TheHelper Mapping Projects
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Tutorial: Terraining - Wilderness Example

This is just something I thought people might find useful, should they be interested in making terrain that looks more real. Description/guide as written inside the map loading screen info:

Ashenvale
Textures used: Dirt, Rough Dirt, Grassy Dirt, Grass, Lumpy Grass, Rock

Hills have been made and smoothed, then varying heights have been hand-made for rocks and only then have the textures been applied. Remember to avoid sudden texture changes unless you think they work. One example of this is that patch of Lumpy Grass on Rock there, that kind of looks like moss. There is also "moss" on the cliff side and Rough Dirt below it. Then I created some "landside" effect that appears as if some terrain slid down. DO NOT forget pathing blockers for cliffs!

Shrubbery, bushes and flowers added to key positions of the flowing landscape, rocks near the rocks and slopes, but also some elsewhere. Mushrooms on thick Lumpy Grass and Cattail on some parts of the slopes. A single hollow stump is a nice little effect. On the steepest parts, there should only be dirt, rock or grass anyway, so I left them blank. DO NOT forget to change the height of the items on the slopes!

Only pines on the Lumpy Grass, all kinds on Grass, seemingly randomly, only on mild slopes and even ground. Minor grouping of the trees.

Finishing touches were fog settings, lighting and effect, then props for birds, bats, rabbits etc. Then I added music and sound and weather effects for regions.

Keep in mind, that this wilderness example was made for educational purposes only, and is to be taken as an example, not something you should abide by.

By ShadowProjec on Feb-17-08

By lord dakoth on Jan-02-08

By TRC on Oct-25-07