I want to make a map that... (is this possible?)
Posted: 03 May 2005, 15:26
I want to make a map (or even better, have it made for me 
) that is more or less covered in forest (some clearings, some mountains, some rivers, but mostly forest).
The new twist is that I don't want to use Spring's dinky little trees. I was looking at all the maps, and what I noticed about the better ones, are that the reason they are so succesful is because they are so atmospheric. I actually feel like I'm fighting a battle on a distant planet with an environment completely different to earths; What's better is that the alien effects found on such maps create different gameplay in themselves (ie: the deep red haze on that mars map makes for tentative close ranged battles and sneak raids, etc).
Anyway, what I want to do is have new tree features that soar above the heads of even the tallest units. I haven't even decided whether I want to actually have a canopy of leaves visible (meaning that the ground would be almost invisible from higher viewpoints), or whether I will just have the tree trunks going off endlessly (obviously stopping at a point well above the map, but indicating that they go on much higher). The point being that it would not only make for a particularly atmospheric map, but also make for a game that has to be played down in the nitty gritty lower views, where deception and stealth is the key. It would be even cooler if I could run forest/jungle sound effects at the lower levels, but this can wait. To put the image in my head into yours, think about the forest moon of Endor (Return of the Jedi), The Jungles of Kashyyk (if you're more into Star Wars lore), or the great forests of Middle Earth. (lothlorien and the like)...
I'm thinking something along the lines of these Rome Total War battle shots:
Except that I would probably make the trees taller than that (assume the people there are about peewee height), and I might consider making them look foreign and alien, rather than familiar earth-style greenery.
Firstly, is this possible in the Spring engine (currently, or in later versions), and if so, how would I go about doing it?
) that is more or less covered in forest (some clearings, some mountains, some rivers, but mostly forest).The new twist is that I don't want to use Spring's dinky little trees. I was looking at all the maps, and what I noticed about the better ones, are that the reason they are so succesful is because they are so atmospheric. I actually feel like I'm fighting a battle on a distant planet with an environment completely different to earths; What's better is that the alien effects found on such maps create different gameplay in themselves (ie: the deep red haze on that mars map makes for tentative close ranged battles and sneak raids, etc).
Anyway, what I want to do is have new tree features that soar above the heads of even the tallest units. I haven't even decided whether I want to actually have a canopy of leaves visible (meaning that the ground would be almost invisible from higher viewpoints), or whether I will just have the tree trunks going off endlessly (obviously stopping at a point well above the map, but indicating that they go on much higher). The point being that it would not only make for a particularly atmospheric map, but also make for a game that has to be played down in the nitty gritty lower views, where deception and stealth is the key. It would be even cooler if I could run forest/jungle sound effects at the lower levels, but this can wait. To put the image in my head into yours, think about the forest moon of Endor (Return of the Jedi), The Jungles of Kashyyk (if you're more into Star Wars lore), or the great forests of Middle Earth. (lothlorien and the like)...
I'm thinking something along the lines of these Rome Total War battle shots:
Except that I would probably make the trees taller than that (assume the people there are about peewee height), and I might consider making them look foreign and alien, rather than familiar earth-style greenery.
Firstly, is this possible in the Spring engine (currently, or in later versions), and if so, how would I go about doing it?
