Polycount Study Group B

LRoy

This thread is for feedback and brainstorming for the work of those in Group B. Everyone is welcome to post critique but please refrain from posting outside work if you are not currently assigned to the group.

Alright guys have fun and start posting.

Sythen

Yay! Although I've one question. Where's my cookie?

MrOneTwo

<---- ... sorry man.

Sythen

I hereby declare that Sythen is now in charge of cookie giving, should any issues arise and the person who fixes said issue gets a cookie. Issues include but are not limited to: Issues with Lighting in UDK, modeling, baking, texturing, UDK, unwrapping, and anything to do with Polycount.

gilesruscoe

What are these study groups about?

Zipfinator

gilesruscoe wrote: »

What are these study groups about?

Studying.

MrOneTwo

Ok here we go. Working on texture for this gun. Any crit would help. My texturing skills are pretty low and trying to improve.

myles

Looks like a good start so far, seems like you've got the more noisy detail down, but its lacking both material definition and larger details that I'd expect, it also looks like you've got uite a few normal issues (for exmple on the front attachment on the rail, looks like theres a seam on the curve (though that could just be the angle) and on the muzzle there is some warping (ahem).

As for the material definition I suggest you play with your specular to bring out the shiny metal to the more dull plastic, you'll probably want to add a gloss map and add some colour into your specular at this point too.

As for larger details, there needs to be some large (but subtle) colour differentials in your base colour as well as some larger amounts of scratching in appropriate areas.

SnakeDoctor

Ok bookmarked this page I will try to check it daily. If anyone else needs my email, its Chris.Rohlfing@gmail.com .


As for the gun, I think what you have is perfect for the base color. I would now go add some more scratches and all around wear and tear. I also agree with Myles about the specular, it really feels like its all made out of one material right now. Finally, it might be just me, but the sight rail looks like its just normal mapped. If that's the case, I think it would give a better silhouette if it were actually modeled.

Zipfinator

Looking good MrOneTwo. Just going to echo what they said about defining the materials more.

Here are some shots of my forest environment







I could really use some pointers on how to improve the lighting/atmosphere and just general criticism on anything else. The biggest issue I'm having is getting the trees to look like they're lit and not just fullbright from lower angles.

Zipfinator

That's partly because I toned down the reflections a lot and partly because of the angle. It looks better in motion for the most part and I'll be recording a video flythrough of it when I'm done. I did turn the reflecions up more though so that it looks better from angles like that.

MrOneTwo

For me its hard to judge. This foggy look almost hides everything ;p You aim at this spooky foggy look ? I think you should write down what atmosphere are you aiming at then write down what makes atmosphere like that. Now I don't really know what do you want to achieve. Don't know how to solve the trees issue...sorry.



Added some colour variations. Rail is modelled and I actually don't know where you see this seam ;p warping... damn should rebake but I spent so much time on this texture and thought of redoing it makes me sick... I'm really tired of making guns ;p Would be cool to improve my texture skills. There is spec and gloss map... it seems I just can't use or show it properly ;] I moved one light really close to handle so you could spot the difference.

Oh and one thing: GO GO TEAM B !!! moooore cool art! NOW!

LRoy

Zip I think it could use a bit more of a focal point. As it is now everything is kind of getting lost. Maybe a bit more color to guide the eye would help? Just a suggestion.

I know this is probably the total opposite of what you're going for but maybe you could integrate it more subtly. Just an idea.

http://www.phoenixperennials.com/images/acer-garden.jpg

One Two can you post the spec map for the gun? It feels a little too similar all around.

So I guess it's my turn. I'm bouncing around a lot doing stupid little details when I should probably be defining the materials. I'm having a lot of trouble getting things to look the way I want. Don't mind the gloves I left a layer on by mistake. The calf armor feels a bit too similar to the suit now that I'm looking at it here.

Mark Dygert

I think the modeling is going great so far, but its hard to tell without looking at a wireframe overlay (hint hint). The materials on her are working but still need some more work, there doesn't seem to be too much wear or much of a spec map going? Again hard to tell without looking at the material sheets (hint hint).

There's some seriously dark shadows in her cleavage, you should probably read up on sub-surface scattering, you don't need a fancy shader to fake it, artists have been doing for a lot longer than shaders have been around.

Also her lips form a perfect horizontal slit. If you can, you should push the forms in the lips to define the different parts of the lips as much as possible, if the geometry just can't be packed in, then the materials should push those forms even stronger. Try to get that wavy line in there. Right now it just seems like you haven't studied lips much and they're just roughed in using fuzzy knowledge?

http://stacyalexander.blogspot.com/2008/05/some-fun-with-drawing.html

r_fletch_r

LRoy: she has miranda's ass
I totally agree with Mark, the shadows on the skin are too dark. skin scatters light allot and you don't tend to get such deep shadows near bright areas.

MrOneTwo

Blam all the maps. Maybe it will help.


LRoy: maybe you could go crazy with colours? or are you aiming into this realistic look ?

daphz

jumping in a bit late! my bad.

zpfinator - I like the scene, I think the water could be a but more reflective. Also I think it would help if you made the sunlight a bit more powerful, and made the sky a bit less cloudy. so some parts of the map would have some harsher shadows.

mronetwo - your diffuse and normal look good! to get more detail in the spec try overlaying your diffuse ontop of it, along with some other metal/scratch textures

lroy - sexy character! Are you using a gloss map? I would make the plastic and metal parts a tiny but more shiny. and what is the rest of her suit made of? it's hard to tell what the greyish material is.




I'm trying to strengthen my 2d muscles.

Mark Dygert

Zipfinator wrote: »

I could really use some pointers on how to improve the lighting/atmosphere and just general criticism on anything else. The biggest issue I'm having is getting the trees to look like they're lit and not just fullbright from lower angles.

Editing the normals so they're more uniform will help greatly with the lighting on foliage.

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1149155#post1149155

After you've got them set up properly, you check "explicit normals" in UDK to make sure they carry over properly. The normal thief script EricChadwick talks about is slow and buggy and there is a faster version out there somewhere, I forget what its called, "slide normal thief" or something... but don't quote me on that name...

LRoy

Hey guys. I'll post some thoughts on your stuff tomorrow. If I stare at my monitor any longer I'm gonna go blind. Tried working on everyones comments. Still losing the spec war though.

emilysoft11

The researches of coming together is concerning what?
_______________

Buy RS Gold
Buy Runescape Gold
Tera CDKey

Zipfinator

Mark Dygert wrote: »

Editing the normals so they're more uniform will help greatly with the lighting on foliage.

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1149155#post1149155

After you've got them set up properly, you check "explicit normals" in UDK to make sure they carry over properly. The normal thief script EricChadwick talks about is slow and buggy and there is a faster version out there somewhere, I forget what its called, "slide normal thief" or something... but don't quote me on that name...

Yeah I'm already familiar with the script. I used it on the red tree. I didn't think it would be necessary for the yellow ones since each canopy is fairly flat but I'll give it a shot and see if it lights better.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Unfortunately I won't be able to try out much since I just moved today and will be going to Illinois for week in a few days but once I'm back I'll be doing some revisions.

@LRoy, looking pretty good. I can't comment on the anatomy really since I have no knowledge there, but the materials are looking a bit off to me in some spots. I'm not quite sure what the material on the arms and legs is supposed to be. It would make sense if it were some sort of latex or leather but the specular makes it look more like metal. Also the grunge is looking a bit strange right now. The latex-like parts and the grey metal have a lot of splatters and dents on them but the white parts have nearly no damage/grunge. Also for being so dinged up and damaged there aren't many scratches on them. Some areas could definitely use more scratches painted on.

Here are some references of damaged armor that show what I think would make your damage look better.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/4018011492_b73375727e_o.jpg
http://rpggamer.org/shippics/haloArmor_html_ma8a0386.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4312886529_b60a46d558_z.jpg

LRoy

Thanks Zip. I'm gonna try to work in more scruff once I get the metal feel down! I'll def check out those games for ref.

Mr One Two : I think your spec needs more detail. Check out this guys maps.

http://www.aliquaforma.com/ben/art/revolver.html#top

LRoy

New Groups are going up this week. Everyone needs to PM me on Polycount (LRoy). Include your Facebook and Skype names. Also whether you prefer a Character or Environment group. If you do not do this you will not be placed in a group.