Dm Coast - Alpha release

techincaly they're something like displacement terrain. Displacement maps use BW images to extrude geometry similar to bump maps.

I'm now utterly confused as to what you are all on about In the context of source mapping, displacement surfaces/maps (seem to be synonymous) are the editable grid of triangles you can turn a face into. I assume you are talking about heightmaps ferret? There is actually a terrain tool that lets you create displacement surfaces out of a heightmap image if I recall correctl - was it the new version of Nem's terrain editor?

I was refering to modeling.

On a side note those displacements you have for the terrain are awfuly repetitive. Add some decals or something to break up the surface, and add some vertical depth to the terrain.

i think that what skdr originally meant about the broken walls was that you can use terrain displacements along those broken edges to give it a rougher, less regular, more broken look without having to make custom prop models or fit in existing ones. not a perfect solution but it might be better than what you've got.

You could probably afford to up the texture scale a little in order to reduce the repetition - most terrain textures in HL2 seem to look pretty good at scales slightly above the default 0.25, such as 0.5.

Also, sometimes giving the texture on your displacement a strange angle (35 degrees) reduces the repetitiveness

that also adds the chance of adding faces to the polygons and thus decreasing frame rate. Rather use decals and other low polygon methods to hide the repetition.

True, but it sometimes pays off. I use it on water in sewers for example.

It definately works, and depending on how large scale the area it can be worth doing despite the potential face cuts (whats a dozen more polygons on today's PC's really gonna do to performance?*). There is a lot to be said for taking repetition away from following the 3 standard axis, just doesn't seem so noticeable. Oh and I'm sure I read in the source SDK documentation that faces are split into polys every 1024 units now, as opposed to being based on texture scale, but I've no idea on the truth / tech behind such info.

* Not to belittle the importance of optimisation!

Wow, maps is starting too look better.

Meh likes~

I really like what you're doing for the rock and the buildings on it. However, i really think it would be more impressive if you'd place that rock in the middle of the sea, with water coming up high when it touches the rocks. Also i'd go for a less round look of the rocks. Sky could also use more drama.

I'm not too keen on the "combine inspired architecture" on the right of shot 4 - just looks like a set of random blocks covered in the same texture to me. It could just be the angle isn't too flattering, but from what I see it doesn't do the map any favours.

Your rockwork is looking much better now, but the way its just sort of sat all on its own in the desert doesn't look great IMO. Like Daan0, I think the sea was a better choice. Might be nice to put some blending on the top edges of the cliffs to make it merge with the ground better, as its currently kinda sudden.

Keep it up though, very cool map and one of the best themes I've seen so far

Cool map, but I agree with Reno regarding the random blocks on the right of pic 4.

there is a real sense of movement in that concept art--that wall is definitely progressing forward toward the camera, taking down buildings or anything else in its way. your wall looks like a static piece of architecture built in a funny shape.

it doesn't help that the textures are totally misaligned either, you've got seams everywhere and it doesn't make much sense. i'd ditch it altogether, the sea was much better and far more dramatic.

It also looks like the moving thing is actually a sphere with rectangular prism things coming out of it, but that may just be the perspective of the drawing.

In that 3rd picture, when the tiles are cut off by the explosion, try using the texture when it has some of the tiles smashed up, followed by a concrete floor, that will give that area a more damaged look.

That is a awsome map though, not so sure on that Combine blocks.