Mycon Caves
polycounter lvl 12
Now that I have a little bit of free time, I decided to start up a new environment project! This environment will be based on the concept by Sam Gebhardt : http://www.newfuelstudio.com/newfuels1944/images/large/108mycon_cave_01.jpg
However, I have made some slight changes, and want to go for something along the lines of this:
So I've started a quick blockout in max, just want to get proportions and composition right.
Where the large menhir/stone pillar thing is, I was wondering what it'd be like if I added a little japanese twist to it. Making it a large statue of the Japanese Komainu. (http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/Asia/Japan/JapanThemes/images/Komainu01.jpg)
Not sure about it just yet, but it's a possibility.
Another addition would be a set of spiral stairs going around the main mushroom. Leading up to the small teahouse. I've yet to dertermine the style of the stairs, but I'm getting there!
This is the first environment I've had time to start since getting a job in September! I am eager to get these assets into UDK!
Hopefully this project will be as informative to newcomers as much as my previous Dungeon Environment was. I recieved alot of thanks for showing the entire workflow. I plan on going through this environment step by step just like I did with my last one!
C&C is *most* appreciated!
However, I have made some slight changes, and want to go for something along the lines of this:
So I've started a quick blockout in max, just want to get proportions and composition right.
Where the large menhir/stone pillar thing is, I was wondering what it'd be like if I added a little japanese twist to it. Making it a large statue of the Japanese Komainu. (http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/Asia/Japan/JapanThemes/images/Komainu01.jpg)
Not sure about it just yet, but it's a possibility.
Another addition would be a set of spiral stairs going around the main mushroom. Leading up to the small teahouse. I've yet to dertermine the style of the stairs, but I'm getting there!
This is the first environment I've had time to start since getting a job in September! I am eager to get these assets into UDK!
Hopefully this project will be as informative to newcomers as much as my previous Dungeon Environment was. I recieved alot of thanks for showing the entire workflow. I plan on going through this environment step by step just like I did with my last one!
C&C is *most* appreciated!
Replies
thumbs up to the mushroom house.
With the Komainu, would you still include a glowing element to it like in the concept? I think it would be a very cool opportunity for a secondary focal point with the warm vs. cool if you stuck with those colors. And potentially awesome rim light cast on all that foliage and whatnot down below if you chose to darken the scene a bit or add a little stronger contrast as a whole.
In sticking with the japan theme, maybe those glowy bits could come from something like this here or these?
It would give it a more ornamental shrine-ish kind of feel. Idk, if thats what you had in mind, but i think it would be cool.
but anyway, theres my opinion if you'll have it.
good stuff!
-pull statue forward
-push holes and rear of cave back
-widen hole to the left
- dot forget hole in rear to the back of the cave as i think this provides a nice VP
cool
I'll be sure to keep working on it tonight when I get home!
Robat, I do indeed plan on adding glowy bits. I love the way they add a warm contrasted feel to the scene. I don't know if I'll go with lanterns or not, I think I like the way the acorn-shaped things look. We'll see though!
here's his blog:
http://samgart.blogspot.com/
Needs more Juffo-Wup, though.
I've reworked the scale a little bit. Made the whole place feel bigger. I'm just doing a quick AO render in max, mind my lighting. Once the proportions are just right, I think I'm going to make the terrain/cave walls in mudbox.
Still need to think of a style for the stairway leading up to the house on top of the mushroom. I'll do some research tomorrow.
Planning:Since this entire place is almost 100% organic, I don't think I'm going to ha
ve that many modular sets. Aside from a few mushroom, rock, and stalagtite/mite sets, most of my assets will probably be unique.I want to experiment with UDK's advanced texture blending. I will primarily use this on the path/walkway.Fortunately, I've been working as an FX artist at work lately, so I'll should be able to get alot of nice particle effects done in UDK. I've never used Unreals Particle Editor before, but it shouldn't be too different than what I use at work.So here is my list of things I need to make.
-Sculpt terrain/cave walls.
-Vegetation/flora sets-Rock sets
-Stalagtite/mite sets.-Mushroom sets, big and small.
-Statue (I've yet to decide how it's going to look)
-Small house-Dripping water FX-Spiral stairsThis should be a very fun and challenging project!
Notice there is a clean, sliced separation between the top and underside part. I like the way it looks. But right now, the entire thing seems blobby. I need to solidify the whole thing. Perhaps once I add some more microdetails it will help out a bit.
Thank you for the reference by the way! I had looked at those very images before, but the design of the mushroom in the concept is very different than your average real-life mushroom!
It's looking better. Still can't put my finger on what's bothering me. Perhaps once I get some vegetation and plants around the base, it will look better. I made the top part droop over more and it really does help out alot though!
(you can google for shroom cluster)
edit: heres a paintover
they come close, but do not join
I had to look twice when i saw these, wtf. mushroom porn?
But thank you for your input!I'll see what I can do at this stage without completely restarting the base model. I was trying to stick true to the concept's mushroom design. And in this case, each of the mushrooms blend into one massive...trunk? They aren't completely separated. Some of them are, but those are the smaller, less important ones. This one that I'm sculpting is the main focal point mushroom.
I shall indeed take your crit into consideration however, thank you!
I think if you look at the edges of your mushroom cap they are too fat and the top edges feel unnaturally sharp. If you look at this image, you might be able to tighten that up and add some slight variation to give it a more organic hard edge. There could also be more undulations on the top part and where it extends to the edges of the cap.
I would also sharpen and define the edges of the gills underneath if possible. They feel a little too soft right now.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fly_Agaric_mushroom_04.jpg
@dtschultz ; Thanks for pointing that out! I will see what I can do about it!
Working on getting the bake nicely done. I've already retopoed and etc. So hardening the edges of the underside won't be an issue at all.
Looking really cool!
Can't wait to see more of your awesomeness!
I hope you'll promise to stay true to the lightning scheme of the concept art as well:thumbup:
Still a few things here and there that I need to fix up first, including a few Normal Map seams that are bothering me a ton. Still trying to learn how to properly set up my lighting with Xoliul's shader. If you find it too dark, let me know, I'll simply use the default lighting so you can crit my work better.
...Darn JPEG compression makes all the details look blurry as heck. Anyone know a way to preserve sharpness?