Terrain Template

Terrain consists of all non-character graphics and non-building graphics.

Each terrain chunk is contained in a 1 X 8 grid, with each cell in the grid being 46W X 56H in pixels.

normal image cell, 46 pixels wide by 56 pixels high = 46W X 56H

Here is an example of some varied terrain:

The first four images (from left to right) are flat ground. The fifth image is a rock formation. The sixth and seventh images are the lower and upper halves of a cave tree.

Building Hills and Pits

To build a basic hill or a pit, you will need to construct 13 images that will eventually be put together as shown:

Hill
Pit

To construct these images, use this template:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

First, create or find an image that contains the basic look and feel you like. Next, use the template to overlay the image. In this example, the white area was masked (made transparent), and the template was layed on top of the terrain image.

Then,by removing the mask and all stuff outside the template, you will end up with a image like this:

Now you have the basic shapes, but without the proper shading, the images are "flat." Shading will give the images the illusion of depth.

Unshaded Eastern Slope
Shaded Eastern Slope

In Avernum, the light always comes from the East. So, the slopes that receive Eastern light (images 1-2, east part of image 8, west part of image 9, image 10), need to be lightened in certain areas (around the middle). The slopes not receiving direct light need to be darkened in certain areas (images 6-7, west part of image 8, east part of image 9, image 12). Images 3-5 and 11 should be darked entirely.

Slope Shading on Hills
Slope Shading on Pits

Finally, when it's all put together (and a few extras are added):

 

Shading is tricky to accomplish! Examine this graphic sheet from Avernum III:

It should give you some idea of exactly where to lighten and darken the images.

Building Mountains

Mountains are another special graphics sheet case. You need 10 images as this template shows:

Here is an example of a finished mountain:

You will also need to code the following terrain definitions:

begindefineterrain 430; //you can use any number that isn't used by the
game
// mountains
clear; //forgot to put this in, empties previously used values
te_name = "Mountain";
te_which_sheet = 500; //number of the graphic sheet to use
te_which_icon = 0; //icon from that sheet
te_height_adj_pixels = 24; //move stuff on this terrain up 24 pixels
te_ed_which_sheet = 688; //sheet for editor icon
te_ed_which_icon = 57; //icon from that sheet
te_second_icon = 5; //second icon to use for top half
te_second_icon_offset_y = -55; //Moves the second icon up 55 pixels
//Avernum remembers values previously entered for the next terrain
//This way you only have to enter values which are changed
begindefineterrain 431;
         // mountains
         te_which_icon = 1;
         te_second_icon = 6;
         te_ed_which_icon = 58;
         te_special_property = 25; //gives this terrain the 'hill' property
         //Considered optional since characters can't really climb up them anyway
begindefineterrain 432;
         // mountains
         te_which_icon = 2;
         te_second_icon = 7;
         te_ed_which_icon = 59;
         te_special_property = 26;
begindefineterrain 433;
         // mountains
         te_which_icon = 3;
         te_second_icon = 8;
         te_ed_which_icon = 52;
         te_special_property = 19;
begindefineterrain 434;
         // mountains
         te_which_icon = 4;
         te_second_icon = 9;
         te_ed_which_icon = 53;
         te_special_property = 20;
   

Special thanks to Jigga for providing the basic terrain information, to Arancaytar for providing the templates and information for making hills and pits, and to Mark Kennedy for the mountains!

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