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Terraining Tutorial - Path by the Sea
Introduction
In this tutorial, I am going to teach you (the reader) how to make a path, using the Sunken Ruins tileset and the Ultimate Terraing Map. The models used and the tileset as well are only recommended options, you can use ANY which you prefer or like. You can leave out parts of the tutorial that you don't like as well.
I know this might seem like some WIPs and a finished terrain, but it is actually simply a guide.
Required Things:
• Warcraft III TFT
• The Ultimate Terraining Map 3.0 - Link
• [recommended] Grass2.mdx
Step 1. - Preparing the Map
Firstly, start up the World Editor and open the UTM up. Go to the import manager, find grass2.mdl and delete it. Then import your Grass2.mdx.
Go to the Object Editor, Doodads - Custom, Environment and then find Grass (2). Change the unit model to the imported Grass2.mdx.
Then change its tint to a greenish colour, as you prefer, I used 125, 200, 150.
Then choose two tree models that you like, make their maximum scaling size 2.00. I used Palm (1) and Palm (6).
Go to the Map Options, and change your fog to either White, or a pink-reddish colour. Change its Z Start to 0 and its Z End to 10000. I used 1.00 as a density.
Then go to the Map Preferences, change the sky to Generic and set the time to Noon.
You're ready to terrain, but don't forget to change your tileset to Sunken Ruins!
Step 2. - Layout and Tiles
After you've finished with Step 1, make a bit of land in the top right corner, just a small bit, not too high but not water either.
My Result: Preview
After you've finished with that, just leave it there. Go to the bottom end of the map, and raise some land all along that side. When you're finished, make a bit of a path using either Dirt, Sand or Rough Dirt with some short grass around it. Don't worry about the emptiness around there! The camera angle will do a big job in there.
My Result: Preview
Now, using CTRL+Left Click Drag and CTRL+Mousewheel down, make a camera where you can see to the edge of the map, but can only see that path, and not around it. You should also be able to see the other land we made earlier on. The overall picture should look a bit like mine, except that you made it, basically, you shouldn't see past the path.
My Result: Preview
Remember to create a camera at this spot!
After this step, we're starting on the doodads. Remember the trees which you changed earlier in Step 1.
Step 3. Doodads Around the Path
Firstly, change to the camera which you made. Then, use either one or both of your trees to frame the picture. They should be on either side, reaching up into the very top of the picture, if not rather highly. Then place a couple of shells in piles, I made 4 stacks of them.
My Result: Preview
After that, put grass on the upper side of the path, but not ON it. For the shells, place one in front, one behind and one to each side, it shows a bit of the shell. Remember, use Grass (2) - with the custom model.
This is important, use the smallest brush, and terrain ONLY what the camera can see. Unneeded models are not required.
My Result: Preview
Look at it from above. Take note of how few grasses you used. I ended up with 89 grasses in total, so around 75 grasses. That's a real achievement, if you clumped it full with Brush size 2's, you'd have up to 800 grasses!
My Result: Preview
Using that same technique, put grasses on the lower side of the path. If you want, you can add in more shells, but I left it like this.
My Result: Preview
You're now nearly done! Only details are missing, a few in the sea and a few in the path.
Step 4. - Finishing Details
This step is divided into two. Land details and Sea details.
Land Details
During this sub step, you'll finish off on the land, using the land you made right at the start as well as the path. The path is first up.
Simply tint some bushes to a 175 Red & Blue and 255 Green, a plant as well and then spread those around the grass. This isn't really too hard, as all you're doing is putting some doodads in other ones.
My Result: Preview
After you've finished off your path, you should go back into the Object Editor. Find Light From Above (Angled), tint its Blue to 100, and set its maximum size to 25.
Before doing this, save your map!! It can sometimes screw up World Editor!!
Place one Light near your path, but in the way of the other island. Make it go down (CTRL + Page Down), until its left side is a bit away from the left side of the island. After that, copy and paste it, place one a bit further away from the path, and then do the same with that one, except that its left side should be on the left side of the island. Then make another one, a bit further away again, and lower that one until it is around half in the island. The island should be rather hard to see by now.
My Result: Preview
To finish off that island, simply place a few trees on it, make a bit of tile variation and maybe place a couple of rocks.
My Result: Preview
You've now finished on the land part of this terrain.
Sea Details
The sea part of this step shouldn't be too hard. Firstly, place a few ships, near the edge of the map. Then start putting lighting over the rest of the map. Remember, try to keep it going the same way. If the circles from the light are causing you problems, simply put some rocks over them.
After you've finished with the lighting, relax.
My Result: Preview
You're done with the terrain!
You've just made a pretty good terrain, balanced in fore- and background.
Other Details
As requested, I'm providing the information on the map. I had around 80 grasses, lowered the trees in the distance into the ground, at least ones whose leaves were up high, lowered the lights to around 1cm (on a 1280x1024 resolution) into the ground and had tinted my plants 175 red, 255 green and 175 blue. My grass was 125 red, 200 green and 150 blue. All other doodads were normal and unchanged.
The fog I used was 255 red, 200 green and 200 blue. It's Z Start was 0 and its Z End was 12,500 with a 1.00 density.
If I missed out anything, please tell me and I'll see if I can remember.
Introduction
In this tutorial, I am going to teach you (the reader) how to make a path, using the Sunken Ruins tileset and the Ultimate Terraing Map. The models used and the tileset as well are only recommended options, you can use ANY which you prefer or like. You can leave out parts of the tutorial that you don't like as well.
I know this might seem like some WIPs and a finished terrain, but it is actually simply a guide.
Required Things:
• Warcraft III TFT
• The Ultimate Terraining Map 3.0 - Link
• [recommended] Grass2.mdx
Step 1. - Preparing the Map
Firstly, start up the World Editor and open the UTM up. Go to the import manager, find grass2.mdl and delete it. Then import your Grass2.mdx.
Go to the Object Editor, Doodads - Custom, Environment and then find Grass (2). Change the unit model to the imported Grass2.mdx.
Then change its tint to a greenish colour, as you prefer, I used 125, 200, 150.
Then choose two tree models that you like, make their maximum scaling size 2.00. I used Palm (1) and Palm (6).
Go to the Map Options, and change your fog to either White, or a pink-reddish colour. Change its Z Start to 0 and its Z End to 10000. I used 1.00 as a density.
Then go to the Map Preferences, change the sky to Generic and set the time to Noon.
You're ready to terrain, but don't forget to change your tileset to Sunken Ruins!
Step 2. - Layout and Tiles
After you've finished with Step 1, make a bit of land in the top right corner, just a small bit, not too high but not water either.
My Result: Preview
After you've finished with that, just leave it there. Go to the bottom end of the map, and raise some land all along that side. When you're finished, make a bit of a path using either Dirt, Sand or Rough Dirt with some short grass around it. Don't worry about the emptiness around there! The camera angle will do a big job in there.
My Result: Preview
Now, using CTRL+Left Click Drag and CTRL+Mousewheel down, make a camera where you can see to the edge of the map, but can only see that path, and not around it. You should also be able to see the other land we made earlier on. The overall picture should look a bit like mine, except that you made it, basically, you shouldn't see past the path.
My Result: Preview
Remember to create a camera at this spot!
After this step, we're starting on the doodads. Remember the trees which you changed earlier in Step 1.
Step 3. Doodads Around the Path
Firstly, change to the camera which you made. Then, use either one or both of your trees to frame the picture. They should be on either side, reaching up into the very top of the picture, if not rather highly. Then place a couple of shells in piles, I made 4 stacks of them.
My Result: Preview
After that, put grass on the upper side of the path, but not ON it. For the shells, place one in front, one behind and one to each side, it shows a bit of the shell. Remember, use Grass (2) - with the custom model.
This is important, use the smallest brush, and terrain ONLY what the camera can see. Unneeded models are not required.
My Result: Preview
Look at it from above. Take note of how few grasses you used. I ended up with 89 grasses in total, so around 75 grasses. That's a real achievement, if you clumped it full with Brush size 2's, you'd have up to 800 grasses!
My Result: Preview
Using that same technique, put grasses on the lower side of the path. If you want, you can add in more shells, but I left it like this.
My Result: Preview
You're now nearly done! Only details are missing, a few in the sea and a few in the path.
Step 4. - Finishing Details
This step is divided into two. Land details and Sea details.
Land Details
During this sub step, you'll finish off on the land, using the land you made right at the start as well as the path. The path is first up.
Simply tint some bushes to a 175 Red & Blue and 255 Green, a plant as well and then spread those around the grass. This isn't really too hard, as all you're doing is putting some doodads in other ones.
My Result: Preview
After you've finished off your path, you should go back into the Object Editor. Find Light From Above (Angled), tint its Blue to 100, and set its maximum size to 25.
Before doing this, save your map!! It can sometimes screw up World Editor!!
Place one Light near your path, but in the way of the other island. Make it go down (CTRL + Page Down), until its left side is a bit away from the left side of the island. After that, copy and paste it, place one a bit further away from the path, and then do the same with that one, except that its left side should be on the left side of the island. Then make another one, a bit further away again, and lower that one until it is around half in the island. The island should be rather hard to see by now.
My Result: Preview
To finish off that island, simply place a few trees on it, make a bit of tile variation and maybe place a couple of rocks.
My Result: Preview
You've now finished on the land part of this terrain.
Sea Details
The sea part of this step shouldn't be too hard. Firstly, place a few ships, near the edge of the map. Then start putting lighting over the rest of the map. Remember, try to keep it going the same way. If the circles from the light are causing you problems, simply put some rocks over them.
After you've finished with the lighting, relax.
My Result: Preview
You're done with the terrain!
You've just made a pretty good terrain, balanced in fore- and background.
Other Details
As requested, I'm providing the information on the map. I had around 80 grasses, lowered the trees in the distance into the ground, at least ones whose leaves were up high, lowered the lights to around 1cm (on a 1280x1024 resolution) into the ground and had tinted my plants 175 red, 255 green and 175 blue. My grass was 125 red, 200 green and 150 blue. All other doodads were normal and unchanged.
The fog I used was 255 red, 200 green and 200 blue. It's Z Start was 0 and its Z End was 12,500 with a 1.00 density.
If I missed out anything, please tell me and I'll see if I can remember.
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