'Ichiraku Ramen' WIP
Hey all,
So it's been a while since I posted anything up here and I thought it's about time I started up a new WIP thread.
In between other projects I'm working (slowly) on a new environment scene.
The theme is loosely based on the Ichiraku Ramen shop from Naruto. I say loosely based since I want to add a bunch of my own props but keep with the kind of 'Ramen Bar' feel.
In terms of style, Naruto has been tackled in 3D in various ways before, in my opinion most successfully in the 360 game 'Rise of a Ninja'. I wanna go fully hand painted but including normal maps so kinda one step ahead in realism than say WoW style, but still not photo real.
As I said, progress will be slow and I'm working on one or two assets at a time and I wanna get each one right!
I'm trying to keep the time on each asset limited as one problem with doing a scene this way is that I could end up spending forever on an asset that in the end is only a tiny object barely visible in the final scene. Of course the benefits of doing it this way are that I can reuse assets and place them around wherever.
Ok so here's progress so far, as I mentioned, I wanna get this looking good so any crits on any of it would be much appreciated!
These are Max with Xoliuls awesome shader shots for now but I plan to setup the scene in UE3 ultimately. The plant pot is a Marmoset shot as I was having issues with the alpha culling in Max.
And obviously the lantern isn't textured, it's just normal/grey base.
So it's been a while since I posted anything up here and I thought it's about time I started up a new WIP thread.
In between other projects I'm working (slowly) on a new environment scene.
The theme is loosely based on the Ichiraku Ramen shop from Naruto. I say loosely based since I want to add a bunch of my own props but keep with the kind of 'Ramen Bar' feel.
In terms of style, Naruto has been tackled in 3D in various ways before, in my opinion most successfully in the 360 game 'Rise of a Ninja'. I wanna go fully hand painted but including normal maps so kinda one step ahead in realism than say WoW style, but still not photo real.
As I said, progress will be slow and I'm working on one or two assets at a time and I wanna get each one right!
I'm trying to keep the time on each asset limited as one problem with doing a scene this way is that I could end up spending forever on an asset that in the end is only a tiny object barely visible in the final scene. Of course the benefits of doing it this way are that I can reuse assets and place them around wherever.
Ok so here's progress so far, as I mentioned, I wanna get this looking good so any crits on any of it would be much appreciated!
These are Max with Xoliuls awesome shader shots for now but I plan to setup the scene in UE3 ultimately. The plant pot is a Marmoset shot as I was having issues with the alpha culling in Max.
And obviously the lantern isn't textured, it's just normal/grey base.
Replies
+1
The plant looks like it's triangle count is a bit high, though if you're not planning to have 100s of them in the scene it's probably Ok.
Minor critique/suggestion for the chair:
I look forward to watching this scene progress, keep it up
With regards to your suggestions Ben, I'll definitely take a loop or two out of the chair section, the base was intentionally left lower res though so those little planks looked like they have straight edges rather than rounded. I'll round it off some though and see how it looks.
Updates soon!
Thanks again.
Got some pictures/posters done.
The photograph is just a lame touch that I may or may not include in the final scene, just an idea.
The posters are gonna be stuck on the outside of the building, I cannot read or write Japanese and the lettering is literally just random characters typed in with my international settings set to Katakana/Hiragana
As I said, minor update but may as well post the progress!
Erm, heh good question about the plant alpha.
I guess I just assumed the leaf shape would be easier to paint out in an alpha than to make them from shaped polys, but in the end I could have done it just as well either way. Lets call it a planning mishap!
Also, looking at that picture frame again, the texture could use a little more love I think.
Pestibug-
Thanks, appreciate the comment. I agree the wood on the crate could do with a change in hue/saturation. I'll change it up as you suggested. I did the chair / crate / barrel first and wanted a little variation in the wood on each but ended up going a bit crazy with the crate
The plant alpha looks a bit nasty with the aliasing.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/somenman/
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/355364/car/402877/1811527/photo.aspx
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/maro_koto_101
When you come to do the sign: ラメン 一楽
http://www.b-shoku.jp/modules/wordpress/attach/u690/FI16676_0E.jpg
free font in that style:
http://www.i-love-epson.co.jp/download2/printer/driver/win/page/ttf30.htm
Haha I didn't realise the symbol on the box was for plastic! I assumed it was just a recycling symbol. Here's my ref image for it, I just used it to make a mask. It's clearly printed on cardboard but I'm guessing it refers to whatever is inside the box in this case:
j/k, really wicked style
Rooster -
I did bake some of the assets with a SubD mesh, the lantern was done that way and I do intend to do that on some of the larger assets for sure.
Updates!
Finished the lantern texture and started on some bowls/ramen.
I'm not sure, and in the end it might not really matter at all - but the text on the signage doesn't make sense to me. Also I think the kanji on the red lantern (love the glow) are backwards.
The text is indeed a load of nonsense, as I mentioned earlier I just literally switched my input method to Katakana/Hiragana and just typed in a bunch of random letters. In all honesty I suppose it may add to the authenticity if I had genuine words / phrases on the posters, but I suppose what I was thinking was that in the final scene, they may be barely visible, even less so with texture compression once in UE3.
The PSD's for the textures have all the text on an individual layer so if it turns out that they are well legible in the final scene then I can do some research and make sure they say something correct and informative!
good stuff!
+1
I tried both painting it and modelling (somewhat primitively) and decided it definitely looks better modelled. It's gonna be a small asset in the final scene for sure so I didn't want to spend too much time.
Next up is the hanging sheets outside the door with the lettering on. I'm just playing with reactor cloth and it's giving some pretty good results. I'll probly just crunch them and bake, maybe sculpt a little if necessary but reactor is looking pretty nice already.
Thanks for all the comments!
The card ref you have there, the top logo means PU RA (which is short for plastic) and the logo underneath means soyink.
If you put nonsense on the Noren (curtains) I will lock this thread
here is an actual ichiraku ramen store!
I definitely want to get the lantern / curtains correct as they will be prominent in the final shot and clearly legible. Just a couple of questions if you don't mind.
The ref I'm using has a slightly different word/phrase on the Noren and Lantern, is it still correct? If so, how do I type that using an English keyboard? I know you need to type like sylables ie 'no' 'sa' etc but I have no idea what the Japanese characters are that I need!
REF:
EDIT:
Ah after looking at the picture, the lantern has the Kanji for 'Ichiraku' right? Which as you say is the name of the shop. Which is also the Kanji on the curtains.
So if Ichiraku is Kanji, how on earth do I input that into Photoshop?!
Thanks again.
copy and paste
I'll post the Noren WIP in a minute and you can see if I'm heading in the right direction with it.
Thanks!
Not too sure about those cloth folds on the ramen sign though... especially the one on the right, also all the bottoms look curved as if they are resting on something except that they are hanging freely so that doesn't make much sense.
Keep at it you are making great progress.
the curtains are actually one bit of cloth that has been segmented not separate sheets. these are held in place along a pole by three loops per segment, much like a curtain.
With regard to the curtains, I agree the folds look a bit over the top. They are just a retopo'd reactor simulation and I was trying to find a good balance between too subtle, which just looked like flat planes, and lots of folds. I'll revisit them I think once the building part is done and see how they work then. I've got a list of bits and pieces to do and now probably wasn't the best time to do them.
Thanks again.
Ok huuuuuge update, these took ages
I think that's more or less it for the smaller 'accessory' assets. Updates may slow down a bit now!
(the video is for reference only)
Yeah all the assets so far have been 512x512. I've baked/painted them at 1024 though and scaled them down so depending on how they look once in UE3, I may or may not use the higher res versions. To be honest though, 512 should be fine and it seems a bit excessive to go bigger for such minor assets. The very small pieces could almost pull off a 256 I think.
I'm still not on the main structure yet, although that's gonna be real soon. Also I went back and played the Naruto game on 360 and refreshed my memory a bit.
So here's a fridge and also a gas cylinder, two of which sit outside the shop. A couple of comments, firstly the fridge was originally going to be a more 'vintage' looking fridge as I assumed that's what it would be in this Ramen shop, however, after going back and playing the game, it is in fact a more modern example. Secondly, the obvious looking seam at the top of the gas cylinder where it starts to curve is intentional to illustrate the join that is often found in gas cylinders at that point. I might change it. There isn't actually a seam there, it just looks a bit too much like it I think.
Excuse the nasty lack of Max AA, they will be in UE3 soon!
Just finished modeling the building. I've tried to stay fairly faithful to the concept. Still in Max, I prefer to keep it in Max while texturing just because it's quicker to preview changes than having to reimport textures in UE3. I've got a couple assets in UDK already and they are looking awesome so can't wait to get the rest in!
Crits and comments welcome as always.
I've included a shot of the game this was inspired by in case you're wondering why the roof is blue.
There are still bits and pieces that could be improved I guess but I've already spent sooo long on this and I could probably keep adjusting things forever.
I'm real happy with it, seeing it in UDK at the end is always such a nice reward!
I would also model/texture portion of street in front of shop and add rough building or two in the background to cover default udk texture and nasty horizon line. For the sake of proper presentation
Your "drapes" should be one piece with a wooden dowel holding them up. Classy places use rope :P. I chose Naruto since it speaks to you.
Put up a shop banner or something as well. Usually shop name and their specialty dish, or what kind of shop it is. This one is an udon shop:
Where are your light sources coming from inside?
Post boxes usually look like these:
But I live in an old town, so I sometimes have to just give my letters to a baba-chan and she takes it to where it needs to go.
Make the street, make a backdrop, even if it's simple geometry. Don't stop where you are. And add a vending machine:
And if you make the machine, make sure to have Tommy Lee Jones and Boss Coffee:
[ame]