[agracier]

I've found there are often repetitive patterns when using cultivated fields textures. Possibly it may be due to the effect that the textures themselves contain geometrical patterns of sorts - the fields - and that only enhances any repetition already inherent in the way the game uses textures.

Maybe that's one of the reasons I instinctively like to stay clear of Western European maps with their large areas of cultivation. Deserts and arid landscapes are easier to do and textures for such landscapes are easier to make as well, they needn't always be pixel perfect seamless.

I've found that when texturing any given RGB area in map_t, it helps to add random noise in another RGB value assigned to a somewhat similar looking, but still different texture.

Paint Shop Pro has a very simple but useful 'add random noise' function and there are other PS compatible random noise filters on the web available for free downloads as well.

This one is very versatile and useful I've found for creating patterns and especially random woods, since you can vary the size and shape of the random 'blots', unlike in 'add random noise' which all too often gives single pixel randomness. It's called 'blots 2'. The webpage stresses the psychedelic aspect of the filter, but if you use it with gray RGB values you can easily vary size of 'blots', spacing, elongation, placement etc. A very useful filter.

http://www.mehdiplugins.com/english/blots.htm

Here are 2 screenies showing how an RGB value is used to generate a random subsequent RGB value, which can then be imposed on the first. Photo 2 and 3 show different sized random RGB values, done on the same area, in photo 3 you also see the filter interface and can get an idea of the functions available.

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You can repeat this process of random generation as often as you like for any given area of course, but there is a limit to the number of available texture slots. [/img]