Warcraft 3 Terraining Class

[InfernalTater]

LOL , i forgot that im a student here. Hi Classmates

Wonderful job on those mountains! But one more thing, since the terrain has to be playable, I'd like to see multiple mountains with walkable terrain. The walkable terrain can be in them, on them, between them, around them, use your imagination, but I want to see multiple mountains creating a potentially playable terrain. Creating mountains at the borders is nice, but everyone will need to be able to create mountains within their map, not just at the borders.

Good luck, everyone! And, Destroyer, keep working, you're still making caterpillars, I want to see a butterfly.

 

[Footman16]

Hey guys if you want a few examples of where mountains can be used then here:

examples yeah!

I could only use the stone tileset and snow. If I had more variation in stone tilesets it would probably look better.

 

[MasterTrainer]

^ Lol only use the Height tools; no other tilesets/doodads/destructibles/units.

 

[Xonok]

^ Lol only use the Height tools; no other tilesets/doodads/destructibles/units.

I presume it was just an example to prove the usefulness of mountains.

 

[Footman16]

you are correct.

 

[InfernalTater]

^ Lol only use the Height tools; no other tilesets/doodads/destructibles/units.

Footman16 is one of the teachers. He was just showing you an application of what you're learning.

Anyway, again, I want to remind everyone: You're learning to make playable terrain intended for use in maps. We are not making showcases. Don't just make an interesting spectacle and take a screenshot; it needs to be designed so that it could be used in a playable map. For example, you could make multiple mountains and have units walk between them; you could make a range of mountains creating areas that units would walk in; you could create mountains with valleys that units would walk in; you could create large-scale mountains with smooth parts that units could walk on; there are plenty of ways in which you can make playable terrain with mountains, think of something. Keep in mind that we have many goals:

1: Be able to put what's in your mind on the ground.
2: Be able to make it look good.
3: Be able to make it playable.

That doesn't mean including pathing; we'll discuss that later. The terrain simply needs to have the potential to be made playable based on its shape. These are the three biggest qualifications you should aim to meet before you proceed to the next part of terraining. As soon as I get my laptop back in a few days, I'm going to create at least one more video showing the height tools being used to create playable mountainous terrain. It's important that you learn these tools before you rush into the rest of the process of creating terrain. Height tools are the one thing that new terrainers take for granted. They skip that part and just want to mess with tiles and doodads. This significantly underappreciated art of height is the backbone of any good outdoor terrain. Hold onto your patience and don't give up, class, I want all of you to keep working on this. Some of you are already doing very well, but you still need to work on the playable aspect.

Good luck, and keep up the good work everyone! We shall infinitely approach the asymptote of perfection if we only continue along our path.

 

[MasterTrainer]

Footman16 is a teacher?

@Footman16 I'm so sorry, I really thought the only teachers were TLI and Lordkoon. I'm really sorry.

 

[GreeN!X]

I was just being sar... Nevermind. No point in explaining.

the noise and smooth only produce small height differences compared to when you don't slack off and use the raise and lower tools.

Coz that's what the noise tool is made for. Making the rugged terrain look. If you combine Noise, Smooth and Raise tools, It would produce a great looking mountain.

 

[Bernkastel]

You might be able to work something out with 'Noise', but you'll definitely get a better result if you just have patience and do every last inch by yourself.

 

[Footman16]

@MasterTrainer it's fine I might provide a few examples of what you're learning every so often. Keep your eyes open for them because they might prove helpful.

 

[DESTROYER123]

There.
Fixed somethings.
Big image ahead (bored to resize n' cut)

Clickboom!

Terrain Class 01.w3m (25.8 KB)

 

[Stare Cat]

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/pastebin.php?id=deoco2
wat

 

[SA Dashie]

hurr I can't get the water to do what you did.
Anyway I ended up spending about half an hour on this thing.

I'll update it when I know how to add the water where I want.

 

[DESTROYER123]

hurr I can't get the water to do what you did.

What do you mean?

 

[Binsu]

What he mean I think is the water in a raised or Plateaud platform.... well, I think there is someone too that cant do it..... I cant do it also... XD

 

[DESTROYER123]

The river is made like in this tuttorial.
Clickbooom!

 

[Xonok]

I'm wondering what I'd have to do if the original water depth was high all across the map.
I usually make it high for seas, as it's easier.
But then again, I might need some water in higher up places on islands.
I guess I'll have to use raise cliff first?

 

[InfernalTater]

That looks decent, DESTSROYER123, but where will the units walk? Remember, this does need playability. The mountains also need more roughness. They're a bit too smooth right now. One important way to make them look rougher is with second heights on them. Just like in my tutorial, go around some of the mountains and raise a side of them. You could also go one-clickie noise on them, but don't do that until you have the finished product with the shape you want; noise is only for a sort of rough texture, don't use it for the shape.

Also, everyone, until I have my laptop back I can't open maps, so if you are looking for immediate advice from me, please post multiple screenshots to cover the entireity of your terrain. Use

[hidden=Screenshot]
Your Images
[/hidden]

To contain your images so that they are in a closeable/openable tab instead of spamming up the page.

 

[Bernkastel]

What exactly do you mean where will the units walk? The units can walk anywhere in it.

 

[EmoBrother]

Footman16 & TLI_Inferno, if you have reviewed my terrain skills then do tell me that where can be improved.
:>

 

[Xonok]

What exactly do you mean where will the units walk? The units can walk anywhere in it.

In real life mountain ranges you can't just walk anywhere.
You have ledges and valleys for walking.

 

[InfernalTater]

What exactly do you mean where will the units walk? The units can walk anywhere in it.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense for units to walk vertically up mountains. They need places with less steepness that they can walk on. As I've explained before, these smoother, flatter places could be on the ground between mountains or even across the mountains themselves.

Xian, as I said before, I need screenshots for now because I don't have my laptop.

 

[EmoBrother]

Xian, as I said before, I need screenshots for now because I don't have my laptop.

Sorry, here're the screenshots of my assignment :

 

[Binsu]

Nicely done mate, I think Im finally learning how to make waterfall without using B Cliffs..... just watch carefully TLI's video.

 

[Bernkastel]

I am not brain-dead. Surely you can judge where they can walk when you don't even have any doodads placed yet. For example I could make nothing but water and say that they can walk there, because I will make doodads that'll serve as a floor.

 

[Xonok]

Sorry, here're the screenshots of my assignment :

Nicely done mate, I think Im finally learning how to make waterfall without using B Cliffs..... just watch carefully TLI's video.

Note that this is a stream, not a waterfall.

 

[Binsu]

It looks like to me XD

 

[EmoBrother]

Failed to make a waterfall -.o
and that's why I'm here to learn terraining !!

 

[Bernkastel]

Waterfalls without doodads? No.

 

[Xonok]

Basically the difference between a stream and a waterfall is that waterfalls are very steep. Technically.

 

[MasterTrainer]

Really? I thought streams were fast-flowing lakes; looks like I need to go out more often. I really thought that smaller versions of waterfalls were rapids.

 

[Xonok]

Really? I thought streams were fast-flowing lakes; looks like I need to go out more often. I really thought that smaller versions of waterfalls were rapids.

Pardon my terminology. I'm no native english-speaker. In any case, a waterfall is not the flowy thing that goes down a low angle.

 

[MasterTrainer]

Sorry too; I just want to get my thoughts out because right now I'm too tired to google stuff.

 

[Footman16]

Stream - small river.
Rapid - Very fast flowing river down a slightly steep angle.
Waterfall - Water falling down off of an overhang or steep angle from a river.
River - No need to do this one.

@Zian_1998 I think you should raise the areas around your stream area and the bit jutting out from the right looks a bit unnatural. By the way I'm looking at the screen shot. Other than that a very nice piece.

 

[MasterTrainer]

^ Thanks for the clarification I appreciate it.

 

[Footman16]

No problem.

How many students have yet to hand in their work? Don't worry I'm not rushing anybody but it will be easier to talk about all the terrain together rather than in dribs and drabs. I'm looking forward to see just how skillful everyone is.

 

[DESTROYER123]

Updated.
I have added some units to show where they can walk.

Clickbooom!

Terrain Class 01.w3m (26.1 KB)

 

[Bernkastel]

Be rid of them before I puke.

 

[DESTROYER123]

But why?!?

 

[InfernalTater]

I am not brain-dead. Surely you can judge where they can walk when you don't even have any doodads placed yet. For example I could make nothing but water and say that they can walk there, because I will make doodads that'll serve as a floor.

Don't try to half-ass excuse it. If you make nothing but water and pretend there's going to be a doodad floor, you're not carrying out the exercise of using the height tools properly in the first place.

Make a terrain using the height tools with places where the units could walk. The instructions are easy to follow and leave plenty of room for creativity, so there's no reason for you to keep trying so hard to sneak around the rules.

This is the last time I respond to a message from you like this, you are getting annoying. If you're only here to make wiseass posts in an attempt to outsmart the teachers instead of coming here to learn, then there's no reason for you to be here in the first place.

Waterfalls without doodads? No.

It's entirely possible, and has even been done well on multiple occasions, so stop acting like the people here can't try that themselves. If you're just going to negatively criticize people's work (people who are actually following the directions, by the way), instead of providing helpful comments to people, then just leave. You're not being very helpful to anyone; not to yourself, and not to others.

Be rid of them before I puke.

Enough of that... If you want to stay here, stop that.

Updated.

Make some mountains. All I see is a spiral with water in it. You can still do a spiral if you want, it just needs to be... better. There are two ways you can pull this off:

1: Make a mountainous valley with a path spiraling downwards with water flowing into it.

2: Make a tall mountain with water spiraling around it from the top to the bottom.

Both of these can still be playable if you have a wide enough ledge for both the rapids and walk-able ground. This isn't as easy to pull off, but if you want to pull off good-looking spiral water terrain, that's how you're going to have to do it. Having flat ground with spiral water and caterpillar hills isn't going to do it.

On another note, my uncle got out of the hospital early and I've got my laptop back. So, everyone, you can start sending maps instead of screenshots, now, and I'll be able to open them. I'll make another video demonstration of the height tool this weekend. Try to get the hang of this by Monday when the next lesson comes out. It's okay if you still want to work on this even after the next lesson, though; you've got as much time as you need.

I haven't yet received an acceptable assignment, keep working people! (Some of you sent me pastebin links with unavailable files, so I can't say for sure if they were approvable or not... Send them again, please!

 

[Bernkastel]

....Teach?... Me? I'm Bernkastel.

Making a playable terrain still doesn't require "walkable" area for it. Nor do your terms mention it.

 

[InfernalTater]

....Teach?... Me? I'm Bernkastel.

Making a playable terrain still doesn't require "walkable" area for it. Nor do your terms mention it.

I have mentioned many times that the terrain had to be walkable.

Creating an empty terrain and saying "it will have walkable doodads" is not a good excuse. The whole point is for you to learn how to make walk-able outdoor mountainous terrain. It's pretty obvious based on your past several comments that you have no intention of learning anything, so why are you still here?

Anyway, I made a bonus video showing a little bit more work with the height tools, hopefully these can more helpful to people wishing to make walk-able mountains.

 

[Daffa]

TLI, can you review my map?
It's somewhere between page 3 to 6.

 

[InfernalTater]

TLI, can you review my map?
It's somewhere between page 3 to 6.

The water is boxy because your pit extends further than the water. Either raise ground on the edges to make the pool smaller so that it is round instead of boxy, or remake the pool with a larger area of water before lowering.

There aren't really any mountains, just looks like all hills, try to work a bit on making mountains. To make things look like mountains it's important to make them more complicated in shape than a hill. Good luck.

 

[Daffa]

Thanks a lot for the feedbacks, Im not used to terraining yet so my terraining sucks ;_;
I will try to do those feedback.

 

[MasterTrainer]

How about mine TLI? Can you give me your thoughts about it?

 

[InfernalTater]

How about mine TLI? Can you give me your thoughts about it?

Send me it again, yours was 404.

 

[MasterTrainer]

Okay; since the Pastebin won't accept my fudging map, here it is:

 

[Daffa]

don't use # for pastebin, they're screwed

 

[InfernalTater]

Okay; since the Pastebin won't accept my fudging map, here it is:

Looks like a big hill; it's too round, symmetrical, and smooth. Mountains shouldn't be so smoothly round; they need ridges, they need to curve in different directions.