TurfFX Effect Layer

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The TurfFX Effect Layer is an Effect Layer type which is used to render grass (and similar foliage). As with all effect layers, turf is painted onto the terrain and automatically generates appropriate geometry for the area surrounding the camera. As compared to the Clutter Effect Layer, TurfFX offers less flexibility but substantial improvements to performance which in turn allows for greater density at greater draw distances and effective wind-synchronised animation.


Contents

Configuration

Creating and Editing Turffx Layers

Turfeffectlayeredit.jpg


Effect Layer Window

The Effect Layers window allows you to edit your effect properties. The UI in this window will change based on what effect you choose (clutter, turf, something else).

Turfeffectlayerwindow.jpg


Select

This allows you to select any existing effect layers to view and edit their parameters.

Turfeffectlayerselection.jpg


Delete

This button will delete the currently selected effect layer.

Effectlayerwindow1b.jpg


Add

This button will allow you to create a new effect layer.

Effectlayerwindow1c.jpg


Name

Enter a name for your effect layer.

Turfeffectlayername.jpg


Turffx-Asset

This is where you select a turf asset to be generated for your entire turffx layer. Select an asset you want used in your turffx layer from the dropdown list.

Turfeffectlayerasset.jpg

Turffx-Density Data Binding

The "turffx-density" options and associated "constant" value control the Effect Layer Data Binding (read this link for details) which controls the density of this turffx layer across the route. Density ranges from 0.0 (no turf present) to 1.0 (maximum density).

Turfeffectlayerdensity.jpg

Turfeffectlayerdensitydefaultvalue.jpg


Turffx-Height-Scale Data Binding

The "turffx-height-scale" options and associated "constant" value control the Effect Layer Data Binding (read this link for details) which controls the height of this turffx layer across the route. Height ranges from 0.0 (no turf present) to 1.0 (maximum height).

Turfeffectlayerheightscale.jpg

Turfeffectlayerheightscaledefaultvalue.jpg


Geometry-Scale

This changes the height of your blade geometry.

Turfeffectlayergeometryscale.jpg


Blade-Width

This changes the width of your blade geometry.

Turfeffectlayerbladewidth.jpg


Blade-Width-Noise

This adds random variation to the width of your blade geometry.

Turfeffectlayerbladewidthnoise.jpg


Blade-Height-Noise

This adds random variation to the height of your blade geometry.

Turfeffectlayerbladeheight.jpg




Width-Scale-Near

This defines the shape of your blade geometry up close to the camera.

Turfeffectlayerwidthscalenear.jpg

Width-Scale-Far

This defines the shape of your blade geometry in the distance.

Turfeffectlayerwidthscalefar.jpg

Turfshape.jpg




Bending-Scale

Defines how much your blade geometry will bend in the wind. (bending strength for wind animation)

[[File:turfeffectlayerbendingscale.jpg]




= Dispersal

Dispersal controls the radius around a seed point to place individual grass blades.

Turfeffectlayerdispersal.jpg

Turftdispersal.jpg




Bunching

Bunching controls radial alignment of individual grass blades around the seed point. Bunching equal to one (1) produces maximally aligned distribution of grass blades, while zero (0) would result in completely random distribution.

Turfeffectlayerbunching.jpg

Turftbunching.jpg



Painting Clutter

Turfeffectlayerpainting.jpg

Example Usage

TurfFX-Example0.jpg

TurfFX-Example1.jpg

Asset Creation

Asset Parameters

TurfFx is made up of individual polygon blades with many options to configure each blade in your Turf Effect Layer and within the asset itself.

SHAPE

Determine the shape of your blade:

Turfshape.jpg

CURVE

Adjust the curve of your blades based on 2 or 3 control points:

Turfpointcontrol.jpg

OFFSET

Set whether your blade needs edge offsets:

Turfedges.jpg

TESSELLATION

Determine the tessellation of your blades:

Turftessellation.jpg

DISPERSAL

Adjust the dispersal of your blades:

Turftdispersal.jpg

BUNCHING

Adjust how blades bunch together:

Turftbunching.jpg

DENSITY

Set the number of seeds to plant which controls the overall density:

Turfdensity1.jpg

Turfdensity2.jpg

Turfdensity3.jpg

COLOUR TINTING

Determine which parts of the blade to colour blend to match the ground texture:

Turfgroundcolor.jpg

FINAL TWEAKING

In addition to the adjustments above, you can also tweak the height, width, bending-scale for wind animation and many more parameters to create all different sorts of grass and grass-like ground cover.

Turfwheat.jpg


Hardware Limitations

As an NVIDIA-provided visual effect, there are some hardware requirements and limitations which apply to TurfFX.

1. TurfFX is currently supported only for Windows.

2. TurfFX requires a GPU with substantial amounts of VRAM. Whereas Trainz will typically run (albeit slowly, or at reduced settings) on below-spec computers, TurfFX may need to be disabled entirely if the GPU is insufficient.

Trainz offers a fallback mode which effectively replaces the TurfFX layer with an equivalent Clutter layer. This results in a weaker but still acceptable overall visual result. Alternatively, the user may opt to disable TurfFX entirely, in which case the TurfFX Effect Layers become invisible.

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