Map Layers link

Motivation link

Most layer configuration can be done in GE by rightclicking on the terrain node and selecting the Layer Manager. This will give you an editor window with some different categories to configure all the layers in a table form. Editing these layers in the editor is a manual time consuming effort and should be done as little as possible. That’s why this guide focussen on approaching layers through code. Through code we can replace the manual effort needed with some form of toolkit that can load preconfigured templates. So the actual manual effort of configuring layers only needs to happen once to preconfigure the template. This way changing layers is a matter of swapping templates which can be done in seconds.

Once the layers as configured. They don’t really need to be changed alot anymore. Going the templating route seems like an ideal solution.

What does it look like in code link

Every map has a map.i3d file. Within the XML structure of this file we can configure which layers the map should use.

Most layer configuration is done in the Layers section, and external file references (xml or image files) or done in the Files section.

<I3D>
    <Files>
        ..
    </Files>

    <Scene>
        <TerrainTransformGroup>
            <Layers>
                ...
            </Layers>
        </TerrainTransformGroup>
    </Scene>
</I3D>

Working on maps in code link

After changing the xml of a map file, it is advisable to reopen GE and load the map from scratch, to make sure all the changes are loaded correctly.

Sources (online available template) link

The default FS25 maps each have their own custom layers. You could see the 3 maps as 3 base-templates with preconfigured layers to start from.

Online their are some empty/flat template maps. Most of them are based on the us map, and add some of the extra layers from the other maps.

FS22 or older conversion maps are an interesting source of ‘free’ preconfigured layers with textures that aren’t available in FS25. And I understand it’s acceptable usage to reuse them in newer versions of the game.

Needs to be doublechecked before publishing maps with converted textures.

Joining layers from maps together link

Combining layers is a manual error prone process. And should be avoided as much as possible. It should only be done to prepare templates for other tools.

In GE link

• Right click on the terrain node and select Layer Manager
• Edit the table to add the new layers. File in the correct file references.

In code link

• Copy the filereferences used from the source map.
• Edit the references id’s to something high, not used in the map
• Copy the layer config from your source map, and edit the reference file ids to those you configured in the previous step
• Load the map in GE
• Save the map in GE -> GE will reorganized the file-reference-ids

Different Layer Types link

Layers link

Each layer defines a texture-configuration that can be used on this maps terrain. These layers can be painted directly or be used together with combined layers.

The diffuse and normal files are the textures that will be loaded for this terrain.

The displacement and heightmap files are mask image where the layer should be visible in this map.

<File fileId="5" filename="$data/maps/mapEU/textures/terrain/dirt01_diffuse.png"/>
<File fileId="6" filename="$data/maps/mapEU/textures/terrain/dirt01_normal.png"/>
<File fileId="7" filename="$data/maps/mapEU/textures/terrain/flat01_height.png"/>
<File fileId="8" filename="$data/maps/mapEU/textures/terrain/flat01_displacement.png"/>
    
<Layer name="dirt01" detailMapId="5" normalMapId="6" heightMapId="7" displacementMapId="8" unitSize="2" displacementMaxHeight="0.25" blendContrast="0.2" porosityAtZeroRoughness="0.9" porosityAtFullRoughness="1" firmness="0.99" viscosity="0.93" firmnessWet="0.85" weightMapId="4" attributes="0.155 0.082 0.037 0.591 1 6"/>

Combined Layers link

Combines multiple layers for a more natural look.

When painting these layers are preferred because they blend in the textures naturally with eachoter.

<CombinedLayer name="DIRT" layers="dirt01;dirt02" noiseFrequency="2"/>

Overlay Layers link

Used to define ground states for fertilization levels, lime levels, plowing state, harvesting state, …

<File fileId="153" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/groundType_cultivated01_diffuse.png"/>
<File fileId="156" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/groundType_cultivated01_displacement.png"/>
<File fileId="155" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/groundType_cultivated01_height.png"/>
<File fileId="154" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/groundType_cultivated01_normal.png"/>

<OverlayLayer type="groundDetail" name="cultivated01" detailMapId="153" normalMapId="154" heightMapId="155" displacementMapId="156" unitSize="6.0914" displacementMaxHeight="0.25" blendContrast="0.5" noiseScale="0.5" noiseSharpness="0.5" porosityAtZeroRoughness="0" porosityAtFullRoughness="1" firmness="0.87" viscosity="0.87" firmnessWet="0.72"/>

<File fileId="265" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/spray_fertilizer_diffuse.png"/>
<File fileId="268" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/spray_fertilizer_displacement.png"/>
<File fileId="267" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/spray_fertilizer_height.png"/>
<File fileId="266" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/spray_fertilizer_normal.png"/>

<OverlayLayer type="spray" name="fertilizer" detailMapId="265" normalMapId="266" heightMapId="267" displacementMapId="268" unitSize="2" displacementMaxHeight="0.25" blendContrast="0.5" noiseScale="0.5" noiseSharpness="0.5" porosityAtZeroRoughness="0" porosityAtFullRoughness="1" firmness="0.79" viscosity="0.71" firmnessWet="0.52"/>

Combined Overlay Layers link

Combines multiple overlay layers for a more natural look.

When painting these layers are preferred because they blend in the textures naturally with eachoter.

<CombinedOverlayLayer name="stubbleTillage" type="groundDetail" layers="stubbleTillage01;stubbleTillage02"/>

Info Layers link

Used to define informational layers with indoor/outdoor, farmlands, area type.

These layers can be read from png files. But will be saved as custom .grle files.

<File fileId="293" filename="data/infoLayer_environment.png"/>

<InfoLayer name="environment" fileId="293" numChannels="4" runtime="true">
    <Group name="Area Type" firstChannel="0" numChannels="3" >
    <Option value="0" name="Open Land"/>
    <Option value="1" name="City"/>
    <Option value="2" name="Village"/>
    <Option value="3" name="Harbor"/>
    <Option value="4" name="Industrial"/>
    <Option value="5" name="Open Water"/>
    </Group>
    <Group name="Water" firstChannel="3" numChannels="1" >
    <Option value="0" name="No Water"/>
    <Option value="1" name="Near Water"/>
    </Group>
</InfoLayer>

Detail Layers link

These layers can be read from png files. But will be saved as custom .gdm files.

<File fileId="335" filename="data/densityMap_ground.png"/>
<File fileId="336" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/distance/stubbleTillage_distance_diffuse.png"/>
<File fileId="337" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/distance/cultivated_distance_diffuse.png"/>
<File fileId="338" filename="$data/maps/textures/terrain/ground/distance/sown_distance_diffuse.png"/>
...

<DetailLayer name="terrainDetail" densityMapId="335" numDensityMapChannels="11" compressionChannels="11" cellSize="8" objectMask="0xff00ff" decalLayer="1" viewDistance="75" blendOutDistance="5" densityMapShaderNames="terrainDetailMap" combinedValuesChannels="0 4 0;4 3 0;7 3 0;10 1 0" channelOverlayTypes="groundDetail;;spray">
    <Group name="GroundType" firstChannel="0" numChannels="4" >
    <Option value="1" name="Stubble Tillage"/>
    <Option value="2" name="Cultivated"/>
    <Option value="3" name="Seedbed"/>
    <Option value="4" name="Plowed"/>
    <Option value="5" name="RolledSeedbed"/>
    <Option value="6" name="Ridge"/>
    <Option value="7" name="Sown"/>
    <Option value="8" name="Direct Sown"/>
    <Option value="9" name="Planted"/>
    <Option value="10" name="Ridge (Sown)"/>
    <Option value="11" name="Rollerlines"/>
    <Option value="12" name="Harvest-Ready"/>
    <Option value="13" name="Harvest-Ready Other"/>
    <Option value="14" name="Grass"/>
    <Option value="15" name="Grass (Cut)"/>
    </Group>
    <Group name="GroundAngle" firstChannel="4" numChannels="3" >
    <Option value="1" name="-22.5 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="2" name="-45 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="3" name="-67.5 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="4" name="-90 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="5" name="-112.5 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="6" name="-135 Degrees"/>
    <Option value="7" name="-177.5 Degrees"/>
    </Group>
    <Group name="Spraytype" firstChannel="7" numChannels="3" >
    <Option value="1" name="Fertilizer"/>
    <Option value="2" name="Manure"/>
    <Option value="3" name="Liquidmanure"/>
    <Option value="4" name="Lime"/>
    <Option value="5" name="Straw Chopper"/>
    <Option value="6" name="Maize Chopper"/>
    </Group>
    <Group name="Water" firstChannel="10" numChannels="1" >
    <Option value="1" name="Watered"/>
    </Group>
    <DistanceTexture match="1;*;0" fileId="336"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="2;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="3;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="4;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="5;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="6;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="7;*;0" fileId="338"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="8;*;0" fileId="339"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="9;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="10;*;0" fileId="337"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="11;*;0" fileId="340"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="12;*;0" fileId="341"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="13;*;0" fileId="342"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="14;*;0" fileId="343"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;1" fileId="344"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;2" fileId="345"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;3" fileId="346"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;4" fileId="347"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;5" fileId="348"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="*;*;6" fileId="349"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="1;*;1" fileId="350"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="7;*;1" fileId="351"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="11;*;1" fileId="352"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="12;*;1" fileId="353"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="13;*;1" fileId="354"/>
    <DistanceTexture match="14;*;1" fileId="355"/>
</DetailLayer>

Foliage System link

For each FoliageMultiLayer there is a reference to an image file where the layer data is stored.

For each FoliageType there is a reference to a XML file with the configuration for that Foliage Type.

<File fileId="360" filename="data/densityMap_groundFoliage.png"/>
<File fileId="302" filename="$data/foliage/decoBush/decoBush.xml"/>
<File fileId="303" filename="$data/foliage/decoFoliage/decoFoliageUS.xml"/>
<File fileId="362" filename="data/densityMap_weed.png"/>
<File fileId="333" filename="$data/foliage/weed/weed.xml"/>

<FoliageSystem cellSize="8" graphicsCellScale="2" objectMask="16711935" decalLayer="0">
    <FoliageMultiLayer densityMapId="360" numChannels="4" numTypeIndexChannels="0">
        <FoliageType name="decoBush" foliageXmlId="302"/>
    </FoliageMultiLayer>
    <FoliageMultiLayer densityMapId="361" numChannels="10" numTypeIndexChannels="5" compressionChannels="5">
        <FoliageType name="decoFoliage" foliageXmlId="303"/>
        <FoliageType name="decoBushUS" foliageXmlId="304"/>
        <FoliageType name="meadow" foliageXmlId="305"/>
        <FoliageType name="forestPlants" foliageXmlId="306"/>
        <FoliageType name="waterPlants" foliageXmlId="307"/>
        <FoliageType name="grass" foliageXmlId="308"/>
        <FoliageType name="wheat" foliageXmlId="309"/>
        <FoliageType name="canola" foliageXmlId="310"/>
        <FoliageType name="barley" foliageXmlId="311"/>
        <FoliageType name="maize" foliageXmlId="312"/>
        <FoliageType name="potato" foliageXmlId="313"/>
        <FoliageType name="sugarBeet" foliageXmlId="314"/>
        <FoliageType name="sunflower" foliageXmlId="315"/>
        <FoliageType name="soybean" foliageXmlId="316"/>
        <FoliageType name="oilseedRadish" foliageXmlId="317"/>
        <FoliageType name="poplar" foliageXmlId="318"/>
        <FoliageType name="oat" foliageXmlId="319"/>
        <FoliageType name="sugarCane" foliageXmlId="320"/>
        <FoliageType name="cotton" foliageXmlId="321"/>
        <FoliageType name="sorghum" foliageXmlId="322"/>
        <FoliageType name="beetRoot" foliageXmlId="323"/>
        <FoliageType name="carrot" foliageXmlId="324"/>
        <FoliageType name="parsnip" foliageXmlId="325"/>
        <FoliageType name="grape" foliageXmlId="326"/>
        <FoliageType name="olive" foliageXmlId="327"/>
        <FoliageType name="riceLongGrain" foliageXmlId="328"/>
        <FoliageType name="rice" foliageXmlId="329"/>
        <FoliageType name="greenBean" foliageXmlId="330"/>
        <FoliageType name="pea" foliageXmlId="331"/>
        <FoliageType name="spinach" foliageXmlId="332"/>
    </FoliageMultiLayer>
    <FoliageMultiLayer densityMapId="362" numChannels="4" numTypeIndexChannels="0">
        <FoliageType name="weed" foliageXmlId="333"/>
    </FoliageMultiLayer>
    <FoliageMultiLayer densityMapId="363" numChannels="3" numTypeIndexChannels="0">
        <FoliageType name="stone" foliageXmlId="334"/>
    </FoliageMultiLayer>
</FoliageSystem>