Since starting Conflict: Desert Storm we have gone through three different methods of landscape creation. Originally we started a form of 3D tile which allowed us to create specific geometry, such as sheer cliff sections, etc. Ultimately these proved to be too restrictive and time consuming, especially when it came to actually building the landscapes with them. We then tried height maps and although this was a lot quicker, the texture mapping became badly stretched on steep surfaces. The only way around this was to use somewhat bland and featureless textures. Also with this approach, sheer cliffs were just not possible.

We finally opted for a hybrid method. The initial first pass geometry was created using height maps. This meant that the designers could place units and the programmers could script the level even though the artists were still texturing and modelling the level. Then, specific sections such as sheer cliffs, riverbeds and tunnels were remodelled using a combination of polygon modelling and a system called NURBS. NURBS is a form of modelling based on splines and was used primarily for cliffs. It allowed us to map textures flat onto the surfaces very quickly. This approach is in direct contrast to that used in a lot of other games on the marketplace, which use a form of top down mapping. The result is what we call the 'Jelly Mould' look, with lots of stretching problems, especially down cliffs, etc. Not the quality look we are looking for with our game!

Sometimes in production it is necessary to experiment in production techniques in this way, but by doing this we have ended up with a system that produces high quality levels, in the shortest possible time. This has to be a key objective for any quality developer.