Secret Room[Finished]

fullpinkdog

Hi Polycount!
I decided to posting progress of my project here, and i open to criticism
This project about practice to create game-ready assets 
The story of this level: so basicly, it's the near future; secret place for illegal stuff like hacking; it's not really clean place; someone living there for a while, getting ready for "work" ; a lot of electric stuff; wires and some garbage; "High tech. Low life" mood
As you could guess my inspiration is Cyberpunk 2077 concept arts, Cyberpunk 2077 Fan Art - Biohacker by Marta "Carabea" Niemczynska (insolently stole the main idea from her  ), Balde Runner film, Ghost in the Shell and Josan Gonzalez works
Here is a few references:






Here is block out and composition(sorry for the bad screenshot from maya. Anyway final composition will be in UE4):

(UE4):

-

I feel like it's not a final shot of block out stage
My goal is to use trim sheets, individual textures and tileable textures for good reason; make good lighting/composition/colors; make really cool mood and story
Thanks for your time

griffitii

I'd get your block out into UE4 and look at it with the default (grey) material applied to everything. That will give you a better and clearer view of whether the scene is working compositionally. To make the scene more interesting don't have the camera looking straight on into the scene. This makes the picture look flat. Instead angle it and create some asymmetry. You can still use the rule of thirds but this way you may be able to create a stronger composition.

fullpinkdog

@griffitii thanks for the tip man, i think you right, anyway i will use different angels becouse im gonna make a short movie in UE4 in the end to present this environment, so i definitely want to test it out
About grey color for everything - yeah, i just thought different colors could help to read the  silhouette of objects and it will make easier to understand what i need to add to balance this or whatever
IF i have wrote something stupid, please tell me about that

griffitii

If I were you I'd set up your cameras now and compose the environment in UE4 at this stage. You'll get a better feel for what's working and what isn't and be able to make adjustments earlier rather than later. Leaving everything as default grey and getting some lights in their will really help too. I'd refrain from using colours in the future in the way you are as it doesn't help the viewer at all and detracts away from what it is that you want feedback on.

fullpinkdog

update: as @griffitii told me - changed colors and camera angle, add more positions of camera, add some details in blockout, also add quick simple uv to all objects so ue4 could generate lightmaps(just for the better look) and i can say that i like this one! 

fullpinkdog

update!
made a few assets with proper uv's, and than i start making first pass of textures/lighting so i can choose color palette for my scene; used a few tileable textures on floor, ceil, walls, wall with doorway, window frame and one trim texture on window

griffitii

It's really beginning to take shape! Check out Marta's completed piece: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Yag2Jw it might give you a few ideas on creating atmosphere

fullpinkdog

@griffitii thanks man! Honestly, I watch her work all the time, i think she did really good, espesially in mood/story aspect

fullpinkdog

update: fix a bit lighting, fix a bit base color textures, made top piece, used individual texture + trim for small pieces. After i textured this i made a decision - GO AND READ something about colors(Color and Light by James Gurney - i already started with this book), i have really hard time with this part, just dont like the colors and nothing i can do with that

icegodofhungary

I don't think the colors are bad but maybe just try a few to see what you like. Swap out the red color for blue or green or purple. Connect the colors to what mood you're going for. Look at the colors in your Bladerunner shots, it's fairly monochromatic. In the illustrations, the background is pushed cooler and the foreground/lit areas are pushed warmer. The color is being used to highlight the focus of the piece. So maybe reserve greens, blues for your walls/floor/ceiling, and peripheral props. Then use warmer colors on the character in the chair and your monitor screens. So push the walls a little cooler. I think your floor/ceiling is just right for what you're going for.

fullpinkdog

@icegodofhungary hey man, thanks for your opinion!
yeah, i tried a bunch of colors, but i just realised when you said "connect the colors" - i need to better understanding how to "connect the colors" in the way i want! Color wheel is definitely not enough for cool looking colors. I need to look a more at references, thanks man
Also, Color and Light by James Gurney has appeared quite interesting!

fullpinkdog

hi everybody, finally some update:

have only one media material for displays right now:

I created a spline blueprint for wires, but they does not render for some reason, currently i googling this problem, but if you have some thoughts - please tell me!

Also, i want to ask you guys a few questions:
1. Is there any issues with scale of objects?
2. Material defenition in this scene - is that clear for you guys to tell where is plastic material and where is metal material and etc.?
And of course i open for any other feedback!

fullpinkdog

i think it's time for second pass lighting! Just playing around with lighting before making any next assets

fullpinkdog

small update - one of the tech equipment - high to low workflow. Watching some tutorials and this is what I got:

it's from this reference:

fullpinkdog

update - made blueprint for wires, fix a bit some textures, added table, chair, boxes, lamp(it's supposed to not working), some test materials on the screens, media materials still wip

fullpinkdog

Still need to tweak materials for wires, i think it's a bit dark. Also i think i need more references for media materials, i really don't know how to make something simillar to what on display here

fullpinkdog

boxes:

fullpinkdog

update, just fix a few things, add something, change lighting a bit and change post process volume

fullpinkdog

upadte, add some fx staff, a few decals, fix some textures, add some meshes, also add g r a f f i t i

fullpinkdog

fullpinkdog

Btw i open to criticism, would be glad to hear something!

fullpinkdog

another update, testing out the sunset preset lighting, just a quick tweaking, so i can decide should i continue work on this preset or not(i think this lighting a lot better in terms of mood):

fullpinkdog

also i think to try a night lighting scenario or like a dusk lighting, but don't know yet

JesseL

Looks like a fun project, for the lighting I have a few suggestions one of which is try for a night scene. Perhaps get a HDRI of a city, heres a picture for what I had in mind https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/xavier-portela-new-york-glow-7.jpg (you could also just use it directly rather than a HDRI given the limited viewing angle)

For the majority of the light I might have it fill in via the screens, it would fit in a few ways in my mind. Composition by highlighting the center giving a gradient away and contextually fit in the motif of the scene. My thoughts with these changes is that you will get deep purples/pink's from the window in your shadows while filling everything with a encumbrance lighting. You could then fiddle with lighting with other devices i.e. fan light, light above door, pc green/blue glowing etc...

Something else which could add a lot is a pile of trash at the side of the chair to show he hasnt really been moving too much. A dingy rug on the floor will help fill that space as well to break up the empty space

fullpinkdog

@JesseL
Hi!
Yeah, it's a fun project indeed, i learn a ton of different stuff
And yes, your suggestions worth a try! Anyway, i don't really happy with my current variations of lighting
Thanks for your thoughts!

JesseL

Hope to see more of it soon, another thing I have noticed is the concept art/reference's (cartoonist drawings) are drastically more claustrophobic and cosy. Which is a stark contrast from the blade runner scene which creates an intentional wide space with the light flooding in from high to create a foreboding sense as if you are being watched with no where to run.

Did a quick scale to show you the difference pulling everything closer together and down can make

fullpinkdog

update: decided to finish main piece




from this reference

something like this(normals kind of broken on this render after importing mesh with this guy, but i guess you get the idea):

fullpinkdog

update, testing the night neon city lighting, actually like the idea, gonna figure out the background

fullpinkdog

update, still no bg, just tweaking some lights

fullpinkdog

fullpinkdog

yeah, bg is kind of wieeeeeeeerd, gonna continue the tests

fullpinkdog

fullpinkdog

The most obvious variant is the image that @JesseL linked me and it's already better.

fullpinkdog

Also, about claustrophobic and cosy feel of the references - i've scaled down a bit floor, center wall and window, it's not so visible, so. I think the scene should have "eyes-rest" places like this floor, but anyway, the final decision about how small this room should be after i add some garbage and junk on the floor

JesseL

Looking great, the background image could look better blurred though. Also some variation with the purple in lighting could add added depth. The mood is coming together quite nicely, especially the shadows enhancing the composition

For another light perhaps the computer screens flooding in blue light or maybe add a incandescent light (orangeish) on the ceiling, look at the lighting torture stick reference for an example

How does it look if you brought the camera in say 1-2m

fullpinkdog

@JesseL
>the background image could look better blurred though
you are genius man haha
Also, it was a quick lighting setup, can't wait to continue work on and apply your feedback to this piece of art. Thanks man
offtopic: Sadly, have not much time for this project because of university exams, thats why it's so rarely updated ):

JesseL

Yeah I know the feeling, I only get maybe 6-7 hours all up to work on my projects combined. Which is usually 1-2 hours nearing midnight of work

What I do is always try to do at least 10-20 mins every day that way when im doing something monotonous I can think on the composition, modelling, concepts etc... also always do final post processing in the middle of the day otherwise it always turns out shit in the morning (I usually over contrast it with high oranges when im tired)

fullpinkdog

update, changed FOV, camera angle, lighting, add some gurbage and junk, add some wires. yeah, i think i leave some space on floor almost clean, i think it's good for story(like man walking around and it would be strange if there was any garbage) and for composition(place for eyes rest)

fullpinkdog

u p d a t e : messing around with lighting and composition, take no notice of mirrored screens, i will fix it

fullpinkdog

U___P___D___A___T___E

fullpinkdog

U//////P//////D//////A//////T//////E
add some material variation for floor, fridge almost done(it suppose being in shadow, barely visible), decided to make hanger with some cloth on the left wall

fullpinkdog

also, can someone explain why wires making so weak shadows

it's spline blueprint with static mesh. what the deal with that?

increasing AO volumes(if i understand this right) in post processing does not give any better result

fullpinkdog

u.p.d.a.t.e
done with fridge and hanger on the left wall, so because marvelous designer keep crushing after 30-40 sec after start(some kind of conflict with amd graphic processor) i decided put some wires on this hanger instead of some cloth, fix a bit lighting

fullpinkdog

Update
fixed the chair's texture, added some noodles in lunch box on table, added electric kettle, fixed some wires, added some shoes

Honestly, i am really close to finishing this scene

fullpinkdog

u pdat e
made LUT, fixed roughness and a bit lighting and other staff

3DKlassen

wow this really turned out well! Reminds me of bladerunner

fullpinkdog

@3DKlassen Hey man, thanks for the kind words! My main references was Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, Cyberpunk 2077, so it's good to hear that i made the mood that i want

fullpinkdog

Hey people, wanna say thanks to all of you for your support and feedback, i guess i can call it here, but if anyone have any feedback - i will continue the work and apply feedbacks. Special thanks to @JesseL , @icegodofhungary and @griffitii
It was fun, really good experience
If anyone's curious, here is a little breakdown i've posted on AS - https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lVaq1V

JesseL

It came out fantastic, how does it look with volumetric fog? just curious

fullpinkdog

@JesseL
Thanks man
>how does it look with volumetric fog? 
Not really well, at least i don't like volumetric fog in this scene. I would use it only for nice god rays, but there wasn't any god rays that i would like when i was testing volumetric fog. So, in the result volumetric fog messing up with colors and "blur" the whole image a bit and without any god rays that i would like. So i think volumetric fog not really fit in this scene. Or, maybe i did something wrong with settings, haha

fullpinkdog

And one more post, it's pretty fun to watch