues.

[Tomcat22 190]

Thanks for all answers I will definetely  try each of these. I changed main model of bridge to be able to place it between hills more easily like in picture (I got rid of walls in two ends, I only keep pillars). For texturing problem, if I use prop to mask pillars how tall should it be? To be more clear I put ss here. I am wondering about if I make pillars longer (about 4-5 size longer than current length) and keep pivot point same, can I solve this problem? I want all pillars completely textured when I place it anywhere (any length). Does this prop solution work for this one?

 

[GC_Vos 714]

If you made a really tall pillar prop then yes.

[Tomcat22 190]

I tried prop solution. I made long pillars as prop and I attached exactly where main model's pillars end (whole prop is underground). When I place bridge in game as you see in image there are differences on each bridge about this prop. Seems it is working but why there is gap between main model (bridge) and prop (pillars)? And why this gap size is not fixed (I mean each of them has different size of gaps)? Thanks.

[GC_Vos 714]

You'll have to be careful where you attach the pillars. If you place them on the ground, they will move with the ground, so you'll want to attach them to your bridge where possible.

One thing by the way on the subject of props. If you are planning to publish your bridge you will have to publish your pillar prop first. Then you have to manually add those to your bridge, or they will not show up for others. Just a caution because it's no fun placing them thirty times only to find they don't work for subscribers.

[Tomcat22 190]

Thanks for publish note  I attached pillars to bottom of the main model's pillars (at least I thought I attached there) do you have better idea for attachment point? 

[GC_Vos 714]

Sorry for crude drawing, I would put the prop pivot exactly where you want to attach to the bridge. But it could be attached anywhere.

[Tomcat22 190]

Ok I will be trying to make this work I hope it works and then I can finally share it

[Tomcat22 190]

I guess I did it, if you dont go really crazy in term of height of bridge it wont have gray texture anymore  I have some lod pivot problem now but thats because I tried lots of models lately and I guess I forgot to update pivot point of new pillars. Now I will fix textures etc and I hope it will be ready to share. I really thank you for all your help on this one I wouldnt make it without you  I hope I wont have any problem now on. Btw for main model lod and prop lod which size should I choose. main model textures will be 1024*512.

[jesper107 113]

Great work, man!

[Tomcat22 190]

4 hours ago, jesper107 said:

Great work, man!

Hey thanks! Here is final result after a long time working on this asset   

[boformer 3,169]

The texture could be improved. Usually there is a stone arch like this:

I also think that the stones should be smaller.

[Tomcat22 190]

Yes there is room for improvement but I was working on this underground texturing problem for pillars more than I expacted so I am really done with this bridge but this asset will be first of a big project I hope. For next bridges I will use all recommendations and experience from that one. Thanks for critics boformer