Metal spot graphics

[aeonios]

Happy easter everyone.

I've been working on a new desert canyon map, in the spirit of continuing to push the limits of what I can do. You can see a preview here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6pa9xsxap3uho ... 2.sd7?dl=0

It's missing only metal spot graphics and features for completion. So far I've been trying to do interesting and unique things for the metal spots on all the maps I've released, but for this one I'm about out of ideas given the kinds of things that I know how to do. I tried a few things, but I haven't been able to get anything that looks natural on the map, or that even comes close for that matter.

I've seen quite a few different types of metal spots on various maps. A lot of them are just simple textures painted on probably with a special brush, and although that would probably not be difficult I don't particularly know how to do that well, and perhaps as importantly I don't have many ideas of things that would blend well with this sand (where all the metal spots are).

Others use 3D-esque graphics that are stamped on, like DeadLands. I'm not even sure what I would need to search to figure out how to do something like that. Getting that to look good might be even more difficult.

I've also seen splats used for this purpose on several maps. Typically simpler graphics are used for this, although I don't really know how to go about making something like that. Given the scaling typical for metal spot graphics it would probably also be more efficient to pre-apply them directly to the diffuse texture. Figuring out how to do that correctly is something else I'm looking for. Painting in multiply mode doesn't seem to work well, or perhaps there might be something else I'm missing about that.

Basically though, I'm interested to know what kinds of techniques you guys are using, what things I might search, and of course any interesting ideas you might have for the map I'm working on (which needs to be appropriate for a desert canyon, duh). All ideas welcome.

[Anarchid]

A screenshot of a map might be better than an actual sd7.

I can make featuremexes to spec, if there's interest

[aeonios]

A screenshot of a map might be better than an actual sd7.

Ok, for the lazy:

I can make featuremexes to spec, if there's interest

Ah, and featuremexes, totally forgot about those. "To spec" is the issue, since we/I actually have to come up with an idea first.

[eronoobos]

the map looks lovely! what did you make it in?

i see that all the metal spots are in (micro) sand dunes, so what if each metal spot was a star dune? just a matter of finding an air photo of some star dunes lit from the right angle, isolating it, and plopping it on top of the texture (within spring via the metal spot widget viewtopic.php?f=23&t=24526 or gimp before compile). ok, not really "just a matter of"

the technique i used to use making maps in photoshop was: i made a layer in which each metal spot was a single pixel, selected all those pixels, expanded the selection into a metal spot-sized circle, and turned the selection into a path. then i stroked the circles with a weird jittery brush (on top of the final map texture). but circular feels all wrong on this map.

edit: ooo, featuremexes, what about rocks in the sand, a la:

[aeonios]

the map looks lovely! what did you make it in?

Thanks, it was mostly in world machine, with some extra processing in SME. I actually used a combination of SME erosion and WM erosion, then generated a texture with WM and added the dune texture in SME.

i see that all the metal spots are in (micro) sand dunes, so what if each metal spot was a star dune? just a matter of finding an air photo of some star dunes lit from the right angle, isolating it, and plopping it on top of the texture (within spring via the metal spot widget viewtopic.php?f=23&t=24526 or gimp before compile). ok, not really "just a matter of"

Hmm, star dunes are usually huge though. I dunno if it would look right, but that's something to try I suppose.

the technique i used to use making maps in photoshop was: i made a layer in which each metal spot was a single pixel, selected all those pixels, expanded the selection into a metal spot-sized circle, and turned the selection into a path. then i stroked the circles with a weird jittery brush (on top of the final map texture). but circular feels all wrong on this map.

Jittery brush is a possibility, with or without a layer mask. I typically mark out the metal spots on the texture with SME, then create a layer with the metal spot graphics and apply it to an un-marked copy of the diffuse. Shape doesn't really matter as long as they're more or less in the right spots.

edit: hmm.. rocks might work, if we can figure out something that would make them consistently awesome.

[Anarchid]

Metal girders of an abandoned mine.
Circles of rock laid in a spiral pattern, emerging from the sand.
Broken rock with shiny or glittery internals.
Extrusions of slag from a deep underground source, with dark trails of materials scattered by the wind onto diffuse texture.
A spatter of small glittering 3d objects stuffed into a small height-recess.

... Or metal-organic coral-like engineered growth?




I got those done for Dune Patrol but noone ended up doing it, so they're up for grabs. They come in 3 varieties.

[aeonios]

that.. might could possibly work. o.o

I may end up improving the diffuse tex some, and/or adding splats, once I get done wringing smoth's brain on WM. I think those should work either way though, and that would definitely be unique.

[qray]

Others use 3D-esque graphics that are stamped on, like DeadLands. I'm not even sure what I would need to search to figure out how to do something like that. Getting that to look good might be even more difficult.

I would rather use a normal map for the 3D effect - combined with slightly darkened borders on diffuse texture where the slope is.

I've also seen splats used for this purpose on several maps. Typically simpler graphics are used for this, although I don't really know how to go about making something like that.

I guess you already have seen the splat detail page and part 2 of map tutorial in the wiki?
One additional info that may help: in Gimp to work on the RGBA channels separately in your splattex (and splat distribution) use "decompose" to layers -under "color" -> "components" I think- and recompose when done.
A starting point for detail textures could be this thread - or asking map makers if you spot any you like in a map. And of course as always google

Basically though, I'm interested to know what kinds of techniques you guys are using...

I tend to make a small stamp graphic with a texture that seems vaguely metalish + add a ragged border (distort selection) that colour wise fits the map theme (darken the map texture a bit? or similar) + transparency around (*).
Then use the gimp clone tool to copy it from the small image and stamp the correct positions in an extra layer of the diffuse texture. (A square brush can be very helpful in this step.)
This layer -scaled down- could then also be used as basis to create the actual metal map + matching patterns in specular / splat detail dist maps.
IMHO, some shininess via specular is in many cases a good idea (even if it is only because players are used to it).


For your map I could well image that the feature mexes from Anarchid would look great
(maybe with small adjustments to texture colour - in case it should turn out it doesn't fit your map texture 100%)



(*): If you see any spot graphic you like on one of my maps just tell me. I should have most of the stamp images still lying around somewhere. But admittedly they are mostly nothing too special.

[Anarchid]

Here's the stuff, then.

A word of advice is to not use them solely, and combine them with either decal or a lua-drawn patch to the diffuse, given that features have this nasty prospensity to disappear on zoomout.

Incidentally, that allows you to also complement the aesthetics.

[The Yak]

These are original, you can freely use



I don't remember the origins of these (Forboding_Angel?) but they are also nice

[qray]

@The Yak: nice stuff you have there

[eronoobos]

i was going to say maybe we should start a sticky post in map creation with metal spot resources people want to share, but that's been obsoleted & moved to the wiki. but the wiki is more of a place for guides and tools, not so much assorted resources. hm.

[enetheru]

i was going to say maybe we should start a sticky post in map creation with metal spot resources people want to share, but that's been obsoleted & moved to the wiki. but the wiki is more of a place for guides and tools, not so much assorted resources. hm.

I don't see why it cant be host to a list of links to resources so long as licencing is appropriately noted.

[gajop]

i was going to say maybe we should start a sticky post in map creation with metal spot resources people want to share, but that's been obsoleted & moved to the wiki. but the wiki is more of a place for guides and tools, not so much assorted resources. hm.

I don't see why it cant be host to a list of links to resources so long as licencing is appropriately noted.

Agreed.
I'd also like to include some of these in the https://github.com/gajop/Scenario-Editor-Resources provided licencing information is made available.

[qray]

For completeness here some of my graphics (under WTFPL) though I don't think any of them would fit this map well.

[FLOZi]

i was going to say maybe we should start a sticky post in map creation with metal spot resources people want to share, but that's been obsoleted & moved to the wiki. but the wiki is more of a place for guides and tools, not so much assorted resources. hm.

I don't see why it cant be host to a list of links to resources so long as licencing is appropriately noted.

A link to forum thread or EBI github repo with resources is most sensible. Certainly not a wiki page with resources uploaded as files to wiki.

[eronoobos]

https://github.com/eronoobos/spring-met ... -resources

acceptable to those of you whose stuff i put there?

others, send pull requests?

[The Yak]

More in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=28716&hilit=metal+spot

EDIT: BTW those metal patches I posted are indeed Forboding Angels. He could get credit rather then "unknown".

[Forboding Angel]

Yeah those 3 are mine. The transparency is such that they should work well for just about any map.

[eronoobos]

ok, updated

edit: should i include a license with the repo, saying something like this is the license unless otherwise noted within the author's directory? an LGPL or something? i don't have a clue about licensing, so i'm open to suggestions