Yay or Nay?

[botanic]

I was working on my terrain for my map and dont want to do TOO much if its not going ot look good ;P

anything is welcome comments critiques (offers to help :P) jsut please no cold rationals or cross frustrations

Edit redid some of the terain

PS sorry couldnt convert the images to jpg...

[DanL.]

Right now its little to flat. There isnt that much of tile diveristy. But if you keep working at it im sure it can become good.

[botanic]

How can i get more tile diversity then I am using a custom tileset and don't have a lot of extra open slots

[AtOmIc_PeAnUt]

That path looks way too unnatural, try using Rough Dirt or something instead, and use the smooth tool on that real jaggedy part near the clearing. Also try adding some more tile variation to the grassy areas around the path. There is also a lack of environmental doodads such as rocks and shrubs. Try placing a largish rock under a tree, then place a few shrubs around it wherever there is an empty look space. You may also want to try some custom trees aswell, they look a crap load nicer than Blizzard ones. IMO the Post Lantern doodads found in the cityscape tileset would fit in much better in your city than the viallage ones as well. Finally, just add a little more height variation, add some small, gentle hills and things, and change the fog from black to a pale yellow or pink or something that will fit in with the Dalaran Sky.

Dang, I sounds like a hungry ole' hound dog by that onslaught of criticism Don't be disheartened if everyone gives you huge long lists of areas to improve, just stick at it and practice and you will get a crap load better!

Good luck with your terrains in the future dude!

[TheCrystalBlade]

I agree, the path is unnatural, use the tile he suggested.
I hate the tavern effect, I find it too small, but a lot of people don't agree with me about the size of buildings.
To me, it looks ugly if they're, like, 1 scaleing value.

[Mr.Wuggles]

I say change the size of the buildings (if its non-melee) to something a little bigger like 1.50 or 2.00 because otherwise it looks... bad? I'd say check out some nice custom trees as someone stated before, and looking into some custom doodads would also be good. There are plenty of awesome city/village doodads you could use.

I for one won't use too many of blizzard's doodads because they dont really fit in my maps, and they seem too cartoony and not so realistic. Not saying you shouldn't use them, but I would add some custom doodads if I was you. Say... custom walls and roofs for you to make your own buildings?

However, I like the picture with the horses. Perhaps adding a farm or barn or stables or something would be a good move. Of course, I may need some help in the future, for I too am new to terraining and am starting to terrain on something tough: Durotar. Soon I may also begin on the Barrens as-well.

[botanic]

I was using that path because its an extention of the road from the city...

Ne ways i redid some of it

Also i am kind of short for space so i can import a large amount of models. As the map is maby 1/10 forest and another 1/10 the city

I added new screenshots int othe first post

[AtOmIc_PeAnUt]

Don't worry about space, custom tree models will only take up about 10kb at the most, and they will transform your terrain no end. Also a lot of other custom doodad models will only take up a few kb, I suggest you download The Ultimate Terraining Map and just have a good look through all the stuff it offers

[Wraithwynd]

I'm going to be contrary and say your map is good as is. But then I am taking into consideration that your map is for a game and will not be seen in all of its glory by the player.

Distance shots of terrain in maps through editor work if you are just making nice environment pictures for desktops or something. For maps used in games you need to actually test the map and see the terrain from the perspective of the game camera.

I look at the tall majestic walls and I must wonder if they will be seen in total in the game and appreciated, or if they will be lost to the player simply because the game camera can not take them in.

You also have to remember that the background in a game is just that. Players are busy ordering units, running around, fighting, doing quests and what not to usually just focus on the background and note the details.

How much action is in your game should play a roll in how much diversity, time and effort you place on the background image. In many cases copying and pasting the same series of doodads can fill the background and goes unnoticed by the player simply because the game play is keeping them way too busy to stop and smell the flowers. Three groups alternating "randomly" will provide the illusion of endless diversity.

We are dealing with the limitations of the brain and how it processes images. If the brain is active doing something else, the background is barely noticed.

One of the "bad" things of posting an image here is that we can sit here and look at the image long and hard, nothing is rushing us to defend a base, or save our hero from a band of bandits that is about to pwn us. What ever the case maybe.

Yes we can come up with a lot of so called "problems" with the map and the way it looks while in the game it looks great and creates the stage upon which the action is played and adds to the experience of the game.

Flat maps can, and often do work for game play. They rarely work for artistic maps which are designed for the purpose of the pretty picture.

Now I know some tell us we can take a screenshot from the editor to post our images. Truth is when it comes to game play we must take into consideration the game interface and how that affects what we see. And the Fogs of War and the Black Mask. The limitations of the game camera has to be considered as well. the default camera has a very limited field of view, and has a very limited range of Angle of Attack .

There is no way that you can take in the scope of a whole map even in a cinematic for a game. You presented us with a global view of the world you created, and yes many things seen from that perspective will seem off or wrong while in the game world it is perfect and works.

[AtOmIc_PeAnUt]

O_o

You sound like you are assuming this terrain is for a mellee map, and if it is, then yes, I would agree with you on all accounts. However, the layout of his city and road and whatnot suggests this is more for an RPG style map, which means terrain beauty is much more noticable and important because players won't be active all the time...

[botanic]

The map is a kind of X-hero / RPG map just so ya know

also ill post a few in game picts instade of the we picts

[Wraithwynd]

Originally Posted by AtOmIc_PeAnUt

O_o

You sound like you are assuming this terrain is for a mellee map, and if it is, then yes, I would agree with you on all accounts. However, the layout of his city and road and whatnot suggests this is more for an RPG style map, which means terrain beauty is much more noticable and important because players won't be active all the time...

I am not assuming what kind of game this map is for. I listed some considerations that affects the "use" of terrain in game maps. These are considerations the author/artist should think about when constructing his/her map for game play.