TMNT Sewer Lair: Personal Portfolio Piece

emckenney

It has been over 2 years since I've worked in UDK and I decided it was time to get back into it with a new environment for my portfolio. I mainly do hand painted low poly work.

I would really appreciate any technical and artistic crits. My goal is to push this one as far as I can while learning more about UDK, Xnormal and nDo2.

I decided to go with something that has been not only one of my favorite comics, but also had a huge impact on motivating me to draw in my teens to present day. That's why I want to create my take on the TMNT Sewer Lair. I hope to add as many nods to the original black and white comics as time allows.

Here is my most recent WIP image of my scene.



Thanks for checking out my thread.

-EM
http://www.emckenney.com/

emckenney

I wanted to really focus on the UDK side of things for this one, so I skipped the concept phase, bad I know, and went for a simple block out in Max instead.



Here is a test for one of the camera angles I'm considering for the final beauty shots.

emckenney

Working out the main shapes and modular pieces of the room.

emckenney

An in editor shot with test materials. Trying figure out if I should go with brick normals from a photo using nDo2 or make a tileable texture in Zbrush. This is my first attempt using nDo2.

emckenney

After talking with some friends about how they prefer the control you get from a sculpt, I decided to attempt my first tileable texture in Zbrush. Here is the result.

emckenney

This is a comparison shot of the brick material with nDo2 and Zbrush. I would really love any feedback on tips for improving on both, since these are both new techniques to me. Thanks in advance.

emckenney

A close up of the zbrush mat on the static meshes.

emckenney

Adding in the broken wall section for the Mouser attack.

Justin Meisse

Hey Erik, normal maps are for scoundrels and witches! But if you are determined to go down that route I suggest taking a gander at this tutorial
http://pixologic.com/zclassroom/homeroom/lesson/environments-with-tate-mosesian/

And doing some verrtex blending in UDK: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68089

emckenney

Justin - Withces and Scoundrels you say, hmmm... I think I'll take my chances. Thanks for the link man! I will have to give that one a try. Here is the method I used for the zbrush bricks in the scene currently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNgs2DcAsF4


Amile - Thanks for the encouragement!

emckenney

I decided to spend a few weeks learning and testing as many options as I could for baking normal and AO maps. I posted my tests and the links for most of what I referenced as well here: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1914269#post1914269

The last couple of days I have been working on a vertex blending texture, based on the one from Tor Frick's Modular Master Class DVD. http://eat3d.com/udk_modular

I still need to tweak the dirt color and some of the masks, but everything is working now on the brick material. For now I am just using the rubble and dirt blends. I do have the functionality to add paint as well, but I think I will just use that on the mat instance for the pipes and other metal props.

Chandler

Love the idea, keep it up! This may be something you just haven't gotten around to yet, but definitely add some variation to the blending of the rubble/dirt and the floor, right now the hard edge is standing out.

emckenney

Thanks Chandler! I am going to do an alpha edge on the dirt for the rubble pile and vertex paint some dirt and stains in when I get the cement shader setup for texture blends. Just need to learn how to paint vertex alpha in udk. Thanks for the crit and let me know if you see anything else that could look better.

snake85027

looks great..can you make it not so dark in that last screen shot

Tadao215

hmm.. the scale of the bricks seem too large. or is that just me?

emckenney

snake85027 - Thanks! I also appreciate you mentioning the brightness. I have been wondering if my monitor was too bright and that my lighting might look too dark on other people's screens.

Tadao215 - I have tried a few different sizes for the bricks. This one felt the best when I run it in PIE. Don't think I will know for sure until I get the props in. Thanks for the crit.

Here is an update with the finished blend texture Mats applied, vertex alpha painted on rubble edge and a new rubble texture.

Rhoutermans

a nice start, could be cool to add some broken bricks, and where does that light come from? Placing some sewer lights along the wall with focus on the hole in the wall ofc, more props before moving on perhaps. Looking forward to more

DHogan

Looking good Erik, you're gaining momentum - don't let up!

emckenney

Rhoutermans - Thanks for the suggestions. I really like the broken brick one. Soon as I finish with the pipes and wires I hope to get my main light sources in the scene. Mainly hanging industrial lamps and some wall mounted lights by the doors. So far I have over 30 items on my prop list, please throw out any ideas for additional props as I go. Thanks again.

DHogan - Thanks! I'm trying hard to keep this level of motivation right to the finish now. Having a lot of fun with it so far.

Here is a small wip shot. I have been focusing on finalizing my Metal Shader and it's texture blend properties.

emckenney

Had a chance to place the main pipes in the scene and started on some prop work.

emckenney

More Props.

onelung

Looking rad dude! Got a few crits.

-the top of the chairs still feels angular , especially with that metal/ light color against the red.
-the texture looks like a flat shade of color and maybe some crazy bump. Try and get rid of the crazy bump/ heavy AO, and get some color variation in them.
-reflection map is too strong, you probably wouldn't see the floor texture that strong in the legs of the chairs, I'd leave it a little more silver and tone that down so you get some breakup between the chairs and the floor.
-all the legs are using the same texture, very noticeable rust spots.
-top of the table looks like its bumpy noise kinda like concrete, also kind of clean, let grim build up toward the edge and help it blend into the rim of the table.
I'd suggest making 2 chairs, one for the regular chair and one for the more dilapidated, or making a chair atlass1, that has 2 separate seats, tops and legs, and then vary them for each chair.

really crappy paint over:


Good stuff hombre, keep cranking!

emckenney

Thanks for the crit onelung! Good stuff.

Here is an updated version and playing w/ new lighting.

emckenney

Pizza and generic boxes added. Focusing on some more large props next.

emckenney

Getting some work done on the turtle's couch lately. Here are a couple wip images.

Base Mesh:



Zbrush WIP:

emckenney

Final versions of the HP and LP couch models and textures.

emckenney

Couch placed in the scene.

emckenney

First pass on fridge prop, Lebowski rug, color variation added to brick diffuse, more grunge on pizza boxes, tweaked sofa diffuse and spec and new lighting.

pixelpatron

Found some good inspiration for ya....









Things your scene needs....I know some of this is in your blockout but not in the latest scene yet.

Definitely need to make that TV
Wall scrolls
Wall racks w/weapons
I'd ditch the rug and go for planks of wood, (these are not classy guys)
I like the post it notes and kiddie type vibe of the fridge
I think their brick colors/lighting is working for these as well
No way there would be a whole pizza....should be a half eaten last piece. and nothing left over but a grease stained pizza box.
I think your missing a lot of opportunities to tell a story even if you don't have the turtles in the scene....examples:

Ninja stars stuck in wood planks/coffee table
chopsticks on bowl
I like the checkerboard tablecloth in the second concept
skateboard
old game console (don't forget they are teenagers.)
rubics cube
Bandanna left on couch
graffiti on walls
Basketball - wall mounted basketball hoop


Love me some turtles! Good luck.

Megacorpse

Nice concept, it totally reminds me of the Thieve's guild mission from Thief Gold !