Another weekend, another TerraTool update. Since the project launched, TerraTool has been updated to a new point release every one or two weeks, bringing new features and enhancements for the LiF community. As you can see in the changelog, the last update was probably a bit of a rush. Especially the map refresh entailed quite a number of fixes and adjustments and quite some hours of troubleshooting. This pretty much slowed down development, but I’m quite happy to have it in a stable condition now.
Todays 1.5.0 release of TerraTool focuses on forest growth and customization. It also includes a way to repopulate deserted servers with trees. I read through the LiF and Steam forums now and then: No matter what day or week you’re looking, there’s always some thread about forest problems somewhere on top. Mainly it’s people complaining about forest dying after a few weeks/months of server uptime.
To be honest, I’m not even sure if there’s really a problem with the forest algorithm in its current state or if it’s just users not understanding how to customize the forest maintenance XML file. I’ve experimented with the forest maintenane config pretty much and not once I’ve managed to reproduce any issues using reasonable settings in the forest maintenance configuration.
Anyways, this update introduces two new major features:
Forest Maintenance XML Generator
I’ve built a somewhat user-friendly interface to configure the forest growth on a LiF server. You can customize the desired forest state of your server by point and click. All sliders available are already adjusted to the proper limits (which are known to break things when exceeded), so there’s not much of a risk to mess up anything.
For those of you not familiar with how LiF terrainblocks and the forest configuration works, very briefly: As you can see on the map displayed, it is divided in nine tiles with IDs from 442 to 450. Each tile can be configured independently, allowing for certain tree types being available only in certain regions. Same for forest density.
The configuration loaded by default equals the vanilla cm_forest_maintenance.xml file of the LiF server. There is a lot of conifer trees in the north and broadleaf with lower density in the south. The middle tiles are a mixup of both. This configuration tries to deliver a realistic forest distribution. The only problem (in my opinion) is that the LiF:YO map is way to small for such climate zones that would realistically create such differences in forest types. So there is a good reason so change the forest configuration – and now you can do it without any knowledge on how to edit XML files. The generator will output a properly formatted XML file for your server.
One more thing to mention is the Tree Againg Speed and Tree Max Age setting. This is indeed a configuration that can be done independently for each TerrainBlock in the XML file. But I fail to see a reason to have diffrent tree age limits for certain areas. Also during the testing of this, it has been pretty annoying for me to change these settings for each terrain everytime. So I decieded to make this a global configuration. If you ever see a reason to have different tree age settings for your terrain blocks, feel free to edit the result XML file accordingly.
Forestry Script
This is a simple script to spawn trees on your server. If your server lacks trees or lacks a certain tree type, you can use this to spawn some. It might be a good solution for servers that somehow managed to kill a majority of their trees for whatever reason. But keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a permanent and reoccurring solution for forest issues. If you need to use it repeatedly to repopulate your server with trees, you should adjust your forest maintenance XML file instead.
» French translation at vonculm.fr
Thanks for such an awesome update! Don’t forget to turn off your maintenence mode, we have 20 people waiting upload/play one of your maps !
It’ll need 10-20 more minutes.
Thanks for putting TerraTool together, it’s pretty awesome. Will there ever be a “stand-alone” version application for us to run on our own pc and tweak as desired?
Not by me.
Hey Nyuton why did you remove my comment? I’m trying to comment on your Donald Trump Mod there’s no blog for it specifically so had comment here. I understand if my comment was bit controversial but I don’t find you as hypocrite or politically correct person so i’m bit confused. I’m not sure if you remember my issue it was basically when you make Trump your Companion I notice the Hillary model is completely removed I assume to save memory. How can I have Trump Companion and keep her alive? You don’t have comment here cause I know your getting crap for Nexus and people trying to censor your work. Just email me if you don’t want on your site! You really had my dream come true I was gonna do on basic level just modifying settlers faces to make look like politicians and bankers but I never would went to the point to add audio. I have some experience with programming I just need know where the line is if any that removes her from the world im assuming under and IF ELSE statement.
Hallo Nyuton,
wir haben da ein kleines Problem. Wir können seit heute Bäume unendlich oft fällen. An deinem Script liegt es nicht, allerdings habe ich gehofft, dass du vielleicht eine Idee dazu hast, was sowas auslösen kann.
I really like the forest maintenance tool. Very helpful.
Does it implement the changes as soon as it is put in the server files or does it implement the changes over time?
Forest maintenance config will change the forest over time.
Forestry Script is instant.
Hi Nyuton, I really like your tool. I have a question and a suggestion:
Question
I tried to throw the forest maintenance, but it gives me an error saying that does not have the necessary permits. The account created for terraTool has all the privileges for the database.
Suggestion
Create a tool or query to remove the roots left by the players.
*forest script sorry ^^
Hello,
Sorry but where can I download terra tool?
Hello,
First of all the maps are fantastic! It’s really a great job you’ve done 🙂 Now with my community we have a problem with the cards is that we can not put animals on the map? Considering that for the installation it was necessary to put the number of animals to 0 if one resets to 50 the server will bug?
Thanks for the reply and still super nice job!
Please read the install instructions again.
You’re supposed to set animalCount back to 50, 100 or whatever you like after map installation.
Don’t forget to turn off your maintenence mode.
huh? TerraTool hasn’t been in maintenance mode for weeks.
Hello how can i fix minimap issue i installed that file but execution not working seems idk why.
Question: The Forestry Maintenance tool, does it remove trees that players plant on their claims. I want to use the tool, we are overcome by undergrowth and it has taken over where trees need to grow, but…I am afraid to use it for fear it would remove player planted trees on their claims.