SC2Mapster

Good people. Colleagues. Supporters. Critics. Friends. We now approach the end. Not of the world, but of the beginning. The beginning of this thread, of the project which bodes all these maps I've shown you, comes closer to a close. Everything comes to an end, and, obviously, the start must end so the middle can take it's place.

After the final showcase, I'll close the thread, but I'll leave the forum open to further answers and comments and will go on secluded for the rest of the road on the Terrain issue. That's because there's nothing more new to show you: The remainder of the maps will be rather repetivite, despite the differences. By then, it will be data work, triggers, scripting and coding, which will be covered in a myriad of answers and questions. Unless there's something other I'd be pleased to show you, and by this I mean an extremely exceptional circumstance, I'll post no more additions after the last showcase.

But, enough of advising, as we must go on with bringing things to an end. Let's start this showcase with a reminder of a joke: Remember one of the comments I posted during WTE 107, the one which it'd deliver a HotS beta key to the winner? The comment as I recall was:

"Well, if you people excuse me, gotta get back to mine map- OOOPS! Almost let it out. Dammit!"

For people that can read between lines and understand the word game, yup, you got that right.

This pre-final map involves a mining complex. One of the several owned by the Kel-Morian Combine, not only on this particular planet, but through out the Koprulu Sector. Kel-Morians, after all, are about mining, greed, riches, mercenaries, shady deals, most things that concern the material desires and lusts of Man. I'm a stereotypical kind of judging person. I believe the criteria spoken encompasses the Kel-Morians and beyond, while Umojans encompass science, diplomacy and values, the Dominion are about strength, raw power and pig-headedness and the list goes on.

Originally I'd have planned for the mine to have five to six different height layers, as it orignally goes for most man-mined environments such as mines and stone quarries. But Blizzard remains with three (Excluding the deep/space layer) and that makes a mine environment quite a troubling challenge, forcing my hand on work-arounds and cutting corners. An ideal improvement over the current SC II editor and that over of Brood War would be, in basic terrain terms:

- 512x512 map size.

- 6 different height layers (Deep bottom, low, medium-low, medium-high, high, over-high).

- 16 terrain types' support.

Of course, as Jagger would say it: You can't always get what you want. Therefore, we make due with what we have, many times the best of it.

But, enough of this too. Let's proceed with the showcasing, before my final entry.

Every mine has a camp to monitor, watch and dump mined mineral wealth.

A mine crevice/canyon, where a mining expansion is possible. Notice I put the HUGE drill on purpose.

A mine entrance, which goes deeper into the mountain. Inspired by the first mission in Dawn of War II.

A mountainous valley and where a base will be.

A closer look into a small mine.

A closer look into the mining camp's entrance. Notice the watch tower used in WTE 107. Mine making and mine alone. No, I'm not joking with words either. XD

Finally, a passage view, with a skybox. Enjoy. :)

Well, this is it. The final entry will be hot stuff, REAL hot stuff, this I can promise.

I now leave you to comment and to have fun guessing and making word jokes too. Farewell and see you at the finals! (I ALWAYS wanted to say that...)

The facility itself is enjoyable - I particularly appreciate the doodad layouts. However, the ground itself (particularly in the 2nd and 4th pictures) could do with more detail (in particular doodad placement and variety). I appreciate it's meant to be more barren, but I just can't help but feel that to play it, in it's current state, once you've left the base, or went to explore, would be slightly underwhelming. Now you've got to prove me wrong ;)

But yeah, not being harsh - just some constructive criticism. Overall, I really like the way this campaign is progressing and looking. Keep it up and keep us informed!

Amazing terrain, I love those terrains!

Good people. Colleagues. Supporters. Critics. Friends. At long last, the end comes. The end of the beginning. The end of the world failed to deliver, starting by it's calendary, which people found out to be Aztec, and not Mayan. But here, the end happens because I gave my word on it. And my word I fail not to deliver.

At long last, the final posting comes. The final showcase. Here, this last post will be shown and nothing more will be posted unless I wish it so. But I'll leave the thread open, as I announced, for comment. For the rest, even long after this one post, will be inside work. As I've told, the start ends to give place to the middle. And, as time passes, the same happens to the middle, and the final comes to take it's place as well.

And as such, the end of the beginning must deliver a better result than what it came here, in the first place. But I deliver quite the opposite of it, as I started it with life and grass. I end this with a post of ashes. A lava world, like Char.

But this is no ordinary world. I decided, for my amusement and provokation of myself, to use something long ago mentioned, but not so remembered as before. I dare defy the wrath of Gods and Admins. I use that which Blizzard, They Who Gave Us The Tools, has used. Whether is this to appear as something different in either Heart of the Swarm or Legacy of the Void, I've already done my vision here.

Thus, I welcome you, viewers, to a world where hope is non-existant. A world where harsh peaks, burning crystals and an endless red, boiling river cooks endlessly the ground below. Welcome to a world long mentioned by our deliverers, where most but one, but me, have forgotten it's mention.

Welcome to Abaddon:

One of the bases that either the player or it's ally will land. I particularly liked the mountain set because it's something like of what I wanted, as I could use the volcanic rocks freely, unlike the other terrains.

The second starting point for people.

A small peninsula, where an expansion will be.

One of the many corridors of the fierce planet.

A lava-filled gorge, as it's so much everywhere on the planet.

The second peninsula, and the second expansion.

A plateau where an enemy base will be.

A rather super-spiky hill/mountain.

I like the last pic best. Your lava terrain has a GREAT sense of depth, that's what it does best. Especially that gorge just feels so original.

Only issue I see with it is that it's literally 33% lava, 33% rock and 33% lavarock. It could use some more spices - what you've got now is a perfect base terrain. It's exactly as it should be before you start adding in detail.

I agree with Mozared - this particular Lava map you've made does indeed have a great sense of depth - and is again, bursting with opportunities to push the map from a run-of-the-mill standard lava map, to something exceptional. The last pic however, does indeed appear a bit cluttered - mainly I suspect due to the lack of effective blending between the jagged rocks and the cliff edges. Once sorted, I believe it should be fantastic.

So, good people, it's been some time since the last post. Suffice to say that production is going smoothly, not just new maps but also looking back on new ones.

As a result, I'd like to deliver some gifts to remind of the work that's being commited here.

Enjoy.

"A" class maps. how many doodads do you average on a given map?

I do have to say I like your natural terrains more than your man-made terrains. Those do actually feel cluttered to me, mainly because there's literally SO MUCH stuff going on on some of those pictures that I'm having a hard time figuring out which areas are walkable and which aren't. Also I still think that Volcano screenshot could use some more focal points (mushrooms, plants, anything) - otherwise I fucking love it.

@Gradius12: Go Approximately one week per map, I'd estimate. It's majorly because I'm planning on how I design the terrain. And on this, I mean, is what areas will it be, where this or that doodad goes and what it is, things like that. Other than this, it's straight-on, easy handywork.

@harvy2008: Go

I assure you, it's more than a thousand. I'm more concerned with details. I want my maps, on the Terrain issue, to delve the player deep into immersion, as IskatuMesk would tell. From terrain work to data and triggers, a map's work tells about the campaign.

@Mozared: Go

Hmm, you must be referring to the drydock. Pretty much understandable, given there's a huge corridor in the assembly area and that's walkable. It's that I decided this platform had to have WAY more detail than the Umojan station, it was my priority to make it a map most detailed in stuff. But while you don't like the platform, I say I'm quite satisfied with it, so what the hell. xD

As for the volcanic world, it's supposed to be barren, incredibly hot, even on the highest altitudes, and without so much plant-life, unlike Blizzard's lava worlds, particularly Redstone, which I felt the trees kinda ruined the scene. The only plants you'd see in this world are obviously Zerg-made.

Great work as always, Delta. :D I just hope we get to play on some of these maps soon enough. :)