SC2Mapster

Hey, I'm new to sc map editing and decided to give er a shot since I enjoyed it in sc1 so much; however, after failing data editing I decided to start from the basic and go build terrains. This is what I got so far and I post here in hope that I don't lose motivation/focus as I play other games and work full time :/. I just put trees there randomly but I should look at how other people make their nature scene look better.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/terrain001k.jpg/|1

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/terrain002.jpg/|2

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/terrain003m.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/526/terrain004.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/843/terrain005h.jpg/

{{http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/terrain007.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/terrain006y.jpg/

First time posting here, If pics fail I'm sorry Edit*pics failed just added links

@Newbie4life: Go

Nice :) You have a good sense of building landscapes of segments that feel like they belong together. A good tip is to rescale the models. You can do this with doodads very easily. Just plus numpad+ and numpad-. You can also select an item and press enter to open up its menu. This can make things feel a lot more "alive". Try scaling trees in different ways, as an example.

Also, you can compose your own palettes of terrain. The default sets are well put together, but mixing them can make a map really stand out. You can replace any terrain texture slot by entering the map/terrain texture (?) options.

Keep it up :)

Hello :) Welcome to Mapster!

I'm curious how you feel like you failed at data editing? But besides that I think that is a very nice terrain and I would search for the Weekly Terrain Exercises threads in the search if you want to be inspired by some truly amazing terrains.

Also if you are interested into getting into data again there are a lot of great tutorials on this site that I found really useful and you can always create a thread asking for help with something specific.

Hiii!

Seconding LitePollution's suggestion to check out the Weekly Terraining Exercises for some inspiration. We have some pretty amazing work show up there.

Looks like you're off to a good start, especially with your doodad creations. I particularly like that turret.

A few things that I'll suggest right off the bat (baby steps, I won't try to overwhelm you with a giant wall of tips all at once):

• Run a quick Smooth brush over the jagged edges of your cliffs to make things look more natural.
• Use a soft round noise brush (mid-low intensity) to blend in some texture variation. Mix in some subtle darker/lighter/rougher patches in your dirt/grass/concrete, whatever you happen to be using at the time. Also do the same around the bottoms of hard Blizzard cliffs, trees and buildings to make them feel like they belong.
• Depending on what you're planning with the road in the long run, it might be quicker/better looking to use the built-in road tool rather than manually painting it with a concrete texture. It all depends on the situation though, no right or wrong way to go about it.

Welcome!

Interesting approach to that terrain, it seems very methodological. You're off to a good start and you have an interesting concept. Would like to see more of that. One quick tip: don't use the floating island in water. It looks nice on a first glance, but as soon as you take a longer look at it and realize it's actually bobbing up and down the whole thing suddenly feels like some kind of ugly looking inflatable toy.

Quote from Mozared: Go

Welcome!

Interesting approach to that terrain, it seems very methodological. You're off to a good start and you have an interesting concept. Would like to see more of that. One quick tip: don't use the floating island in water. It looks nice on a first glance, but as soon as you take a longer look at it and realize it's actually bobbing up and down the whole thing suddenly feels like some kind of ugly looking inflatable toy.

That would be a problem but you can easily make animations go away by editing the actor or the model (animation speed multiplier) in the data editor.

Quote from Forge_User_62748943: Go

@Mozared: Go

That would be a problem but you can easily make animations go away by editing the actor or the model (animation speed multiplier) in the data editor.

That's actually a good solution. Good thinking!

All the doodads (except for the vehicles) has been scaled down and rotated so many times that each one did a 720 bahhhhhhhhh, although I didn't know you can scale it down using numpad.

Yea it took me a while to figure out the texture thing, looked all over google and finally found it, used braxis alpha metal for the floor of the bottom level.

I smoothed down most of the cliffs but left some jagged to try to make it look natural, maybe ill use the noise instead? The ramp part i left jagged so you can't walk on the side of the ramp but it turns out you can paint areas to make them inaccessible, thats pretty cool. Next I guess it's learning on making a trigger where a particular region near the edge of the cliff gives you the advantages of an actual cliff (increased sight, no sight from below, maybe increased shooting range?).

Yea I tried the road on the ramp and it looked too jaggy and the more I smooth down the ramp the more smaller it got, it doesn't matter though because I plan on building the top part concrete and make it into something.

I'd post the map as well but I have no idea how to do that, failed at posting pics too :/

@Newbie4life: Go

When you reply to a thread there's an Add Attachment button at the bottom of the screen to upload images/maps.

You can also find an Attach button next to the Edit button on existing posts.

Huh, kinda missed that big yellow button there....tried to use the picture button near the link button

Edit, update

test

I like some things about that, dislike others. You're definitely setting up a good framework. The tank trenches look pretty cool. I also like the 'Zerg tunnel' idea in the first picture (of post #12), though I think you can improve upon that. Maybe with some floating creep pads or so you can make it look like a Nydus worm is actually bridging that gap? Would probably look a bit better than the 'walkway' you have now. If you can make it blend in well you've got an awesome piece of eyecandy there, though.

Your base simply needs more fluff I think - right now it's incredibly dead and 'utilitarian' - there's only buildings and walls there. It needs some signs of being inhabited. Additionally, I think you should really start editing the untouched areas of your map (where there's still only dirt) to make the whole scene blend in better. This could be really cool, but until you start on that it's still hard to see that as the map is still more of a basic lay-out than a proper terrain.

Quote from DrSuperEvil: Go

Why not just use one of the nydus worm models and make it a doodad spanning the gap?

That could work. Really anything involving actual Nydus Worms would look good here I think, even if the bridge is completely left out. It was just a general suggestion - simply stating that I think more can be done with the concept out right now.

Yea, I used zerg floating creep combined with creep web or something to make the walkway, would be cool if I had a nydus thing going though, I'll see if I can bash together some doodads. Making nydus into a doodad is cool but I only started a few days ago and have little idea on data editing, I plan on making good looking terrain before starting on data/trigger editing.

I plan on using the concrete area as a parking lot, for the main building and a fighting scene. The lower dam area being a mechanical/garage/repair area with fighting. After I finish that area I plan on expanding upwards to build a city, maybe make a mountain range on the defensive position flank? The reason I post in sporadic bursts is because I usually spend 2-3 hours at once then leave it ahwile and then repeat. I post the updates here more for myself (in motivation to complete it) than anything else. The advises are really welcome though.

Prob last update for awhile, gonna try to learn how to use the model editor superevil told me about, looks like it'll take a while to learn.

Most of the scenery missing trees, foliage (plan on making lake ontop of mountain)