Sci fi complex

Skybex

Latest shots








Original post
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Hi guys. I started this scene 2 weeks ago, and it’s my first purely art focused project.

The idea behind the scene is that it’s some kind of remote, off planet mining area, and what you’re seeing in the images is the residential complex for the staff and families. So there will be shops and other such things in this area, and more industrial structures in the distance.

Eventually all the UDK assets will be gone and it will contain only assets created by me. The scene is very much work in progress, and thoughts and feedback is appreciated.

http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/wipshot01.jpg
http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/wipshot02.jpg
http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/wipshot03.jpg
http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/wipshot04.jpg
http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/wipshot05.jpg
http://www.skybex.com/images2/scifi/assets01.jpg

Alex Pointer

I think that the layout is really cool/interesting. I am not sure how new you are wanting this complex to be but I feel that it needs a little bit of grime, very subtle, not too much, but it will bring even more realism to it. It appears that you are going in a realistic direction?

joe gracey

Would you mind posting your textures?

Skybex

With the textures, the reason they look so clean is because they are just flat colours. That's why I cant post any textures either. Currently I have them set up like in the image below so that I can easily test colours within the scene.

The material also has a normal and spec that isn't shown.

I will do a test though and try and add some dirt to the materials see how it turns out

Skybex

My first attempt at sculpting anything. The diffuse turned out lower res than I expected it would. so I think ill have to revisit it.

I also added some dirt to the wall panels to see how it looks.

Skybex

Still a lot of work to be done, but I thought I would post progress shots.

Lighting was built using preview as it takes forever to build on any decent setting.

Thoughts and feedback as always is appreciated.

brandoom

Hey Skybex,

pretty cool scene, its coming along nicely.

Just a couple small comments/concerns:

The red and grey text and logo isn't working very well. Its pretty dark and hard to read from a distance. Maybe try out some lighter colors, or give it a contrasting background. Also I think its a little weird that a company would put so many signs/banners on their own building.

The building its self is really cool. I really like the shapes and overall size of it. The little black bits randomly scattered about the walls are throwing me off though. Not entirely sure what they are.

Just some more ideas for you, but it might be cool to see some satellite dishes, antennas, vents, lights, and maybe a boat dock on the water. Looking really nice though! Keep up the good work and keep posting updates

Alex Pointer

This is really looking good. I like the overall lighting of the scene. I am also wondering what the little black streaks are but other than that, it is looking strong. Also like the murky water-looks more realistic than previous iterations.

Skybex

The random black bits is just because I have bad lightmap unwraps on some of the assets, ill fix that at some point.

Also the same sign all over the place is just placeholder to test how the modelled text looked. Initially I tried neon signs, mass effect style glowy signs, flat paper ones and eventually the modelled text ones. I liked the modelled text ones best, but since I haven't got the shops and other things in yet, I haven't made the signs to go with them. They will come eventually

Didn't think of satellite dishes, they could add some much needed detail on the roofs. And the dock idea is good, also gives me an excuse to add a boat in the water (Not sure I have seen many sci fi boats to use as reference though, if you know of any, please post)

Lights will also come eventually. Focusing more on the larger details first before moving onto the smaller things. This scene is pretty huge, so don't want to get bogged down with the details before the bigger picture is fleshed out.

Darkleopard

The layout looks great and its coming along nicely

The one thing i do think it lacks though is a big interest point. The colours (i know there still WIP) feel flat and bland right now and the building looks dull as a whole. I would also agree that the logo colour isnt working either.

But im sure your just getting the environment setup before you play with all the other stuff

Looking foward to seeing this finished

Skybex

Yeah I agree Dark, especially next to the rock it all looks the same colour. Its definitely something ill watch out for when I start dealing what that kind of thing.

PogoP

Lighting could definitely use some work, looks very CGesque and not very realistic.

Skybex

Some more progress shots. Added some colours to the buildings to help separate them visually, not sure how I feel about it though.

Terrain is a little messed up in these shots, it will be turned into a mesh eventually so not too bothered about that. Also still not added variation to the signs, still the same copy paste everywhere. I will change them soon, any suggestions for shop names and whatnot are welcome.

Also still playing with the light, cant really get anything I am happy with

chrisradsby

I believe you need to push the foreground to look different to the background right now, slight fogging or something. Some kind of depth because the scene ends up looking quite flat as it is right now.

Really nice work on the models and textures though!

Jeff Parrott

The values on the rocks/man-made stuff needs to be separated more. They blend in a bit. Also like Chris was saying fog will help. What's up with the water too? Seems like the color could be adjusted some.

Skybex

A quick progress update.

Separated the rocks and structure a bit, also fogged some of the background.

Now that I have most of the structure of the environment in, I will start working to improve the actual complex. Working on props for it to give it more life and working to improve the composition.

As usual still not happy with the light, but ill keep working on that. and water needs redone but ill do that some other time.

Rurouni Strife

I think some of the problem with the lighting/scene is the rock terrain. I can't put my finger on it but it just doesn't look right. Perhaps it's the texture? Some shadow/ light map issue? I think that's part of what's flattening your scene.

Skybex

In most of my light attempts I have had the light directly facing the complex, I will try some different side angles or from high above and see if that improves the scene. The rocks lightmaps are fine so probably its the angle of the sun just not casting enough nice shadows on them, making them look really flat.

ZacD

The modeling looks great, but the materials and lighting are really ruining the scene.

The Mad Artist

I really like the modeling and where this is going. The main thing that jumps out at me is it's hard to 'read' the scene at times. A few of those shots have so much going on that it's hard for the eye to come to rest anywhere or be lead through the shot. I think some more open areas would go a long way to help the scene. Maybe a landing pad, or a small open court area.

Did a quick google search and found this:
http://www.dylancolestudio.com/sketches/pages/HaloConcept3.html

There's a lot of detail in the buildings, but it's offset by the more open walkway areas and the water. And like others have mentioned, depth of field might really help the scene as well. Excited to see where this goes.

Skybex

Hi guys, been a little while but some more progress shots.

Again another go at the lighting, this time it comes from just behind the complex so it can cast more shadow over the scene.

I also took The Mad Artist's advice and cleaned up the visual noise from the scene. Still mostly WIP but I cleaned up the main plaza part, as well as most of the rocks.

Also all post process effects have been removed (so no DOF as many have suggested) as I was getting bogged down with the post process when the scene isn't even anywhere near completion. Fog remains though.

And finally for the water I have decided I will model it specifically with a flowing water texture (Epic citadel style) so no work has been done on the current shader to improve it.

The Mad Artist

Awesome update, I think it looks loads better, the lighting looks a lot warmer now too. Really makes the whole thing look like a cohesive scene.

Skybex

Some more WIP shots. Been working on some of the smaller details in the environment. As always still a lot more work to do.

danpaz3d

Very nice. Good architecture, the sky is awesome and the blend between the trees and buildings is great. Only thing I don't like is the 'glow' of the neon/neon signs that is like a blueish colour. Seems a bit off. A bit of de-saturation perhaps? Other than that I think its awesome.

Skybex

I replaced some of the signs last night so there is less blue glow as you mentioned. The other blue signs will also be replaced at some point as well. Focusing for now on the monorail station to make it look more like a station.

I prefer the new signs as they add more colour to the scene, but what do polycounters think?

Also ignore the green signs in the interior, they are just placeholder.

Minos

Level is looking cool! Some quick feedback:

* The scale could use a little bit of work. That yellow/grey path looks waaay too big compared to everything else. The sign totems look way too big compared to the wall panels/doors. Basically try to unify all these small details to have a more coherent looking environment.
* Those Heineken signs are super distracting.
* The wall paneling could use more work. The segments looks very thick which in turns make it look even more repetitive. Some horizontal "breathing spaces" here and there would be nice, right now every wall has vertical segments.

Keep it up man

Skybex

Been a little busy recently, but found time to update the scene.

I will be looking to have this final very soon and move onto another project, so if you can see any issues or things I can improve, please post them.

Quickel

Very nice work, you really put a lot of work into this. I 'd like to see more people gives these levels out to be played.

richwderby

Great Work! Did you follow any reference or did you design it all off the top of your head?

Rhoutermans

This looks great!
It looks all very clean and brand new tho

Blaisoid

it's a bit noisy, there's lots of things fighting for viewer's attention.

Add3r

Blaisoid wrote: »

it's a bit noisy, there's lots of things fighting for viewer's attention.

Was just about to type the exact same thing. The craftsmanship is awesome as a whole, but my eyes and head are just ALL OVER The place with the piece. Its awesome, and its definitely getting to a professional level of work (literally lol). I like how you have stuck with it and just keep pushing it, but a lot of the textures are pretty noisy. Sure, in real life, a lot of the textures you have used would actually be there, but with an art style as this, you are better off sticking to a surreal cross. If that makes sense. I feel you are trying too hard to make it believable, instead of creating art. Stop focusing so much on the small details, instead of the actual environment as a whole. Its pretty awesome though I hate throwing work away, but I think some tweaks made in the texture atlas side of things, will end with some pretty impressive results. The modeling, layout, etc, are all excellent though. Keep it coming man! :poly142:

ZacD

To make it less visually noisy, I'd suggest removing the neon glow on the sign. Lighten up the black seams between building and floor tiles, make less objects white, or look white when blown out by the sun/lighting.

Skybex

@Quickel. I would be happy to give this out. But it is my first art scene and wouldn't like people looking at it and picking up mistakes from me.

@richwderby. the general idea was from the top of my head (bad idea as you encounter many pitfalls this way) But general reference was taken from Mass effect, Halo and Brink.

@Rhoutermans. The idea is that it's brand new. Not an aged city that was built up over time, but a complex that was rapidly built to give a living space to all the workers. The story as I was making it was that people found a valuable mineral on this planet, so quickly constructed all this so they could mine is as soon as possible.

@Blaisoid and Add3r. I agree and had these comments elsewhere as well. I am a Level designer practising art, so although I can model these pieces, When constructing the scene I still think as a level designer and made what would be a playable environment. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to constructing a scene purely for artistic purposes. I will try and clean it up and give the viewers eye something to focus on.

@ZacD. I will give this a try and see how it turns out.

Thank you all for the comments