Terrain Preview

[bhusta]

Go to the last page for the latest screenshots.

Outdated Stuff

Here are some terrain screenshots of my upcoming project.
The gameplay is compareable to AoS maps but highly altered.

The terrain is an early state and I am open-minded for any feedback.
So I started with the lanes.

These are outdated screenshots:

1

Vista sucks inspired me to create the ship.

2

3

4

5

6

The file size of the terrain itself will be less then 2mb.
I am sorry for the bad video quality.

 

[fladdermasken]

Any reason why the screenshots don't have terrain fog enabled?

I kind of like it. Gotta say though, those wood planks are really dull like that. You need to do something about the monotony.

 

[bhusta]

Any reason why the screenshots don't have terrain fog enabled?

I kind of like it. Gotta say though, those wood planks are really dull like that. You need to do something about the monotony.

Which planks do you mean? The wooden floor the ship is made of or the planks of the big raft is made of?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[fladdermasken]

Right. Kind of guessed it would be dense like pea soup.

The raft is fine. I think you can patch the wooden floor with black metal strips or something. Actually, what you have going on the top platform is not a bad idea.

 

[SA Dashie]

Pretty nice effects on the terrain.
For pic one: Seems well done so far with the doodad scheme, although the top decking with the wooden flaws.. Ah doesn't have the right kind of consistency. Maybe if you can end up being able to replace the skin with a wood texture that has a little more less black it would be done well.
Not realy much to say at the moment as from other than the main feateres in the screenshots it obviously needs more detail.
Might want to find a new model that you used for the rock used in pic 5 and 6 that you made as cliffs or something, as they don't look, well, to nice as done.

I'm not able to watch the clip at the moment due to limited usage so I might watch it some other time when I can.

 

[Celaquil]

Creative and nice doodad usage/placement, commendable even, I'd say.
- Terrible choice of doodads though.

Admittedly, if this is supposed to be of "battlenet" standard, I guess I understand the choice in doodads due to lack of...
Wait, ditch that, they buffed that battlenet thing to over 9000 or something, so there's actually no excuses.
- Other than preference, in which case, just ignore my previous statement.

Concerning the fog, well, while you might want to have the fog like that ingame there's really nothing stopping you from
changing the fog values in the editor to give off a nicer look to the presentation, we terrainers are whores for presentation.

I also don't approve of that sloppy stairway creation, I say find a brick-wall like doodad, and make every step singularly by
altering their angles and whatnot, you know the drill, basically the same technique as you used on those stairs beforehand
only more tedious.
- The result is too great to ignore, though.

I'd also watch my scaling overall-y, if I were you. Some doodads, especially the standard wc3 doodads, don't take kindly to
being over-scaled, their textures get stretchy and downright ugly looking. I say, either find substitutes or... Replace them...
Err, way to say the same thing twice >.>

Overall though! I like what I see, I hope you'll keep working on it and improve it, for there's good potential
here for something we don't see too much of these days... Good terraining.

 

[bhusta]

I think you can patch the wooden floor with black metal strips or something.

I adjusted the color of the wooden floor to fit the pipes and added some metal patches.
I won't change much of the sides of the ship because one realy doesn't see much of them ingame

I also don't approve of that sloppy stairway creation, I say find a brick-wall like doodad, and make every step singularly by
altering their angles and whatnot, you know the drill, basically the same technique as you used on those stairs beforehand
only more tedious.

satisfied?

Thank you all for the suggestions I haven't the time to follow up them all right know but I will consider them later.

At last I have a question about the limit of doodads.
At what number of doodads could there be a problem? I think it is possible that I will use up to 20,000 for this map.

 

[Celaquil]

I'm never satisfied, then again the point here is to satisfy yourself.
- Bravo.

 

[bhusta]

I am thinking about changing the wood tiles and walls of the ship. Any suggestions? The new doodads using red shifts barrack texture.

[TD]

[/TD][td]--[/td][TD]

[/TD]

ahhh I forgot to fit the colors of the walls and the tiles to each other ....

Unfortunately I have only the 256x256 version of red shifts skin, I would be glad if a 512x512 version somewhere exists.

 

[fladdermasken]

200 times better.

 

[SA Dashie]

looking alot better already.

 

[Celaquil]

Well, if you can use ground tiles for the deck of the ship, I'd recommend Red's plank tiles, or grimy planks they might be called.

Other than that there's always _oGre_'s map "Refuge in Ruin" stowed away somewhere here on the terraining board, in some form of thread.
It holds a grand gathering of neat-looking wooden doodads, they might come in handy.

Oh and, good job.

 

[Deleted member 212788]

Well, if you can use ground tiles for the deck of the ship, I'd recommend Red's plank tiles, or grimy planks they might be called.

Other than that there's always _oGre_'s map "Refuge in Ruin" stowed away somewhere here on the terraining board, in some form of thread.
It holds a grand gathering of neat-looking wooden doodads, they might come in handy.

Oh and, good job.

I believe Red left THW and deleted his resources.

 

[Celaquil]

Yes, along with many good people due to past incidences.
- That's not to say their resources don't exist in the keeping of various users of this site.

 

[bhusta]

I finished just about 90% of the north base and updated the first post with a new screenshot and a new youtube video. This time it has 720p.

I will now start with making a new ship.

 

[bhusta]

I realy thought I finished the north base except for some details.
But then I watched Sverkerman's SvD Video and thought why did I never used the alpha tile. So I made an 8x8 transparent terrain art skin and started reworking the base and I was surprised how easy it was too create nice effects with it.

Also the benefit of not using invisible destructible plattforms anymore is huge. So I am able to save thousands of doodads.

The only drawback of it is that one has to fill all the invisible gaps you can see it best in the screenshots 2 and 3.
In screenshot 4 I solved the problem by creating an open sewer but in 2 and 3 I planned to create a park with bushes and other plants but I have no idea at the moment how to do it.

Do you have some suggestions?

 

[Heinvers]

Interesting! It could become the next big thing!

 

[jopi]

can't wait to play it to, ehm on topic maybe you could use doodads that use the same texture as your ground to fill these gaps? and then put the plants on top of it... some flat square model might do it or a flat rock model which can be found here on hive... anyway i hope you find a good solution

 

[Lordkoon]

In all screens you just give us oversized stairs to look at. Give us a picture made higher.

 

[Sorceress]

Looks fantastic.
Keep up the good work, will follow progress.

 

[bhusta]

Thank you all very much,

ehm on topic maybe you could use doodads that use the same texture as your ground to fill these gaps?

I will handle that problem later, because I don't want to get stuck on small areas like that. but when I am coming back to it I will consider your suggestion

In all screens you just give us oversized stairs to look at. Give us a picture made higher.

These four screenshots were made to show the particular problem which comes along using an alpha tile and they are ingame screenshots so this is the reason for the view being that near to the stairs.
You can look at the first post. Ther are some other screenshots but I will post some new ones this week-end because I haven't much new content yet and don't want to spam

Looks fantastic.
Keep up the good work, will follow progress.

__________________________________________________
Edit 11-16-2012: updated first post with new screenshots

 

[gorillabull]

this is some of the best terrain i have seen its very original setting i would play the map just because of the terrain, it certainly is better than that of some noob who used wow models

 

[Sin'dorei300]

I like ur style, keep it up!

 

[Duke]

I love the goblin head!

 

[bhusta]

oh nearly one month past since I updated this thread the last time.
The main reason for this is, because we did some major changes about the concept, so that I had to re-do some areas and I had to relize that the alpha tile can't be used that much because it looses its' transparency in fog of war.

this is some of the best terrain i have seen its very original setting i would play the map just because of the terrain, it certainly is better than that of some noob who used wow models

Thanks. I am realy trying to keep distance to the WoW rips ^^

I like ur style, keep it up!

You should do, since I am using the building kit models you made for the city

I love the goblin head!

Thanks, it is the only thing that's left from the ship at the moment

So, my latest post is about the heart piece of the map. I am going to build an ostentatious, oversized colosseum this week-end. Before I start to make it, I created one segment of it so that one can see the style and to have something like a template.

Here are two versions of it. The first one is with light and the second one is with deactivated light, because it is very dark. Ingame there will be more light effects which brighten it.

The overview screenshot shows the proportions.
Before I start to complete the colosseum I want to gather some suggestions from the hive community.
The middle area will be changed with triggers, so it stays flat and empty.

 

[sonofjay]

It looks fine, all you need to do is find a suiting tile for it.

 

[bhusta]

Tiles have a lower priority atm, because they will be changed by triggers like in warlock. This is more about the construction itself

 

[bhusta]

So this is how the colosseum turned out.

colosseum

I actually considered sonofjays suggestion about the tile set and I think I found the final one.
What I am going to do this week-end is creating the landmarks for the four capture points.
I have already WIPs for three of them. I am not sure what the fourth landmark is going to be. I am open for any suggestion

1 Tavern

2 Church

3 Lighthouse

4 ???

Give me your suggestion

After creating the landmarks I will finally start with the south base. After that I will do the lanes.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Great stuff u got here, like the way u did the buildings!

 

[sonofjay]

Good stuff, I really love how the coloseum turned out and the light house looks damn nice.

Cemetery beside the Tavern? That looks damn weird for me.

 

[bhusta]

yeah ^^ this is part of the gameplay every capature point has a graveyard

 

[jopi]

nice to see some updates ^^ , for the 4th landmark maybe you could use some kind of mine or some kind of lumber mill inside a forest or any other kind of factory like building

 

[fladdermasken]

I don't like the tiles much now. It's oil and water.

Plus it's really patchy and the tiles don't intermix at all. Big patch of grass meets big patch of rock meets big patch of dirt etc.

 

[ResidentV]

Its like you're amazing with lego but you're using a lego ripoff...
really good use of doodads but the choice of doodads makes it look poor... ?

hard to say tbh.. but amazing stuff yeah, at the same time

 

[bhusta]

nice to see some updates ^^ , for the 4th landmark maybe you could use some kind of mine or some kind of lumber mill inside a forest or any other kind of factory like building

I thought about a mine, too. I don't think I can make a lumpermill or a blacksmith without importing some new material :-/
The forest has to wait until I finished the structures.

I don't like the tiles much now. It's oil and water.

Plus it's really patchy and the tiles don't intermix at all. Big patch of grass meets big patch of rock meets big patch of dirt etc.

Maybe this is because of the number of tiles I used there. I think it is better then the combination of barrens tiles and ashenvale tiles I had before. But you are right.

Also the screenshots are about the buldings, I realy have to improve everything about the environment.

Its like you're amazing with lego but you're using a lego ripoff...
really good use of doodads but the choice of doodads makes it look poor... ?

hard to say tbh.. but amazing stuff yeah, at the same time

Yeah for me it is exactly like playing with lego atm
I hear that a lot about my choice of doodads. I try to accomplish a good performance for the gameplay and a low file size so that we can still import a great number of unit models or some material later. Additionally, I can work best with this combination of doodads

Thank you all for commenting my stuff. The next update will take a while.

 

[Naze]

I've been watching this thread for too long without having something to add, but now here I come:

The graveyard besides the tavern looks really weird for 2 reasons:

1. The most important reason is the gray dirt tiles used. The environment of the area suggests green grass and beige dirt, grey dirt seems misplaced;
2. The models used. The fence model is tortuous and wry, while all the other models you used on your terrain are neat and straight. In some way the Blizzard's fence model looks toyish compared to the realistic appeal your map is providing us.

I don't know what to suggest for 4th landmark, maybe an inland tower, that you could walk on the top of it, or the market of the village, with stands and such.

BTW the colosseum looks great, I admire your patience!

 

[bhusta]

I really wanted to update this thread next year but somehow I like to be an attention whore
Meh, the real reason is that I want to show my first attempt of doing nature and environment stuff. It's a requirement for the fourth landmark which became a mine.

I am happy that I could manage it without using new imports. The rails are actually made of two different colored wall ends and a table.

New points in these two screenshots are

• different tile set, more green, less gray
• fourth landmark
• first control point design with judashs' item model
• nature stuff, using Felwood, Ashen and Ruins rocks for the cliffs and Nasrudins' trees

Mine 1

Mine 2

I've been watching this thread for too long without having something to add, but now here I come:

The graveyard besides the tavern looks really weird for 2 reasons:

1. The most important reason is the gray dirt tiles used. The environment of the area suggests green grass and beige dirt, grey dirt seems misplaced;
2. The models used. The fence model is tortuous and wry, while all the other models you used on your terrain are neat and straight. In some way the Blizzard's fence model looks toyish compared to the realistic appeal your map is providing us.

I don't know what to suggest for 4th landmark, maybe an inland tower, that you could walk on the top of it, or the market of the village, with stands and such.

BTW the colosseum looks great, I admire your patience!

Okay I will make something diffenrent for resurrection than a graveyard. I have to admit that it doesn't fit to the different themes of the control points.
I don't know if I change the Blizzard metal fence, maybe I will improve it with other doodads.

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Cool mine!

 

[jopi]

hey, nice outcome!

i really like the mine, cliffs and environment are nice too ( though i'm more into these imported cliffs ) the only thing that really bothers me are the tiles, it seems somehow random and does not fit together ( i assume that this isn't its final state ) also i'm worried about these obelisks they might disturb fight around the landmark, unless its ment to be like this...

 

[bhusta]

Hello guys,

Nearly two months past since the last update. Although I did not realy work on the terrain since me being busy, but progress has'nt stopped.

Naze joined the team and continued the terrain work. He did a great job on it and the right lane is nearly finished now. He re-designed the whole environment and I doubt that I could do something like him.

So, what do you think about the progress?

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Looks great, but the buildings are a bit too dark for the environment, imo.

 

[Heinvers]

A fan of yours!

But still very gilnean! Personally i like how it works out.

 

[bhusta]

Looks great, but the buildings are a bit too dark for the environment, imo.

I see your point. The ingame setting will be a little bit darker than on the screenshots and there are still a lot of light models missing. The environment would be darker if it would be possible to create proper shadows in warcraft but I am not going to create a shadow map

But still very gilnean! Personally i like how it works out.

It is inspired by gilnean buildings

Thank you both.
Maybe there will be another update next week. It is a very slow progress at the moment for many reasons but it is in progress

 

[Sin'dorei300]

Any news?

 

[bhusta]

unfortunately, no :/

The next update will take some time. We have to do more planning then actual producing.
April will be the time where we are more active again.

 

[bhusta]

Update 06 - 29 - 2013

Hello again,

I will update this thread only one more time, because the terrain is about 90% finished and after the completition new screenshots will be posted in the original project thread.
Naze is a great addition to the team and he completed his part perfectly.
Now I have to finish the last 10% which will take about two "calm" week-ends from now.

The following ingame screenshot shows the hero spawn point of the south team on a steam punk ship.
As I said before I took a lot of impressions from "Vista sucks" and "Mr. Goblin"s' goblin terrain arts.

Hope you like it.

 

[Heinvers]

A fan of yours!

You really are a German! You have inquisitive ideas and you know how to put them to use. Just great.

 

[bhusta]

You really are a German! You have inquisitive ideas and you know how to put them to use. Just great.

Cheers

I hope I find the motivation to finish this finally. At the moment it is too hot to work on this.

 

[bhusta]

Update 08 - 30 - 2013

This is the last terrain update for this thread.
All new preview screenshots will be shown in the original project thread.

Here you can see the docks where the ship called "Wargrin" lays.
I am proud to be finally able of showing the south base.
The docks are made by Naze. He did an incredible and detailed job as always.

I am really curious about your suggestions and opinions. Please tell us what you think
about the alpha version of the terrain.

(Disclaimer: This is a playable terrain for an AoS map project.)

 

[Deleted member 212788]

I like how you've put together the docks though I have a few suggestions. 1st, the cliffs to the right are a bit too sharp and could use some smoothing so as to look more natural. 2nd, the dirt is a bit too plain if you ask me. I'd advise you to add some grass here and there or more rough dirt. It wouldn't hurt if you also varied the dirt height a bit. Other than,
I don't really see anything in need of change. Well done!