Terraining - Rivers Basics

[Husky]

Basic Rivers

by husky_003​

This is going to be a small tutorial but it should help out some of you when making your terrain.

Most peoples rivers are just done by using the Shallow Water technique, but I think this method makes your rivers look nicer and cleaner.

This makes your rivers have no cliffs in it, but allows more variatoin on depth, height. Also makes placing Enivromental Doodads in your Rivers much easier, you can actually place them on the cliff.

SPECIAL NOTE: When you first start a map you can choose cliff heights. The higher the cliffs are the Deeper you can make your rivers.

STEP 1: Placing Your Water
Firstly in the Main Terrain screen, go: Advacned > Enforce Water Height Limits.

Now use your shallow/deep water tool and place a river where you want it to go as you would with a normal river. Also if your going to make a lake of somesort just place a big area of shallow water.

NOTE: It doesn't matter how messy this looks just make sure it's wide enough for how big you want it to be.

STEP 2: Back to Normal
Okay, once you have placed all the water how you want it use Raise 1 (or Raise 2 if you used deep water), and raise the whole area you just placed water on. Yes bring it up so it's perfectly flat just like it was before you placed all your water.

So what was the point in that you ask? Well read on and you'll see.

IMPORTANT: Remeber where you've placed your river becuase you can only place water in that spot.

STEP 3: Making the River
Now going back to where the river was placed get the Lower Tool (the blue one NOT Shallow Water, we need Lower). Now where your river originally was lower that piece of land and you'll eventually come to water , but this is what you want.

So now lower the whole place that your river originally was.

You should of noticed that your rivers are now much smoother than cliff ones. You can still add bits of cliff here and there it should look fine on the most part.

TIP: Make different parts of the river differnt heights, this adds a bit of variation to your map.

STEP 4: Spicing it Up
So now all you have to do is add Enviromental and Water doodads and it will look alot more natural than your Cliff rivers. You can also add trees if you want to.

Do what you want with it now.


Hope you enjoy your new rivers.

Happy Mapping,
-Husky

 

[Rad]

Just so you know, this isnt the same as the water level tutorial. Although this works nicely with it (It does get a bit complex with all the cliffs though )

It will surely help anyone who doesnt know how, of course this will be used many times for a reference to guests and new members, just a quick link here... Just like the rest of em

EDIT: Husky feel free to add this to your tutorial, you can just make the map size 32x32 set as shallow or deep when you first create the map, then raise it and use 'plateau' when its high enough, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE EDGES. Then change the map size and camera bounds to whatever you want and you can make rivers wherever

 

[DM Cross]

One word:

Screenshots.

 

[Husky]

One word:

Screenshots.

I was going to but couldn't be F*BEEP*ed.

I may add some later,
-Husky

 

[Rad]

Husky I made you a screenshot following your tutorial its so nice

 

[Husky]

Lol, thank you. Kinda square though aint it ?
-Husky

 

[Rad]

Its a tiny square lake... see the loch ness monster?

I can make a better one for you then that was just meant as a joke (obviously.....)

Give me a minute

EDIT: Ok I just updated it, my little lake sure has grown up

 

[Husky]

*sniff, sniff* They grow up... so fast!

Cheers. Thanks for the pic.

-Husky

Oh and in your last pic, i didnt see any Loch Ness, or was that just meant to be the Rowboat that was poking out .

 

[Kitt]

I Just thought it might be good to point out that you want "enforce water hight limits" to be unchecked. That could cause a little confusion, i had to do a quick test myself to make sure unchecking was indeed what i wanted to do.

Over, very nice O.O i'm definetly doing this for all of my rivers. Soooo much nicer to look at.

Mrow.

 

[Rad]

*sniff, sniff* They grow up... so fast!

Cheers. Thanks for the pic.

-Husky

Oh and in your last pic, i didnt see any Loch Ness, or was that just meant to be the Rowboat that was poking out .

No it was the fish! You probrably didnt notice it, but it did take up maybe 10% of the pond lol

 

[Husky]

Firstly in the Main Terrain screen, go: Advacned > Enforce Water Height Limits.

Already said ,
-Husky

 

[Kitt]

that you want "enforce water hight limits" to be unchecked.

Just saying it wasn't clear if you should have it on or off^^

Also, a good way to mark where your water is would be to temporarily cover it with the boundry tool and black it out. Sorta like chalkin in your water pipes O.O

Mrow.

 

[SD_Ryoko]

EDIT: Husky feel free to add this to your tutorial, you can just make the map size 32x32 set as shallow or deep when you first create the map, then raise it and use 'plateau' when its high enough, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE EDGES. Then change the map size and camera bounds to whatever you want and you can make rivers wherever

I've been shouting this for months and months, and even posted on that 'water level' tutorial

Yet no one &^*&*(g listen anyway.

 

[Rad]

Ehh sorry ryoko, I havent been here a month (Although I have known this for a few months )

EDIT: Clap clap

 

[cjrocks]

ok bare with me, this is the first tutorial ive tried.. and ive only just started editing and making maps
this is my day and night lagoon

 

[Husky]

Ahh see looks good doesn't it. But I noticed down at the lake (bottom of waterfall) that area has been raised. Try lowering it for a more Realistic effect (it would really be rolling off that too.

-Husky

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Ehh sorry ryoko, I havent been here a month (Although I have known this for a few months )

EDIT: Clap clap

Eh

Maybe if enough of us say it, it will sink it.

For crying out loud, at least learn the ramp tool too

Ah! No tutorial on ramp tool!

Durr.... no terraining tutorial to put ramp in. Blah!

 

[cjrocks]

fine tuneing:

 

[skinny77]

cjrocks, i know u sed ur a beginer, but u need some constructive critiscisim . Firstly, u have way too many waterfall doodads on it, it just looks a bit of a jumble. If u can't get the angle right, then just place the waterfall, click on it (so it has a green ring round it), hold ctrl and hold left mouse button and u can rotate it. And secondly, ur lagoons water is ABOVE ground level. How is that possible? Thirdly, u need a few more water and environment doodads.
However, it was a nice try for a beginer. my first waterfall thing was way worse than urs.

 

[Kitt]

Eh, a nice ramp tutorial might be nice >.> I find myself baffled as to the mechanics of ramps. They only work on levels one level apart, and only if enough space is allowed. Meaning long, or tall ramps are a no show =(

Mrow.