Proper way of creating displacements?

The Siphon

L6: Sharp Member
Mar 2, 2015
278
190
So I am doing my second map, but I have a annoying problem. When I am making displacements it is very annoying. If the displacements are not same size it will not sew, so is making displacements shaped liked a square and placing them next to each other a good idea? since they won't be different size and should sew with no problems.

Are there problems with this style ?
Also what would be the best way to make displacements and actually have them sew together
 

Tumby

aa
May 12, 2013
1,084
1,192
For beginners, it's best to use simple shapes like squares, so you can learn how it all works and how to edit them and all that.
But looking at Valve maps, I have noticed two specific ways of making the displacements. Depending on the existance of caves, and the number of cliff faces, one method might be prefered over the other. These methods go something like this:
The exact-fit method
The brush-shape of the displacement pretty much already is what it's going to be. Props might be used to enhance the shape of cliffs.
The big-flat method
A really big, flat surface made out of many displacements gets created at the bottom of the map. This entire surface gets editet so that everything has the desired height. Cliff sides will be created using the following three ways:
  • Not at all (Lumberyard, cliff with the log)
  • Extra displacements (Badlands, all rock-things at mid)
  • Props (Lumberyard, almost all cliffs)
The extra displacement method is sometimes very tricky, which is why some maps may use even more displacement sewed on top of them. This means that there exist two walkabe-space displacements in some areas, which can not be sewn. This method is used on Degroot Keep and Badwater.