Tears of Mother Nature (Poem)

Tears of Mother Nature

The rain's falling like a million feathers;

with gentle rhythms sounds sweet to the ear.

The sky is echoed with rolling thunders,

with friendly voices of Mother Nature.

The air is fresh and ground filled with waters,

with aroma and essence that wets the summer.

Its the moment She nurture Her creatures,

with love and care that shower with her tears!

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

By Wei Di

29/03/2010

Making a Map for Warcraft III - an Overview

People really having much fun playing Warcraft Maps (such as DotA, The Three Corridors, Fight of Characters) but did anyone know how these Maps are created? As a Map maker, I am gonna explain a lil bit here so you guys could appreciate what people has done for you to play!

Well, to create a good map (game) with many original customizations, it is indeed a tedious project:

-it requires you a knowledge in programming (Jass script), or at least, basically, in GUI

-a knowledge in graphics editting (2D for Icons, textures, etc and 3D for models)

-a knowledge in sound editting (but doesn't seems popular among the community)

-a knowledge in terrianing

-AND good knowledge in gaming of course!

Scripting:

There are 2 methods where you can write your triggers:

*(triggers are the procedural codes that would be automatically be executed in response to certain events or happenings)

1)The GUIs (Graphical User Interface) for beginners- but has limited functions, and
2)The Jass Script- very powerful but need an advance knowledge in programming.

Therefore, I prefer the GUI method since I have not undergone any proper training in programming. All my knowledge is self-explored (since I have no internet during form 4 and therefore no web-based learning). Below is an example taken from a map that I have created during Form 4 (Legacy of the Damn):

A piece of trigger Written in GUI - simple. However if you did it beyond limits, it would be very messy, especially when you are dealing with 2 dimensional array variables.

Jass Scripts - I see stars!! Well it is very messy to untrained eyes, but would be very neat for pros as you can create variables of type both "local" and "global". So it is very powerful and have almost unlimited functions.

Texturing and Modeling:
This is another aspects of map making, where it enhances the art effects of the game. It requires you to a skill in
1) 2D graphic edittings - Photoshop to do texturing, Icons, LoadScreen, with alpha channel
2) 3D Graphic editting - 3D Max (Modelling, Animations, Particles, etc)

I am good in 2D Graphic editting, since my 3D skills is for LightWave and SketchUp, not 3D Max. Anyhow I do know some simple 3D editting for Warcraft III model. Well I gonna show you the 2 models (out of many) that I have customized in my map (Legacy of the Damn)

Left: My first editted model (Fozeron) , editted originally from the in-game LightningRevenat model. I had added some icy particles with the particle emitter. Right: The texture that I editted. Added a thin layer of snowy ice so make it look chilled.

Another Hero I edited. I change its particle colour from green to red, then add some flame effects on its head and hands. So the whole infernal is really ignited! The 4 icons below are his spells I programmed in GUIs (including art effetcs). The 2nd and 3rd icon is drawn by me using Photoshop. The right image showing Magma casting Lava Splash (3rd Icon).

Terrain Editting
Well this is another knowledge you need to have in Map-Making. But it is simple to create the terrain with the terrain editor in World Edit. Most people found it easy to master, however, if you are not a good artist, the map would look very fake and not natural. So its all instinct and intuition that u are dealing with! A map that is too empty or crowded is not good.

Another map of mine - the Jurassic Survivor.
Upper: A texture Wire-framed terrain.
Below: Rendered in-game previews, where I added in linear fogs, rain effects, and did all the terraining myself. Imported models including Dinosaurs, araucacia trees, palm trees, fern trees, grass, etc.

Sound Editting
Well most map-maker don't use custom sound for sound effects, since there are pretty much in-game sounds in the game's directory readily to be used. However if you chose to, it is another advance knowledge in MIDI editting! Though I do composed a few theme song for my map using Sibellious, but the file is too large for it to fit in. Plus, it is not so nice also. So I just simply download some track and put it in my map.


Well, I would say that making a truely genuine map with high quality is quite a tedious project. For me, where my modding team consist of only my brother and I, so the modding (modifying) process seems endless! (Plus I cant find any other map makers in Malaysia). Stuff goes even harder for me since my house have no internet connections that time; it also means that I had to learned the whole modding process through myself - explore exsisting maps, try and error, experimets!!! And mighty good thing I made it all!

Now I have stop modding map and whatever I wrote here is just for some general knowlegde that I wanna reminisce and share with all the gamers. =) Someday, maybe in the holiday I would continue to complete all the map that I have made halfway. (Legacy of the Damn, Farmville, Pro Shooter, Underwater, Jurassic Survivor, etc)

Photoshop Tutorial #1: 3D Sphere in 5 Minutes!

Wallpaper of the day - Only 4 source images is used (the left 2 corundums and right 2 garnets).

The rest I did it manually in Photoshop, after discovering the technique of creating spheres

with shadows and reflection.

For most people, Photoshop is an image editing software where you combine 1 or more source images (photos, stock images, pictures from internet, etc), modify them, add in information and make them into a new piece of image. Or many people prefer to use Photoshop to retouch photos.

But now I gonna teach you to go beyond what other people normally do. I'll show you how to create images instead of modifying, and here is the 1st tutorial, one of the simplest.

TUTORIAL 1

3D sphere in 5 minute. Sound kinda impossible? I'm gonna unveil the mystery layers by layers so for those who are still new you'll know what is going on with the "Layer" feature in Photoshop, a very powerful gifts in graphic designing. There is no 3D functions, preset filters, or add-ons involved.

STEP 1

Not big deal. Create a grey circle like this. There are many ways to create a circle. I prefer to use the Pen Tool to create shape.

STEP 2

Now make it 3D. How?

This is the tricky part. You need to add tones to the plain circle using your mouse. I do recommend you to use the Dodge and Burn tool. Dodge is to lighten it while Burn is to darken it. The upper part should be brighter as light if reflected and the lower part, darker. To make it more realistic add a little reflection at the edge near the ground. Step 2 would just be a piece of cake if you are talented. =)

STEP 3

Now its time to add shadow. We add it manually.

Create a feathered-edge black circle. For me, I use the Brush Tool with large diameter and 0% hardness. And dot one on the canvas. Then proceed to transform it (CTRL + T). Compress the feathered circle into oval shape.

STEP 4

Place the shadow behind the ball so it look like this. Adjust it till it is right at the bottom of the ball. You are not done yet anyway, only for the 3D part. For skilled people this takes only 30 seconds. (by aids of shortcut keys, of course)

STEP 5

Copy and paste the 3D sphere layer so you have 2 layers (CTRL + J). Transform and flip the copied sphere vertically (along the x-axis) so it resembles the mirror image of the 1st sphere (Edit->Transform->Flip Vertical). Then adjust its position till they touch end to end at the bottom. Use Eraser tool (E) to fade the bottom part of the reflected sphere with uniform gradient. The eraser should be feathered, i.e. 0% hardness. Tada...you are done! Congratulations. Wait a second, maybe you want it to look metallic instead of a gypsum plaster?

STEP 6

Now get a source image. In this case I have took a picture. (Chancellor Complex of University of Technology Petronas) This photo would gonna be the reflected environment in the sphere. DONT use your photo else you wanna see how funny your face got distorted! xD

Use the liquefy filter to make it appear reflected on a spherical surface. (though I prefer to use warp transform) Then crop out the part. Place the cropped image behind the sphere. Then apply Linear Light mode to the Sphere layer so it looks like this. Repeat the same thing for its reflection and you are done!

DISCLAIMER.

I shall notify that all tutorials and materials that had been used here are very original. No other tutorials from other sites is pasted, nor referred. Every ideas are original.

"Cat"astrophe.

I woke up some 6am n feel some warm furry thingy near my leg. To my big surprise I come to realise that I have actually slept with a cat for the whole night! (ntg happen between us btw) Naturally I grab the nearest tool (broom) and whack it hard...chasing after it. It run real fast. But my anger drove me even faster. Until we reached the balcony where it's the dead end. Thx God I was conscious enuf 2 let it survived. BTW I casted my ulti - pour it with a big pail of water. It then drifted skillfully off the corridor like AE86.

New Template!!!

Lets start off with a random picture -
Its my new hard drive! 320 GB SeaGate worth RM230 of warranty 5 years.
Wanna thank so much to my dad!

New Attire
Well, it is pretty obvious that my blog have a new appearance. Since there are some extra time in hand (holidaying of coz) and I'd been freaking bored with the old appearance of my blog, finally I decided to do some "renovation".

So I browse through Google and found a piece of nice template.
Blue. Plain. Simple. Vast.
So did I downloaded them...and Whoala.

I always prefer Blue or green simply because they are rejuvenating.
Though in the past I favored dark-coloured background, now I've my taste twisted a lil.
Nice isn't it the new look?


Frenz 4eva!!!
It had been nearly a year since my last meet with Conilia and SinChean during CNY and unexpectedly we meet again this very end of year. Thanks to Joey for the call up! And its been 2 years I've not seen her.

This time we go to Wings Cafe. Quite a cool place. There is a professional performer there that plays the guitar and sings. And the beverages, of course cost us quite a fortune.
Therefore I only had a drink. hehe. Then we had a great conversation, mostly of some past memories that we spent together, esp about the trip to Japan. Really miss those times.

Classical: Its Conilia, Joey, SinChean and me @ Wings Cafe.
Dug out some memory in Japan.

Though there's a big gap of time seperation since we parted from our beloved alma mater St.Francis, I never expected today we're still talking and laughing excactly like we used to. Moreover no one had really changed in appearance, except me. Slimmer. hehe.

By the way its great to meet up each other after a long time of separation - each living own's life barely contacting each other. I suddenly remember what Conilia once said to me, that she was quite sad to leave SFI. In fact everyone does. All of us used to be close friends and we share lots of great memory. But time doesn't allow and we have to depart for each's journey of life.

Don't let time to tarnish the friendship between us. Friendz Forever!!!

Every rings of friendship that we belongs to throughout our life would end someday, and a new rings always form. Hence we should appreciate all our friends. Often, we don't realize how much our friend could mean to us, until the time that we need to depart draws near. Only by then we feel reluctant and start to appreciate his or her presence.

-signing off-
.....

98th 99th 100th 101th spin....

This is the ceiling fan of my room. There is nothing special about it. Just that when I got have nothing much to do I'll start to count how many spins it did....

- sign of rotting at home -

A New Melaka, or An Outdated Me?

The Historical Theme Park

There are a tonnes of changes in Melaka recently which I don't actually realized until I tour Micheal, Andy and Abang (my Sarawakian friends) around. I am not much like a tourist too I think when I marveled trough the sea of tourists which flooded the entire Stadthuys, Clock Tower, Chirst Church, and Jonker Street. I have to agree with what Andy said, Banda Hilir is like a histocrical theme park! Since all the historical monuments and tourist attractions like the Menara Taming Sari, Boat-ride, etc is confined within one small region, even the shopping malls for the locals are in the same region, and I am proud to announce that my formal secondary school St.Francis Institution, is just right in the middle! Well I'll roughly introduce a few new places worth to visit.

Near the clock tower. Really flooded by tourists.

Jonker street.

Out door bar at Jonker.

Tourists grabbing goods as if they are free at "San Shu Gong",
a shop that sells local delicacies at Jonker.

The newly built Dataran Sungai Melaka (next to QuaySide) has probably turned out to be one of the most attractive site, and I rate it as "unique" because it had successfully transforms the smelly and polluted Sungai Melaka into a scenic yard with picturesque scenery especially during sunset, but still it is smelly as ever. By the way Andy rate is as "romantic". The Kincir Air replica, the rebuilt forts and the beautiful lamp posts that torched alongside the river further enhance the scene. In addition, there is a Boat Ride to tour around the smelly Sungai Melaka, with fancy boats and a narrator to explain about the river. Too sad we don't get to ride as it rained heavily.

Night view at Sungai Melaka. The river cruise could be seen at the back.
At the far end is the Eye of Malaysia.

Andy at the side of river.

The Maritime Museum in the replica of a Portuguese ship.

A few steps from the Dataran River take you to the rows of museums. There are at least 8 to 10 museums in a row. Among those Tortura (next to gate of A'Famosa) is the 1 that stands out. It is a temporary museum (until February) that exhibits medieval instruments of torturing and killing people. The entrance is kinda creepy like the Ghost House in Genting, coupled with medieval choir as ambient musics. RM10 per entrance but worthy and I rate it as "informatively traumatic" as you'll be perfectly stunned with the cruelty and demonic acts of the past human and sigh for the agony suffered by those victims. Micheal rate it as "spiritual and possessed", as for those exhibits might be real. Often we would tend to contemplate on our own fate after watching those, on how lucky are we to be born in the modern society, despite the painful fact that some legal authority still practice the act of torturing secretly.

The entrance to Tortura. Looks creepy.

Osim message chair? No way its a chair with thousand spikes.

The Human Saw. The Victims are hung upside-down, with their leg spread apart, then 2 executors would hold each end of the saw and cut the victim into 2 slowly. In great agony, victim would slowly die when the saw reach the lung.

Andy, Micheal and Abang are just too lucky to choose the right date out to visit Melaka. Not only the weather is nice, but exaclty on the 26th - 28th there is a Cultural Art and Performance being carried out on a few spots in Banda Hilir, the so called "theme park". It was my first time to see such a weird performance also. There is a sound system playing music, and a performer soloing some artistic dance. Perhaps it is too abstract for us to understand. The performer shout, scream, do funny faces, etc. Some act which I recognized as "mad". By the way it do attracts crowds of people to watch.

Spider man? An art performer from the Austrailia.

"Melaka! Melakaaa!!! my Me....lakahhhh!" He is trying to express something but we don't underdstand.
Looks like he is proposing to the fort.

Another performer from Sumatera.
He is pouring flour on himself.

Next I bring them hike up the famous St.Paul Hills - the place where you could see the entire Banda Hilir. The ruins of St. Paul Church are there too. From the hill then you could really evaluate how much Banda Hilir is like "theme park". Musics are anywhere, probably played by the trishaws' loud speaker. Groups of tourists, thousands of them, and streams of beautifully decorated trashaws filled the entire city. There you could see the Eye of Malaysia (a huge Ferry's Wheel) and the soaring high Menara Taming Sari, a revolving tower, sort of a mini KL tower. I bring them to have a ride in the tower and they queued up terribly long.Abang and Micheal at the staircase up to St.Paul Hill.
Really a tired day after walking for the whole day.

A view from the Hill with tourists queueing up to reach the hill.
A hotel is in construction at the far end.

The Menara Taming Sari as seen from the hill.
It takes the shape of the Keris of Taming Sari and therefore its name.

During late night there is still some places of interest - The Jetty, just behind Mahkota Parrade. Well I would not say it is a tourist attraction, but somehow it is unique and attracts many night-life people. It is a 400m long building extending to the sea. There are K-box as many as 60 rooms, Pool games and snookers, Cyber Cafe, restaurants, etc all above the sea. At the end it is the floating cafe and K-box, where you can sing, and have meals in the open air and open sea. There is a night club and dance club too at the beginning. Andy and Micheal rate it as "heavenly entertaining" since everything is available within 1 place while Abang rate it as "unique and beautiful"

Eye of Malaysia as seen from The Jetty. Beautifully illuminated.

Craziest Jam

Imagine this situation: It had been 20 minutes yet you barely drove a few meters away. Certainly for some hot-tempered person this would be a nerve-stretching process but what can you do? It is helpless. Even pedestrians on their foot are much faster, they walk pass your car swiftly with great ease. This certainly prompt you to abandon your vehicle to join the stream of pedestrians, or maybe bang them hard with your car to release some tension? Well, it took me some 30 minuted to reach Mahkota Parade from QuaySide, which translates to around 500 meters. Its tedious for the jam alone, and the monstrous nightmare complements the jam perfectly when it comes to parking. All the slots are fully occupied and there is no way for you to park your vehicle. And thanks to the road next to new Newton being sealed off (for some pasar malam thingy), I have to take another 30 minutes joining the almost static traffic just to turn around Mahkota Parade to reach the parking near the Jetty. What a "long" journey!!!