Hi. Wasn't sure where to post this but I figured here might be good as anyplace. I am a novice user so this is simply an attempt to 'throw something out there' which may or may not make sense.

I am reading an article on Gamasutra about texture design and creating variability on a terrain without creating too many different textures and I was struck with a thought...Why not create a feature to allow regios on an hmp to be mapped so that different detail maps could be applied to them? This way you can have a small skin on a large map, with rock regions, grass etc and apply the detail by assigning a 'rock detail' map to a rectangular rock region, a 'grass detail' to a grass area etc. This way if you have a large terrain you could use a small bitmap -maybe very small- and 3-4 small detail maps rather than a very large texture maps.

Here's a quick illustration since I tend towards lack of clarity. Feel free to tell me 'this is dumb because' -better than no comment.

It seems like a pretty logical way to do things. I have not worked with Terrain in 3dgs yet so I do not know how it ties into this system but from the sounds of it I like it.

Actually made me wonder if you could use image mapping software -like you use to create an image map for the internet- and get the coordinates but just a random thought anyway. Thanks for responding though. With no response you wonder if the idea is so far from logical that maybe you shouldn't have said anything. May need to create a second identity on the forums to ask potentially embaressing questions with.