source: GTP/trunk/Lib/Illum/IBRBillboardCloudTrees/Readme.txt @ 950

IBRBillboardCloudTreeGenerator
------------------------------
The IBR Billboard Cloud Tree Generator provides a set of tools creating and preview tree 3d
models for being used in real-time applications. The generated tree is thus represented by a
set of billboards, called billboard cloud. The tool is placed in /GTP/Lib/Illum/IBRBillboardCloud/OGRE.

For more detailed information check the user manual placed in  /GTP/Lib/Illum/IBRBillboardCloud/OGRE/doc.

Changes since 29/04/2006:
=========================

 - Collada exporter. Exports the billboard cloud to XML/DAE Collada file format. Check the /GTP/App/Illum/IBRBillboardCloud/3dsmax. There is a .max sample file that contains a generated tree using indirect texturing shaders, exported with Collada exporter.
   
Run-time hardware Requeriments:
===============================

Recommended configuration:
  -Pentium 4 or equivalent AMD at 2GHz or more.
  -Graphic card Vertex Shader 3.0/Pixel Shader 3.0 Compatible
  -RAM 1GB 
  -DirectX 9c / OpenGL

Required configuration:
  -Pentium 4 or equivalent AMD at 1GHz or more.
  -Graphic card Vertex Shader 2.0/Pixel Shader 2.0 Compatible
  -RAM 512MB 
  -DirectX 9c / OpenGL

Required dependencies:
======================

The IBR Billboard Cloud Tree Generator core depends on several other
libraries that you will need install, if they're not already present
on your system. The most typical libraries you may need to install
are:

   * Ogre3D
   * Boost

Optionally:

   * OpenEXR
   * ImageDebugger


Folders Structure:
==================

Runtime folders:

  /bin/Release
  /bin/Debug

  - These folders contain the release / debug IBRBillboardCloudTreeGenerator. 
  You should use the realease version. Only if you find out a bug use the debug
  version to report it.

Documentation folders:

  /doc/userManual  
  /doc/devManual

  - The user manual cover all the features available in the IBR Billboard Cloud Tree Generator.
  - The developer manual it is basically a doxygen documentationn of the IBR Billboard Cloud 
  Tree Generator Core, this documentation will useful if you want to extend the application
  in some specific ways.

Media folders:

  /media
  /media/general
  /media/chestnut/leaves

  - The media folder is the default folder where you will find the media used by the 
  IBR Billboard Cloud Tree Generator. This include the shaders, textures, Ogre3D materials, ...
  - The default shaders used are placed in media/general.
  - There is a sample tree placed in media/chestnut. The more important file from this sample
  tree is the configuration file (sampleChestnutLeaves.cfg) placed in /media/chestnut/leaves. This 
  configuration file must be used when you run the IBR Billboard Cloud Tree Generator, for this sample.

Source code folders:

  /include  
  /src
  /scripts

Temporary folders:
  
  /misc
  /obj
  
  
Compilation instructions:
=========================

Note: There is a preprocessor flag /D "TIXML_USE_STL" used in order to use the correct tinyXML STL version