I am testing myself by making a low poly barrel that could be used in a game. The picture of the barrel has a diffuse and bump map that is also the specular map.
It would benefit you to read up on texturing a bit more to understand the differences between bump and normal mapping, spec/gloss vs. metalness/roughness workflows etc. The wiki here is very useful:
Looking good! Its great the difference a normal/bump map makes! Love seeing a comparasion with and without! I would say the metal bands maybe have a bit too much denting almost to the point that it is similar to the wood grain! I think if you smoothed some of it out it would look much better
I noticed a couple things right away that could really help this asset out.
1) Style and Variation - Even the simplest asset tells a story both with the model and with it's textures. Coffee stains on a desk, rust on old pipes, paint chipping off of wood...etc. Your barrel right now has one plain wood texture and a simple metal texture for the bands and I can't see any storytelling with just that. What is its cargo? How old is it? Where will the barrel be placed in a game?
Adding just a tiny bit of grunge in the right spots, or painting in a gradient overlay wash to give color variation would help get you started. Variation and imperfections will definitely help your work look more believable.
2) Mirrored textures - One thing to keep in mind is to be careful when mirroring textures. I can see a Rorschach/butterfly like pattern straight down the line of symmetry.
4) Normal intensity - That wood grain is popping a bit too much. Just dial the grain intensity back a bit and it will look much more believable. Make sure to try and match your reference(s)/render target as closely as you can.
I wanted to try and make the barrel look new at first which is why I didn't add anything to show wear and tear. Adding some grunge makes it look used and more realistic unlike the flat plain texture I had before.
The bump map is also toned down a bit to not pop out so much like before.
For reference images I'm just using images from Google and as for an art style I go for realistic modeling since near all the games I own and play follow a realistic art style. Plus when I used to draw, I would draw realistically such as a landscape or a simple lamp, but when I am finished I would like to try a cartoony/stylized texture.
I like it. The 2nd version is better. The 1st one has some repetition in the texture.
Now the metal bands need some work. They look flat, and it looks like the edge where it meets the wood is not metal but wood?
What software is this being shown in? Get it into a game engine, and show views for a couple angles. What does the upper part look like? Why does the wood look so flat (there is no shading around the bottom)?
I was using Maya to model and Photoshop to texture. I downloaded Unreal Engine 4 (first time) and imported my model but not only did parts of it look extremely dark, Unreal Engine 4 was running pretty sluggish even on low setting on my 10+ year old desktop computer.
It's not a normal map, its a bump map. But speaking of normal mapping, I am working on a high-poly barrel model to experiment with normal maps.
If I had the money, I would love to invest it in programs like Substance Designer and high-end computer but until someone is willing to give me a chance for a job allowing me to earn cash, I am a bit limited in my programs and working with a dated computer.
They have a 30-day free trial, and a fairly-inexpensive rent-to-own monthly fee. Experience with Substance Designer is nearly a prerequisite these days.
Bump maps are not used in games, the range is too low and the effects are too minor. Normal maps are used instead.
Displacement is also used, but somewhat rarely, and requires creating a highpoly 3d source (or Substance/NDO) to work properly.
Conversion from photos to normal/displacement/parallax is only used for high-frequency (small) detail. There's also photogrammetry, which is hot these days, but that's much more involved and precise than photo-to-bump conversion.
So I beveled the edge of the low poly to allow the high poly edge of the high poly model be better transferred. I then hardened the edge of the lid and before I transferred map I averaged the normal. Here are the result.
Both are rendered via Mental Ray
High Poly Model
Low Poly Model
This is rendered via Maya Hardware and is what I see in the Viewport
So after having some problems installing Unity, then trying to get used to it along with trying to add a specular map then figuring out to take a screenshot, I've taken 2 screenshots.
The wood looks pretty good. Except for a weird band along the top outside. Also the bottom edge is strangely darkened, looks like the normal map is not aligned properly.
I would add mesh for the metal hoops, so you get some silhouette. Also the metal seems to be lower resolution than the wood, it looks blurry and seems to have color noise (pink/green errors).
One common technique is to map only 1/2 or 1/3 of the circumference (wood strips) then overlap UVs to reuse the same UV space. You never see the whole circumference at the same time, so you can get away with repeats. This way you have larger UVs, and more resolution. The top and bottom circles can also overlap, saving UV space.
And you can repeat some of the hoops. You can even get creative and offset each hoop UV, so they all use the same texture strip, but different parts of it. If you tile the metal texture all the way across the texture in one direction, then the hoop UVs can go off the edge of the UV space.
A brand new barrel is not very interesting, and actually rather unusual to see in a world, unless you are in the barrel factory. Add some wear and tear. Add some liquid stains, add some leaching from the hoops, etc. This will make it a more interesting piece.
The weird band problems on the top and bottom wooden faces outside are from the normal map. But I have no clue what is wrong since all I did was transfer the normal map from my high poly model to my low poly model.
The metal bands are from a normal map incase you have forgotten otherwise I can't seem to understand how I could add more polygons.
This has come a long way, it's getting better and better!
The metal hoops make it more obvious how low poly this is. The whole thing could use more sides around the circumference, wood and metal together. For a portfolio piece I wouldn't worry too much about triangle counts, except to keep it within a reasonable range for a prop, like around 3000.
The grunge on the wood near the metal is looking very linear, like a thick blurred line. It's also showing a bright line along the edges.
The whole thing is showing a lot of compression errors... pink/purple/green noise. You aren't using JPGs are you? Keep the source texture uncompressed while you're working on it, and let the engine compress it later.
The texture is also looking lower-resolution than it used to, more blurry. What resolution is it? Have you adjusted your UVs yet to reuse texture space?
What is your reference for damage? It looks more like plaster than wood to me or chipboard. I've uploaded an image of an old barrel. The wood doesn't ware away.
Also your wooden damage bleeds into your metal, metal rusts and distorts differently to wood. Also in your render it looks like it has a crosshatching overlay to it and weird colour distortion. Not sure why that is. Haven't really played with unity.
Replies
It would benefit you to read up on texturing a bit more to understand the differences between bump and normal mapping, spec/gloss vs. metalness/roughness workflows etc. The wiki here is very useful:
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Texturing
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Texture_types
I remembered the differences between a bump and a normal man before I went to sleep. Don't know what I was thinking at that moment.
This is the barrel with a diffuse, bump and specular map
The barrel with just a diffuse map
Barrel with just a bump map
Barrel with just specular map
1) Style and Variation - Even the simplest asset tells a story both with the model and with it's textures. Coffee stains on a desk, rust on old pipes, paint chipping off of wood...etc. Your barrel right now has one plain wood texture and a simple metal texture for the bands and I can't see any storytelling with just that. What is its cargo? How old is it? Where will the barrel be placed in a game?
Adding just a tiny bit of grunge in the right spots, or painting in a gradient overlay wash to give color variation would help get you started. Variation and imperfections will definitely help your work look more believable.
2) Mirrored textures - One thing to keep in mind is to be careful when mirroring textures. I can see a Rorschach/butterfly like pattern straight down the line of symmetry.
4) Normal intensity - That wood grain is popping a bit too much. Just dial the grain intensity back a bit and it will look much more believable. Make sure to try and match your reference(s)/render target as closely as you can.
Hope that helps!
And which game art style do you want to match?
Barrel - Bump Map
Hi @gc3d
I smoothed out the metal bands on the bump map making them smooth unlike before.
Hi @WallStaringCat
I wanted to try and make the barrel look new at first which is why I didn't add anything to show wear and tear. Adding some grunge makes it look used and more realistic unlike the flat plain texture I had before.
The bump map is also toned down a bit to not pop out so much like before.
Hi @Eric Chadwick
For reference images I'm just using images from Google and as for an art style I go for realistic modeling since near all the games I own and play follow a realistic art style. Plus when I used to draw, I would draw realistically such as a landscape or a simple lamp, but when I am finished I would like to try a cartoony/stylized texture.
Reference image
Let me know what you think.
Now the metal bands need some work. They look flat, and it looks like the edge where it meets the wood is not metal but wood?
What software is this being shown in? Get it into a game engine, and show views for a couple angles. What does the upper part look like? Why does the wood look so flat (there is no shading around the bottom)?
I was using Maya to model and Photoshop to texture. I downloaded Unreal Engine 4 (first time) and imported my model but not only did parts of it look extremely dark, Unreal Engine 4 was running pretty sluggish even on low setting on my 10+ year old desktop computer.
Made some changes to the bump map making the metal pop out and not look like it was just painted on.
The grooves between the wood pieces are too shallow, making the wood look like it's painted on.
To make a good normal map, make a high-resolution 3d model, and bake it down. We have info about the modeling and baking processes here:
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/EnvironmentSculpting#Sculpting_Individual_Objects
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Texture_Baking
You could also use a tool like Substance Designer to create surfaces with depth. For example
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/wood-floor-2-0
It's not a normal map, its a bump map. But speaking of normal mapping, I am working on a high-poly barrel model to experiment with normal maps.
If I had the money, I would love to invest it in programs like Substance Designer and high-end computer but until someone is willing to give me a chance for a job allowing me to earn cash, I am a bit limited in my programs and working with a dated computer.
Bump maps are not used in games, the range is too low and the effects are too minor. Normal maps are used instead.
Displacement is also used, but somewhat rarely, and requires creating a highpoly 3d source (or Substance/NDO) to work properly.
Parallax Occlusion Mapping is also used, but requires the same kind of source as displacement.
Conversion from photos to normal/displacement/parallax is only used for high-frequency (small) detail. There's also photogrammetry, which is hot these days, but that's much more involved and precise than photo-to-bump conversion.
High Poly Barrel
Low Poly Barrel with Bump Map
A different barrel model without metal bands.
High Poly
Low Poly Barrel with Normal Map
As you can see, for some reason I get black edges / faces when creating a normal map.
High Poly Model
Low Poly Barrel with Normal Map
I don't know what's happening between the lid and cover.
Hey,
1 You should bevel your edge to get the smoothing right and don't place a seam on the edge that will fix it.
2 Put a seam on the edge and make it a hard edge. Make cage and average the normals.
@Eric Chadwick
So I beveled the edge of the low poly to allow the high poly edge of the high poly model be better transferred. I then hardened the edge of the lid and before I transferred map I averaged the normal. Here are the result.
Both are rendered via Mental Ray
High Poly Model
Low Poly Model
This is rendered via Maya Hardware and is what I see in the Viewport
Normal Map
@Sunray
Had to unlock normal to fix the normal map removing the black band
Your barrel normal map is getting better, good job.
Have you seen this barrel yet? Might gain some pointers from they way they did theirs.
http://polycount.com/discussion/183292/viking-props-marmoset-toolbag-3
@Sunray
Both sets have a diffuse map, normal map and specular map.
1st Set
2nd Set
So after having some problems installing Unity, then trying to get used to it along with trying to add a specular map then figuring out to take a screenshot, I've taken 2 screenshots.
I would add mesh for the metal hoops, so you get some silhouette. Also the metal seems to be lower resolution than the wood, it looks blurry and seems to have color noise (pink/green errors).
One common technique is to map only 1/2 or 1/3 of the circumference (wood strips) then overlap UVs to reuse the same UV space. You never see the whole circumference at the same time, so you can get away with repeats. This way you have larger UVs, and more resolution. The top and bottom circles can also overlap, saving UV space.
And you can repeat some of the hoops. You can even get creative and offset each hoop UV, so they all use the same texture strip, but different parts of it. If you tile the metal texture all the way across the texture in one direction, then the hoop UVs can go off the edge of the UV space.
A brand new barrel is not very interesting, and actually rather unusual to see in a world, unless you are in the barrel factory. Add some wear and tear. Add some liquid stains, add some leaching from the hoops, etc. This will make it a more interesting piece.
The weird band problems on the top and bottom wooden faces outside are from the normal map. But I have no clue what is wrong since all I did was transfer the normal map from my high poly model to my low poly model.
The metal bands are from a normal map incase you have forgotten otherwise I can't seem to understand how I could add more polygons.
As for the normal map errors, this thread should help:
http://polycount.com/discussion/147227/skew-you-buddy-making-sense-of-skewed-normal-map-details/p1
Made some changes to the texture such as adding some grunge and dirt to make a weathered look. Still trying to get used to the Unity tools.
The metal hoops make it more obvious how low poly this is. The whole thing could use more sides around the circumference, wood and metal together. For a portfolio piece I wouldn't worry too much about triangle counts, except to keep it within a reasonable range for a prop, like around 3000.
The grunge on the wood near the metal is looking very linear, like a thick blurred line. It's also showing a bright line along the edges.
The whole thing is showing a lot of compression errors... pink/purple/green noise. You aren't using JPGs are you? Keep the source texture uncompressed while you're working on it, and let the engine compress it later.
The texture is also looking lower-resolution than it used to, more blurry. What resolution is it? Have you adjusted your UVs yet to reuse texture space?
Keep going, it's coming along very nicely.
I'll make a higher poly model, but I want to get the basic model finished.
The grunge is darker as is the mold/dirt for the metal bars.
What do you mean by how are my textures plugged into Unity?
Diffuse Map
Normal Map
What is your reference for damage? It looks more like plaster than wood to me or chipboard. I've uploaded an image of an old barrel. The wood doesn't ware away.
Also your wooden damage bleeds into your metal, metal rusts and distorts differently to wood. Also in your render it looks like it has a crosshatching overlay to it and weird colour distortion. Not sure why that is. Haven't really played with unity.
@Eric Chadwick
Tried to make the metal more worn with rust and I also I used a metallic map in Unity and here are the results.
With no Metallic Map
With Metallic Map
With no Metallic Map
With Metallic Map
http://polycount.com/discussion/comment/2532465/#Comment_2532465