World Editor: Parallel Shape Tool – Arma Reforger

The Parallel Shape Tool is a World Editor tool that allows automatic creation of parallel shapes (polylines or splines) from a selected shape.

Main Interface

Parallel Shape Tool Interface

The tool consists of three main sections: Margins, Debug and Shape Creation.

Margins

Offset Safety Margin

[m] Offset safety for neater inner curves (Spline only)

Default value: 1.00 m
Range: 0 to 10 m
Usage: Prevents overlapping in tight curves

Min Distance Between Points

Minimum distance between points, as to not saturate inner curves (Spline only)

Default value: 1.00 m
Range: 0 to 20 m
Usage: Reduces point density in complex areas

Debug

Show Debug Log

Show more logs in the console for debugging purposes

Default: Disabled

Shape Creation

Snap To Ground

Snap the newly created shapes' points to the ground

Default: Enabled
Usage: Ensures shapes follow terrain relief

Use Spline If Possible

Use spline if shape is a spline, may help in sharp turns; generally not needed, polyline should be enough

Default: Disabled
Usage: May help with tight curves

Create Shape As Child

Create shapes as the selected shape(s)' children; otherwise, create them on the same level

Default: Enabled
Advantage: Clear hierarchical organization

Symmetrical Shapes

Create shapes on the provided offsets and their negative, bordering the selected shape(s)

Default: Enabled
Example: A 5m offset will create shapes at +5m AND -5m

Remove Duplicates

Cleans up the duplicated offsets to only keep unique ones - also applies to Symmetrical Shapes above

Default: Enabled

Offsets

New shapes' offset(s) - negative means "to the left" of the shape, positive means "to the right" (from its first to its last point)

Negative value: "Left" of the shape (first to last point)
Positive value: "Right" of the shape (first to last point)
Range: -50 to +50 m
Default values: -10.0, 10.0

Usage

Create Parallel Shapes

Select one or more shapes (polyline or spline) in the World Editor
Configure parameters according to your needs:
- Set offsets in Offsets (e.g., 3, 6 to create two shapes at 3m and 6m)
- Enable Symmetrical Shapes to also create shapes on the other side
- Adjust Offset Safety Margin if needed for curves
Click the Create button
New shapes are created accordingly.

Offset Direction

The left/right orientation is determined by the shape's direction:

From the first point to the last point of the shape
Negative (-) = left side
Positive (+) = right side

ⓘ

To reverse the direction, reverse the order of the original shape's points.

Practical Use Cases

Road with Shoulders

Configuration:

Offsets: 3, 6
Symmetrical Shapes: Enabled
Snap To Ground: Enabled

Result: 4 shapes created

-6m (left ditch)
-3m (left edge)
+3m (right edge)
+6m (right ditch)

River with Banks

Configuration:

Offsets: 2, 5
Symmetrical Shapes: Enabled
Offset Safety Margin: 0.5
Min Distance Between Points: 0.5

Result: Banks that follow the river's meanders

Simple Parallel Wall

Configuration:

Offsets: 0.5
Symmetrical Shapes: Disabled
Create Shape As Child: Enabled

Result: Single wall 0.5m to the right of the original shape

Console Messages

The tool displays messages in the Workbench console:

Message	Meaning
No entities selected	No entity selected - select a shape
The selected entity is not a shape	The selected entity is not a polyline/spline
The selected shape requires at least two points	The shape must have at least 2 points
The number of created points (...) is not enough	Too many points removed - adjust margins
Cannot create shape	Creation error - check logs

Limitations

Requires at least 2 points per source shape
Closed shapes are supported but may require adjustments
Curves with tight turns may require Offset Safety Margin adjustment
Performance may decrease with a large number of points

Tips

For roads, use Offsets: 3 with Symmetrical Shapes to instantly create both edges
Increase Min Distance Between Points if created shapes have too many points in curves
Disable Snap To Ground to create aerial structures (bridges, aqueducts)
Use Remove Duplicates to automatically clean up your offset lists
For complex shapes with tight curves, increase Offset Safety Margin to 1.5-2.0m