Terrain Exchange

I am proposing a program which would benefit people who make quality Terrain.

It's called Terrain Exchange because it's precisely that. In my own expierience, I can never get a whole map to be full of unique, beautiful, and diverse areas - I always have my 'up' spots and my 'down' spots. I recommend that we setup a thread or a network where we make and fill terrain requests. If I'm working on a map in the Village Fall tileset, but I've more or less drowned my terrain skill, I wouldn't mind creating some terrain in another tileset for another terrainer, while they (or someone else) creates a portion of tileset (complete with doodads) that I could put into my map.

This helps us all keep our creativity high, helps our projects move along faster and most importantly, makes our maps beautiful, interesting and diverse. I think that every person who is working towards a map with well-done terrain could benefit from this.

Of course 'members' of this network or group of Terrainers would have to demonstrate a certain level of skill so others know they are getting quality work, but here's how I envision it working.

Terrainer 1: I need a Felwood area about 5 large grid spaces by 3 large grid spaces, that is a valley with a thin river running through it, a few places for creeps, and a fountain of mana.

Terrainer 2: I need an Icecrown Glacier area about 3 large grid spaces by 8 large grid spaces, and I need it to be an icy river with high cliffs on either side and two bridges across at horizontal spaces 2 and 5.

These terrainers would take up eachother's requests (either posted in a thread and checked off when done, or... something else I haven't thought of) and post or privately send the map file when finished. Each recipient could then take the terrain and doodads and copy them into their own map.

What do you all think? Anyone interested? Possible changes/improvements?

I think it's a good idea :D If this is a succes then maybe it could earn a sticky... oh well, not for me to decide.

But yeah, this is a good way of getting good all around terrain. Even the best terrainers have their up and down spots.

Anyway... at the moment, I have no request and nothing to give seeing as my terrain will stay crappy for a little while longer :(

eerrr?? how could u transfer the tile's over to the person's map? why not just send them your map, so besides building a network of terrains MORE than 1 person has your map just incase a worst case senario occures and you have no more map anymore.

The requested terrain would be made in a 64x64 map, which the terrainer could then either post in the thread for all, or privately send to the requester. Then, the requester could take the map, open it up, and copy terrain from that map to their own.

Sounds like a good idea, I know what you mean by up and down parts of terrain. I dont have anything that requires good terrain, but I may try and do some terrain for someone.

There seems to be some amount of support for this idea, but it isn't ramapnt... Should we work it through a thread, PM's or get eachothers' outside (AIM, Email) contact info and do it that way?

And does anyone else have thoughts on this idea?

Well, through thread is a fine idea, though not in the Map Developtment Discussion, it will be overlapped waaaay too fast.
So... IMO I think E-mail will be the best choice. Though still many changes can be made. (If my email is needed it is : [email protected] )

I have no extra thoughts about the idea... I have no requests either, though now I am willing to take on requests. (I want to slowely start from scrap seeing as (for a reason) my terrain sucks right now... it'll change for the better soon though. Stress is an awful thing...) :D

I have posted a thread in the Campaign/Team Discussion forums about this, and have 'started' the exchange. If you've been keeping an eye on this thread, check it out.