For these tutorials a working knowledge of Terragen and Blender is expected. It is also supposed that you know how to work with some other auxiliary programs like Terramin, Campath, Bitty and your favourite drawing program like PSP, PS, GIMP,... On the websites of these programs you can find tutorials or links to tutorials. So I will only explain things relevant to the correct working of Ter2Blend.

Working with Blender is not so simple and easy as with Terragen. This is because Blender is a very complete 3D package with a lot of (hidden) possibilities. Expect a lot of trying and tweaking before getting good results.


THE ANATOMY OF TER2BLEND

Double click on the Ter2Blend.blend file or start Blender and open (with F1) Ter2Blend.blend. You get something like this (here a 1024 x 768 screen resolution). The file contains already a camera, two lamps representing the sun and a small mesh with the "shadow only" material attached to it, located at (0,0,-1000).

The left upper window (1) is the 3D window containing the camera view. To the right you have the Script window (2) with the Ter2Blend scripts, At the bottom is the Buttons window (3).

There are two Ter2Blend python script. There is a Terrain and a Camera script. You can switch between both scripts by pushing this button with the Left Mouse button. Select now the script you want... (PS: since version 4 only the terrain script is available, the others will follow soon)

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG!!

What to do when nothing seems to happen when pushing Alt P or the camera script is not working?

Then it is time to check the Blender Dos Window. The python scripts will send error messages to this window.

• Go to the taskbar of Windows.
  
  
• Click on the Blender Dos button.
  
  
  
  
• A Dos windows will appear with an error message, e.g.
  
  
  
  
  
• If you get errors like:
  
  ImportError: No module named *****
  
  with ***** = string, os, glob,...
  
  No panic! Blender python has basic Python functions built in. But the Ter2Blend scripts require more functions. This means that the scripts are looking for modules not contained in Blender Python. You can solve this problem by installing the full Python 2.2.X for Windows. This is a 5.0 MB download and you will get a great interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language. And it is free !
  
  
• After installing python you need to set your Python path in Blender, so Blender knows where to look for the libraries:
  
  Setting the PYTHONPATH
  
  If you have installed Python 2.2.X and Blender 2.28c but ter2blend still does not work after activating it with ALT P then it is time to check your PYTHONPATH!!
  1. Go to your windows START button and select programs . Then search for the Python 2.2 folder and start IDLE (Python GUI) . Type after the prompt:
     
     import sys
     print sys.path
     
     
  2. You will get an answer which will look similar like this:
     
     ['D:\\Python22', 'D:\\PYTHON22\\Tools\\idle', 'd:\\python22', 'd:\\python22\\dlls', 'd:\\python22\\lib', 'd:\\python22\\lib\\plat-win', 'd:\\python22\\lib\\lib-tk']
     
     
  3. Now it is time to check the same in Blender. Start Blender, open the text window with SHIFT F11 and create a new text with ALT SHIFT F . Type again:
     
     import sys
     print sys.path
     
     Start the script with ALT P
     
     
  4. Check now in the DOS windows:
     
     
     
     
  5. If you don't find the path back you saw in step 2 then it is time to edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT. This can be done like this (there are indeed other ways to do this but this somewhat blunderproof):
     
     
     • Go to your windows START button and select RUN . In the pop up window type sysedit and click on OK .
     • Now a new window appears. Select the c:\autoexec.bat window.
       
     • look again at answer you got in step 2:
       
       ['D:\\Python22', 'D:\\PYTHON22\\Tools\\idle', 'd:\\python22', 'd:\\python22\\dlls', 'd:\\python22\\lib', 'd:\\python22\\lib\\plat-win', 'd:\\python22\\lib\\lib-tk']
       
       
     • convert it like this:
       
       1. delete all '
       2. delete the [ and ]
       3. replace all \\ with a single \
       4. delete all spaces after the ,
       5. replace all , with ;
       
       so you get something like:
       
       d:\python22\dlls;d:\python22\lib;d:\python22\lib\plat-win;d:\python22\lib\lib-tk
       
       
     • type the following line in your autoexec.bat:
       
       SET PYTHONPATH=d:\python22\dlls;d:\python22\lib;d:\python22\lib\plat-win;d:\python22\lib\lib-tk
       
       
     • Save your autoexec.bat and reboot your machine. I'll bet ter2blend will work now :)
       
       
• If you still can't solve the problem go to:
  
  How to set your PYTHONPATH 101 on the Elysiun site.
  
  

1. Begin with this tutorial !
   The first script you are going to use it the Terrain script. This enambles you to import the Terragen terrain and other parameters like sun position and water level.
   With the Terrain script you can work with a still Terragen picture but you can put moving Blender objects in the scene.
   
   Go to BASIC TERRAIN TUTORIAL
   
   
   
2. The second one is the Camera script . This program enables you to import Terragen scripts. This means that the Blender camera can now move like the Terragen camera. Of course you can also put moving Blender objects in the scene. This makes the illusion total immersive!!
   
   Go to BASIC CAMERA TUTORIAL
   
   
   
3. The third script is called Blend2Ter . This program enables you to export Blender camera paths to Terragen scripts. This means that the Terragen camera can now move like the Blender camera!
   
   Go to BLEND2TER TUTORIAL
   
   
   
4. And the fourth one is Forester2Blend . This script enables you to export Blender camera paths to Terragen scripts. This means that the Terragen camera can now move like the Blender camera!
   
   Go to FORESTER2BLEND TUTORIAL
   
   
   
5. This tutorial explains how to scale the shadow of your Blender objects.
   
   Go to SHADOW TUTORIAL