RTS Structure - Giant Bonsai Village

GarageBay9

I cranked this out as a work sample geared to a specific position that ended up getting canceled (funding), but I really liked the concept and I'm tempted to polish it up for my main portfolio. I figured I should get some feedback on it first.

Basic specs were less than 1k polys, minimum textures, intended to be seen from overhead views in an RTS-type environment. Final model had 3 DXT5 textures with alpha, two 512 and one 256. This has a little HoMM V and a little BFME2 in it, original plan didn't include spec color / power or normals (added at the very end). Didn't build to a specific engine, and unfortunately Max viewport screengrabs look bad even with good DX9 shaders because of the alpha-sorting issues in Max 9. Thus the render and wireframe. Render should show some of the spec and normal (for what it's worth).

Weakest point for me is textures, especially the treetops. I would love more pointers on improving those along with the rest of the texture work. Right now it feels okay but not fantastic. I like the semi-stylized solid canopy feel but it doesn't look like a proper tree canopy, I couldn't get the feel of internal depth and layers.

Pic 1 is render
Pic 2 is shaded wireframe in Max
Pic 3 is main texture plate, would like crits
Pic 4 is main canopy texture, BEGGING for crits

Reference:

GoodDreams

It's a cool concept but the buildings seem very hap-hazardly placed, they're just kinda stuck into the side of this tree and there dosen't seem to be any logical thought process to the placement, I don't see a central path or other structure for how you're supposed to get up there.

I think it could look cool if the buildings were perched on wooden support structures and had a bit more thought to placement. Or, perhaps if you want it to be more fantasy and less realistic, large twisting braches supporting the buildings.

GarageBay9

GoodDreams wrote: »

It's a cool concept but the buildings seem very hap-hazardly placed, they're just kinda stuck into the side of this tree and there dosen't seem to be any logical thought process to the placement, I don't see a central path or other structure for how you're supposed to get up there.

I think it could look cool if the buildings were perched on wooden support structures and had a bit more thought to placement. Or, perhaps if you want it to be more fantasy and less realistic, large twisting braches supporting the buildings.

I considered both of those but couldn't make it fit in my poly budget effectively. The small details also tended to disappear at the intended viewing distance. I'm still thinking about going back and adding them in some way that's beefy enough to keep them from vanishing at range, though... just not sure how.

GarageBay9

Small bump. Would really love some texture critiques, especially for the treetops.

GarageBay9

One last bump. Desperate to improve the textures on this, *especially* the treetops, and would really really love some pointers and crits... the textures just aren't what I was hoping for at all, even at my best effort, and I'm stumped about how to improve them.

Ninjas

The textures are desaturated and washed out. You should make the leaf texture noisier and with more empty space. If you reduce a lot of the polygons from the smaller buildings you can add those to the tops of the trees.

If I were you I would do fewer, more detailed structures like this:



or these:

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/asiablog/10-japanese-castles

and make sure I spent some time on the base and grounds of the buildings. You can add a trail up the side in the texture. If it is a village you could add some kind of garden areas around the base.

GarageBay9

Ok, will consolidate some of the buildings (and try to add some lattices to them).

Any tips specifically for how to keep from getting so faded and light when I'm painting? It seems to happen even when I'm consciously trying to avoid it. Not sure where I'm going wrong.