Building an environment - Evil Genius hidden forest base
polycounter lvl 20
I've been dropping these concepts in the WAYWO thread long enough that I might as well get my own thread going.
I've wanted to do something like this for awhile now, but never wanted to pull the trigger on the idea because I didn't want to get myself in to something I'd just stress over at home. Since this is a personal project, the least amount of stress there is the better.
The goal is to end up with a fun environment piece that was planned, discussed and executed on openly from the very beginning. Hopefully by doing this I or others will have learned something along the way.
Let's begin!
An evil genius' hidden forest base
Summary
An evil mastermind's base, hidden deep within a North American forest.
Inspiration, purpose
Vegetation
Assets (3D)
Landscape (ref collected)
Perimeter defence
Base/headquarters
Background elements
========================================================
Important Scenes/Visuals
For the 'beauty' video most (if not all) of these shots will be still shots with not much camera movement. Perhaps some slight panning or rotating, but the point is to show the environment as being a live, without distraction of more organic camera movement.
The 'commentary' video can include more organic camera movement.
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/17188/1/refs?h=138b19
CONCEPTS
(NOTE: These concepts may or may not drive the final art style of the environment. This will be determined once I start doing tests in side of UDK, and have some fun with rendering techniques.)
I've wanted to do something like this for awhile now, but never wanted to pull the trigger on the idea because I didn't want to get myself in to something I'd just stress over at home. Since this is a personal project, the least amount of stress there is the better.
The goal is to end up with a fun environment piece that was planned, discussed and executed on openly from the very beginning. Hopefully by doing this I or others will have learned something along the way.
Let's begin!
An evil genius' hidden forest base
Summary
An evil mastermind's base, hidden deep within a North American forest.
Inspiration, purpose
- Interest in learning advanced blending methods
- Create environment as a whole, final result shown in a video.
- Forced to think of the environment as a whole, rather than a couple choice framed shots
- UDK
- Show how a strong atmosphere ties an environment together
- Fun environment idea
- Breaking down the planning of the scene, to be posted on Polycount
- Release UDK + Package files
- Bram's forest environment LINK
- James Bond
- Austin Powers
- Hank Scorpio
- Using UDK
- Utilize lightmass
- advance texture blending techniques
- Video tutorials for UDK, posted on their forums. Polycount link.
- Painting directly on to meshes. UDN link.
- Advanced vertex painting within Unreal. Link.
- Advanced texture blending (modulated blends). Polycount link.
- More texture related information. Hourence's link.
Vegetation
- Ground textures, horizontal
- grass
- rock face
- dirt
- Ground textures, vertical
- grass
- rock face
- dirt
- moved terrain/dirt
- water
Assets (3D)
Landscape (ref collected)
- rock set
- tree set
- fallen tree set
- bush
- grass
- weeds
- leaves
- flowers
Perimeter defence
- fence set (ref collected)
- concept
- cameras (ref collected)
- hidden turret (disguised owl)
- warhead
- warhead silo
- trip wire
- wire for electronics
- wire grounding unit
- communication box (telephone/walkie-talkie). (ref collected)
- perhaps view screen/keyboard
- Signage
- Warning / caution signs
- Company signage
- 'Look-out' nest
- Speakers (TF2 style)
Base/headquarters
- entrances
- vehicle & persons, side-by-side
- concept
- Communication arrays
- Possible power source
- Waterfall
- Hidden solar panels
- Birds
- butterflies
- squirrels?
Background elements
- Mountains?
- Thick forest line
========================================================
Important Scenes/Visuals
For the 'beauty' video most (if not all) of these shots will be still shots with not much camera movement. Perhaps some slight panning or rotating, but the point is to show the environment as being a live, without distraction of more organic camera movement.
The 'commentary' video can include more organic camera movement.
- Landscape shots
- 3 or 4 "filler" shots of the landscape and environment
- Leaves blowing/swaying
- Birds flying
- Any story aspects (read: security or hidden base) should not be the focus of these shots. It is ok if they are noticeable in the shots.
- 3 or 4 "filler" shots of the landscape and environment
- Camera connected to tree, over looking area
- Possibly a break in the security fence, near a river bed
- Scene needs significance. Cannot be JUST a camera in a tree.
- Fence perimeter
- Running through a group of trees, up a hill
- Slight curve/bend in the lay of the fence
- Trip wire along a beaten path
- If possible, show the wire using strong dof from closest to the screen to furthest
- Possibly a trap its linked too?
- If possible, show the wire using strong dof from closest to the screen to furthest
- Strong tree line, cliff side
- Birds flying off
- Riverside
- Running river water
- splashes off rocks (small)
- Floating branch making its way down the river?
- Fallen tree
- Crossing a river
- A camera can be seen overlooking, but is not the focus point.
- The base of a look-out nest
- Camouflaged with foliage
- Signage visible
- Possibly have the camera rotate upwards to show the top of the nest
- HQ entrances
- low shot, showing the vehicle and persons entrance
- side of a cliff
- doors visible, not very hidden
- some signage
- communications relay/antenna positioning
- on top of cliff where entrance is
- perhaps shown via camera panning from the entrance shot to this shot
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/17188/1/refs?h=138b19
CONCEPTS
(NOTE: These concepts may or may not drive the final art style of the environment. This will be determined once I start doing tests in side of UDK, and have some fun with rendering techniques.)
Replies
nice concept
However I think you should aim to release it as a walkable scene instead of just a video. This would force you even more to look at it as an entire environment instead of framed screenshots.
And that look out tower with super-secret camo is priceless:D!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Genius_(video_game)
might be some of use for reference perhaps?
Keep it up!
Sir Adam;
If you are DIY modeling artist, there is indeed no telling how long will it take. However; do not stress over it. Environment may take a day if you are completely bored and modeling is just the key of the moment to kill your boredom, or it may take a month.
these type of threads really inspires me though, and it is a good learning process for others too. I really like that you have planned out the environment on the papers (blue prints). It is what I did to figure out my set. Anyways. Thanks for sharing so far.
I will book mark this thread.
texture blending is an interesting thing and I plan to keep watch on this
/subscribed
good luck!
The plan right now is to finish these little concepts up (the path, the relay, a close-up of the hidden window) then move on to in-engine tests. (How will I do foliage?? Whats the style of the objects and texturing? Etc)
Sweet! Will definately look forward to it. Awsome concept by the way I think I forgot to say that in my previous post.
Good luck.
also love the super secrete camo on the trees
I'm liking the style that I'm seeing in these concept shots, it's looking rather awesome sir :P
it
playable
u no u want 2
I won't be using speedtree for this. I'd rather have control over placement, type, etc. etc. I just trust myself more-so than speedtree.
Thanks everyone - I'm glad you guys are on board. It'll be a fun ride, for sure
Have you used the SpeedTree modeler? You have very good control, when you're modeling a tree, you're basically using generators, but you can build the tree yourself as well, by drawing it out, so you choose the complete form, down to individual branches. There's not much you can't control. You can also make your own custom materials and use for trunk/branch/leave texture maps.
And you can place the model wherever you like.
If you don't like it, don't use it, but I just felt you came with some misinformation here about not having control over placement, and type? You can make any kind of tree you want.
I've been working on some pretty surreal trees lately...
Please supply some image links! (Please, though, I ask you don't post the image itself using the image button. Thank you!)
(NOTE: These concepts may or may not drive the final art style of the environment. This will be determined once I start doing tests in side of UDK, and have some fun with rendering techniques.)
Really fun looking so far, I hope you catch that crazy/awesome vibe the whole thing has.
http://img716.imageshack.us/i/speedtree01.jpg/
http://img716.imageshack.us/i/speedtree02.jpg/
http://img33.imageshack.us/i/speedtree03.jpg/
http://img204.imageshack.us/i/speedtree04.jpg/
http://img204.imageshack.us/i/speedtree05.jpg/
http://img33.imageshack.us/i/speedtree06.jpg/
http://img229.imageshack.us/i/speedtree07.jpg/
Just some quick and dirty ones. You can make custom materials (diffuse, normal, spec) for trunks/branches/stalks, and you can also make custom leaves/fronds. You can also make meshes, and use instead of leaves. Oranges, apples, or whatever else you'd like to put on a tree. Severed heads.
HAve fun
SpeedTree is included with the UDK, install UDK and there should be a seperate folder somewhere including the exe files... It's really easy to get into and very fun to play around with.
Another cool feature in SpeedTree is that you can make the trees adjust to certain things in their environment. There's an example tree that wraps it's root around a rock(custom mesh importet).
Mine wasn't, but you can find it in the UDK / Binaries directory.
I'm excited to see how this goes, and to see your work with Speed Tree if you decide to use it.
You can place each model individually, manual style. You can also use terrain layers (DecoLayers), say, you have made 5-6 different small bush type flora, put these in a deco layer and set a varying intensity for them, to control the chances of which ones will be placed. So when you start painting them out it's randomized based on your intensity strength for each mesh. You can work this way with DecoLayers for all types of meshes. Painting out just random fallen leaves on the ground, or rocks, or skulls and bones. It can have quite a few uses.