OpenGFX+ Landscape

[planetmaker]

The last months I've been tinkering on a somewhat low level around with a set of ground tiles which remove the grid lines from the game (see developement thread), now let me present you here a first taster grf as a result of it: OpenGFX+ Landscape 0.1.0

Feature: Allow to remove grid lines (graphics Zephyris)
Feature: Allow to replace the antenna by a rock (good for early scenarios, graphics kamnet)
Feature: NewObject "wind powerplant" available from 1985 onward, buildable on both, land and water (graphics Zephyris, andythenorth)

What's missing and planned?
* Road and track tiles still have somewhat a border.
* Radio antenna and light house as NewObjects

As usual the set is available from the DevZone and on Bananas. As teaser here a screenshot with TTRS and FIRS industries nicely integrated into the landscape:

[Muzzly]

Thanks
Game looks much better now

[vinaximus]

Well......wow........simply.........wow
Thanks a lot. Grf looks much much better

[PaulC]

A few crits regarding the turbines:

I think "Wind turbine" would be a better description for the object rather than "Wind power plant"; a wind power plant (or wind farm) is more typically a group of turbines rather than a singular turbine.

Also, this latest version of the grf allows turbines to be built in adjacent tiles, despite there not being enough room. Previously I was using nightly-r21 which prevented this.

Adjacent turbines.png (3.46 KiB) Viewed 24089 times

Lastly, while I think it is a good thing that turbines can now be built on sloped tiles, I'm not sure that this is an intentional feature because it seems to be causing all sorts of glitches:

Hamilton & Co., 10th Jun 1998#1.png (79.72 KiB) Viewed 24089 times

[Muzzly]

Here is a sample how to find a "hidden" power plant

[planetmaker]

Hm, those glitches and placement issues suck. I didn't change anything in that part of the code... Need for fixes dully noted.

I think "Wind turbine" would be a better description for the object rather than "Wind power plant"; a wind power plant (or wind farm) is more typically a group of turbines rather than a singular turbine.

I disagree on this though. Each is a separate powerplant on its own - and they can also be found in single units around in the landscape. A wind farm is where many of those are.

[Lord Aro]

I disagree with your disagree-ing
In English, 'Wind Turbine' is used for singular, and 'Wind Farm' for multiple of them. I have never heard of a 'Wind Powerplant' before now...

[planetmaker]

Right. Even my dictionary agrees with that, sorry PaulC, I should have checked it right away - so changed. The other glitches with the power plant have been fixed, too and are now available in the new version of this grf 0.1.1, both on DevZone and Bananas.

-Fix: Wind turbine name and placement rules
-Fix: Name the object class

Thanks to all of you for the very constructive feedback, much appreciated.

Lastly, while I think it is a good thing that turbines can now be built on sloped tiles, I'm not sure that this is an intentional feature because it seems to be causing all sorts of glitches:

Yes, I think also that building on slopes would be nice for the wind powerplant, and it might come in a later version; but it's lot of ground tile checks which I could so far not be bothered to implement

[Emperor Jake]

have never heard of a 'Wind Powerplant' before now...

SimCity calls it a wind power plant (and it's built as a single wind turbine)

[planetmaker]

Time for a new release, OpenGFX+ Landscape 0.2.0 with a few new optional features:

* Alpine landscape: temperate grass tiles in arctic climate
* Variable snowline, with configurable heights in mid January and July

And the built costs of the wind turbine have been increased as well.

For those who feel like this NewGRF should be available in their language as well: please attach a translation of the English language file in the development thread.

Enjoy playing and testing.
Still ToDo: replace some gridded sprites by their non-gridded counterparts, especially roads and rails
and some industry and houses ground tiles.

[Lord Aro]

Bug/feature request: shouldn't the roads in the above screenshot be snowy?

[planetmaker]

One height level higher they should and they are snowy. That's the deault behaviour and isn't nor cannot be changed by NewGRF.

[Eddi]

one thing that disturbs me with "no grid" is that the corners on tile borders are "sharp", while the corners on partially-raised tiles are "smooth"

[Zephyris]

one thing that disturbs me with "no grid" is that the corners on tile borders are "sharp", while the corners on partially-raised tiles are "smooth"

"blurring" the edges of tiles to smooth out changes in slope in a consistent way is surprisingly hard... I have had a go at transparent dithering the top left and top right tile edges to get this effect, it works okish, though there are a few glitches...

[vanadio]

I cant acess to that configuration menu...

[planetmaker]

That config menu is only available in the current nightlies, the 1.1.x series or later versions of OpenTTD. It's accessible from the NewGRF configuration dialog under 'set parameters' - which is usually only accessible when the configuration dialogue is accessed from the title screen.

With OpenTTD 1.0.5 you need to set them manually without GUI:

• Parameter 1: add values together and set as value
  1: No grid
  2: Replace transmitter by rock
• Parameter 2: Landscape
  0: default
  1: Alpine
• Parameter 3: Snowline on 15th January
  1 ... 16: tile height
  17: no snow
• Parameter 4: Snowline on 15 July
  1 .. 16: tile height
  17: no snow

[planetmaker]

Obviously I failed quite a bit when converting palettes, and it didn't help that I had animation turned off. So now we have an update to OpenGFX+ Landscape 0.2.1:

- Fix: There were animated colours in some ground sprites when using Alpine climate

Get it as usual from bananas or the DevZone.

[Digitals]

I can not build a wind as I wish, I can not no longer see, I Open TTD 1.1.0 the latest version
The picture proves it

[planetmaker]

You have not yet reached the year 1985.

Hmm... I don't have the skill to do this but what about a South American\Carribean tropical climate with the desert sand being replaced by grassland or something (maybe have it as an added option in opengfx landscape?)

That's not a bad idea IMHO. All it needs is colouring a few ground tiles, maybe you just give it a try? Just grab the attached image and give it a shot. It will need a transition tile to the 'normal' (green) tropical tiles.

[Digitals]

Oh Yes, I put the year 1980, thank you very much!

The wind does have a feature? For example increasing the production of the power at the power station?