Hello, first I would like to say thank you to all the people on here who were so helpful when I first came onto this site. It's nice to see such a great group!
So, I'm looking for feedback on this Lab thing I created. This was done so I could learn about next gen/current gen techniques and is my second ever environment to use normal maps and all that stuff. I'm not sure if I'm doing this the best way but i think it came out nice.
One question i have is this. for environments is it still cool to make, you know, sets of textures that work together rather then making custom UV layouts and textures for everything? I know this seems basic but in some portfolios i see people making highly custom textures for a wall when I would have made the same thing out of more general textures that could be used throughout the whole level not just one room.
(uh, i hope this pic shows up.. I'm bad at posting stuff X-D )
Replies
Right now the pillar on the foreground right and the background through the window seem to stand out too much. I'd recommend darkening that pillar (moving the light source really) and desaturating the background, and brighten things up at the center where the orb of light is.
Just my two cents.
Scale seems lost. There's that little walkway to the blue orb which dictates people being really small, but everything else makes it seem like people would be larger. Just not sure.
There's no visual separation between the ice and the metal material. A stronger spec and/or self illumination for the ice could go a long way. Additionally, what appears to be the only materials is the grey/blue metal and the brown metal. They are both really low saturation, and don't really do much for the scene. Seems to me you could get a lot more out of this scene with some more colors and ideas put into these materials.
Lighting really took the easy road too. Appears to be one major light source and that's about it, even though there are several floor lights and glowy things around the scene that could be adding a lot.
As for your question, tile when you can, and custom when you need it.
First. THANK YOU so much for commenting on my work. It's been hard trying to understand all this current gen stuff so any response is good!
I totally agree with you on the ice. I think it can use higher self illumination. I started to do it but wasn't sure if i should do it more. now i know the green light is on! i'm totally gonna do that.
hmmm, as for the lighting there actually are 5 lights in the file. Two points for the machines on the left and right. One point for the orb, a very low ambient for fill, and a directional light. hmm, i guess I'll have to turn the directional light down then. maybe it's overpowering things... I'll look into it, thank you.
And the low saturation of the metal. well, I'm embarrassed to say i did that because. well next gen stuff looks like that to me. I just came off of really cartoony projects so i'm use to really bright colors. when i look at killzone, gears of war, unreal, etc and look at industrial spaces they all seem to be really gray and desaturated. I guess I took it too far so I'll start pumping it back up. thanks.
OH! one last thing. can you give me a link to your portfolio site? i learn a lot by seeing lots and lost of portfolios so I'm trying to get the links to the people who comment on my stuff. thanks again!
i would darken the metal, and give it a low focus specularity (gloss) and for the ice and snow, well look at un-charteds ice, self illumination helps but only if done right (subtle) and make it bluer depending on depth, add some snow in there on up facing surfaces, blown in from a hole in the window etc. if you cover the tops of ice in snow that can help sell the self illumination (dont make the snow self illuminated).
use refs more for the ice postioning and formations some look quite unrealistic
also add some frost to the glass
-I shouldn't see the segments in that cylinder.
-Whats in that compartment thing? It looks like a bad photoshop filter.
-Is this how ice collects in an abandoned area? Do research. Its looks fake.
-Use more triangles. You want to make a next gen scene? Look at Unchart2. Analysis its environments.
-Your shadows are harsh. Look into adding some AO into the scene.
Best of luck.