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| Thread: Elevation Tool in editor | |
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Khaelo
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
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posted October 25, 2002 09:00 PM |
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Elevation Tool in editor
How do people use the elevation tool? I'm having trouble dealing with it. Some of the issues:
* It's hard to see the effects, and even harder to see the "big picture" of elevations.
* When you can see the effects, they make the map look weird.
* Using it too close to the edge of the map pulls the edge of the map and looks even weirder.
* Placing objects, particularly rocks and mountains, after using elevations flattens your work.
* Using elevations after placing objects leads to passability problems (I think), and is visually confusing because I can't see what I'm doing.
What's the point?
I've tried looking at some of the campaigns to see how they've used elevations. It hasn't helped. Half the time the hills look odd and artificial, and half the time my hero is suddenly going down/up a hill that I didn't even know was there.
Needless to say, my inclination thus far is to simply ignore the elevation tool. But some people seem to like it and like it a lot. What am I missing? Is it really all that necessary? What is the secret of using this thing effectively?
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bobntamr1
Known Hero
non dictionary ownen hero
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posted October 25, 2002 09:24 PM |
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the key to be able to tell easier...is put the map grid on you can see much more effectively. ;P
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god please spare me from my contribulations
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Khaelo
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
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posted October 25, 2002 09:35 PM |
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Do people actually *play* with the map grid on? Talk about artificial-looking landscapes! 
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bobntamr1
Known Hero
non dictionary ownen hero
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posted October 25, 2002 10:28 PM |
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i dont know that it is possible but in the editor it is very usefull to examine and determine how the ground rolls
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god please spare me from my contribulations
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Khaelo
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
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posted October 25, 2002 11:09 PM |
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But if people don't play with the grid on, and you can only see subtle rolling with the grid, why put the rolling in at all? My question is actually two questions in one:
1) Why do you use elevation?
2) How do you use elevation?
Answering the second doesn't help a lot if the first is still floating out there.  Sorry if that wasn't clear.
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Zutus_evil_p...
Hired Hero
Flaming bird
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posted October 25, 2002 11:44 PM |
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1) To make maps look more attractive and more natural. Or just for a cool effect, like placing a town on top of a hill
2) I think it's best to do the elevation first before you start placing structures, you should put the structures on later and modify the elevation if it's not what you want after you put the structure on it. (eg remove the building again, make the elevation a little more higher and put the building back, see what that gives, or try again)
I'd say just try till you got something you like
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Meet you at TeaNY's...
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Laelth
Famous Hero
Laelth rhymes with stealth.
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posted October 26, 2002 01:07 AM |
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Edited By: Laelth on 25 Oct 2002
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Quote:
I think it's best to do the elevation first before you start placing structures
I'm not sure I agree with Zutus on this one. I place natural structures (mountains, lakes, rivers, etc.) first in as natural-looking an arrangement as I can, and then use the elevation tool to pull up the entire area around the mountains, creating what I think is a natural upward-slope to the mountains. In one exception, my map Dunwold, I actually built the town walls first, and then, because I wanted the town to be on a hill, I raised the elevation of the whole wall, giving me a uniform (but chaotic-looking) slope up to the town.
I admit that I can't see the effects of the elevation tool very well in actual game play, but it does create some subtle differences in the shading of the base terrain tiles. Upward slope on the right and bottom is lighter. Downward slope on the top and left is darker. I think it's one of those things like the "tuft," my favorite landscape object. You think you can't see it, but your subconscious really does register the information, and, if it's there, it creates a much more natural look.
BTW, ToH requires that the elevation tool must have been used at least some in maps they allow for tournament play.
-Laelth
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Alan P. Taylor, Attorney at Law, LLC
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