Tool window layout

Mesh Spline Tool Window

Main Tool Controls Section

The top row contains core operations:

• Add New Mesh Spline: Creates a new mesh spline in the scene. The mouse cursor changes to purple, allowing the user to click on the map to place nodes and draw the mesh path
• Import Mesh Splines from PNG Mask: Loads splines from exported PNG mask files. Useful for importing previously created mesh layouts or sharing mesh arrangements between sessions
• Import Mesh Splines from Polygon: Creates splines from polygon selection areas. The user draws a polygon on the map to define the area where meshes will be placed
• Remove All Mesh Splines: Clears all mesh splines from the session. This action cannot be undone
• Toggle Geometry Lock: Switches between free and rigid translation modes. Free mode allows normal movement, while rigid mode locks the spline for precise editing
• Export Mesh Splines as PNG Mask: Exports the current session to a PNG mask file, useful for sharing mesh layouts or backing up work

Mesh Splines Section

Spline List

• Session Management: Lists all mesh splines in the current session
• Individual Controls: Each spline row contains:
  • Remove Spline Button: Deletes the specific spline
  • Enable/Disable Toggle: Controls whether the spline is active

Spline Operations Section

These buttons operate on the selected spline (highlighted in the list):

• Go to Spline: Moves the camera to focus on the selected spline, useful for navigating to distant mesh arrangements
• Toggle Conform to Terrain: Enables/disables terrain conformity. When enabled, meshes automatically align to the ground height
• Normal Mode Select: Cycles through terrain, local, and global orientation modes. Terrain mode follows ground contours, local mode aligns to spline direction, global mode uses world coordinates
• Split Spline: Divides the spline into two, at the selected node, creating two separate mesh splines
• Flip Spline: Reverses the spline direction (back to front), which also flips the mesh orientation
• Simplify Spline: Reduces node count while preserving spline shape, if possible. Useful for cleaning up complex mesh paths
• Save Profile: Exports the selected spline’s properties to disk (creates .json file), including component settings, distribution preferences, and terraforming parameters
• Load Profile: Imports a profile from disk into the selected spline, restoring all component, distribution, and terraforming settings

Properties Section

Six sliders control the core spline behavior:

• Spacing: Distance between mesh instances along the spline, in meters. Smaller values create denser mesh placement, larger values create more spread-out arrangements
• Vertical Offset: Global height adjustment for all meshes, in meters. Positive values raise meshes above the ground, negative values lower them
• Pitch Jitter: Forward/backward rotation variation around the X-axis. Higher values create more varied forward/backward orientations
• Yaw Jitter: Left/right rotation variation around the Y-axis. Higher values create more varied left/right orientations
• Roll Jitter: Side-to-side tilt variation around the Z-axis. Higher values create more varied tilt orientations
• Random Seed: Sets the random seed (for easy variation, and to ensure reproducible jitter patterns). Different seeds create different random arrangements

Presets Section

Six preset buttons provide quick access to common configurations:

• Concrete Barrier: Standard concrete barrier setup, optimized for traffic control and safety
• Plastic Barrier: Plastic barrier configuration, lightweight and portable barrier arrangement
• Metal Fence: Metal fencing preset, durable and secure perimeter fencing
• Lamp Posts: Standard street lighting, evenly spaced illumination along paths
• Victorian Lamp Posts: Ornate lighting fixtures, decorative street lighting with period styling
• Bollards: Traffic control posts, short vertical barriers for vehicle control
• Oil Drums: Industrial container setup, storage and containment arrangement

Tab System

Three tabs organize specific tool functionality:

Components Tab

The Components tab manages individual mesh assets:

Component List

• Main Component: Primary mesh (always enabled), serves as the base mesh for the spline
• Variation 1-3: Alternative mesh versions with enable/disable checkboxes, providing visual variety
• Start Cap: Endpoint mesh for the beginning of the spline, creating a finished appearance
• End Cap: Endpoint mesh for the end of the spline, completing the mesh arrangement

Mesh Selection

• Select New Mesh Button: Opens the Static Mesh Selector window, allowing the user to browse and select different mesh assets
• Mesh Audition Mode: When selecting a mesh, the system creates an instance and spins the camera around it for examination, helping to evaluate mesh suitability
• Component Pre-rotations: Radio buttons (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) for each enabled component, allowing precise control over mesh orientation

Distribution Tab

Controls how meshes are distributed along the spline:

Distribution Methods

• Round Robin: Cycles through components sequentially, creating a predictable, repeating pattern
• Random: Uses weight-based probabilistic placement, where each component has a chance to be selected based on its weight

Weight Controls

• Component Weights: Individual sliders for each component (0.0 to 1.0), controlling the probability of selection in random mode
• Weight Normalization: System automatically normalizes weights for proper probability distribution, ensuring all weights work together correctly

Terrain Tab

Advanced terrain modification capabilities:

Terraforming Controls

• Terraform Button: Executes the terraforming operation, modifying the surrounding terrain to match the mesh spline
• DOI (Domain of Influence): How far terraforming affects the terrain, measured in meters from the spline
• Terraform Margin: Flat area around the spline before falloff, creating a smooth surface for mesh placement
• Terraform Falloff: How quickly terrain blends into surroundings, controlling the transition from modified to natural terrain
• Noise Roughness: Amplitude of terrain variations, adding surface detail and natural-looking ground texture
• Noise Scale: Frequency of terrain detail, controlling the size and density of surface variations

Static Mesh Selector

Mesh Selection Window

The Static Mesh Selector window provides access to all available mesh assets:

Search and Navigation

• Search Bar: Find specific meshes by name, useful for quickly locating particular mesh assets
• Browse Functions: Navigate through mesh collections, organized by category and type

Mesh Library

• File Format: All meshes use .dae (Collada) format, which is the standard format for mesh assets
• Alphabetical Organization: Easy browsing through large collections, making it simple to find specific meshes