OK. So I have the basic jist of how displacements work and what they are used for. I am working on my first map in Hammer and the first map that I plan on carrying through to actually releasing. If you care, it's a ctf map in a snow setting.
Now, last night I was doing some work with displacements. I did some cliffs around two edges of the maps and a nice sort of rock formation in the middle the other night. Whether they stay or not is debatable, but it was more for practice and I really liked how they came out and I had no issue with any leaks out into the void.
However, last night I decided to try and form the ground between the red and blue base. It's quite an expansive area, so I broke it into several smaller displacements before starting work. In some spots this was a necessity so that the terrain shaped around the buildings, not through them. I ended up with a lot of leaks into the void that were pretty noticeable and spent a couple of hours bumping the displacements into each other in order to hide these seams because for some reason the sew function would not work.
I really want to get my map into a playable alpha to test the layout. Technically, the displacements are fine now, but I am worried about making changes to these displacements later because I know that I am not to the point where I am satisfied and as I get into detailing the map, they will change in several spots.
This brings me to the question that has been bothering me all day. Should I keep the displacements as they are for now and possibly just delete them and start them over on my second pass of geometry? Should I try to reduce the amount of space that I use displacements by using some more intermittent buildings (planning on doing this to a degree anyhow)? Should I just leave it flat and do extensive architecture between the bases (another consideration I have)? Or should I keep with my present idea and just redo the displacements on the first pass of geometry by making some of the smaller ones into a single large displacement (what I am mainly considering)?
Are there any tips someone can give me that may just help me resolve this conundrum more easily?
I apologize for no screenies, but I am not at home where I can reach my map right now. I will post some later if you guys ask for them.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Now, last night I was doing some work with displacements. I did some cliffs around two edges of the maps and a nice sort of rock formation in the middle the other night. Whether they stay or not is debatable, but it was more for practice and I really liked how they came out and I had no issue with any leaks out into the void.
However, last night I decided to try and form the ground between the red and blue base. It's quite an expansive area, so I broke it into several smaller displacements before starting work. In some spots this was a necessity so that the terrain shaped around the buildings, not through them. I ended up with a lot of leaks into the void that were pretty noticeable and spent a couple of hours bumping the displacements into each other in order to hide these seams because for some reason the sew function would not work.
I really want to get my map into a playable alpha to test the layout. Technically, the displacements are fine now, but I am worried about making changes to these displacements later because I know that I am not to the point where I am satisfied and as I get into detailing the map, they will change in several spots.
This brings me to the question that has been bothering me all day. Should I keep the displacements as they are for now and possibly just delete them and start them over on my second pass of geometry? Should I try to reduce the amount of space that I use displacements by using some more intermittent buildings (planning on doing this to a degree anyhow)? Should I just leave it flat and do extensive architecture between the bases (another consideration I have)? Or should I keep with my present idea and just redo the displacements on the first pass of geometry by making some of the smaller ones into a single large displacement (what I am mainly considering)?
Are there any tips someone can give me that may just help me resolve this conundrum more easily?
I apologize for no screenies, but I am not at home where I can reach my map right now. I will post some later if you guys ask for them.
Thanks for the suggestions!