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Happy 
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Congratulations! I too reach a milestone shortly (big six-oh for me) and while it's probably the dullest, dampest, most boring time of the year to have a natal anniversary, only the finest were conceived in early spring!
The best of the day is due you, sir - and many happy returns are to be hoped for.
![Beer | [beer]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/beer.gif) ![Jig | [Dance]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/jig.gif) ![Badger | [badger,badger,badger,badger...]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/badger.gif) ![Sunshine | [little ray of sunshine]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/sunshine.gif)
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I'm really interested in developing a game.
I want it to be like age of empires style.
looking like 3D
But actually 2D but just not a birds eye view (more 3d looking)
I would like to use Unity engine
But have no skills in game design besides the concept of the game in my head.
I would like to start with a game map and have a view port so as to be able to see only a portion of the map which scrolls as player moves left/right.
Once I get to that stage then I would like to add the sprites.
How do I go about creating map in Unity?
I would ideally like to take a country map and have it 3 dimensions x,y and z but only z where there hills/mountains like The Alps in Switzerland for example
Please can any members advise me the best route to take.
My programming is okay, but about graphics and game dev I know nothing
but am willing to learn each step as it comes along.
I read some of the articles on the site and they kind of blew me away.
But I'm sure if I go one step at a time then I can do it.
So how do I go about creating a terrain map in Unity with contours?
Thank You
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Zaf Khan wrote: But have no skills in game design besides the concept of the game in my head.
One simple rule: It must be fun. Avoid everything that is overly complicated or repetitive, You must find the optimal spot between boredom and stress. And forget the word 'realistic'. You can make your own little reality and can make the rules as you please.
Zaf Khan wrote: I would like to use Unity engine
You are starting at the wrong end. If you try to do everything at one, the whole thing will descend into chaos. How about taking a tip from web development and use a three tier approach?
- The 'lowest' tier is a data layer. It must not be built with or around a database, but it can be. The are many more options, like storing your data (like your map) in binary files, XML, punched paper tape, floppy disks or anything else that suits your needs. All this layer does is to store data (like for example a tile of your map) or find it for you when you ask for it.
- The middle tier is the game logic. Here is where the games rules are implemented. It uses the functions of the lower tier to fetch and store the data it needs.
- The uppermost tier is the presentation layer. It does nothing more (huge understatement!) Than take the player's inputs, call functions of the middle tier to process them and then 'present' the returned results to the player. Here you must do all the drawing and again you are totally free to use anything at your disposal, from simple console output to huge rendering engines like Unity. Build the simplest presentation layer you can at first. Console I/O is really easy, but limited and ugly. This way you can concentrate on the lower tiers, build and test them without getting bogged down with how to draw this or that. Once you have a working game, you can still write a new presentation layer with any fancy graphics you like and concentrate on doing that and nothing else.
Zaf Khan wrote: My programming is okay
Self praise stinks. You will quickly find that you have chewed off too much. That's okay as long as you can work at one problem at a time and don't try to do everything at once. Use that three tier approach to keep your problems separated and try to keep the scope of your game small until you know that you can handle it. Better a small finished game than an eternal construction site.
How I know that? I started out on this thing[^]. The data layer (yes, I take my own medicene) can spew out solar systems in 4 billion universes, each with 4 billion galaxies, each of the galaxies having hundreds of billions of complete soloar systems with planets and moons. Talk about an insane scope. I should take a year or two off and finally finish it. Not that such a beast ever is really 'finished'.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
modified 20-Feb-19 5:26am.
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@ Code Wraith
Hiya and Thank you for all the advice.
I'm currently working on my data layer and building the map, it's far from finished and I do not intend to start coding straight away.
I will worry about coding when I get to it, but have taken the step of investing in a few decent books.
Cost me a pretty packet but what the hell, it's only money and you cannot take it with you lol...
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While I agree to 99% with CodeWraith, by
- First, create your data base (not database, I mean the base for all your data ), i.e. data layer
- Create a Business Layer, keep it as abstract as possible, and always keep performance in mind, so do not overengineer things.
- Maintainability of software is extremely important, but consider the drawbacks of DIP, IoC and the like, as reflection and dynamic type resolve are VERY expensive operations when it comes down to microseconds when developing a game.
- Keep those at a minimum necessary for your code to be maintainable, but don't create the holy formula for peace on earth.
Besides all of that, I would like to add one single thing:
It is not ultimately true, that you can create those layers "at will".
You need to make one important decision:
- The technology where this all will end
Means: If you plan to go the Unity path, C# is fine.
If you use other platform independant Engines, like libGdx (for Java), DeFold (based on lua language), you might find out, that your layers will not work, as libGdx and DeFold simply don't know about C#.
So, before writing a single line of code, make sure, that you will be able to use your lower layers in the engine where the presentation will take place.
modified 20-Feb-19 3:34am.
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@ Mike Barhold
Hiya and Thank you for your advice too.
Especially everything you wrote in the first paragraph.
Yes I had figured on using C#, although I have not programmed in C# before, I see no problem in learning it.
I do not learn well from video's. I learn better from traditional text books.
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Maybe given all the useful comments posted so far and your clear goal, it might be worth writing a series of articles on codeproject as you learn and progress in your game development.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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@ Guy Thiebaut
Hiya and Thank you for your advice too.
That's not a bad idea at all, I'm okay with screen grabs and writing the steps I guess, but have never made any educational video's and I'm not sure about my voice hahaha 
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@ Rick Zeeland
Hiya and Thank you for the links to the videos.
I've saved in it my browser favourites for future reading.
Especially the tutorials.
Iv'e already chosen Unity as the engine
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@ Zurod Dev
Thank you for the links to his books.
I did see his books advertised when I did my research for the books to buy.
I had thought to myself I would to buy them,
Maybe one or two from his "Unity from Zero To Proficiency" range
but not right now since I spent a lot on the books I bought.
So maybe after a few months I will try to buy them and maybe.
The books I bought for now are:
Sams Teach Yourself - Unity Game Development in 24 Hrs - Mike Greig
Game Development With Unity - Michelle Menard
C# Game Programming Cookbook - for Unity 3D - Jeff Murray
More Effective C# - 50 Specific Ways To Improve Your C# - Bill Wagner
Essential c# - Mark Michaelis & Eric Lippert
The first book I bought will be the last one to arrive
Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping and Development - C# Unity- Jeremy Gibson
Books
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@ Slacker007
Thank you for the links to resources on this site.
The one titled "UNITY 3D - Game Programming Introduction..."
looks superb so I will take a look at that one tonight or later.
Thanks again.
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Glad to hear.
the Brackeys link has some great tutorials on creating game maps in Unity, etc.
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Thanks Again - I'll check it out now
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Quote: So how do I go about creating a terrain map in Unity with contours?
I use the terrain.party website to create height maps of real world locations. Once the height maps are downloaded, you'll need to use Photoshop or Gimp or similar to convert them to .raw format, so that Unity can read them.
Once you have the height map in .raw format, you can create a terrain object in Unity and apply the height map to displace the geometry. I'll leave it to you to play with the settings etc. to get the effect you are looking for, but this should get you started...
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@ Twan Gabhala
Thank You for your help too.
Yes I came across terrain Party website and tried it out.
It only allowed a maximum coverage of 60KM Sq
So I skipped that and created my own map in paint shop pro 5
Its a very old software (1995) but supports RAW format image editing/saving. I create a 256 color bitmap (png/gif), then convert it greyscale then export as RAW. I used it to make a simple map (one I could learn lessons from) in unity, before making the final map. It all helped me understand the scaling of Z (vertical axis) to the game world.
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I was questioned today about my MAGA coffee mug by one of the black females at work today today.
"Who got that for you?"
Harmless query, or something more? I guess we'll see.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
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Well, blacks are Americans too so yeah, they can join in also.
America the beautiful from sea to shining sea.
What's the problem?
Get er a hat.
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote: "Who got that for you?"
Should have said 'My personal mate Donaldo.'
Michael Martin
Australia
"I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible."
- Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
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