Gilles Terrain

[Craka_J]

Hmm... try to use more Icecrown Snowy Spires and see how it looks.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

Added new screens from RPG! I wish the thread would just update when you change the original post! Oh well.

 

[Craka_J]

The second to last screenshot isn't that great. Looks messy and there should be Rough Dirt maybe where the chickens are. The stuff around it looks awesome though.

The last one looks great. The only advice I could give is the park deserves some elevation with a hill or two.
~Craka_J

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I disagree with Craka_J on this one, I like the second to last screenshot, looks nice besides from the rock tiles. Good variation and camera angle.

The last one I don't like at all, boring generic look of a city from above.

 

[Craka_J]

Yes true. I always forget to comment about the camera angles! >.<

Anyway I didn't mean it looks messy as in random placements everywhere. I think it's the corn in the view that causes that messy illusion.
The camera angle could've been better, perhaps raised higher so you can see more.
The camera in the last is a bit generic, giving that boring feel. It's not very unique, but hey! The terrain of the city looks great so far. Keep it up!
PS: You better add a bunch of camera modes!
~Craka_J

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I agree, Craka, the camera could be raised a bit perhaps, still looking down but from perhaps a slight higher angle. Perhaps some fog aswell as if it was morning or something would add to this a lot and make it look really good. It would fit with the sky in the background and generally for a grey city area.

 

[Gilles]

Alright, lol I'll add more angles.

Craka, the problem is I only have one dirt tile. I'm struggling on tiles (the map's large, and I want different types of tile). I also do have height variation, but the problem is that when I add more it starts messing things up.

The idea with the overhead was just to let people tell me what they think should be done with the overall city.

You don't like the rock tile raging? Well it's the only good path tile I have, and I don't mind it, I guess it looks off because of the orange grass around it.

OK adding more! I'll remove the RPG pictures (unless I really like it) and maybe put them into the map develop area later (tomorrow or tonight)

 

[Craka_J]

Much better screenshot. Looks better now. And yeah, the rocks look bad because of the orange/brown grass on the edges.
~Craka_J

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

The main reason I don't like it is because it makes me think of a flat mountain

I always use those rock tiles only when I create mountains, so looks odd to me when used as road.

I don't think height variation is a big problem in a city, just raise/lower with a single or 2 clicks here and there and it should be fine. A city should be rather level.

 

[Craka_J]

True. Mountainous tiles for roads does make it look out of place.

Very true. Cities should be very levelled. However the park does need some sort of elevation. And yes, one or two clicks should do the trick.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

The park HAS hight variation, one or two clicks exactly! I can try and mess around with the tiles I have and see if I can get a nice path one. Or make it rough dirt?

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Perhaps in the corn area add some small grass turfs and such as a fields never are corn-only but has some random grass and other things aswell. I think it would make it look better, just some low grass turfs at the foot of the corn.

EDIT: Then I guess 1-2 clicks weren't enough this time Make a few more then, 4-5 clicks. Just a few places to make it look good!

 

[Gilles]

I did throw one or two in there, but obviously not enough to notice =P

Updated the farm with (IMO) an ugly dirt tile. I need a dirt tile that's only 1 cost in the modify tile thing.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

It may not be the best solution but the new dirt tile looks A LOT better than the previous stone tile!

 

[Gilles]

What would be a better solution?

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I think this one looks good enough, but perhaps try with a bit darker dirt-like tile than the current one, but with the same looks. I can't remember if such exists in the editor, I don't map that much these days.

 

[Craka_J]

Oh, probably just hard to see. Well having the elevation is a good thing and as long as its in the park as you say it does, it's good. Just about perfect. I'll try to find flaws... besides the stonepath tile by the fountain. Doesn't look proportional to the others. It's too much to the right I think.
[Edit]:
Theres a much darker dirt tile in Dalaran Ruins. Might wanna check that out. Village Fall dirt tiles are dark too.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

Remember Craka, needs to be only a value of 1. Both of those are 2. Most grass and dirt are. Also, I am going to need to extend the limit of doodads later. I remember hearing about doing it. I can't remember too well, but can you do it with JASS, or newjenjass? Or whatever it's called.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

You can add extra tiles through WEU and just go back to the normal WE afterwards, no matter if it is 1 or 2.

 

[Gilles]

Yeah I probably will use WEU later, not yet. I was asking about doodads though.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

You can break the doodad limit thing through... Grimoire I think it is, not sure, haven't used any of the new programs developed after the 2005 era.

 

[Gilles]

New picture. Just to get an idea of what I want my forest to look like.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Looks okay, not the best camera angle but that's a minor thing.

Terrain itself is nice and so-so varied, could use a second tree for some variation here and there, so the green one is the main tree and another colored one there is a few of some places to break the greenness!

 

[Craka_J]

I spy pointy hills in the park
Those trees for the forest are awesome!
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

Craka, remind me to fix that later.

Raging, your right, I will throw a new trees in there, maybe use WEU and get more grass tile, and look for some new shrubs/plant models. I remember some on wc3campagins that I really liked.

Err, I just got some weird error when I tried to post.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

A fall themed tree in a orange/red'ish color almost allways fits in nicely with that summer-like green feel.

 

[Gilles]

New screen, don't like it much, I liked my idea, but I really just noticed how ugly the coral is with all that green.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I don't really like it, doesn't look much like an ocean floor to me. Lighting also isn't made well enough to look like it's under the sea.

 

[Gilles]

Really? I'll mess around with the lighting then.

 

[demonsofdante]

I like a lot of the screens, however the last one has an overabundance of shrubbery. I'm guessing the viney plants at the bottom are meant to represent seaweed etc, but its a bit too much with very little variation and covers up almost all the tile and possible terrain elevations making it extremely flat looking.

The green fog does a good job representing the underwater sea life, however underwater areas around that depth are a more turqouise/blue color and have quite a bit less undersea life.


The angle its taken at doesnt do a good job implying its underwater either, normally underwater screenshots show a significant background where the doodads and terrain fade into the fog showing the undersea terrain. Try avoiding any views similiar to the default angle to make it a much more interesting shot.


In short:
Bring the angle closer to the ground
Decrease the spammed viney plants , and add a larger variety of aquatic greenery and animal life
Adjust the fog tinting to a more blue-ish color to more accurately portray the depth
Show more of the actual terrain (not doodads) to show and have more height and tile variation
Try adding larger coral/reef structures and ruins.

+Rep fa sho

 

[Gilles]

Thanks for the tips demonsofdante some of what you said is very helpful!

But, I don't want to change the viney plants. Using them to cover the tile was the idea! I will throw more plants in there, and change the color of the "water".

I won't bother adding ruins or making the screen fade into the distance because that would require me to redo all this, I'll just remember for next time.

I will add a noticeable hight variation.

 

[demonsofdante]

Another suggestion would be to try adding floating underwater kelp to give it better perspective and more interesting plant life.


Heres an example:
http://www.barwonbluff.com.au/reference/images/kelp forest.jpg
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/i...est-Underwater-Tasmania-Australia-Posters.jpg

 

[Gilles]

I should try that, I can just extend them and stack.

BTW, the first link doesn't work.

 

[demonsofdante]

Ah, well the 2nd link is really all you need for the basic idea.

This thread has an extreme lack of underwater terrain/ naga cities

 

[Gilles]

I did try to make an underwater Naga city, but it didn't work out.

 

[Gilles]

New screen. Aha, I bring the thread back from the dead.

 

[madman9800]

Some pretty good terrain there, i like the farm one the best.

 

[Gilles]

Thank you. I still don't like that one all that much.

 

[Gilles]

New stuff. I hope to be done my island terrain by Monday. I can't decide on a good fog. Let me know if you think any other color would be better.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I like the way the new screenshot looks even though it is just a lot of the same. Perhaps you should have added some flowers or such aswell or a slight variation in trees.

 

[Gilles]

Yeah the variation in trees would be nice, but the other palm trees in WEU are so different.

 

[Zerpentos]

Hey Gilles, thanks for the rep for that WoW comic : P

Anyways, this terrain is my style and it's the way I feel terrain should be. +rep

 

[Gilles]

No problem, thanks for the rep! =P

You have any insight that could help me? Or is it that perfect! lol

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Or is it that perfect!

Getting overconfident are we?

 

[Gilles]

Getting overconfident are we?

Haha, no, I've got MadseN and others to keep me in check.

 

[Craka_J]

lol I like where this conversation is going.
PS: Where are all of the new terrains!?
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

Where is it going?
What do you mean? I added a few jungle terrains from a map I'm working on.

 

[Craka_J]

The jungle is great. And when I say jungle, I mean the actual area where palm trees are placed a lot and ferns, rocks, etc. Looks great and very atmospherical. However once the jungle area stops, it looks really plain. That's the feeling I get. The road needs more stuff on it, what does it need? I don't even know yet. But it looks empty and definately needs some doodads to occupy the emptiness.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

What road? The dirt or the temple road?

 

[Craka_J]

Both to be honest. :\
~Craka_J