Large Environment Geometries (and textures).

Incomitatum

I have seen it done. Things that are technically props, mammoth in size, yet serving a functional purpose (in the game or to the story). Think of the houses in Oblivion. I don't think they are built in the world, so my assumption is they are built in Max/Maya or the equivalent.

So here it is...

Say I was modeling the Pyramids in Geaza, to scale, in inches (I have my reasons). Would it be more realistic/practical to come up with a few, different, textures and tile them on the surfaces as long it it looked nice? Or would one (you, me) really go about unwrapping something like that?

If you -would- unwrap it, what then? Give each side its own Mat-ID and Texture sheet? How much texture space. Do you use this as one of the rare occasions to use a 2048? Or do I pray a 512 will scale nicely.

I would rather get advice that spend/waste time experimenting.

Thank you in advance,

-Andrew

pliang

For something like that it really depends but if it was a colossus like that pyramid...if I'm scaling it I would use several tiling textures to break it apart otherwise if at a farther camera view I'd use one or two textures.

I think there's nothing more "precious" than actually trying it out and figure it out on your own though...always worth a try.

Hope this breaks the ice.

Incomitatum

Your work rocks!

With your (theater?) the large building, did you break that up , unwrap, and the put back together? did you use larger sheets, or only do breaks when you ran out of room for a 512 (and the detail it afforded you). Things like your roads and sidewalks, those were tiles though, right?

I will include a WIP soon.

Thank you for your expertise.

-Andrew

Rick Stirling

Planar map and tile it. Reuse the same set of textures over and over, and you'll be fine. Flip them, offset them, use overlays to break up repeats.

sprunghunt

I would build 3-4 modular block variants (as well as edges and capstone) and then use these to construct the pyramid. This way you can maintain the unique medium level detail for when you get up close to it.

You see the pyramids are really just a pile of blocks.
see here!

And I would try to make it look like that photo, including all the little cracks and dents, when you get up close.