i have looked at random maps in paint to see the way they are built, but i cant seem to get the color code straight. any one have a table/explaination that can help me out? i really want to make maps.

you know how there is a palette.bmp in base.rte?
well, there is a SECOND palette for scenes. You can't find the actual palette, but if you open an existing scene with certain graphics programs (eg, photoshop, graphicsgale, gimp and others I cant remember right now) you can see the palette.
There are basically 5 different colors that you use, each one corresponds to a certain texture. The light brown/tan color is the light colored dirt. The darker colored brown is the rocky dirt, the darkest brown is the brown rock, and the other brown that looks a lot like the second one is the topsoil. Use pink for backgrounds.
There is also a dark purple that can be used for making caves and such.

I hope this has clarified the whole scene thing for you.

yes i saw that but i plan on makeing a d-day map for fun and i just dont want to put the wrong materials, so i asked, thanks too!