mini-environment WIP (suggestions please)

natetheartist

Hey, I'm working on a mini-environment. Just a wall or two and a few props. I'm aiming to keep my low poly under 5000 tris.
Here's a quick screenshot of my current highpoly thus far. I'm trying to come up with some ideas to fill all of the empty space on the walls without adding too much low poly-geometry. Suggestions/Comments?

Art-Machine

i like it so far, cute little corner.

Any wandering characters or props planned?

edit : don't forget to extend the passage past the arch so it doesn't break the illusion of a continuous environment.

Mechadus

Maybe some cool hanging light fixture above the circle on the floor, and some 3' tall detailed pieces along the edges of the walls where they meet the floor?

Very cool so far tho, I love the door

-N

natetheartist

the background (black area) is going to have a matte-painted sky dropped in.

No characters for this piece.
Though, i could add a prop if necessary. Really I'm looking for a way to bring the empty space of the walls to life without overdoing things

natetheartist

Mechadus wrote: »

Maybe some cool hanging light fixture above the circle on the floor, and some 3' tall detailed pieces along the edges of the walls where they meet the floor?

Very cool so far tho, I love the door

-N

There is going to be a light coming from the structure above the door, illuminating the door itself.
I like the idea of another light somewhere in the environment though. That's very helpful Mechadus, thanks for the input both of you. Keep it coming

SHEPEIRO

id say break up the sharpe lines with a non organic element or two, maybe some grass growing out from between the panels and a trees branches coming over the top of the wall, would give you nice lighting too

Gannon

I agree with Shep, if you do a sand stone kind of brick wall or something mixed with old technology you may get a nice feel to it. Throwing in roots/Vines and dry grass in a subtle way could probably really tie it all in. It would have kind of a stargate kinda feel.

lol just throwing out ideas. :icon15:

natetheartist

excellent suggestions. I'll toss in some cracks and alpha map some foliage

natetheartist

I had a long day and didn't get too much more work done on this.

Anyway, What do you guys think about having a large utility pipe running around the lower segment of the wall. Obviously, the one in the screenshot here is JUST TEMPORARY for block-in purposes. If I keep it, I'll add a base and more interesting wall clamps.
So should I run with that or do something else with it? Maybe a series of smaller pipes running to a utility box?

natetheartist

ooops, here's the shot

vj_box

that pipe has its own due importance now and the idea is pretty good. So You getting all the HP done now and then go for the Lows?

Vj

fast1

nice, great job so far!

Torrrtilla

Hey Nate,
First the envirenment is looking really good so far. Few things:
Is this environment an installation that is carved into the rock face, like the side of a mountain? Or were you thinking of damaged concrete walls. Cause right now what sort of bothers me is how the hipoly metal pipes, doorway and floor just meets the flat surfaces of the wall. I think you could sell this better if bridged those elements together better. Like making the enterance recessed into the wall or adding a small trench between the floor and wall.
Good job.
-Neil

natetheartist

Torrrtilla wrote: »

Hey Nate,
...right now what sort of bothers me is how the hipoly metal pipes, doorway and floor just meets the flat surfaces of the wall. I think you could sell this better if bridged those elements together better. Like making the enterance recessed into the wall or adding a small trench between the floor and wall...
-Neil

I agree with you entirely, I've been meaning to address that. Thank you for the input!

vj_box wrote: »

... So You getting all the HP done now and then go for the Lows?...
Vj

The lows are basically finished, but still need to be unwrapped. I've sort of been modeling them side by side. I usually do low, then high, but this time I'm just shifting back and fourth.

natetheartist

I worked the pipe some more. ....sounded kinda weird.....o_O

Anyway, I think I'm going to work on transitioning the wall from the floor, then say this is ready for texturing.

Rox

This is looking fantastic. I just had to chime in about that pipe. It sticks out to me. That whole scene is so full of wonderfully strange looking things and shapes that I have no clue what they are. Even the door seems alien to me, in a good way. Then there's a big old pipe, bolted to the wall, not unlike the ones by the heater in the basement here. I always like pipes but I'm wondering if it'd maybe bring the thing together a bit more if it was attached to the wall in a more exotic way.

Unless we've got a bit of backstory behind it, that is. Like it's an ancient alien civilization that built the place, then some boring humans came and made it their camp and bolted a pipe to the wall for good measure. Then it'd fit.

natetheartist

I agree with you that the pipe itself is a little bland. Anyone else concur? have ideas on how to spice it up?

I want this thing unwrapped and textured today, so I'm planning on moving on as soon as possible

natetheartist

I rounded the clamps off a bit more and beveled the pipe. I think its a very small change that makes the piece flow better and the pipe feel less out of place. Keep it, loose it?

Art-Machine

it's looking good, i really hope you put some kind of distant cityscape past that bridge in a way that makes this feel like we're up high in an expansive city. Pipe doesn't bother me, i wouldn't even notice it was added or changed if you didn't mention it.

natetheartist

thanks art, I'm starting to unwrap right now. Yes, i will have either a sky or cityscape matted into the background

Everett McGuire

Like it has been said, cracks or something to break up the walls would be nice with out increasing poly count. Try messing with bump maps or other texture elements and see what you can get out of it.
Also decide what you want the final lighting to look like or at least the angle. This can cause major difference on how your scene looks. Not to mention dark shadows are good ways of leading the viewer’s eyes away from empty space and directing them to the main focal points in your scene.
Very impressive work over all.:thumbup:

dehebo

looks v.nice. deffo see it as having a sandstone type walls, think someone else said too. i guess watching too much star wars/gate does this to peoples brains

natetheartist

dehebo wrote: »

looks v.nice. deffo see it as having a sandstone type walls, think someone else said too. i guess watching too much star wars/gate does this to peoples brains

I was planning on sandstone from the beginning. Glad it carries through in the model.

Yeah, it definitely has a starwars-y feel tatooine archetecture and walls with an imperial feel to the floor

Jeremy Lindstrom

I'm not sure about this enviro.. just doesn't seem to have a focus. There's some walls and a bridge and a door... and some broken wall... ok why? Tell us a story, if not this won't be a very strong piece. good start, but it just seems to be any kinds of space someone just turned around and snapped a photo haphazardly, show us something, give us a reason to look here. Tell us a story with this piece give us an awesome camera angle... do your thing...


http://www.adambromell.com/articles/article3.html

natetheartist

Dekard wrote: »

...show us something, give us a reason to look here. Tell us a story with this piece give us an awesome camera angle... do your thing...

Thanks for the input Jeremy. I'll take it under consideration, maybe do something interesting with the textures. For now, I just want to get this thing done

panic

hmm there doesnt seem to be a focus to your scene. I really like to composition tho.
hoping to see your interesting textures.
maybe add a godray or some mysterious object infront of the door left by some evil alien who has evil intentions because hes so evil. . .

natetheartist

okay, here's the low poly.
at 2468 tris

natetheartist

ugh. forgot the image again.