Middle Eastern environment WIP

pumbaa

I've started a project together with a good friend of mine where he creates the concept art and Ill try to model and texture the scene.
We decided to go for a present time middle eastern setting, with the Crysis engine in mind.


What's left to do is scattered prop such as rocks, barrels (metal and wood), urns, fences, walls, trees.
It's not much to show off right now but I figured I might as well start this thread early on.

Here's a quick wip render and wireframe, Im in need of c&c from you pro's so.. Uhm, thanks in advance everyone!



Wireframe


And the concept piece by my friend Mikael Widegren:

Mil0

I think your beetle might be a little large
With wheels it looks to be around shoulder height, sitting on the frame though it would be considerably lower.
best ref i could find:
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42095000/jpg/_42095558_beetle_1_416.jpg

Looks cool. I think if you get the lighting and the colors close to the concept it would be great.

pumbaa

Quick update, added some props, fixd the size of the beetle *Thx Mil0!

Sa74n

very nice so far

AndyLittleton

Pretty good. I like the edge work done on the buildings. I do question the heavy water tank on a slanted sheet metal roof. Just doesnt' seem it would structurally support itself. If the water tank foots actually protruded throught the roof I would make it more obvious and notch a hole on the slanted sheet metal.

PeterK

First off, your models are fantastic, I like the style and the polygons are well used.

alternatively, Have you considered looking at the positive and creative side that the middle east has to offer? There has been a real expansion into modern tech and architecture over the last 10 years, that is worth noting:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iranpx/9899358/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/samanvari/1403711484/

Kawe

PeterK, that's pretty interesting. I kind of like the stereotype house though

PeterK

Kawe: I think the model work he's done is excellent, he should definitely finish it and keep it for his folio.

If he would like to do something unlike all the other dilapidated middle east environments, the ones that EVERYONE seems to make, He could consider the above shots for reference.

I think that showing something from the middle east that goes beyond the stereotype would be a MUCH more powerful piece; and garner his wonderful artwork much more attention and accolades.

ElysiumGX

It needs a camel.

Or a goat.

Sage

looks great, hope you finish this.

Kawe

PeterK wrote: »

Kawe: I think the model work he's done is excellent, he should definitely finish it and keep it for his folio.

If he would like to do something unlike all the other dilapidated middle east environments, the ones that EVERYONE seems to make, He could consider the above shots for reference.

I think that showing something from the middle east that goes beyond the stereotype would be a MUCH more powerful piece; and garner his wonderful artwork much more attention and accolades.

I totally agree Showing people that that there are more than one side to things is always good in my opinion. Like I said, the buildings you posted are really interesting!

pumbaa

Thanks a bunch everyone for your comments!

@AndyLittleton: Holes in roof made!

@PeterK: Hehe those area very nice ref pics man, but I had this clich

Xaltar

OK, the beetle is way off. Its the first thing in the scene that I noticed and it kinda dulled the good thats there. Get some reffs on the car and get it sorted, the back end is ok but the front looks like you went half way between weel-wells on and off. If they are missing then it should not be rounded like that and if they are on then they should protrude a lot more. I think off would look better with the scene though.

http://www.volksworld.com/imageBank/r/ragtop-01.jpg

Other than that its looking really good.

Kawe

the water tower needs a pipe down I think. else you'd just have water up there and never be able to tap it you can see it in the ref image too (not in the concept though).

pumbaa

Very good points! Thanks.

Xaltar, I didn't exactly understand what u meant, but the beetle looks a little better now, more correct when comparing it to the image planes. By weel-wells, u mean the parts "covering" the wheels right? Anyway, the right one has been stolen or something while the left one is still there.

Here's another small update with more props

Xaltar

Thats better

marshmonkey

really dig the style, slightly exaggerated proportions but not loony tunes. This would make an awesome top down view RTS building.

bluekangaroo

i like those power lines...nice work so far

SinisterUrge

I like how you've added loads of small details to make it look more convincing. How about adding some alpha channel work like flowers and grass. Are you going to texture this? I really think you should

pumbaa

YO!
First of, thank you all for all of your comments!
I have been away for about 4 weeks now and finally got back to this project on monday and have made some progress. Ive done some texturing during these last four weeks but not much at all. I have however managed to complete the water tower but that ones gonna be in the next update.

I will add decals such as cracks, dirt and stuff later on so bare with me Also you can see some shading error that needs to be taken care of in screen 3, and the white areas are of course going to be textured.

I def like more c&c so tell it like it is!

pumbaa

About bloody time to update this thang! I got hold up from this project for a few days due to cv writing and mailing.

Completed the beetle wreck with 1024x1024 dif, specular and normal maps, all images are ingame CryENGINE2.
And here is two pics of the watertower which also are 1024x1024 dif, spec and normal.

I still desperately need c&c to make this kitty purrfect so bring it!

Thanks in advance

DInusty

i think u could get a sharper texture on the beetle with the res u are using. if not go a bit higher. specs dont have to be to low when ur making pretty things for the folio. keep it up

Ott

Not seeing a single usage of specular or normal maps, so whatever lighting / scene you have this in needs work....and likely the spec and normal do as well.

Right now everything reads waaay too low res. Not sure what your original textures / UVs looks like, but both of these pieces look way too blurry and pixely for a 1024. The base of the water tower legs particularly.

I like the reference of the car a little better. Right now yours simply reads as "Generic Rusty", whereas some paint flaking and some character from what the car used to be might be a better touch.

pumbaa

Yeah I had some real problems with the resolution, it looks good in maya but in the damn cryengine everything just looks.. This way. Good to hear u guys feel the same way, now I know it really shouldnt look like this. Sort of a relief really. Thanks for the make-it-more-characterizery pointer, I was gonna add some of that stuff but todays stress made me forget about it.

Thanks a lot for your comments guys!

Cody

Hard to crit without seeing your textures. Post 'em, or some links to them.

Talbot

Looking good!

DInusty

keep this up man! i can see this being a great piece!

pumbaa

Sure thing, here is the beetles dif, specular and normal:

http://www.pee-baa.com/other/forums/beetle_spec.png
http://www.pee-baa.com/other/forums/beetle_normal.png


And here's the water towers dif spec and normal:


http://www.pee-baa.com/other/forums/water_spec.png
http://www.pee-baa.com/other/forums/water_normal.png

pumbaa

I've been reworking the beetle, following the reference image, adding a color I thought might look "unexpected" in lack of a better word, to the hood.
However I'm getting real blind on this beetle now, I see something isnt right but I cant put my finger on what it is. Is it the entire texture thats just butt ugly, lack of variation? The colors? The hoods weird color? The rust stains? Really need some guidance so I can complete this.

Thanks

LEViATHAN

Missing door handles, thingies above the wheels are undetailed, roof looks boring, no trim around windows, no headlights, birdpoop?

pumbaa

Oh I havent started texturing those parts yet, sorry I forgot to mention that. The only things Ive started with are the body outside with roof and hood. I handpainted some AO where the hood stops and the hull begins and changed its color to match the body and already got a better result.

I am going to add more personlized stuff later on, stickers and Ill see what I can come up with. Bird dumpings are a very good idea mate, thanks

pumbaa

Time for an update. I have been working on this as much as my freetime has allowed, but updates have been quite rare, so here's one with some props that me and my AD think are done. Other stuff is completed too but I havent exported them yet. If you have any C&C Id gladly hear it, allthough I do not think I will go back and fix anything.
The next update will probably take a while due to work.
All images are ingame CryENGINE2.

Quokimbo

Wow...

Very inspiring

vladino

I like the mood of your scene, look forward to seeing this one finished.

PixelMasher

the props look great but a 1024 for each might be a little excessive, I think a 512 would suffice given the size and the pixel ratio each one would be even on a massive HDTV.

SHEPEIRO

looks nice your diffuse and spec works nicely id say that your norms on alot of props are not workin hard enough
also UVs on top of barrel are squiffy, fix

Dante1217

looks exellent, you may wanna look into normal mapping like a bash into the side of the builing, like kinda circular maybe? like somthing big hit it, just a thought... cant wait to see it all finished...

Cody

Very nice prop work. I'd say the wheel fenders/covers/whatever of the bug look off because they look hand painted and smooth while the body itself has texture and bump to it. Also there is no rust.

*edit* saw you said you hadn't started those yet. my bad.

BradMyers82

Really liking your updates with the texture work. If its for a game, I think some of your meshes could be optimized more though. For example the 16 sides on the barrel is probably over doing it. I think you could get away with half that to be honest. Either way, your stuff is looking really good to me.

Mangled Poly

great work and nice props.....

I can not wait to see this all come together!

pumbaa

Thanks for all of your thoughts and comments.

@PixelMasher: Yeah your right. I actually saved my 1024s as 512 maps for most of the props at first, but it didn't look right so I kept it 1024. I'm sure that some objects will be sufficient using a 512 though, I'll make sure that's fixed.

@SHEPEIRO: The normal maps were pretty tricky inside the editor, I had to change shading properties for the specular to look right and that often took away most of the normal map effect. In some views the normal maps looks like it should though, so creating a more powerful normal map would mess the object up in that particular view, if you know what I mean. Nice spotting out the uv error btw!

@Dante1217: Do you mean the bulk in the oildrum or "builing"=building?

@BradMyers82: I usually don't keep objects this high, but my AD and I thought since it's CryENGINE2 it wouldn't really matter.

Thanks once again for your kind comments!

SHEPEIRO

no what i m3an is that the normals you have drawn are not doing enough nothing to do with the intenisty, you need better shapes in them ATM alot are working as bump maps, a normal map can describe angles, use more angles to geta better use of the normal map.

its like withsimple brick normal maps, most people just describe the difference between the mortar and the brick, which looks cack, now if you angle each brick slightly (you can paint this too if your not baking) and you chip some of the corners etc, immediatly you are using the normal map to much better effect, i just think this thinking could be applied to alot of your normal maps, and it would greatly improve things