UC 2009 'END GAME' | JakeOfWar | 2D
polycounter lvl 17
Hey guys, haven't posted in a long time but I'm hoping to get time for this one 
I'm planning a rather imposing crypt idea leading into a mountain, in a winter setting that either suggests the end from the undead, or the look of a final game level.
I've got a bunch of initial sketches but I can't find the attachments (in the options box on the bottom, it states that I 'may not post attachments'. Anyone know why this is??
Thanks in advance for the help.
I'm planning a rather imposing crypt idea leading into a mountain, in a winter setting that either suggests the end from the undead, or the look of a final game level.
I've got a bunch of initial sketches but I can't find the attachments (in the options box on the bottom, it states that I 'may not post attachments'. Anyone know why this is??
Thanks in advance for the help.
Replies
Just gotta go with an idea at this point, using some 3D as a base to try a new workflow...so at least I'll be learnin!
Aiming for the last, most top-down and fleshed out idea...mind the sloppy perspective.
I've finally got a majority blocked out in 3D for my base - haven't done this workflow before so it will take experimentation with what type of renders would be useful to paint on. Any advice for this? Right now its just a basic Software render in Maya with Raytrace shadows.
Any thoughts on the overall composition? The foreground tree etc. wont be using 3D so I'm mostly working out the main architecture shapes for perspective reference.
What i like about the sketches is the layout of the scructure and how it sits nicely in this very chaotic landscape environment. I can imagine the earth or unearth around the structure having all kinds of movement and there's some supernatural force preventing the structure from being destroyed.
The design of the structure is simple, but simple in a way that is believable... most of the design of structures like this are actually very simple elements with very ornate decorative carvings/trims statues... so this works.
You've seem to have gone away from this in your 3d rough. replacing the badass terrain with duplicates of the structure entrance. This is a poor decision in my opinion, and I would suggest going back to your original concept.
Artists like to secong guess their designs and concepts and think they should do something wacky and crazy with their environment, when they should execute their idea they've spent so much time skething/planning as it is conceptualized and make smaller revisions as problems arise.
Taking this approach you'll develope a more cohesive scene.
When i look at the 3d rough I ask myself, "why would anyone go to all the trouble of building out all these extra entrances on the side of this cliff... "
I ask this because they look like courtyards, and it doesn't seem like there would ever be enough people/creatures of higher intelligence hanging around this crypt entrance to support the idea of having so many courtyards to begin with. and in addition to this, if i were hanging out in a courtyard in on a cliff, i wouldn't hang out on either of the two lower platforms that are more exposed to falling rocks and probably not very securely attached to the loose rocks on the cavern wall...
Just a thought.
The sketch/idea are great... be careful not to over complicate it.
I would also not try to mix two many environmental elements like lava and snow and vegitation... pick something and run with that... is it going to be cold, hot, jungle, etc...
trying to do all 3 or even 2 of them together is a terrible decision that will slow you down while developing the concept... When doing something like this ask yourself, "have I ever seen lava and snow at the same time?"
If you're going either lava/snow, I would lose the tree. It doesn't add anything to your main theme unless you're going to go a temperate forest route which would be taking on a very large amount of work to pull off with all the other stuff you have to model/texture.
The render you use doesn't really matter so long as your camera angle/fov are right. You're going to end up painting over it, so do whatever feels good.
Hope this helps, looking forward to seing what you do wth this one.
Anyways thanks a lot for your comments!
I did find some instances where snow and lava were present to some degree, so I'm hoping to show the lava/fire as a sudden occurance in a winter atmosphere (as I think it gives a more desolate, abandoned feeling). I'm hoping that the warm fire/magma will nicely contrast the cool colors and be an abnormal occurance to push the fantasy theme.
With the duplicated structures, I'm working out some alternatives...basically I'm searching for ways to make it feel larger and inside the mountain and not simply on the surface (crypts go down right).
The foreground tree will have a purpose, likely to hold an empty noose or two like from previous sketches, to hint at the undead topic that is second to the building.
Good thoughts, and things that I will continue to concider
So far I've just been painting right over it, with a few elements rendered on a seperate layer to make sure they stay unpainted (the graves for example). I've only had 2-3 hours today to start the painting so ANY feedback here would be great!
I'm sure it needs more color (going to add some warms as described) and more color variation, but also more design elements...the bridge hasn't been fleshed out, nor has the area around the building other than land.
I might put a gravestone or statue element on the foreground ledge, as it doesnt look like trees would be up this high - though if I added them here and there, or its a magical dead tree, maybe I would get away with it.