Heightfield Editing: How is it done?

[XboxJosh]

I've seen some rather complex maps; all I can do are those "squarish" maps using Gimp, and editing on a per-pixel basis. How are these complex maps with curves done? They can't possibly be edited pixel-by-pixel... O_O


can they?

[Zarel]

Most map editors allow importing heightmaps as images. So you can use an anti-aliasing image editor to edit height-fields.

[Olrox]

Hmm, I may write down a guide on how I create my height maps, if I see my technique is really good.

I use photoshop, but the most important thing is the careful use of layers, to blend various effects.
in the current way maps are limited in height, I'd advice to plan at most, 3 levels of terrain (using cliffs, I mean). If you are aiming towards realistic topography, determine the lowest or highest level, and make a good shape by proper use of circle brushes and small erasers (the real trick is to make several passes, just like when you're sketching something with pen & paper), and make the others based on its borders. I use about 50% difference between the gray tones I use for the levels: White, 0%, the first; light gray, 50%, the middle one; Black, 100%, the lowest. However, to make irregularities, I use 0% for the highest, 50% for the intermediary, and 85% for the lowest.

After you've decided the overall shape of all of the levels, it's best to be sure that the contrast between the levels is high enough (preferrably, all the difference should be present from one pixel to the other, in the borders). I do that in photoshop by using the outer/inner glow blending option, setting to "normal" method, the main color tones of the levels, 100% opacity, smooth fading and 5~15 tiles of distance. That should make them look very sharp, which is good (because the cliffs don't look good if they're not only 1-tile).

After that, I use an generic irregular texture (you can play with photos you've taken), in grey tones, blended by using (in photoshop also) the bevel & emboss option, set to 1 or 2 pixels, both black colors for relief, both them set to "multiply", with around 25% opacity, then applying the texture as a sub-option to the Bevel & emboss effect. The layers containing this effect must be all-black as set to "Screen" as the primary method of blending.

The secret is to take your time and keep making small adjustments, trying & undoing until the results look good! The ramps can be made in the map editor, or as gradients in the graphical software.

Hope that this helps a bit!

[lav_coyote25]

I've seen some rather complex maps; all I can do are those "squarish" maps using Gimp, and editing on a per-pixel basis. How are these complex maps with curves done? They can't possibly be edited pixel-by-pixel... O_O


can they?

is how i do it...at times... hours and hours and hours... etc... xD is fun , sorta...

[Olrox]

This is madness! But it's not sparta... :rolleyes:
Those guys who make things pixel-by-pixel are really crazy. Take Zarel, for example xD
Just kidding, just kidding!
I'm crazy too, even though I don't make anything pixel-by-pixel

[lav_coyote25]

somedays it's what gets er done... adjusting ramps by hand is fun...

[Zarel]

This is madness! But it's not sparta... :rolleyes:
Those guys who make things pixel-by-pixel are really crazy. Take Zarel, for example xD
Just kidding, just kidding!
I'm crazy too, even though I don't make anything pixel-by-pixel

Well, I only deal with small graphics - that way, each individual pixel actually matters.

Although I would probably deal with maps pixel-by-pixel, too...

[Olrox]

I'm pretty happy with the results I've obtained by following the procedure I've mentioned before (and other small things) for The Lost River. Here's the height map, so that you may take a good look:

Map-2.PNG

Feel free to edit & use if you like as well. I've spent about an hour to make every necessary adjustment for the cliffs to fit perfectly, in Flail13's extraordinary WZME. By that I mean to have the map made in a way I can set the auto-cliff inclination to 37 and apply it to the whole map, and they're placed perfectly on the right places only.
Of course, there are going to be future changes due to the texturing of the map.