Original Post
I'm working on creating an RPG that utilizes 3D tiles using C++ and OpenGL. I'm working on deciding how to design the map files. This is the first time I've worked with something like this, but so far I've been fairly successful. Here's a picture of my 10x10 tile test height map: http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3284/demo0wy.jpg The map can be freely rotated 360° and zoomed in and out in the current configuration (along with a very poor movement hack using the arrow keys). I have not yet implemented any sort of viewing frustrum or multiple sector loading - it loads one and only one map. Also, the current implementation only displays flat horizontal tiles - the final implementation will allow tilted and slanted tiles (currently using quads, my next goal is to switch to triangles). I would like to keep the map discretized in the xy plane, but to save on polygons large flat regions maybe should be textured and built as one unit. Any thoughts on how to do this? I'm using a regular perspective projection tilted at a 30° angle, I tried ortho for a bit, but I didn't like the results I was getting. I'm okay with the perspective view, but I don't have any experience building a viewing system with clipping planes - any advice on this would be appreciated. Thanks for taking a look at my slow-going project!