Guys,

I've converted the file into flat colors for simplicity's sake.
I need to make a meandering stream coming from the distance, crudely created in boolean on B.
I did this in the hopes that the basic structure would show up in the terrain editor, and I could polish up from there. But the cut out doesn't show.
Second, A, I decided just to suspend the water plane between built up terrain shoulders - but it's a crap shoot on figuring out where to put them. The terrain editor gives you zip frame of reference - you can spend an afternoon trying to figure where to create your terrain in relation to your objects - meaning features on the terrain.
I know there's gotta be a better way, but I can't seem to find it in the book. I'm hoping some kind expert will take pity...

Holly

I think you may be approaching it backwards. If you create your stream outline as a terrain itself, and then boolean it with your other terrain, you should be able to cut the stream out of your 'master' terrain and still return to the terrain editor to tweak it (you may have to ungroup the boolean). I think this may also give you better control over your 'shoulders' - you can build them up as part of the same terrain that you use for the stream outline and control the placement. Not in front of Vue to test it, but it might work...:-)

OK, let me start off by saying that, by no means am I one of the experts around here '-), but using drnw04a's idea I was able to, I think, achieve what you're after. If you load a terrain and then in the editor click reset, and then paint in the shape of the river you're after, rotate this terrain 180 degrees and then boolean *this* with your base terrain you will end up with something like I have done here in this capture... Hope this helps!! ==steve

This what you're looking for? I applied a bterrain-map greyscale from the Bryce content CD ( "Basic-river2"), then used the airbrush to "dig" the river a little deeper and put a water infinite plane under it.

Or if you've got a fractal program or photoshop plug-in that creates them - render out a Julia set fractal - blur it and overlay the greyscale to make your river. Julia set fractals make really natural looking meanders on a river. Scott

Guys,

I am very new at this and you've all given me some terrific ways to create the river. Pics, even. I'll attempt to pass your kindness along when I become more proficient.

One problem remains - is there no way to "map" the river prior to going into the Terrain Editor, and having it show that map/guide when it pops up? There's no X-Y axis, no frame of reference of where to dig or build in relation to other things in the scene. Say it isn't so.

I could move it around in the main view until I got it where I wanted it, but this seems a crude and inefficient way to go about things. And, unfortunately, Vue4 for Mac does not like you to monkey around with land masses. It croaks every time - even with the update, and even without Open GL.
Thanks for any help.

Holly

You're right...it's tough to get the positioning completely consistent. If you're using an external paint program, you could try: Export your 'base' terrain as an image. Use that image as a locked background and create your river template image in a new layer on top of that. Save your river template image in the same size and format as your base terrain. Create a new terrain in Vue and import your river image. Manually set the size and orientation properties of the river terrain to match the base terrain. Perform the boolean operation. Again, can't try it myself right now, but that should help keep the sizes and positions consistent.