Im doing this solo, a friend might join in but we will have to see if he has time.
I suck at drawing concepts, especially when I'm itching to get into the 3D. Ill need the most time I can get.
Story:
Eden, the last place on Earth.
After the re-settlement of Earth, as final attempt to sustain human life Eden was constructed and has been flourishing for nearly 100 decades. Built upon some of the tallest altitudes to avoid the rising sea level, frequent earthquakes started to weaken the support beams of the city.
A construction crew was sent to the depths of the city to temporarily re-enforce these support beams. The city sat along the top of the ocean, while what was left of past civilizations was deep beneath the water.
The air was crisp, the sun bright orange rising above the horizon. But all was not calm...
Ripping the support beams to pieces leaving nothing but rubble a mysterious relic came crashing through the atmosphere sending a shockwave throughout the city flooding the lower levels. The relic sat there, emitting a green glow and oozing with some bacteria or chemicals slowly eating away at support beams until they can no longer support their own weight.
Survivors continued to build shacks high above the skyscrapers to escape the toxins, but it was only a matter of time.
The sky darkened with mysterious green orbs, and the relic began to hatch.
This was no longer our planet.
Concept (Alchemy + Photoshop):
Approach:
Yea its a crazy city, really futuristic with a bit of a fantasy hint. Ill try to attempt a very vivid style (kinda like Mirrors Edge), yet it will contain alot of chaos (pipes, wires, etc). Im going to attempt to make the buildings all modular to cut down time and resources. Ill be using the CryEngine2, the toxic goo will be fun as well as the rubble and melting of whatever is floating around (some good use of zbrush right there). Picture the street ways like Venice, but more trashy, like a dirty trailer park version of Venice with lots of goo.
Random Thought: They should make cookies with the polycount logo/shape, id buy them. :poly142:
Updates:
Story has been updated to comply with the relic coming from the sky rather than the ocean.
Developed Plan:
The city will have 2 levels at the bottom, which will consist of most detail as well as the very top levels which will contain the second most detail. In this city streets all are made up of 2 floors, there are not any roads. People traveled by foot and public transportation (train system). The lowest part of the city will be mostly immersed in water and ruins with some lights from shops glowing from under the water and alot of debris floating around where the toxic content is heavy.
On the 2nd floor/upper part of the bottom of the city, will be sidewalks and entrances to the big hi rises and stairways that lead down to the bottom floor. In the center of the city is the big relic Greentooth Sphere, oozing its liquid its a tad submerged in the water and mainly resting on the bottom floor with much debris of the 2nd floor around it. It also took out half a hi rise so there's many exposed parts of high rises. Ill try to give the illusion that any moment some of them may fall over. The detail will be the heaviest in these areas.
At the top of the skyscrapers (that remain), there will be the shacks that people have built, many will be breaking or fallen apart. The detail wont have to be very heavy up there since in my scene the player would mainly be around that 2nd floor by the impact and all the shacks in the sky are just *awe* goodies.
Im really gonna have to force my self to really go for a modular approach to get the most out of my textures, I have a feeling alot of the effects and particles are gonna add up quickly.
I'm still brainstorming the idea of the city so I did a rough sketch. Sadly when I'm drawing without a direct reference I really really suck. Embarrassed to show it, I scanned it in and started blocking out the city. Put it in the CryEngine2 and got my self familiar with the particle editor.
My vision is started to become a tad more surreal.
This is just rough alot of scale is wacked out as well as some of the planning, but Im starting to form my idea.
Some Creative Changes:
Ball is just placeholder it will actually be more of a foreign relic space craft.
The city will include many stores, neon lights, alley ways and train station with a de-railed skytrain.
I started modeling some assets and base models, however I realized I should focus. Because I started to get out of hand planning streets.etc, which is a mistake. Since I should limit my detailed polygons to the areas that you'll actually see. So I thought It would be good to go ahead and plan what my two beauty shots will be.
Here's a sketch (I'm bad at drawing):
Sketch I (Secondary View):
Overlooking out from one of the ruined skyscrapers upon the city.
Sketch II (Primary View):
Underground exit from a mall, (it will be flooded). Straight ahead is the initial impact of the relic.
Game Studies:
I looked over some games to see what techniques I could pick up to accomplish this, and two main things I found that can carry more their weight in usefulness is.
A. The use of colors, In Mirrors Edge just the vivid colors and the use of plain bright colors on objects with normal maps can really bring out some great looking scenes.
B. Unique design and subtleties, games such as Bioshock and Fear make great use of small details to hint at what might have happened or just to bring more mood into the environment. Assets such as flying papers, smaller rubble, dust, and more can really turn a scene around.
I think I'm ready to start modeling assets. Wish me luck.
I really like your last in game shot. I would bust up the overhanging freeway more to expose more of the scene and raise the alien ball up at least for that one shot. Oh, and if your 3d stuff is good enough no one cares what your 2d looks like!
some cool destruction you got there! I think its also pretty smart that you got the scene in so early, its gives a clear view of the scenes proportion and composition, best of luck further on!
some cool destruction you got there! I think its also pretty smart that you got the scene in so early, its gives a clear view of the scenes proportion and composition, best of luck further on!
Edit: this was my 300 post also....yay me!
Yea its just a quick blockout, nothing great. It really showed me some -'s of scene that I can change around, (for example, that building is blocking the view of the ball so Ill knock that out). Ill probably start the proper modeling tomorrow. Gratz on your 300th post.
@ Crazyfingers, yea that over thing isn't a freeway but a walkway but yea same thing. Ive changed my idea around a bit so its the underground exit of a mall. And over top is buildings/walkways. Now I'm kinda just focusing on what I don't have to make (what wont be in the direct view space) and what will. As for the ball, I totally agree. Ive changed my idea to make it more of a spacecraft or some weird ship, I'm still going to try to keep it very roundish but maybe more of a attacker looking type ship holding a big vat or ball. Almost as a missile to finish off the life, so they can take over.
Today I was anxious to start throwing some real assets into the editor and hopefully some textures. However with a poor first attempt resulting in some texture seams I was not happy.
And I went straight to ProfessorXXX's entry and looked at his useful videos on how he was doing his assets (I remember that texture painting in zbrush looked promising).
After some practice runs I gave it a go, and I am very pleased how quick and naturally you can throw togehter decent textures in Zbrush. Its absolutely stunning, so thanks to ProfessorXXX and his videos!
Anyways, here's what I ended up with. Its not bad, but there's quite a bit I would do to it before I consider it finished. (The light is just a bright light right now I needa make a texture for that part still).
Walkway/sidewalk that will be covered in water with floating debris:
I know its not much done, but today I learned valuable tips and tricks that will help me in the days to come.
Ugh, been a while since Ive posted. Mainly got all the useless stuff done so I really can start getting to work. Made spreadsheet to track my files and setup some folders. Some more brainstorming, and tonight I got this asset finished.
I didn't want my walkway cement like the post before this one.
Indoor Walkway:
512x512 Color, Spec, Normal
256x256 Environment
26 Triangles.
You can't really see it here, but its shiny and reflective, because its supposed to be wet. (Don't mind the guy standing there, hes just for proportion/scale).
Well, I tried to get the water done tonight and that failed. I have no idea how I'm going to get good water in CryEngine. Applying the ocean shader does nothing, my plane stays invisible. If I use water surface it only is viewable at certain angles. And if I use water vortex, it works, but I cant really edit it, I can just pop a normal map in and none of the shader parameters have any effect on the look of the water.
Anyways here's a poor attempt with the water-vortex shader and my normal map. Does anyone out there know how to get water working in the CryEngine on your own custom meshes?...
Replies
Im doing this solo, a friend might join in but we will have to see if he has time.
I suck at drawing concepts, especially when I'm itching to get into the 3D. Ill need the most time I can get.
Story:
Eden, the last place on Earth.
After the re-settlement of Earth, as final attempt to sustain human life Eden was constructed and has been flourishing for nearly 100 decades. Built upon some of the tallest altitudes to avoid the rising sea level, frequent earthquakes started to weaken the support beams of the city.
A construction crew was sent to the depths of the city to temporarily re-enforce these support beams. The city sat along the top of the ocean, while what was left of past civilizations was deep beneath the water.
The air was crisp, the sun bright orange rising above the horizon. But all was not calm...
Ripping the support beams to pieces leaving nothing but rubble a mysterious relic came crashing through the atmosphere sending a shockwave throughout the city flooding the lower levels. The relic sat there, emitting a green glow and oozing with some bacteria or chemicals slowly eating away at support beams until they can no longer support their own weight.
Survivors continued to build shacks high above the skyscrapers to escape the toxins, but it was only a matter of time.
The sky darkened with mysterious green orbs, and the relic began to hatch.
This was no longer our planet.
Concept (Alchemy + Photoshop):
Approach:
Yea its a crazy city, really futuristic with a bit of a fantasy hint. Ill try to attempt a very vivid style (kinda like Mirrors Edge), yet it will contain alot of chaos (pipes, wires, etc). Im going to attempt to make the buildings all modular to cut down time and resources. Ill be using the CryEngine2, the toxic goo will be fun as well as the rubble and melting of whatever is floating around (some good use of zbrush right there). Picture the street ways like Venice, but more trashy, like a dirty trailer park version of Venice with lots of goo.
Random Thought: They should make cookies with the polycount logo/shape, id buy them. :poly142:
As for the cookies, maybe next time when I make cookies ill try to make one look like greentooth and take a picture for our yummyness.
And Greentooth + ears = Green Monkey. Hes friendly, its ok.
Story has been updated to comply with the relic coming from the sky rather than the ocean.
Developed Plan:
The city will have 2 levels at the bottom, which will consist of most detail as well as the very top levels which will contain the second most detail. In this city streets all are made up of 2 floors, there are not any roads. People traveled by foot and public transportation (train system). The lowest part of the city will be mostly immersed in water and ruins with some lights from shops glowing from under the water and alot of debris floating around where the toxic content is heavy.
On the 2nd floor/upper part of the bottom of the city, will be sidewalks and entrances to the big hi rises and stairways that lead down to the bottom floor. In the center of the city is the big relic Greentooth Sphere, oozing its liquid its a tad submerged in the water and mainly resting on the bottom floor with much debris of the 2nd floor around it. It also took out half a hi rise so there's many exposed parts of high rises. Ill try to give the illusion that any moment some of them may fall over. The detail will be the heaviest in these areas.
At the top of the skyscrapers (that remain), there will be the shacks that people have built, many will be breaking or fallen apart. The detail wont have to be very heavy up there since in my scene the player would mainly be around that 2nd floor by the impact and all the shacks in the sky are just *awe* goodies.
Im really gonna have to force my self to really go for a modular approach to get the most out of my textures, I have a feeling alot of the effects and particles are gonna add up quickly.
My vision is started to become a tad more surreal.
This is just rough alot of scale is wacked out as well as some of the planning, but Im starting to form my idea.
Some Creative Changes:
Ball is just placeholder it will actually be more of a foreign relic space craft.
The city will include many stores, neon lights, alley ways and train station with a de-railed skytrain.
I'm still concepting...
Here's a sketch (I'm bad at drawing):
Sketch I (Secondary View):
Overlooking out from one of the ruined skyscrapers upon the city.
Sketch II (Primary View):
Underground exit from a mall, (it will be flooded). Straight ahead is the initial impact of the relic.
Game Studies:
I looked over some games to see what techniques I could pick up to accomplish this, and two main things I found that can carry more their weight in usefulness is.
A. The use of colors, In Mirrors Edge just the vivid colors and the use of plain bright colors on objects with normal maps can really bring out some great looking scenes.
B. Unique design and subtleties, games such as Bioshock and Fear make great use of small details to hint at what might have happened or just to bring more mood into the environment. Assets such as flying papers, smaller rubble, dust, and more can really turn a scene around.
I think I'm ready to start modeling assets. Wish me luck.
Edit: this was my 300 post also....yay me!
Yea its just a quick blockout, nothing great. It really showed me some -'s of scene that I can change around, (for example, that building is blocking the view of the ball so Ill knock that out). Ill probably start the proper modeling tomorrow. Gratz on your 300th post.
@ Crazyfingers, yea that over thing isn't a freeway but a walkway but yea same thing. Ive changed my idea around a bit so its the underground exit of a mall. And over top is buildings/walkways. Now I'm kinda just focusing on what I don't have to make (what wont be in the direct view space) and what will. As for the ball, I totally agree. Ive changed my idea to make it more of a spacecraft or some weird ship, I'm still going to try to keep it very roundish but maybe more of a attacker looking type ship holding a big vat or ball. Almost as a missile to finish off the life, so they can take over.
I'm going for a ship carrying a ball or some sort of storage thing that is breaking open and leaking some toxic or foreign material.
Now im finally ready to start making the assets.
Wish me luck, I've never really modeled much spacecrafts in 3D.
And I went straight to ProfessorXXX's entry and looked at his useful videos on how he was doing his assets (I remember that texture painting in zbrush looked promising).
After some practice runs I gave it a go, and I am very pleased how quick and naturally you can throw togehter decent textures in Zbrush. Its absolutely stunning, so thanks to ProfessorXXX and his videos!
Anyways, here's what I ended up with. Its not bad, but there's quite a bit I would do to it before I consider it finished. (The light is just a bright light right now I needa make a texture for that part still).
Walkway/sidewalk that will be covered in water with floating debris:
I know its not much done, but today I learned valuable tips and tricks that will help me in the days to come.
I didn't want my walkway cement like the post before this one.
Indoor Walkway:
512x512 Color, Spec, Normal
256x256 Environment
26 Triangles.
You can't really see it here, but its shiny and reflective, because its supposed to be wet. (Don't mind the guy standing there, hes just for proportion/scale).
I feel behind, time to start pounding out assets.
Lot of checkers/block patterns going on, so I think a red carpet on top parts of the checkered floor would be good, and then benches and stuff.
Anyways here's a poor attempt with the water-vortex shader and my normal map. Does anyone out there know how to get water working in the CryEngine on your own custom meshes?...