Starting with accurate Pacific Northwest United States elevation data, I created a fairly realistic height map in Gaea, a 3D terrain creation program. To add some personality to the map, I used Gaea’s tools to add in exaggerated versions of the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains. I then imported the resulting height map data into Unreal Engine, where I was able to add textures, lighting, props, and some simple camera movements. The result is intended to look like we’re in someone’s basement looking over a 3D map they’ve crafted with their own hands.
As this was a technical exploration to learn how to work with map data, this is far from a visual show piece. I do think it looks really cool, and is a fantastic foundation for some clever editing combined with a purpose for being.