Feral Heart

Game & Forum Discussion => Game Discussion => Topic started by: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 10:00:40 am

Title: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 10:00:40 am
Lately, I've been wanting to make nature based maps for roleplayers who need certain areas that the normal Feral-Heart maps don't offer, or no one else has done, or done in a style that's easy on the CPU, but there's a problem I'm facing that I'm curious to see how others handle; how do you deal with the ends of your maps?

Do you just make the terrain a lot higher? Do you place objects around? Do you make everything an island? How often do you use the backdrops, and how do you make them look natural?

Thank ye for any feedback!
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: Machungwa63 on May 27, 2019, 11:31:01 am
I’m not the biggest fan of backdrops so yes, I do some rolling hills around the edges of my maps with objects placed on them. I’d be curious to hear others answers though as my maps aren’t the greatest
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: Valar.Morghulis on May 27, 2019, 11:39:39 am
I like to use backdrops! Because they make my map look more open, if I had a lot of high ends of the map, I feel like that would make me feel like I'm running around inside of a box. xD
When I use backdrops, I tend to add some mountain objects on the edges and trees, bushes, flowers in front of the backdrop. Not all the way though, just on some places.
I made a little map called The Valley where I used backdrops, I couldn't add too many objects because of my computer, but if you need an inspiration or just look at how others have done it, feel free to look around and get some ideas: The Valley map (https://feral-heart.com/smf/index.php?topic=65777.0).
Of course now that I look at it, there are certain things I'd like to change, make those backdrops a little bit smaller and stuff.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: wolfdog01 on May 27, 2019, 02:17:35 pm
I usually put the boundry a good distance away from the edge and maybe add some distant stuff that the player can't reach, just so that way you can't even see the edge unless you are in 3rd person.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: Astraea on May 27, 2019, 02:59:05 pm
Most of the time, I end up putting backdrops and place other objects around the border so it doesn't seem too flat and unrealistic. c:
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 03:20:21 pm
Quote from: wolfdog01 on May 27, 2019, 02:17:35 pm
I usually put the boundry a good distance away from the edge and maybe add some distant stuff that the player can't reach, just so that way you can't even see the edge unless you are in 3rd person.

I feel like I remember setting a boundary before, but now I can't remember how to do that?
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: FlyingGrass on May 27, 2019, 04:10:40 pm
In a map that I had started on but I never finished, I used flat mountains to make a wall all around the map. In Petrel Lab, I placed a backdrop very close by on one corner of the map, and left the other edges plainly visible on the mostly-flat heightmap.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: VortexAlive on May 27, 2019, 05:13:57 pm
Quote from: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 10:00:40 am
Do you just make the terrain a lot higher? Do you place objects around? Do you make everything an island? How often do you use the backdrops, and how do you make them look natural?
I've tried all of those at some point, but I mostly go for Islands because then it feels like I don't have to worry too much about the edges, but choosing between island and inland makes quite the difference on how the map feels. Size of the map may impact performance as well as giving high detail to the edges of a map, and even when I raise the height of the edges, I still feel like adding detail there such as a border of mountains, rocks or forest backdrops depending on what type of map it is. I thought about doing a border of water with waterfalls on raised height too, basically a large cliff with waterfalls for all the edges.

As for making it look natural? Idk. Islands are pretty natural looking. xD

Quote from: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 03:20:21 pm
I feel like I remember setting a boundary before, but now I can't remember how to do that?
The Boundary setting in the Map Maker is in the World tab under the Width and Height settings.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: LaughingWolf on May 27, 2019, 07:58:39 pm
I just got used to the cutoff, but in the instances where it would continue past that spot, like the river/falls on Eastern pass, that would continue to the falls within kiwi' I use objects to obscure the edge or play with perspective.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: A.P.S. on May 28, 2019, 07:49:40 am
Quote from: VortexAlive on May 27, 2019, 05:13:57 pm
Quote from: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 10:00:40 am
Do you just make the terrain a lot higher? Do you place objects around? Do you make everything an island? How often do you use the backdrops, and how do you make them look natural?
I've tried all of those at some point, but I mostly go for Islands because then it feels like I don't have to worry too much about the edges, but choosing between island and inland makes quite the difference on how the map feels. Size of the map may impact performance as well as giving high detail to the edges of a map, and even when I raise the height of the edges, I still feel like adding detail there such as a border of mountains, rocks or forest backdrops depending on what type of map it is. I thought about doing a border of water with waterfalls on raised height too, basically a large cliff with waterfalls for all the edges.

As for making it look natural? Idk. Islands are pretty natural looking. xD

Quote from: A.P.S. on May 27, 2019, 03:20:21 pm
I feel like I remember setting a boundary before, but now I can't remember how to do that?
The Boundary setting in the Map Maker is in the World tab under the Width and Height settings.

Ah, thank you. Tested it out just now and see how it works. This will probably be my option honestly, I'll use it for most future maps.

And thank you all for your input, it gets awkward making everything an island or having the space feel small for every map, so I thank you all a lot.
Title: Re: How do you deal with maps' edges?
Post by: Kuri on May 29, 2019, 07:29:32 am
Borders with forced perspective (make things really little in the distance) hides edges well.