I think you're on to something. But I think you need to spread it out a bit because I find everything to be too cramped together and I'm not exactly sure what to look at. After spreading out the areas i would add some walls to help direct someones attention. Have you checked out the protoss power lines yet. I'm sure u could do something cool with that.
I really like what you have done. You seem to have lighted just the right areas in the right way making it have a very interesting look. Everything seems to fit just right. Id like to see some more.
In response to ralme's terrain, like others have somewhat said, you're overdoing it. The place is just littered with redundant doodads. It doesn't look original, but more like constant copy/paste. I don't mean that as harsh as it sounds, the basis is quite good, but you need more focal points, height variation and less 'similar doodads'. If you want to do something with pillars, try and make one or two raised 'paths' where the pillars act as a 'fence' on the side of it.
Ralme360 I think i suffer as you do, i enjoy making terrain but never manage to quite think out the storyline.
Thanks for the comments peeps, as it happens i did have the zangamarsh idea in my head when i saw those bulby blue tree things and thought it would fit a nice errie swamp like area. I'd love to see some more peoples terrain pictures, they always give me good ideas.
Heres some more of mine, a map that i pretty much finished then got bored with because i didnt really like the storyline very much.
Anyway, I like the water color, gives it a murky feel. Rarely do you see someone changing water colors but it really is an effective tool and you've proven it here.
Your terrain seems a bit 'static'. It could use some more foliage, one or two focal points, and I reckon you could up the water level in that canyon. You need to smooth the edges of cliffs made with the raise tool, and fiddle with textures more. In general, but specifically for that little pond in your fourth screenshot. Think about it - if there'd be a little pool/oasis with water and trees growing next to it, would it be completely sandy in such an area? If it were, the water would seep into the ground. You need to either use a bit of desert grass to 'indicate' stuff is actually growing near it, not just loose trees, or you need to use a rocky bottom that explains why that pool of (in that case probably rainwater) isn't seeping away.
Tradnan, good start! Put some terrain close to each other in clusters, makes it look more interesting. Maybe a large rock with a couple of trees next to it, or maybe some trees in a group. If your not sure how to do that double click on a doodad and tick the "ignore placement requirements" tickbox, you can then place that doodad anywhere you want.
SiuLimTao i love creepy jungle, how did you get the nice grassy stuff? Was it using generate Foliage? I can never get the Foliage to do what i want...
Tradnan, good start! Put some terrain close to each other in clusters, makes it look more interesting. Maybe a large rock with a couple of trees next to it, or maybe some trees in a group. If your not sure how to do that double click on a doodad and tick the "ignore placement requirements" tickbox, you can then place that doodad anywhere you want.
SiuLimTao i love creepy jungle, how did you get the nice grassy stuff? Was it using generate Foliage? I can never get the Foliage to do what i want...
If you hold down the "Shift" key while placing objects it will automatically ignore placement requirements.
debe2233, there's an easier way to remove placement requirements. you select the doodads you want to place, press enter, and then ignore placement requirements.
when i'm making forests or different areas with lots of doodads, i always put down a large amount in a clump. then i remove placements and handpick the doodads that look the best for whatever i'm doing.
also, you used pathing blockers in the pictures you posted. you can block paths much more easily by pressing "h" (and then adding no pathing areas. :D
ok ill be the first non constructive guy on here. i dont like it. my suggestion; do like me and try to recruit some1 to terrain for you.... lol (were not all made for the same stuff)
edit; ill go as far to say thats the worst terrain ive seen uploaded into the art forum thus far. lol, sorry just being honest, maybe / hopefully youll get better! dear god i hope you get better, or you stop uploading... haha.....
ok ill be the first non constructive guy on here. i dont like it. my suggestion; do like me and try to recruit some1 to terrain for you.... lol (were not all made for the same stuff)
edit; ill go as far to say thats the worst terrain ive seen uploaded into the art forum thus far. lol, sorry just being honest, maybe / hopefully youll get better! dear god i hope you get better, or you stop uploading... haha.....
I don't agree with this post. No I don't think the terrain is fantastic but it isn't terrible either. You just have to make it more realistic looking that's all. Think about how things are in a real desert. One thing that jumped out at me was how clear cut the cliffs looked. They look man made rather than natural. They shouldn't be so straight and organized you know? But overall not too bad but could use some work. Keep practicing!
Absolutely love the second pic, and might work off that idea myself. If that power line wasnt there, it wouldnt be the same :) first pic seems off, perhaps some collateral doodads south of those structures? Just a few.
What I'm noticing about your stuff, Maxsvard, is that you've got a... very 'clean' style of terraining. I've seen terrains exactly like that in another game of which I can't quite figure the name right now. What I reckon you should do is add some noise to the terrain and fill up those 'open spots' you're leaving with some doodads, even if just small amounts of them. You do have a knack of making 'open spaces'... not look horrible, since I feel they tend to do so most of the time, but I also think there's some room for improvement there.
I do have to say I just plain like what you did with those viking 'launch bays', though. That's an original concept, it works well and you've pulled it off exactly right.
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@ralme360: Go
I think you're on to something. But I think you need to spread it out a bit because I find everything to be too cramped together and I'm not exactly sure what to look at. After spreading out the areas i would add some walls to help direct someones attention. Have you checked out the protoss power lines yet. I'm sure u could do something cool with that.
@Debe2233: Go
I really like what you have done. You seem to have lighted just the right areas in the right way making it have a very interesting look. Everything seems to fit just right. Id like to see some more.
@Tradnan: Go Thanks m8! Will consider that!
@ralme360: Go
In response to ralme's terrain, like others have somewhat said, you're overdoing it. The place is just littered with redundant doodads. It doesn't look original, but more like constant copy/paste. I don't mean that as harsh as it sounds, the basis is quite good, but you need more focal points, height variation and less 'similar doodads'. If you want to do something with pillars, try and make one or two raised 'paths' where the pillars act as a 'fence' on the side of it.
Ralme360 I think i suffer as you do, i enjoy making terrain but never manage to quite think out the storyline.
Thanks for the comments peeps, as it happens i did have the zangamarsh idea in my head when i saw those bulby blue tree things and thought it would fit a nice errie swamp like area. I'd love to see some more peoples terrain pictures, they always give me good ideas.
Heres some more of mine, a map that i pretty much finished then got bored with because i didnt really like the storyline very much.
@Debe2233: Go
2nd picture, Blades Edge Mountains? lol
Anyway, I like the water color, gives it a murky feel. Rarely do you see someone changing water colors but it really is an effective tool and you've proven it here.
@Debe2233: Go
I like how you have used your doodads. I still haven't gotten really creative with my doodad uses.
Well I'm still working on my desert map but here are some screenshots. I wanna get feedback for how well I have done so far.
@Tradnan: Go
Your terrain seems a bit 'static'. It could use some more foliage, one or two focal points, and I reckon you could up the water level in that canyon. You need to smooth the edges of cliffs made with the raise tool, and fiddle with textures more. In general, but specifically for that little pond in your fourth screenshot. Think about it - if there'd be a little pool/oasis with water and trees growing next to it, would it be completely sandy in such an area? If it were, the water would seep into the ground. You need to either use a bit of desert grass to 'indicate' stuff is actually growing near it, not just loose trees, or you need to use a rocky bottom that explains why that pool of (in that case probably rainwater) isn't seeping away.
Tradnan, good start! Put some terrain close to each other in clusters, makes it look more interesting. Maybe a large rock with a couple of trees next to it, or maybe some trees in a group. If your not sure how to do that double click on a doodad and tick the "ignore placement requirements" tickbox, you can then place that doodad anywhere you want.
SiuLimTao i love creepy jungle, how did you get the nice grassy stuff? Was it using generate Foliage? I can never get the Foliage to do what i want...
If you hold down the "Shift" key while placing objects it will automatically ignore placement requirements.
Here are some screenshoots of the new levels we are making for our project. Lights are still missing.
<takes hat off to you> sir, you have saved me hours of my precious exsistance on this planet :>
debe2233, there's an easier way to remove placement requirements. you select the doodads you want to place, press enter, and then ignore placement requirements.
when i'm making forests or different areas with lots of doodads, i always put down a large amount in a clump. then i remove placements and handpick the doodads that look the best for whatever i'm doing.
also, you used pathing blockers in the pictures you posted. you can block paths much more easily by pressing "h" (and then adding no pathing areas. :D
@Tradnan: Go
ok ill be the first non constructive guy on here. i dont like it. my suggestion; do like me and try to recruit some1 to terrain for you.... lol (were not all made for the same stuff)
edit; ill go as far to say thats the worst terrain ive seen uploaded into the art forum thus far. lol, sorry just being honest, maybe / hopefully youll get better! dear god i hope you get better, or you stop uploading... haha.....
@Bibendus: Go
@1st screen: Why would you build a command center between two huge buildings?
It's not that I dont like your pictues they're cool but that's the first thing that came to my mind. ;)
@Tradnan: Go
Your rocks look a little bit "choppy", use the rocky-texture around it to make it fit better into your map.
Since the OP stated this thread is for all of us terrainers, guess I should throw out my more recent maps for feedback/compliments.
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/soulfire/
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/emerald-dream/
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/quetzalcoatl/
http://www.sc2mapster.com/maps/valley-runs-through-it/
Comments would be nice too. But of course the main action needed now is beta to be back up so we can all balance our maps :)
I don't agree with this post. No I don't think the terrain is fantastic but it isn't terrible either. You just have to make it more realistic looking that's all. Think about how things are in a real desert. One thing that jumped out at me was how clear cut the cliffs looked. They look man made rather than natural. They shouldn't be so straight and organized you know? But overall not too bad but could use some work. Keep practicing!
Finaly got my internet connection to work! Very fun to see all the terrain every one puts upp. And so I´m to show some of my own.
Thought as a : enter viking / repair bay Could use some foliage. http://img88.imageshack.us/f/terrain001.jpg/
Abandoned Terran base. http://img192.imageshack.us/f/terrain002a.jpg/
Thought I would throw in a question, some on know how to do Custom doodas? Yeah
@Maxsvard: Go
Absolutely love the second pic, and might work off that idea myself. If that power line wasnt there, it wouldnt be the same :) first pic seems off, perhaps some collateral doodads south of those structures? Just a few.
@Maxsvard: Go
What I'm noticing about your stuff, Maxsvard, is that you've got a... very 'clean' style of terraining. I've seen terrains exactly like that in another game of which I can't quite figure the name right now. What I reckon you should do is add some noise to the terrain and fill up those 'open spots' you're leaving with some doodads, even if just small amounts of them. You do have a knack of making 'open spaces'... not look horrible, since I feel they tend to do so most of the time, but I also think there's some room for improvement there.
I do have to say I just plain like what you did with those viking 'launch bays', though. That's an original concept, it works well and you've pulled it off exactly right.