My first terrain!

[Stealthcow]

So, I've just finished my first terrain. Please tell me what you think.

Original:



Update:

I could also use some advice on how to improve my fog, and what to do with the water flowing next to the raised part in the lower left corner, because I can't find anything decent to cover it up with.

 

[leet.firefox]

I don't see anything.

 

[Stealthcow]

There it is.

 

[takakenji]

the waterfall seems a bit off and there is way to much default dirt and it looks bland, but besides those two things it's a good first terrain

 

[Stealthcow]

I'm just glad you saw it was a waterfall.

 

[Nbah]

The waterfall looks a bit weird, but that's due to the camera angle, otherwise I like how you executed it's look. The terrain is a bit empty, try adding trees, rocks, some point of interest. The globe of light fails at giving immersion and looking like a moon or smth, try to hide it behind the mountains or something. And the village looks really empty like that. Try scaling things down so it looks more epic in a sense of feeling. Try making dense forests, sources of light, custom sky and so on. Overall it's a great bit for a first terrain, practise more and I'd love to see more of your work.

 

[Stealthcow]

Ok, so here's an update on my terrain.

I can't seem to get the fog and lightning down. I can't get the fog to cover the entire terrain, either it completely blocks out the mountains in the back, or it covers the entire terrain. Also, I made the sun yellowish so you can actually see its a sun. Dunno if its working out though.

Also, how do you get those pretty thumbnails everyone's using? Using ''Insert Image'' now, but it turns out all fugly.

 

[Celaquil]

For starters, dont make links to imageshacke when uploading terrains, there is an "Upload Attachment" button under the reply box; use it.

Now, for the terrain:

For some reason I love the look of the river you made before the falls, and then the lake itself looks... Bland comparred. The mountains looks quite unatural, the snow shouldn't go all the way down to the ground, rather have small dots of snow on top of them instead, also; dirt mountains with snow on them seems to be a very... new thing to me, and last time I checked that didn't exist, always think about reality when terraining, it will help you a lot ^^

If I were you I would try to use the rock tiles combined with some Snowy Rocks lowered down into the mountain side to give a nice and snowy look, but still keep it alive. If you dont know how to lower object that is done in the following way:

Select the object, then hold down CTRL and press Pg Dn; Pg Up for raising them

Now, as mentioned your terrain is in DIRE need of more details, think about it; since when were the last time you saw a somewhat lushy (based on the trees and grass) that was as barren as yours? At least add some grass models, grass isn't flat you know ^^

And when it comes to the fog and the sun, it doesn't look too good. The sun is a simple one to solve, simply take the glow model and place it close to the camera so that it covers the sun; this will make for a nice and warming effect and make the light seem like it comes towards you and not just is there, on the horizon. Now, the fog is simple as soon as you get a hold of it, took me some time in the start also. Since you seem to be famillar with how to find it, change it and enable it I wont go through that part, rather write the values you would most probably need;

Z Start: 0. (setting this option to zero will make the fog cover the entire map.)
Z End: 2000/4000 (this is what decides how dense your fog is)

I would also advice you not to use units in terrains, but your Jaina seems to fit; but in most cases units dont fit in with terrains. That, however, is a personal matter

I hope this was of somewhat help ^^

 

[Megafyr]

For your future terrains make sure the shadows on the terrain go naturally with the sun you place. It is too late for this one, but remember it next time. Everything else has pretty much been said already, and I do not like to repeat others.

 

[Stealthcow]

Hey Keiji, thanks for the advice.

I took up your advice about the fog, but it doesn't seem to work, which is leading me to believe its caused by something else, but I don't know what.

These 2 screenshots are at Z start 0.00, Z end 2000 and Z start 0.00, Z end 4000. Changing the density doesn't seem to have any effect either.

The fog in my original screenshot is Z start 0.00 and Z end 12500.

To Megafyr: Damn, I hadn't even thought of that.

 

[Oziris]

I would make some rocks on that waterfall at the edges. Would look much better ( The mountains reminded me of WoW )

 

[Megafyr]

Hey Keiji, thanks for the advice.

I took up your advice about the fog, but it doesn't seem to work, which is leading me to believe its caused by something else, but I don't know what.

These 2 screenshots are at Z start 0.00, Z end 2000 and Z start 0.00, Z end 4000. Changing the density doesn't seem to have any effect either.

If you look closely you will see a difference. Try to make it even higher than 4000. Numbers are made for adjusting.

 

[Stealthcow]

( The mountains reminded me of WoW )

That a bad thing?

And megafyr;

I've tried that, at around 0-8000 the village is still completely fogged, and by that jaina and a part of the river is completely fogless. Like I said, only at around 0-12500 everything starts to become visible. Otherwise some part is just covered in deep fog. Ill try now and see if I have the same problem in other maps.

Edit: Jup, same problem in other maps.

 

[Arcany]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oziris
( The mountains reminded me of WoW )

That a bad thing?

WoW environment isn't exactly... epic, actually it's pretty bare and flawed in most scenarios. It isn't really bad but I wouldn't call it a compliment. Wow environment =/= Art in my opinion.

- - -

Regarding the fog, how farther something is away, how higher the Z-End value has to be to make it visible. Nothing's wrong with setting that at 10000 or even 10000000 if required. You will want to set Z-Start around 100-1500.

 

[Oziris]

It's bad. The WoW has too many unnatural sharp mountains >.>

 

[Stealthcow]

It's bad. The WoW has too many unnatural sharp mountains >.>

Like these?

 

[Handycombinder]

No, these looks okay, but some really ugly mountains that blinds your eye when you see them

 

[Celaquil]

I see your problem Stealthcow, and there isn't much you can do about it, I guess you are having too large a map and I am also guessing that your terrain is on a corner, or at least the camera is looking towards a corner of the map, this will cause such an uneven fog as yours. Thus there isn't much to do else than what I and others already said, try making a new one maybe? And be sure to keep the camera looking straight at 90 degrees on the map It's not where the camera is placed that makes the terrain; its the terrain shape itself ^^

 

[Stealthcow]

That must be it then. Its not exactly in the corner of the map, but its up pretty high looking at a steep angle. Ill move on to a new map as soon as I finish polishing this one, which should be soon.


Btw, is there a faster way for scaling stuff down, with a hotkey or something?

Edit: 2nd update!

I've frozen a part of the water to add some more variation. I know that there are still some things left to improve, but I think I'll move on to another map now.

 

[madcd]

its a good start tho i would maybe sugest on the next map to make mroe natrual or realistic wooden walls