non generic sci-fi corridor?

jackalope

So I have a class assignment to do a sci-fi corridor. I pretty much cringed when I learned this because I know it is done a lot. I think I want to stay away from making a dark octagon hallway. Not that those things are all bad, iv'e seen it done really well. I found an image that I thought would be a good starting point



does anyone have an idea to make it seem more futuristic? maybe some ideas or concepts that break away from the norm would be cool. Anyway... my adventure awaits me (goes to go try a block out)

sampson

futuristic usually very clean/white. replace that floor carpet with kind of panelled white sorta plasticy thing with lights here and there. hrmm that sorta support structure already looks sota futuristic with the curves thats alli can really think of

jackalope

yeah, replacing the carpet is a good idea, thanks. Oh, i was actually looking at your sci-fi hallway earlier. Nice models and detail! Definitely an inspiration.

Zack Fowler

A few floating holographic, 3D projected, or simply projected-onto-glass displays would do a lot. Minority Report might have decent references for what it sounds like you're after.

brandoom

Instead of a solid roof, perhaps panes of glass looking out into space. The supports are cool though, keep those fo sho.

P442

just ask yourself, what about this is sci-fi, then exaggerate those elements

Autocon

some of the best sci fi is done in a way that you can logically identify what its modern counter part would be IMO

jackalope

took a crack at those spiffy supports

StealthSilver

There should be windows. Outside those windows, there should be space.

Mik2121

BTW, even though Sampson said you should replace the carpet with white plastic panels or something like that, I don't think it's absolutely needed. I'm working on an environment, and I, too, am using white plastic floorings with rounded shapes everywhere (think Mass Effect, Halo Reach -certain stages are like that- etc..).

The thing is, depending on what you wanna make, if it's a lobby area or somewhere that's meant to be used not just by the staff but also by consumers or main public, you might want to also think about carpets or even marble floorings (though this might be harder to use together with white clean environments).

If you have a 360 and Halo Reach, you might want to take pics of a map called Sword Base. Otherwise, I will take some screenshots later to use as extra inspiration, so if you want them too, I can post the links here later.

Zwebbie

I think it would be a terrible shame if you made the whole thing more science fiction by adding a ton of clich

Mik2121

I know you've not replied yet, but whatever.. I uploaded the pics I just took, here:

http://mik2121.imgur.com/all/

Hopefully they can be of any help

jackalope

@StealthSilver Exactly.

@Mik2121 Thanks for those pics, very helpful and inspiring.

@Zwebbie I completely agree. I am trying very hard to stay away from clich

Mitchell Banks

You don't have to make windows with 'space' outside for this to be sci fi. If you just made the scene white/clean then it is dull/uninteresting to look at. Not every sci fi scene needs to have space in the windows and for it to be a clean, white, sterile environment. That has been done over and over again. The ugly carpet doesn't even have to be changed, in fact feel free to make it uglier, or not. Have you seen what some of these new interior designers are trying to do to 'hyper modern / futuristic buildings? Who is to say what we think is ugly now will be considered beautiful then? There will still be designers that like ugly carpet. Just because it's futuristic doesn't mean carpet is obsolete. You could add an automated runway, a holographic atm machine would be unique too.

I agree with P442, what about this is sci-fi? Exaggerate those elements.

Try this for a thought. Are trees rare in this time/place? If so, is this place is a government facility/greenhouse? Is this a wealthy persons living quarters?

The supports are looking spiffy. If you plan on taking this into zbrush, I would add some wielding where the braces end and maybe add gussets plates as well. Good luck on the rest of your project!

Zack Fowler

Zwebbie, I totally agree with the idea that you can get that "futuristic" sense without relying on sci-fi cliches like hexagons, vents, etc. but the idea of getting it primarily through fashion seems pretty silly to me. The modern sense coming from jackalope's first reference comes through an architect making forms and shapes that, with previous era construction technology, would be impossible. Not because it adapts a retro style in an unusual way. One can certainly use something like Art Nouveau to add flavor to the look, but I really don't think it would do anything to make the scene feel "sci-fi" in and of itself. Now, if you did something along the lines of "what would an Art Nouveau architect build if he had incredibly advanced materials and construction methods?", that would be something. Maybe that's what you were getting at, fashion advanced by technology rather than just raw technology itself.

That seems like the fundamental thing, what kind of environment could an architect put together without being constrained by current construction limitations? That's what realistic futuristic architecture will look like, at least some of it. Which is why Frank Gehry's stuff looks pretty futuristic -- not because of the style in itself per se, but because of an implementation of style that is only possible through technology.

Anyway, for the purposes of an assignment it's probably best not to overthink it. Those supports look good, keep it up.

Zwebbie

I don't think we disagree (much), Zack, but I wouldn't say that concept image looks futuristic because of its construction technology - that looks like it could easily have been done generations ago (the Crystal Palace is much more impressive, and heck, the most structurally impressive building in my home city is the church, but you can still tell it's medieval and my house isn't).

That aside, the "what if" scenario you mention is exactly what I was getting at. but if you ask yourself what a generic modern day architect would do with the technology of a hundred years from now, you'll find that already they can do much more than they usually do (as Gehry proves), so you're forced into bringing science fiction details up to (ridiculous) prominence. The other scary option is not to think from an architect's point of view at all, and just add science fiction things. The environments that Mik2121 posted are merely collections of futuristic clich

Mik2121

It's cool Zwebbie. I didn't mean for the Halo Reach pics to look like something absolutely real and to get inspiration for how to make his own environments (they are meant to be fun to play in multiplayer, hence the lack of objects around and the maybe slightly weird shapes). But I thought the colors (white/light grey walls against carpets, etc..), objects' shapes, etc.. could help. I like the overall round-ish white look, kinda like how the inside of the airplanes look :P

Of course, all that is just inspiration material and I don't think it's a bad thing to have it thrown in there with other stuff, don't you think?.

As for the "glowing computers", I took the pics because I wanted to know how to make that in UDK and made this thread.

Anyway, as I said, I don't think those screens are bad to use as inspiration, not as absolute guidelines for how to make your own stuff.

jackalope

Thank you all for your responses. They have helped me think through this project. I have started on a concept drawing:

jackalope

small update on the concept

gsokol

Looks cool. Getting some stuff outside the windows would be really cool. Have a space background, and maybe make some exterior pieces to the building (like you can see another hallway that goes perpendicular to this one.

I think doing something interesting with the floor panels will help to. Dont stick to just tiled floors, but make some sweet interesting shaped panels..maybe have grates so you can see some cool stuff underneath. Or maybe make moving sidewalks like you see at some airports (or in the Jetson's cartoon..either way)

I'm liking where its going so far.

jackalope

Thanks gsokol, I really like the idea of seeing more building outside the windows, I hadn't thought of that. Ill make sure to make something interesting for the floor also. For now i think this is good enough to move onto the modeling stage.

jackalope

finally finished the welds on these bad boys

Mike Yevin

i don't see any welds on there, any plans to sculpt them out in zbrush?

jackalope

@Mike Yevin

I brought the supports together in some simple welds:



I didnt want to do anything too detailed because I am on a tight schedule and you wouldn't really see the detail at the distance they will be at.

jackalope

Update:

Worked on the block out and changed the concept a little. give the building a curve, and made the first floor a lot more room.

Harry

you oughtta have a glass terrarium lining the walkway imo. a plausible leisure/living area in space would probably be heavy on that kind of thing cause it has the comforting feel of home

murph

this is looking great!

jackalope

@Harry That is an awesome idea, unfortunately i do not have the time. Deadlines suck.

@Murph Thank you.

jackalope

MOAR update: changed up the concept some more. and a quick render test. Need to increase my light bounces, and round some corners. Add some props, and start texturing.

jackalope

Large update: due date came up, had to throw it all together. Didn't get it to the point i would like, I will be working on it some more for my portfolio.

jakelear

Hey man, nice work. Hope the grade turns out for you.

You're definitely on a good path, it always sucks to have to rush things for school, but you're on track to have a nice portfolio piece.
Stick with it!

gsokol

Would be cool to see you finish this proper. This no longer looks like a sci-fi scene at all. It just looks like a fancy building in the city. Looks good though.

re.wind

I kind of appreciate the fact that this looks like something you could find in a contemporary/futuristic building somewhere. having "scifi corridor" imply some unreal-looking corridor cast in darkness is really quite detrimental to the whole genre known as science fiction.

what you have there looks like it could fit into the world of Brink without too much changes.

jackalope

Thanks for all the support guys. The assignment was a sci-fi corridor, but i wanted something that was more logical, and believable then most things you see. Because of this it did end up looking like just a fancy building. I am working on adding to it right now, and getting some animation of the camera and lights. Hopefully will be done with that over the weekend. Maybe ill do a quick paintover

jackalope

quick paintover sketch with some ideas i had

brandoom

Looking good; its coming along nicely.

I realize it is still a work in progress, however i would like to suggest adding in quite a few small props to really help portray the scale of the building. For example, garbage cans, fountains, video cameras, vending machines etc..

Jungsik

beautiful so far

fearian

jackalope wrote: »

quick paintover sketch with some ideas i had

very nice! In terms of your reference and what you're pulling out, this is getting close to some arch viz kinda stuff (in udk :P)

jackalope

thank you guys. @branddoom good suggestions, ill try to throw some more props in. Unfortunately im not sure how much more this project will be worked on. I have 4 weeks left in school, 3 other projects to do, plus trying to get my portfolio together so I might be hired then. :poly127: We will see though.

mkandersson

Really nice architecture and I agree on having more props upstairs. Oh and you shouldn't rush your portfolio work. You'll have a better chance geting a job taking some extra time and making your stuff look great instead of rushing it and just having good ones to show

jackalope

Thanks mkandersson, I'm not trying to rush my portfolio work, but most times I don't have a choice.
Here is a quick low quality render of an idea i had.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-yJCjAQzHM[/ame]

Jeremy Lindstrom

those boards are HUGE, if the benches and rail is an indication of size.

jackalope

by boards do you mean the floors? i'm pretty sure I scaled them to be 3-4 inches in width.

Jeremy Lindstrom

here's what i mean.. kinda..

Using the only object I can really guesstimate scale from I used the magazine for scale knowing the average magazine is 9x11 or so.. put a person in there, that makes the railing way too low, if I use the railing as a guide, it makes everything else too low. If I use the benches as a guide, well there's two benches in the right hand corner at different scales. So, it's according to where I look as to if the boards look huge to me.

Its a nice peice, but 'to me' the scale seems off as I'm using the magazine as my scale of reference, but doing so makes the benches next to the magazine at the right scale but the ones to the left are off scale, and then it makes the railing be about a 10-12 inches high..

so, there's my confusion, I could just be odd but it's like one of them puzzle images I can't place the scale.

jackalope

aah, that makes sense, Thank you for that. I painted the magazine in too large. Interestingly enough the benches are the same size, i just duplicated them, ill go back and double check that though. The railing definitely seems off. I will make sure to rework the scale on everything. Thank you for your insight.

jackalope

I decided to use this project for another assignment, to create a playable level, with some puzzles in UDK. i plan on making it heavily overgrown. Like it was abandoned for a very long time. I started on the center piece which will be a large dead tree. Did the base model, going to put it into mudbox for some sculpting.


I know it isnt muchto look at right now, but critiques are always welcome.


EDIT: a few minuets of sculpting before bed