Terrain: Forest Cliffs

[Jattenalle]

Step by step tutorial for creating a small mountain/hill range, using cliffs (Yeah I know, I like to make 'pro' map makers squirm in pain)

Difficulty: Very Easy
Tools used: World Editor

Step 1
Lets start off by creating a new map:

It's 64x64, 5 as starting cliff height, shallow water as base and Lordaeron Summer as tile-set

Step 2
Choose the Apply Height: Raise tool from the terrain palette (Not Apply Cliff mind you)
Then draw an island:


Step 3
When you've created your small island, select Apply Cliff: Increase One from the terrain palette (I used Cliff Type: Dirt Cliff, but you can use the Grass one if you want).
Start with Size: 3 and create a basic layout, then move on to Size: 2 and finally Size: 1 for finer details.
You should end up with something like this:


Step 4
Make sure you deselect the Apply Cliff tool, and instead tick the Apply Texture
Apply smooth grass to the low areas, dirty grass to the edge between water and smooth grass, and finally the areas around the mountain should be rough thick grass.


This is what we have now:


Step 5
Now before we add any doodads we must change it so that Trees can be placed on Cliffs.
To do this, go into the Object Editor.
Click Destructibles
Find: Cityscape Fall Tree Wall (It's the 4th down in the Trees/Destructibles tab)
Find the option: Editor - Placeable On Cliffs False
Change it to True

Repeat this for Cityscape Summer Tree Wall

Step 6
Close the Object Editor and select Doodads as your palette (Press D)
Change it from Lordaeron Summer to Cityscape
Select Cityscape Summer Tree Wall from the list
Place Summer trees around the bottom of your mountain/hill (Hold Shift to place the Doodads closer together)
Then select Cityscape Fall Tree Wall from the list
Place the Fall trees around the top of your mountain/hill (Hold Shift to place the Doodads closer together)
You should end up with something like this:


This is what we have now:


Step 7
In the Doodad palette, change from Trees/Destructibles to Environment
Select the Shrub
Place Shrubs along the base of your mountain, and in the Summer part of the trees. It's OK to have a few shrubs "leak" into the grass area.
When you're happy with your shrubbery, select Rocks in the Doodad palette.
Place the Rocks along the side of your mountain/hill, hold Shift to be able to place Rocks amongst the trees.
Finally, place a few Flowers around where the Summer Trees and the Grass meet. Also a few Cat tails can be placed near the water.
You should end up with something like this:


This is what we have now:


In-game:







And the map:
View attachment JATM.w3x

Enjoy, hope it's useful to someone.

 

[DiCe[ultimate]]

good tut, no use to me but good tut non the less

 

[Codexx]

Wow, thanks. It's really good for creating a sort of "valley" area. I did it without water(or cattails) and it adds to the effect I wanted.

 

[lombre]

That's very nice thank you very much

 

[4rankie]

good tut for some beginers at terraining. This would have helped me couple years ago when i started out lol.

~4rankie~

 

[ElmStFreddie]

Okay. I have to say it.

Blizzard Cliffs are ugly. They are good for.. Uhhh... When you... Can't use doodads, which you always can.

Anyways, so, you make cliffs, then cover them with doodads to hide the cliffs, so therefore you have no need for the damned cliffs!

Grass and dirty grass should never be played near each other it never looks good.

The tree you chose was pretty ugly but nonetheless that isn't really as important.

I'm not saying it looked bad, you could've easily gotten the same effect without using cliffs.

The tutorial thusly is too long for beginners, it'd just be easier to have them use the raise land, then draw some terrain on it, then place trees, and some doodads.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I agree that the result in the tutorial is not good, I don't get why this was ever approved. It is basicly a guide to people on how to terrain the wrong way and achieve bad results.

 

[Gilles]

I agree with raging. maybe I'll make a better one!

 

[Cronical]

the thumbnail for step 5 is realy blurie

 

[Hawkwing]

Sorry but this isn't the greatest. I appreciate the attempt and it is easy to understand but it isn't of much use. If someone happens to do this then they will be told off by the more proffessional terrainers. Blizzard Cliffs are just plain ugly.

For your tutorial the preview of Step 5 is way to blurry and you can hardly see anything. Also the trees you chose are no good.. Use Lordaeron Summer Tree Wall or Ashenvale Tree Wall (Which probably wouldn't go well with the tilset) But the big pointy Cityscape Tree Walls are no good.

 

[~Void~]

Raging was a bit of a douche about saying it, but yes, this is kinda misleading. Oh well. The guy's banned now :\

You've gone from cliffs to lighting to the standard wc3 doodads.

lol wut hypocrite?

 

[Gladin]

Whatever. You're not supposed to create an island with the EXACT look like HE did it, it's just a tutorial ...

 

[Hawkwing]

Yes but tutorials are supposed to lead you to greatness.. While this "tutorial" leads you to getting a thumbs down on all your terrain.

 

[Gladin]

Mind ... why did I say that?

 

[Nichita_00]

thankzorz m8 i didn't know the trick with shift... helps makin my maps XD +rep (rly? awezum)

 

[Frost DmL3]

Very beautifully, thanks the author!