Raycast not working

[ember otter]

I have a system the places trees on terrain, the raycast is used so that the trees stay leveled on the terrain. However "Data" is always nil.

--More Code
local TreeNoise = math.noise(x * 0.01, Seed, z * 0.01)
                        if math.abs(TreeNoise) >= 0.2 and GetClosest(Vector3Position, TreePositions) > 40 then
                            local TreeRaycastPos = Vector3.new(Vector3Position.X, Vector3Position.Y + 100, Vector3Position.Z)
                            local Data = workspace:Raycast(TreeRaycastPos, Vector3.new(0, -1000, 0), NewRaycastParams)
                            print(Data)
                            if Data then
                                table.insert(TreePositions, Data.Position)

                                local NewTree = Tree:Clone()
                                NewTree:PivotTo(CFrame.new(Data.Position))
                                NewTree.Parent = workspace.Trees
                                print("Tree")
                            end

                        end

[wispy tendon]

hmmm

ah

terrain

that's your issue

are you using parts as terrain?

or roblox's built in terrain

because if I remember, you can't raycast on terrain..

or maybe I'm crazy

ahh.. nvm

it does work on terrain

what's on your raycast parameters?

[ember otter]

Yes, I am using terrain.
This is my parameters:

local NewRaycastParams = RaycastParams.new()
NewRaycastParams.FilterType = Enum.RaycastFilterType.Exclude
NewRaycastParams.FilterDescendantsInstances = {workspace.Trees:GetChildren()}

[wispy tendon]

hmm

so

it is.

printing Data

the variable

however it returns nil

meaning that it hits..

but it doesn't return any values.

uh could you try a quick fix?

place a part

a long one

near an area

just above the terrain but below the origin of the raycasts

then try and see if trees appear

sorry if it sounds stupid but just try it

what is the tree raycast position anyways?

[ember otter]

Its not detecting the terrain

I have no idea

I used the part and it detected the part, but not the terrain

[wispy tendon]

ooof

shoot

now you're going to have to change your terrain generation system/map 💀

[ember otter]

It used to detect it before, now its not.

[wispy tendon]

did you change the script?

can you recall anything you changed over the last time?

[torpid cape]

NewRaycastParams.FilterDescendantsInstances = {workspace.Trees:GetChildren()} you don't need to GetChildren here, in fact this may be causing some problems here. just filter workspace.Trees and it will auto filter all of its descendants already, no need for getchildren here...

[ember otter]

some times I love coding...

[ember otter]

Nope, the problem is still there.

[ember otter]

Bump

[torpid cape]

ye not the source of the problem i dont think, but it doesn't help to have other errors in it

[ember otter]

Yep... No errors

[ember otter]

Mind if I send my whole code?

(It will be used to get s2 btw)

[torpid cape]

ye you would need to send more code

most likely your position and/or direction is wrong

tbh instead of placing a tree if the raycast hits, you could probably spawn a debug part to visualize the ray

that will give you more information on this

[torpid cape]

oh you are generating the terrain at the same time as placement of the trees

[ember otter]

Ye

(It worked before)

[torpid cape]

are any trees being placed at all?

[ember otter]

Data is nil, so no

[torpid cape]

grid snapping formulate is incorrect local Vector3Position = Vector3.new(x * BlockScale, NoiseTrrain * BlockScale, z * BlockScale)

GetClosest(Vector3Position, TreePositions) this should be a different function

[ember otter]

I got the current one from a roblox fourm.

[ember otter]

Different how?

Like different name?

[torpid cape]

this appears to be perfectly aligned on the corner of a terrain cell lua local TreeRaycastPos = Vector3.new(Vector3Position.X, Vector3Position.Y + 100, Vector3Position.Z) local Data = workspace:Raycast(TreeRaycastPos, Vector3.new(0, -1000, 0), NewRaycastParams)

i suggest TreeRaycastPos += Vector3.new(BlockScale,BlockScale,BlockScale)*0.5 so it is in the center of a cell instead of precisely on the corner

[torpid cape]

i think this is the only real problem with it, the vector3.y+100 should guarantee the ray is above

and your noise range is -6 to 6

[torpid cape]

different as in breaks immediately when it finds a tree too close instead of continuing to search for closest tree as this loop could be in the 100's

spatial partitioning is a good idea too but mehhhhhh

[torpid cape]

almost definitely not getting s2 with this because you have all the generation functions nested in one massive function and terrain gen is a very good candidate for parallel processing which you aren't using

often the de-facto first example use-case for actors

why pass that up?

[ember otter]

Aren't I already doing that?

[torpid cape]

this is going to create multiple connections in a very, very bad way ```lua

BuildFunction.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player : Player, Position : Vector3, Mat : Enum.Material)
    Terrain:FillBlock(Position, BlockSize, Mat)
    if Mat == Enum.Material.Air then
        Mat = 0
    else
        Mat = 1
    end
    
    table.insert(NewDataStore.Value[tostring(Player.UserId)][tostring(SeedGlobal)], {{Position.X, Position.Y, Position.Z}, Mat}) --Save world change
    print(NewDataStore.Value)
end)
```

[ember otter]

Multiple? The generation only runs once.

[torpid cape]

so will this ```lua
AxeFunction.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(Player : Player, Tree, TreeRoot : Part)
task.spawn(function()
if TreeRoot then
TreeRoot:Destroy()
task.wait(2)
Tree:Destroy()

        end
    end)
    table.insert()
end)```

[torpid cape]

i mean i guess it's okay in a singleplayer game but it's still pretty bad

[torpid cape]

anyway i suggest doing this so you can visualize the rays

maybe behind a 10% chance or something so you don't get a visual on every terrain cell, ooor only when data is nil

[ember otter]

It is a single player

But ya ill keep that in mind

[ember otter]

So this is not parallel computing? @torpid cape

[torpid cape]

no

task.spawn makes it async, but parallel is different

e.g you can have a parallel async thread just as much as a serial async thread

[ember otter]

Coreroutines?

[ember otter]

Would it take a whole re-write to get s2?

[torpid cape]

s2 takes something with interconnectivity usually

all you have is a single giant loop that, putting it simply, generates a dull cube

you could write for x=1,100 do for z=1,100 do end end and it be almost the same as what you have.

also code that is purely algorithmic in nature, which terrain generation is, is not eligible for ranking

so

y'know make it something useful and decent, make it worthwhile. a mediocre minecraft clone is not going to get you s2

[ember otter]

I don't think you have the full picture, its a full game with building, destroying, items, my own data store, ect. You can customise the terrain at the start and then generate it.

[ember otter]

Like a modual? For example TopBarPlus, Profile Store, ect.

[ember otter]

Wait, isn't the Lua VM single threaded?

[torpid cape]

some of those background systems are going to get you s2 more than this would

[torpid cape]

roblox luau has true multithreading

that's what actors are for

[ember otter]

Can you forward me to the documentation please?

[torpid cape]

https://create.roblox.com/docs/scripting/multithreading

[ember otter]

So its about splitting the generation into multiple scripts.

[torpid cape]

not exactly...

[ember otter]

Ok so, I watched a quick video and I think I need to split the generation script into multiple actors. Then tell the scripts what chunk they are generating.

[ember otter]

local Chunks = 8
    local ChunkSize = WorldSize / Chunks
    local ChunksFinished = 0

    Center = WorldSize / 2
    for ChunkIndex = 1, Chunks do
        local Start = (ChunkIndex - 1) * ChunkSize + 1
        local End = ChunkIndex * ChunkSize
    
        local NewActor = Actor:Clone()
        NewActor:SendMessage("Generation", {Start, End, BlockScale, TrrainThreshhold, WaterEnabled, WorldSize, Seed})
    end
    

For every new chuck we clone an actor with the generation script.

[torpid cape]

yep

cloning scripts is weird but that's how it's done

[ember otter]

LETS FUCKING GO

[torpid cape]

you also need to connectparallel to the message or task.desync in a regular connect

otherwise it will still be running in series

[ember otter]

Do we also keep a bindable event to track how many chunks are finished?

ChuckFinishedEvent.Event:Connect(function()
        ChunksFinished += 1
        if ChunksFinished == Chunks then
            
        end
    end)

[ember otter]

Yep

[torpid cape]

you can if you want to

[ember otter]

is there a better way?

just in case?

[torpid cape]

there's lots of ways idk if any are better

[ember otter]

alr

[torpid cape]

each potential solution is equally as best than the last

[ember otter]

[ember otter]

Actor:BindToMessageParallel("Generation", function(Message)
    local Start = Message[1]
    local End = Message[2]
    local BlockScale = Message[3]
    local TrrainThreshhold = Message[4]
    local WaterEnabled = Message[5]
    local WorldSize = Message[6]
    local Seed = Message[7]
    
    for z = Start, End do  --Generation
        for x = 1, WorldSize do
            local NoiseTrrain = math.noise(x * 0.1, Seed, z * 0.1) * BlockScale --Prlin Noise, my belovid. Prlin Noise is a math algorithum that tries to create realistic terrain. So far Noise dose this pritty well.
            NoiseTrrain = math.clamp(NoiseTrrain, -6, 6) --Clamps it
            NoiseTrrain = (NoiseTrrain > TrrainThreshhold and TrrainThreshhold or NoiseTrrain) / TrrainThreshhold  --A bunch of math and logic to make the trrain look natral
            NoiseTrrain = (1 - NoiseTrrain)

            local Vector3Position = Vector3.new(x * BlockScale, NoiseTrrain * BlockScale, z * BlockScale) --Creates positions
            local Position = CFrame.new(Vector3Position) 

            local Size = Vector3.new(BlockScale, BlockScale, BlockScale) --Creates the size
            local Material

            if Position.Y >= 17 then --When Rock will generate
                Material = Enum.Material.Rock
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground
                
            elseif Position.Y <= 0.5 and WaterEnabled then --When water will generate
                Material = Enum.Material.Water
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Size, Enum.Material.Rock) --Adds rock to the bottom of the water
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 7, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground

            else
                Material = Enum.Material.Grass
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground

                local TreeNoise = math.noise(x * 0.01, Seed, z * 0.01)
                if math.abs(TreeNoise) >= 0.2 and GetClosest(Vector3Position, TreesFolder) > 40 then
                    local TreeRaycastPos = Vector3.new(Vector3Position.X, Vector3Position.Y + 100, Vector3Position.Z)
                    TreeRaycastPos += Vector3.new(BlockScale,BlockScale,BlockScale)*0.5
                    
                    local Data = workspace:Raycast(TreeRaycastPos, Vector3.new(0, -1000, 0), NewRaycastParams)
                    
                    print(Data)
                    if Data then
                        local NewTree = Tree:Clone()
                        NewTree:PivotTo(CFrame.new(Data.Position))
                        NewTree.Parent = workspace.Trees
                        print("Tree")
                    end

                end

            end

            Terrain:FillBlock(Position, Size, Material) --Generate it
        end
    end
    ChuckFinishedEvent:Fire()
end)

local Actor = script:GetActor()
local Terrain = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Terrain")

local TreesFolder = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Trees")
local Tree = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Tree")

local ChuckFinishedEvent = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage"):WaitForChild("ChunkFinished")

local NewRaycastParams = RaycastParams.new()
NewRaycastParams.FilterType = Enum.RaycastFilterType.Exclude
NewRaycastParams.FilterDescendantsInstances = {TreesFolder}
function GetClosest(MainValue : Vector3, Values : {Part})
    local ClosestDistance = math.huge

    for _, v in ipairs(Values) do
        local Distance = (MainValue - v.CFrame.Position).Magnitude
        if Distance < ClosestDistance then
            ClosestDistance = Distance
            
        end
    end
    return ClosestDistance
end

Had to split the message.

[ember otter]

@torpid cape

[torpid cape]

ye thats a start of them all. i'd suggest still making it async tho

[ember otter]

testing it right now and its not working at all, I put a print statment at the start of the code and it did not print....

I love coding

I love coding

I love coding

I love coding

I love coding

[torpid cape]

probably because the script hasn't executed when you call sendmessage

i may be mistaken on this but if you start with the script disabled then set .enabled=true it will execute immediately

[ember otter]

so like require(NewActor.Script)?

[torpid cape]

also you didn't parent the actor to anything

it needs to be somewhere that scripts will execute

[ember otter]

ye, I fixed that

It gave me an error

but still

[torpid cape]

so fix the error

[ember otter]

i did

[torpid cape]

it took me a while to get a handle on how to work with actors so don't stress if you don't get it immediately

this is your first time using them after all

just keep in mind actors work very well with instances https://create.roblox.com/docs/scripting/multithreading#cross-thread-communication

so if you clone it you can make the actor set an attribute like IsLoaded and then getattributechangedsignal("IsLoaded"):Wait() is one pattern you could use

[ember otter]

"Not running script because past shutdown deadline"

[torpid cape]

go to bed then ;p

[ember otter]

lmao

[trail ice]

** You are now Level 14! **

[ember otter]

GET OUT-

[torpid cape]

being able to work effectively with actors is an s2 trait among many

so may as well get your practice in 🤷

i belief you can do it

[ember otter]

alright!

but first I go night-night

[torpid cape]

by a while, i meant it took me over a month to properly understand how you're supposed to use them

[ember otter]

cus it is 10 pm

[torpid cape]

oh that is what you meant haha, okay nitenites 👋

[ember otter]

https://tenor.com/view/mimi-mimi-exploding-mimi-sleeping-gif-7743361120137913672

Night-night

-# Tomorrow, the grind starts. Lets do this.

[ember otter]

@torpid cape I'm awake and ready to code! So I worked a little more and I still can't get the script to run. I can't find anything in the docs the mentions this problem.

local Actor = script:GetActor()
local Terrain = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Terrain")

local TreesFolder = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Trees")
local Tree = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("Tree")


local NewRaycastParams = RaycastParams.new()
NewRaycastParams.FilterType = Enum.RaycastFilterType.Exclude
NewRaycastParams.FilterDescendantsInstances = {TreesFolder}
function GetClosest(MainValue : Vector3, Values : {Part})
    local ClosestDistance = math.huge

    for _, v in ipairs(Values) do
        local Distance = (MainValue - v.CFrame.Position).Magnitude
        if Distance < ClosestDistance then
            ClosestDistance = Distance
            
        end
    end
    return ClosestDistance
end

Actor:BindToMessageParallel("Generation", function(Message)
    task.desynchronize()
    print("Working")

    local Start = Message[1]
    local End = Message[2]
    local BlockScale = Message[3]
    local TrrainThreshhold = Message[4]
    local WaterEnabled = Message[5]
    local WorldSize = Message[6]
    local Seed = Message[7]
    
    for z = Start, End do  --Generation
        for x = 1, WorldSize do
            local NoiseTrrain = math.noise(x * 0.1, Seed, z * 0.1) * BlockScale --Prlin Noise, my belovid. Prlin Noise is a math algorithum that tries to create realistic terrain. So far Noise dose this pritty well.
            NoiseTrrain = math.clamp(NoiseTrrain, -6, 6) --Clamps it
            NoiseTrrain = (NoiseTrrain > TrrainThreshhold and TrrainThreshhold or NoiseTrrain) / TrrainThreshhold  --A bunch of math and logic to make the trrain look natral
            NoiseTrrain = (1 - NoiseTrrain)

            local Vector3Position = Vector3.new(x * BlockScale, NoiseTrrain * BlockScale, z * BlockScale) --Creates positions
            local Position = CFrame.new(Vector3Position) 

            local Size = Vector3.new(BlockScale, BlockScale, BlockScale) --Creates the size
            local Material

            if Position.Y >= 17 then --When Rock will generate
                Material = Enum.Material.Rock
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground
                
            elseif Position.Y <= 0.5 and WaterEnabled then --When water will generate
                Material = Enum.Material.Water
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Size, Enum.Material.Rock) --Adds rock to the bottom of the water
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 7, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground

            else
                Material = Enum.Material.Grass
                Terrain:FillBlock(Position - Vector3.new(0, BlockScale * 5, 0), Vector3.new(BlockScale, (BlockScale * 12) - NoiseTrrain, BlockScale), Enum.Material.Ground) --Fills the ground

                local TreeNoise = math.noise(x * 0.01, Seed, z * 0.01)
                if math.abs(TreeNoise) >= 0.2 and GetClosest(Vector3Position, TreesFolder) > 40 then
                    local TreeRaycastPos = Vector3.new(Vector3Position.X, Vector3Position.Y + 100, Vector3Position.Z)
                    TreeRaycastPos += Vector3.new(BlockScale,BlockScale,BlockScale)*0.5
                    
                    local Data = workspace:Raycast(TreeRaycastPos, Vector3.new(0, -1000, 0), NewRaycastParams)
                    
                    print(Data)
                    if Data then
                        local NewTree = Tree:Clone()
                        NewTree:PivotTo(CFrame.new(Data.Position))
                        NewTree.Parent = workspace.Trees
                        print("Tree")
                    end

                end

            end

            Terrain:FillBlock(Position, Size, Material) --Generate it
        end
    end
    task.synchronize()
    Actor:Destroy()

end)

-# And the trees still don't work

[ember otter]

@torpid cape