Improve landscape quality

[theFaceless]

Hi there!
I'm still working on my first udk project, and i've created a landscape using mudbox and import heightmap into udk. That's what i've got:

But it looks bad, and i want to somehow improve quality of this landscape.
And another question: i want to create a custom skybox using vue but i haven't found any tutorial how to do this.
Help me with this, please. Thank you in advance.

[Dr3d1337]

What are you looking to improve on that landscape? I looks great!

For the custom skybox/skydome (skydomes look better because the seam is far less visible) just make a simple cube (for a skybox) or a hemisphere (for a skydome) in the 3D modeling program of your choice and flip the normals so that the texture of your sky appears on the inside of them.

You will need to then place your sky image(s) accordingly to the UV map you should of made for either one. A skybox might be a little tougher to align for proper noseam edges but a skydome only needs a panoramic image. Just make sure you make the edges of it tileable.

[Huckle]

I think it looks pretty great as it is. What you might consider is to add another layer for snow on the the very top of the mountains (if they're really big) or a bit of foliage down in the valley (if they're fairly small) to create some more contrast. It depends on what it's meant to be, if it's for scenery I think it's awesome right now. If it's supposed to be the playable level, it needs more detail.

[DGlow]

run the height map through "world machine" and you can get some amazing results.

[theFaceless]

Ok, thank you for your answers. Probably, i'll try to create a custom skydome, will see how it will looks. And yep, now i'm trying to add some folliage on the landscape.
I guess, resolution of landscape in udk will not allow to create too much detailed landscape, but i'll try.
And recently i've seen Max Power's work, and i want to ask: how to create so much detailed rocks? I guess, it's a custom models, made in 3ds max or mudbox or another 3d modelling tool, and simply placed on landscape? Or there is some special techniques or something?

[theFaceless]

Ok, thank you for your answers. Probably, i'll try to create a custom skydome, will see how it will looks. And yep, now i'm trying to add some folliage on the landscape.
I guess, resolution of landscape in udk will not allow to create too much detailed landscape, but i'll try.
And recently i've seen Max Power's work, and i want to ask: how to create so much detailed rocks? I guess, it's a custom models, made in 3ds max or mudbox or another 3d modelling tool, and simply placed on landscape? Or there is some special techniques or something?

Any suggestions?

[DGlow]

Landscape:
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88933

Rocks:
http://www.pxleyes.com/video-tutoria...s---Stone.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hPaf...layer_embedded
http://www.jmchristopher.com/portfol...kTutorial.html

[theFaceless]

Thank you, but the question is how to combine this models with landscape correctly (to get better results, ofcource)?

[DGlow]

look at real life reference, observe how things naturally form. Create rock assets that do the job of what landscape cannot.