Can someone post Video Tutorial on how to use elevation tool?

[drtechno]

Can someone post a video tutorail on how to use the elevation tool in the map maker?

I know HOW to use it (this button does this, this one does that) but I need to know how to use it effectively.

I find it pretty frustrating when trying to draw precise terrain that it changes the elevation of all non locked tiles.

How do people make effective landscapes? Just find the high points and low points of all your terrain and put only those points in ? Just not sure how to go about thinking about it.

[ChrisND]

To start with, draw it just like you would the contour lines on a map.

[drtechno]

Tried that.. it just goes crazy. And do you draw the contour lines using the 'set tile to height X' tool or do you draw them setting the 'underlying tile to +x' ?

I can try to post a screeny.

[ChrisND]

Tried that.. it just goes crazy. And do you draw the contour lines using the 'set tile to height X' tool or do you draw them setting the 'underlying tile to +x' ?

I can try to post a screeny.

Set tile to X height. Post pics of what you are doing and the results you are getting, and I'll be able to tell you what you are doing wrong.

[MikeyD]

Luckily none of the game scenarios (or QB maps) are 'locked' so you can open them in the editor and observe how people did what they did with terrain elevations. Its rather like painting in that everyone has their own favorite technique.

[smbecket]

I have been wrestling with this problem for the past two days. The elevation options do not work as described in the manual! I just experimented again with the default map size when you open the map editor. I drew a 30 meter contour line (up 10 metes from the default 20) from side to side. This should have raised the terrain inside this corner piece of land to 30 meters and outside the contour line the terrain should have gradually sloped down to the base 20 meter elevation. It did not . All the terrain on the map changed to 30 meters. Why?

[Baneman]

I have been wrestling with this problem for the past two days. The elevation options do not work as described in the manual! I just experimented again with the default map size when you open the map editor. I drew a 30 meter contour line (up 10 metes from the default 20) from side to side. This should have raised the terrain inside this corner piece of land to 30 meters and outside the contour line the terrain should have gradually sloped down to the base 20 meter elevation. It did not . All the terrain on the map changed to 30 meters. Why?

Heh, yeah, I've tried this too and no matter what I do, all elevations on the map move - even the black "locked" tile.

I assumed I was reading it wrong and haven't had time to reread the relevant section, so just quit trying for the time being.

[c3k]

Because the elevation depends on YOUR inputs. It all starts at a default of 20. They show that by using a white number with terrain background.

YOUR inputs are hard-coded. If you choose height+x or x, you are making an input. (Personally, I only use x, the SET TERRAIN HEIGHT DIRECTLY. It's simpler for me.)

If the map is all 20's, and you put a single 30, then it will blend all the elevations. One input, therefore they all go to 30.

Try this (ONLY as an experiment!): Create a border of hard-set 20's around four sides of a map. In the middle drop a single 30. Now, all the elevations will start at 20 near the edges - your input - and gradually slope to your next input, the 30. I mini Mt. Olympus of your very own.

It blends everthing to smoothly include all your inputs. Place a line of hard spots at 20. Put another line adjacent it to it at 99. Instant cliff. Everything on the 99 side of the cliff will be at 99. All the low ground will be at 20.

Your inputs are shown with a black background. The more you have in a map, the greater the load on the cpu/memory. Just something to keep in mind. (There is a cost in game-terms for having them.)

Once you start making contours, most of the ground between countour lines will blend nicely. Instead of solid contours, you can then progressively remove some of your hard set heights.

It takes a bit of play.

Let us know if you need/want more pointers.

Ken

[skelley]

I have been wrestling with this problem for the past two days. The elevation options do not work as described in the manual! I just experimented again with the default map size when you open the map editor. I drew a 30 meter contour line (up 10 metes from the default 20) from side to side. This should have raised the terrain inside this corner piece of land to 30 meters and outside the contour line the terrain should have gradually sloped down to the base 20 meter elevation. It did not . All the terrain on the map changed to 30 meters. Why?

All of the white numbers will change to 30 if you lock one block at 30(turns black). So you need to Lock down some of the squares at 20 then change the ones you want to 30. With practice it gets easier to get smooth transition.