Unreal Engine, looking for feedback, thanks : )

Araka

Hi everyone,

First, thanks for this forum. I'm fairly new and shy, and it seems like a great place for 3D, lots of cool projects

I'd like some feedback on my latest project. My first idea was to experiment with PCG (Procedural Content Generation) and possibly turn it into a full scene. This is where I've ended up so far, and I'd love some fresh ideas to improve the image.

It was made in Unreal Engine. The goal here isn't optimization, but rather creating a nice-looking image.

I'm relatively new to Unreal, I'm coming more from Blender, and learning all the subtleties of the software is a real challenge. So thank you in advance for any help!

Eric Chadwick

Welcome to Polycount!

I would recommend learning about composition, how to arrange your scene and where to place the camera to make pleasing images.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Concept_Fundamentals#Composition

The fog is too dense right now, it would help to gather references of the look you would like to achieve, then examine these carefully for cues.

I would suggest removing the black bars at top and bottom. These are an image convention (letterbox) that should not be used unless you have a specific reason for it.

Araka

Thank you for the review i'll modify my scene, and those learning resources are great!
I’m not too attached to the black bars, so you’re right,I can just remove them.
Thanks again! : )

d1ver

Hey @Araka this is a great start. 
As Eric pointed out composition would be a great start for you. 

1. Have a clear understanding of where your focal point is. And then expect to guide people towards it. 
2. A good general rule of thumb is "the rule of thirds" - it means that your focal point should fall on a third of the image. Which in your case it doesn't

Here is an example from Ghost of Tsushima where it works:

You can use this link to navigate other foresty shots to get ideas for compositions and scene layout. 

With a little rearrangement of the elements you have there you can get close to a really solid scene! 

Btw if you want your focal point in the center you can still do it - it just usually works better with a more symmetrical composition. Zhang Yimou is AMAZING at this and highly recommend studying his work. His symmetrical shots are just nuts 🫨🤯:

d1ver

Btw something else that you started doing already that helps a ton is depth. Having a clear foreground, midground and background.
If you implement that in combination with the rule of thirds and make sure that your lighting and color support the same focal point that the composition does - you'll be ahead of most people! Keep it up!  

cgartland

I think what you have is already a solid image. The lighting and atomosphere are lovely.

I like the centered composition but have 2 suggestions to imrpove without totally rethinking it.

1 move the camera down a bit and tilt up. See more trees/sky and get a more interesting vanishing point
(this clip from 'The Fablemens' really sticks with me when I compose a shot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mAyNNBOdns ) 

2 fix tangents! there is awkward overlap with the focus lamp and a tree behind it. And another overlap with one of the distant lamposts and a tree behind. Move or remove the offending trees.

Flat Face

It looks like there's a path on the left that leads to the bridge but it's not very obvious, so the untouched grass around the bridge entrances make it seem untouched by humans but very clean.

Also this sounds stupid but I'm not smart enough to articulate it better, the lighting on the bushes seems a bit too dynamic compared to the rest of the scene, the highlights on the closer one really stand out and it almost looks like there's no shadows being cast on the base/stems of the further bush

Vastra

Welcome! Overall it’s a really nice looking scene. 

One thing that stood out to me is the focal point. Right now, the bridge and the stone lantern both draw a similar amount of attention, so it’s a bit unclear where the viewer’s eye should settle first.

You could maybe push one of them more as the primary focus, either through lighting, contrast, or framing. To guide the viewer more clearly.

Araka

Wow, thank you all for the advice and kindness ! 😊

Here’s my new version, I think it’s better, but it’s hard for me to judge. I know I still need more practice, so in addition to your feedback, I’d love your opinion: Should I spend more time refining this image, or would it be better to move on to other subjects and try different things? I’d really appreciate your thoughts! 
Thanks a lot !
(I thinks i put to much noise, and maybe I need to blur the trees more ? )

sarayel

this is good article about rule of thirds and why not to follow it blindly tho. But i would say its more advanced when you think about tangents leading shapes and stuff. There is world beyond rule of thirds https://petapixel.com/2016/01/30/10-myths-about-the-rule-of-thirds/

Vastra

Araka said:

Wow, thank you all for the advice and kindness ! 😊

Here’s my new version, I think it’s better, but it’s hard for me to judge. I know I still need more practice, so in addition to your feedback, I’d love your opinion: Should I spend more time refining this image, or would it be better to move on to other subjects and try different things? I’d really appreciate your thoughts! 
Thanks a lot !
(I thinks i put to much noise, and maybe I need to blur the trees more ? )

I think this is a great improvement! It’s now very clear what the main focus of the image is. @Araka

Personally, I’d suggest not getting stuck on one project for too long. You often learn more by taking the lessons from this piece and applying them to a brand-new, smaller project. That said, if you feel there's still a specific technical skill you want to test out here, give it one more pass. Otherwise, I say move on.