Rock Outcrop Tutorial

This tutorial will teach you how to model rock outcrops or large boulders. With a skilled hand, it will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

--What you will need:

-Gmax or 3dStudioMax
-GIMP or your preferred 2d art program
-Magos's Warcraft III model editor
-Warcraft III Image Extractor II


Step 1: Modeling the Rocks

--Start up your modeling program. After it initializes, create some icosa-sphere primitives, set to 2 segments ( you can use more segments if you like ). Space them fairly close together and give them ample size variation. When you are done you should end up with something resembling this: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...7&d=1164509729

Next, select all of your spheres and convert them to editable meshes. Then, attach them all into one mesh. Now select the vertices below the grid and delete them, so that the remaining vertices are touching the xy plane. Example:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...8&d=1164509902

Now, add a noise modifier to the mesh. Adjust the values according to your will. I, personally, would leave the Z-strength value at 0, to avoid scallops at the base of the mesh. When this is finished, your mesh should look something like this: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...0&d=1164510118


Step 2: Texture

The texture you make really depends on the environment that you plan to use the rocks in. If you're feeling lazy, you can use a pre-existing texture. The texture you use, whether you make it yourself or use pre-existing, should be laid out so that the top of the rock is in the middle of the texture and the sides surround it. This will save you a lot of time when you wrap it to your mesh.


Step 3: Unwrapping the Texture

Go back to your modeling program ( assuming you left it open ) and brimg up the material editor. Create a new material and add the texture you made\chose. Then apply it to your mesh. Make sure to have the "Show Map In Viewport" button turned on. Now, select you mesh and add the "Unwrap UVW" modifier to it. At this point, you should turn on the "Shade Selected Faces" tool under viewport options. On the "Unwrap UVW" modifier, turn on the 'Select Faces" tool. Select every face on a rock, one rock at a time. Make sure all faces are shaded, then press the "Planar Map" button under the "Unwrap UVW" modifier, like so:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164511009

You will end up with something like this:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...2&d=1164511231
Repeat this process for every rock in the mesh.

Final Product:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...3&d=1164511265

good tutorial but you need to describe more

This looks good for begginers.

Though you don't have to delete half of the sphere at all. People don't place rocks only on plane land. If you placed this on a raised land it will look nasty if it's not continued downside more.

I would have gone into more depth, had i not run out of posting space...

I approve. However if you want to add something simply add it in a new post and I shall see if i can merge something together so it will be 2 consecutive posts.

It's a nice and usefuel tutorial, but i personally would like it more (well, you could already say most) if you also add how to make a new nice custom rock texture.
It's not needed but it would be very nice.

Alright, i guess ill throw in the texture tutorial.

Rock Texture:

--This tutorial will show you how to create a rock texture in the proper format for the Rock Outcrop tutorial.

What you need:

-GIMP or your preferred 2d art program
-Warcraft III Image Extractor II

Initially, open up GIMP and create a new 256x256 texture. You may, or course, modify these dimensions to better suit your needs, but remeber to keep them as a multiple of 128. Now, render a solid noise pattern. (filters\render\clouds\solid noise\) Use an x and y size of 8, detail level of 1 and a random seed. This should be your result:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164659490

Next, apply a cubistic transformation (filters\artistic\cubism). Use the default fields for this filter. Now, apply an oilify filter (filters\artistic\oilify). You will also use the default fields for this. The results should look like this:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164659710

You can apply a blur filter to this for a softer overall effect, but it is not necessary.

Now, apply a bump map filter (filters\map\bump map\). Use your imagination and adjust the parameters to your liking. But, for accuracy's sake, try to keep it along the lines of this:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164659915

Before the next step, you might want to think about what evnvironment you're going to use this texture in. I decided upon a forest setting, so I will be painting moss on this texture.

Bring up the Layers Dialog (ctrl+l) and create a new transparent layer. Make sure to highlight the new layer. Now, select the Paintbrush tool. Under the Paintbrush toobar, apply the Galaxy (AP) (53x49) brush. Now, set you Foreground Color to a neutral shade of green. This will be the base color for the moss. Brush in a circular area, but leave a fair amount of space bewteen the edges of the image. Something to this effect:http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164660535

Next, change your Foreground Color to a dark shade of green to make the shadows. Then, set your opacity to about 50%. Brush this in to the same circular area as you did the base color. Your results should resemble this: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164660734

(Continued in next post)

Rock Texture Tutorial: Part 2

Now, highlights need to be added to the moss. Change your Foreground Color to a light shade of green, leave the opacity around 50%, and brush in the highlights. Results: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164662082

Apply a bump map filter, but this time, use the underlying rock layer as the bump map, like so: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164662139

Next, merge the moss layer onto the rock layer, in your layers dialog. At this point, you can adjust the hues, saturation, values, contrast, etc. The final result should look similar to this: http://wc3campaigns.net/attachment.p...1&d=1164662275

If you have any questions regarding my tutorials, feel free to PM me. Also, don't be afraid to add to my reputation.

Great tut, gonna try d'is right now. +rep

some suggestion:

make people delete the lower half of the sphere, but let them pull down the vertices, so you have almost tubes.

that will save polies and make it go into the ground even if the terrain is not plane