Screen from my melee map, and a question.

[Gilles]

Here is a screen from a melee map I have been working on. I wanted to get some people's opinions on my work. Unfortunately I don't understand how to take screens in WE. I took one and it saves it in the screenshot folder, but it's a format I don't know, and I don't think I have anything to change it to something else. If anyone could let me know how the screenshot thing works and any feedback on my picture would be appreciated, thanks!

Edit: Here is the map now finished.

 

[HermanTheGibbon]

To do screenshots easily, get Irfanview, it's a free little program, download it here:

http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm

When you have it, open it up, and after you take your screenshot, just go straight to irfanview and hit CTRL + V or go Edit -> Paste, then you will see your screenshot pasted into irfanview. After that, go File -> Save As and then select file type JPG and save it again, simple!

As for the terrain, I guess it is just fine for a mellee map, as I know you need to keep ample space and low doodad count and what not. I'm afraid I can't really say that much about it though as terrains for mellee maps aren't regularly discussed round these ere' parts.

 

[Rui]

I'm happy to see other people working on melee maps.

However, that's one weird texture variation there.

 

[Gilles]

Thanks Herman, but I can do what I did for those shots and use paint I was wondering how to use the screenshot folder in wacraft3. I can't find a tut or a post about it.

I don't quite get what you mean Rui.

 

[HermanTheGibbon]

Oh fair enough, I think I misunderstood your question lol.

Also I think what Rui means by weird tile variation is the grass on the sand in your second pic, looks a bit unnatural maybe.

 

[Gilles]

Yeah I wasn't too happy about that either, but there are no good sets of cliffs for my map so I just went with the sunken ruins ones, I think it turned out OK though. I know I could have used WEU to mix the cliff tiles, but I don't want to.

 

[HermanTheGibbon]

OK kewl. Not that I know anything at all about mellee maps, but have you considered doing some none blizzard cliff with height raising? I'm guessing they won't be appropriate, but you could maybe use a crap load of pathing blockers to make it playable, and you might be able to get a nicer look

 

[Gilles]

Yeah actually I have done that before, and I am starting to like it a lot more then the blizz way. (If it's done right, the ones I've done kinda suck, but other people make some wicked mountains) I started this map without them and I had done half of it and a river when I realized it would look a lot better using the raise and plateau tool, but alas it was too late. I also just found out how to make rolling shores the easy way which sucks because I had made my water already.

 

[HermanTheGibbon]

Fair enough. lol. Anyway, if you'd like a couple of pointers on making your own cliffs, you might wanna take a look at this terrain tutorial I am writing. It's not finished yet but it covers what you need to know in order to build and texture your own cliffs, just so you can work with them in the future even if not on this map! Shameless self promotion eh?! ROFL

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35233

I was using the Ashenvale tileset there, but your could probably find appropriate alternatives in the sunken ruins tileset as well.

Anyway I hope it helps you out a bit

 

[Gilles]

Thanks, it a good tutorial! I pretty much know most of it, but it still has a few techniques and things that should help. +rep =)

 

[Tawsix]

How to Convert Your Screenshots (Which by the Way Are Saved as Targas)
1. Aquire a more or less new version of Photoshop.
2. ???
3. Profit


Or you could skip step two and just convert them into jpegs or something.

 

[Deep Sea Kraken]

Forgive me for this but: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! CLIFFS! *runs*
Looks pretty good though, some more screenies would be nice (too lazy to dl the map)

 

[Gilles]

I know, cliffs are pretty ugly, except in rare cases. I did this for a melee map like I said though, I will get more screens from a better map soon

 

[Craka_J]

First Screenshot could use alot of work. The water by the river should be deeper, especially by where the waterfall falls into the river below. Why?: Because the strong force of the water collapsing onto the ground pounds the ground enough rapidly and ends up making a large ditch in the water where the waterfall is, however there may sometimes be spires and large rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. Why?: Haven't looked it up yet so I can't answer it effectively.
Since the terrain is in the jungle (Sunken Ruins = Jungle) there should be a lot more grass and vegetation. Environmental doodads is always a good thing, even when making Deserts! So place plenty of ferns, rocks, etc.

The second screenshot isn't a good screenshot at all. Can barely see where the road due to the trees in the way. But it's easily noticable that there's a large amount of stuff that needs to be replaced and added. You can basicly add anything environmentwise and props too to your terrain. I'll leave that job to you though.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

I'm probably not going to edit that map, it was kinda my first attempt at terrain. I used cliffs instead of raise tool which I try not to do now, I made a really crappy river using the ramp tool instead of making the whole map water then raising. I'm not sure if I could lower by the waterfall due to the way I made my river unfortunately. I am working on some new things not, but it may be a while.

 

[Craka_J]

Making rivers with ramps is a big boo boo. Looks fake and it's hard to make it look even a little realistic using cliffs. Unless if you were remaking a real landscape that actually had cliffs that look similar to the ones in Warcraft III that you're using, then I suppose then it'd be acceptable.
~Craka_J

 

[Gilles]

I don't use cliffs anymore Actually I do what you said to someone sometime. Make the whole thing water then raise, works like a charm!

 

[Craka_J]

Ah, good to hear someone uses my advice
~Craka_J