Feral Heart

FeralHeart Creations => Maps => FeralHeart Addons & Mods => Work In Progress Maps & Map Discussion => Topic started by: Raphilion on July 16, 2012, 05:23:59 pm

Title: Canyon - a map [I'm working on] DONE ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on July 16, 2012, 05:23:59 pm
Le Canyon Download (http://www.mediafire.com/download/62z5bi11l3wgtzs/Canyon_-_V1.2.rar)
Post in Finished Maps showing final screenies and a short story explaining the environment (http://www.feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=25459.new#new)

Hi all, just thought I'd share a natural-environment map I'm busy creating. It's gonna be my first so be nice XD
It's gonna be a canyon type of environment hence the name with a river winding between high cliffs and I might add a waterfall. I've created part of the map so far and I've created a sort-of beta-version on FH for me to run around on with my char, take screenies and observe for any possible faults in the design and plan ahead. I haven't smoothed out the edges yet as it's still a WIP (Work In progress) but I at least made a mask to go with the beta just to get a feel for it.

below I'll attach some screenies of the WIP and prev Fail-versions from where I got the idea.
Watch this space for progress shots.
Oh, and I will make this one public as a celebration, for when (if) i succesfully complete this map. So please feel free to add any suggestions before it is done.
Thanks to wildcat26 for her channel's tutorials on Youtube which helped me get around the GIMP program and how to use it to make heightmaps and masks.

BTW: Any updates regarding screenies will go in this post and newer updates will be headed under different colours to make it easier for you to track updates

Little water pond at the top of the first canyon
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_194210390.png)

Gulley in the middle of the 1st canyon
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_194308934.png)

Awesome views :) Of course more canyons will be placed between the other river-bends
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_194504727.png)

Don't fall in!
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_194814318.png)

Prev version - a little beach on the edge of the map.. I plan on adding one as well to the new version
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_025829839.png)

River Mouth THEN
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_025658499.png)

River Mouth NOW - But I'm thinking changing the colour to a more rocky texture as a oceanic beach rather than a lake-beach doesn't g well with this environment
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_201737241.png)

Chilling on my new BETA map :P
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07162012_201804411.png)

A sort of deep valley in the new canyon-mountain I added next to the first one
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_014310311.png)

Drinking under the moonlight by the river -  Note: The change in river-bed texture
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_015622025.png)

Newest addition to my set of cliffs.. This one is special, it's in the shape of a R - As in my username's initial. Another cliff will be shaped in an L for the Lion part in my username
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_170049606.png)

Changed the river ever so slightly
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_170616617.png)

Border is in the process now as it's relatively easy.. but I may change it a bit, some of the peaks are a little too sharp at the top
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_213612791.png)

Are you as excited as I am? You better be :P The newest addition.. the L cliff with a huge pool at the top. There's a weird glitch where if you have ocean on and the pool goes as deep as the ocean level then you'll see the ocean near bottom of pool and if you float up slowly from under it, you wont continue raising to surface unless you raise up fast. Besides, it looks weird so I'm not gonna leave the pool as deep as I originally wanted, but it will still be very deep
BTW: I'm standing about midway, in a small pool, between where I hope to put two consecutive waterfalls, if I can get my hands on that object. If you know where I can get waterfall.object, preety pleez tell meh
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07192012_010515508.png)

Ok, I may have been inactive with regards to the map over the past weekend. But I finished the heightmap D: and now I will start placing vegetation and stuff. The look on my face when I realized that one of the waters went a bit to far :0 But it's all fixed now
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07192012_025219203.png)

Yay, I added a waterfall XD
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07292012_191223787.png)

What's this? Hmm, find out for yourself.. It's not my BEST job, but it's still a cool addition to my map
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07282012_024026892.png)

Smoothed out slopes and the river banks look SO much better than the steps they used to look like O_o I will still have to make a new Mask.png as the first version is only a rough
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07292012_190902450.png)

My trusty Ingonyama surveying the finished terrain from above
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07292012_192233667.png)

Ok, I've finally finished the two masks in order to have 4 different textures in the map :) and I'm in the process of adding objects in, like this tree for a bit of shade by the river-mouth. Not much shade, so first come first-served XD
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_08062012_121823683.png)
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Thierry on July 16, 2012, 06:10:56 pm
It is looking good.
Just a TIP may help to make smoother terrains, when you finish the heigh map, just do a very light blur.
Also use a heigh map of 16bits instead of the standar 8bits, this help a lot.
Also you can do a heigh map of 1025x1025 is you are making a big map.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on July 16, 2012, 07:26:07 pm
Thanks Thierro..

I can't quite figure how to change from 8bit to 16bit.. Please help with that? It doesn't give me that option when I open a new canvas or when I export..
So by 1025X1025, you mean pixels, right? Cause the turorials said that FH only works with 513X513 pixels. That will help when I decide to make a larger map which I already have an idea for.. but first I wanna get good with making maps.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Thierry on July 16, 2012, 07:36:52 pm
about the 16bits image, im not sure if gimp can do it, but i can do it at photoshop 7. If you want you can send me the heigh map by PM, and i can convert it.

About the 1025X1025, yes i mean pixels, I never used a height map so big at FH, but im almost sure it can support it (other Ogre games does, why FH not?). anyway i will try that later to confirm.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Tokoa on July 16, 2012, 08:08:43 pm
It looks really good so far ;)
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on July 16, 2012, 08:20:14 pm
:D
I tried 1025square pixels and it worked. it didn't work before when I tried another square-random value in between.. guess it's just certain specific standards that the game will accept and others that it won't. But it is good to know what works and what doesn't.. :)
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Thierry on July 16, 2012, 08:52:06 pm
yes, It should be (2^n)+1
ex:
65, 129, 257, 513, 1025, 2049, 4097.
But i dont recommend bigger values than 1025 because it will eat much memory.

An 1025x1025 image will be rezized in the ram memory as 2048x2048
and 2049x2049 as 4096x4096, guess so much memory can eat an image of that size... a lot!
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on July 17, 2012, 06:44:09 pm
This a newest addition to my map.. what you guys think? be honest; is it fine or too boring? I'm considering changing it a bit and making it more into a tall and skinny turret
(http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/q596/Raphilion/Feral%20Heart%20Stuff/screenshot_07172012_213206751.png)
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Thierry on July 23, 2012, 05:30:44 pm
The height map is nice, but the map it self i can not tell you if will be good until you start to place objects around.

Learn to use the object maker, here is a good tutorial about:
http://www.feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10002.msg138372#msg138372 (http://www.feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10002.msg138372#msg138372)

TIP: Don't forget to make your own object groups and don't modify the default ones (MyPlants, MyRocks, etc.)

Explore the content of FeralHeart folder to see what it is inside of FeralHeart\media\objects, explore what meshes there are in, then load these meshes in object maker.
Download meshes and objects from users and make your objects groups with these. Here you can find a lot of objects: Link (http://www.feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&board=93.0).
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Thierry on July 24, 2012, 12:59:07 am
Here are a lot of stuff, you can find what you need here.

Hammy meshes:
Meshes by Hamilton (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=8225.0)
Glave meshes:
Glaves Textures and Converted Meshes (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=11142.0)
Glaves Particles and upcoming textures {Newparticlebundle} (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10942.0)
BabylonXx meshes:
FREE CONVERTING MESHES! -- ANIMALS PLANTS AND OTHER READY FOR DOWNLOAD (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=8896.0)
Kaz meshes:
Wombat Meshes [FINISHED] (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10365.0)
Kazula's converted meshes! (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=11437.0)
Thierry meshes:
My first Models (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=8174.0)
Jayfeather55 meshes:
Warrior's Herbs and such {Still a WIP, but I finished a bunch..} (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=9180.0)
Shark, zombdog, Asian buildings/bridges, ostrich etc! Jayfeather55's FH Stuf (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10836.msg151792#msg151792)
Adjazz meshes:
Adjazz's objects (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=10526.0)
Lemony-Fresh meshes:
Lemony-Fresh Meshes! :D (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=9795.0)
Connie meshes:
Pile of Pinecones with my plants (http://feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=9704.0)
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: wolffox on July 24, 2012, 04:22:07 pm
Looks good so far Raph.
Moved this over to the maps board btw, so just a heads-up there.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: SilverTW on July 24, 2012, 04:34:58 pm
Don't forget my stuff
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Kayla.. on July 25, 2012, 12:36:09 am
It's freaking awesome!!! I'm looking forward to download it (:
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on July 30, 2012, 01:19:58 pm
Thanks gaise XD
I forgot to click on "Notify" so wasn't aware about new posts until I looked for my topic and figured it must have been moved here, thanks Wolffie.

I have been procrastinating over this last weekend but managed to get back to it during the week and finally finished the heightmap. Just have to redo the mask as it's a very rough job. I managed to place waterfalls I downloaded from the forums.  I'll give due credit to everyone once it's done D:
I'll post some more screenies of my progress later todayz

NOTE: I have been having a little trouble with other objects I downloaded, I hope to sort that out soon or just find other objects that work. For now, I'll just get to work placing standard objects in to give my map a head start.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: CreamWolf on July 31, 2012, 08:49:46 pm
The screenies look great, pretty resemblant of a real-life canyon. o: I can't wait to see how this'll look with objects.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on August 06, 2012, 09:56:56 am
Thankies Decessei XD.

just thought I'd add, I've finally finished the 2 masks which allow me to add a 4th texture into the Canyon - MuddyTex. Latest screenie in my first post explains. I hope (Fingers crossed and all) that it'll be done for testing by Wednesday afternoon. Then if all goes well, available for download by the end of this week.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on August 10, 2012, 11:09:56 am
MAP EEZ DONE! XD
It is now going through it's initial test phase. If testing shows positive for awesomesauce, then I'll post a link for download on this thread as well as make a new post in Finished Maps so other people can easily find it.

Please note, I have a free account with MediaFire which means the map will not stay on the site for a long time, not sure for how long really, but if (And when) you or someone else tries to download the map in the future and it's not there, lemme know immediately so I can re-upload as soon as I can.
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Dafniforfree on August 10, 2012, 12:26:05 pm
Its awesome :o
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on August 10, 2012, 01:20:41 pm
Thankies Dafniforfree D:
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: CreamWolf on August 11, 2012, 05:48:53 am
It looks great! cx Looking forward to downloading this when I can. :3
Title: Re: Canyon - a map I'm working on ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on August 11, 2012, 08:12:02 pm
Thankies XD.
It is done, but had to make a few changes here and there.. Just gonna get some advice before I make it final which should hopefully be tonight, if not then tomorrow morning
Title: Re: Canyon - a map [I'm working on] DONE ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Halfmoon112 on April 20, 2013, 11:38:03 pm
Your map looks great! Definitely worth downloading.It would look more natural if you could add bumps here and there, as well as a bigger slope instead of heading straight up then immediately
flat at the summit of the canyon to make it look natural.
Overall, well done! I see you've worked hard on this map. I'll give your map a try-
download it after I finish typing
Title: Re: Canyon - a map [I'm working on] DONE ~ By Raphilion
Post by: Raphilion on April 21, 2013, 03:13:21 am
Thanks Halfmoon.
It definitely was lots of hard work getting it to look as natural as I could. Spent hours adjusting the heightmap and opening in map maker until it looked just how I wanted it. Also, having seen millions of images and tons of film and even having been in canyons myself, I think flat plateaus are correct. Besides, I also wanted as much of the map to be accessable as possible to make it worth visiting. Unfortunately, as with the many other awesome public maps, they become forgotten very easily.

I'm glad there are still more who appreciate the hard work, did not want it looking like a half-job :P
Enjoy and feel free to give me any more feedback that I could take into confederation for my next big map I'm trying to work on.