Chapter 2. Building 2D and 3D Terrain

In this chapter we will cover:

• Displaying hexagonal maps

• Displaying 2D isometric maps

• Importing and displaying 3D isometric maps

• Generating 3D height maps

• Creating block worlds within the Reach profile

• Creating block worlds within the HiDef profile

Introduction

Some of my all time favorite moments in a game have involved staring out across the vista and marveling at the world before me. Catching sight of some interesting looking places to explore, the appreciation of the subtle artistry to distinguish one area from the next, and the sheer joy of seemingly having an entire virtual world to experience all add a tremendous amount of emotional impact and that's even before acknowledging the primary purpose of the surrounding landscape: to keep stuff from falling off into space.

In this chapter, we will explore creating and displaying terrains utilizing a variety of methods ranging from the retro board game style of hexagonal tiles up to the popular block world style...