Forest Creek (WIP)

Chuk1000

My first attempt at a nature scene. Still in the blocking stage and for some reason I can't get the composition to look right and match the reference. Feedback extremely needed and greatly appreciated

Eric Chadwick

You should try to find more reference of this location, so you can see it from different angles, closeups, without the motion blur, etc. One image isn't going to give you enough information, especially when you're just starting out. A lot of reference is key!

Landscape in games typically mixes two main techniques... height-map terrain on a grid (like what you have so far) and 3D prop models for rocks, low plants, grass, fallen logs/sticks, etc.

The terrain can be mapped with tiled textures, which you blend together with a painted mask (which could use either vertex color, or pixels). So break down your scene into 3 or 4 sets of tiled texture sets, which you can blend together. In your case probably these can be: dirt, moss, leaves, pebbles.

You can learn about how it's done in Unreal here
https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/landscape-quick-start-guide-in-unreal-engine

Eric Chadwick

Also this is worth a look, for a different approach not using heightmapped terrain.

The Last of Us Art dump / Rogelio Olguin

https://polycount.com/discussion/122359/the-last-of-us-art-dump-rogelio-olguin/p1

Chuk1000

@""Eric Chadwick"
Thanks.  im still in the early blockout. i plan to incoperate a lot of props and assets. Right now, just trying the composition down.