Cavern w/ broken tech

lansay

I just got back from GDC from job hunting. Got a really great review from Ron, a senior environment artist at SCEA. He wanted to see me make a broken mech in a cavern with some sort of organic substance growing over everything. I'm taking it to heart and will be making something using these 3 concepts as reference-

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/gourmet_cracker/6sl8W53bgqeMrJYpHMFtubYFUbcBqSAZUAAAMXX2548_zpsb396f6cc.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/gourmet_cracker/wPLz9ha4_uGlXYYUOE1BtrJFfgPC9pT3j3wTAXGC8DE_zps8033e915.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/070ed2fad8af8ec577c30f9d97ab0671/tumblr_mjr00uA5471s6o4nio1_500h.jpg


I have nothing but my references set up at the moment. Gotta start somewhere. More to come soon!

lansay

Here is my concept sketch just to get a quick idea of my composition.

DWalker

The first two links appear broken.

lansay

DWalker wrote: »

The first two links appear broken.

that's odd. What browser are you using? I'm using chrome and they're all working fine.

9skulls

Yup, 404 for the first two links.

lansay

I think I fixed them. thanks for the heads up guys. back to work now.

lansay

Update. Here's the low poly detail of my stone pillar. I have the living crystals but they aren't unwrapped yet.

lansay

And texture and diffuse added. Still gotta work on those crystals a bit, but I think I will do that once the scene is actually fleshed out more. Any feedback on this first piece is appreciated

BARDLER

You could use those polygons a lot more effectively on that mesh. The silhouette is rather simple but the polygon density looks like it would be something that would deform.

lansay

BARDLER wrote: »

You could use those polygons a lot more effectively on that mesh. The silhouette is rather simple but the polygon density looks like it would be something that would deform.

What do you mean by, "it would deform" ?

respawnrt

I believe he means you need to put the tris so they emphasize the planes of that rock, that will make your silhoutte more badass as well having a lot of poly reduction, compared to the uniform poly topology you have there.

lansay

Ah alright. Do you recommend any programs for retopology. I've only ever done it in zbrush and it's insanely time consuming.

N-gon

3D coat is Amazing for retopology

Clos323

Topogun all the way..or shit just use mesh lab tools to bring poly count down.

rogelio

Consider using decimation master in zbrush than minor fixes in maya or whatever 3D program you use to get your low mesh. I can usally get really good topo results without having to do a retopo which takes longish regardless which tool. I agree you could also get more shape on the rock. Having those rock planes sticking out more and a bit less smooth and random extruding out will make the shape better overall.

lansay

rogelio wrote: »

Consider using decimation master in zbrush than minor fixes in maya or whatever 3D program you use to get your low mesh. I can usally get really good topo results without having to do a retopo which takes longish regardless which tool. I agree you could also get more shape on the rock. Having those rock planes sticking out more and a bit less smooth and random extruding out will make the shape better overall.

Thanks for the advice. I started poking around decimation master this morning and I'm not entirely sure how it works. It seems once I decimate while my mesh is at its highest subdivision, I lose all my lower subdivisions. Is there a way to prevent that?

lansay

Clos323 wrote: »

Topogun all the way..or shit just use mesh lab tools to bring poly count down.

What is "mesh lab tools"?