Go to File > New or Ctrl+N

Make the file 514 X 514 Pixels
Mode: RGB Color
Contents: Transparent

note: WHEN YOU SAVE YOUR DISPLACEMENT MAP
TO USE IN THE ARMADILLO IT MUST BE AT 257x257
i use 514X514 cause i think it is
easier to work in than 257X257
figure out a size that works for you

Change the Name of Layer 1 to Background

do this by right clicking on the layer where it says
Layer 1 and click Layer Properties



and type in Background in the Layer Properties Dialog Box



If you are using Photoshop 7.0 you can just double click on the Layer Name

This will be a National so i will Make some hills

There are Many ways to do this you can do it in bryce and export it as a displacement map

You can make hills in Photoshop by going to Filter>Render>Clouds
That will take the two colors you have selected for painting and make "Clouds"

Another way is to take the Airbrush in Photoshop and select
different "heights" and randomly place hills
Remember that Black is 0 height
and White is the highest color
here are the colors you can use

this could be used as a smooth downhill
on the RIGHT is the Top of the Hill "White"
and on the LEFT is Bottom of the Hill "Black"

note: you can set how tall your highest color is in the Armadillo
you can learn more about this in
Testing The Displacement Map

Here i have made one with the Airbrush

All i did was take a airbrush about 30 px for the size
and choose different colors from white to black
if you were to put this in the game it would make hills that are like step ups
cause it has real dark colors right next to brighter ones



After you do this u can go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur i blurred this one a radius of 20
that will make your hills a lot smother

Now u can make it so when u go to the editor the sides of your track aren't different heights

note: I do this because if you don't the Armadillo blurs your Inner and Outer Displacement maps together
and sometimes messes up your track


All I do to do this is Select the Canvas shortcut is Ctrl+A

Then all you have to do is go to Select menu and go to Modify and click Border
and this window will pop up

for this tut i made a border of 10 pixels
and filled the border


To fill the border
Just use the Paint Bucket select the color you want
I used Black or in RGB (Red - Green - Blue) 0 - 0 - 0 "Black"
then just click in the selected area to Fill
the color should match the height of most of my terrain around the edges




Can you see the border ? it is black

Take a brush at about 35 pixels make sure your color is Black and your disp is 514 X 514 and draw
a path (The way you want your track to go)

note: MAKE SURE TO PUT THIS ON ANOTHER LAYER
ABOVE YOUR HILLS LAYER
Call it Path

When you are done with that if it is to wide do this...

select the path by Holding down Ctrl and clicking on the layer
now you go to Select > Modify >Contract and put in how many pixels you want to make it smaller by,
now that you have done this you can make it so your track is sunk into the hills

Note: if your track isn't wide enough just do the same thing
and go to Select > Modify > Expand then get the paint bucket and fill it in

all you have to do to sink your track into the Hills is to click on the layer you have the path on
and change the opacity i made it to around 7%

also i went to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to the path layer to make it more smooth
don't blur it much all you need is about 5 pixels