An effect that I'm particularly fond of for emphasizing terrain steepness is the "terrain morph." The idea is to transition from a flat surface into the 3D topographic view through a smooth series of steps as in this post.
Here's a nice example showing Longs Peak, Colorado.
Click through to the high def version to get the full experience.
I really like the "old school / new school" metaphor as well. The initial flat quad map has been around forever, but has now given way to interactive 3D views with textured high resolution imagery.
Hope all's well!