Crime Scene - 1st Post

DrMalfice

Started this scene this morning, to further my 3D skills and practice everything I've learnt over the last 2 years.
Planning to include it when I send examples of work to Universitys.

The idea is to make a Crime Scene in a dark, gritty city. I'm modelling in 3DS Max 2011 and will be using zBrush if I decide its needed later on.

Any criticism is welcome, thank you.



This is the layout I'm aiming for at first, Lamppost on the street, a window on each building, and a sign and door on the left one, a drain on the road, crime scene tape across the ally's mouth and a door in the ally. All this is missing is a dumpster I'm also planning on putting in the ally.


This is what I have so far:

LMP

You're modeling it all as one piece? First off, break it down into it's various elements. And build each of those to the level you like.

DrMalfice

LMP wrote: »

You're modeling it all as one piece? First off, break it down into it's various elements. And build each of those to the level you like.

I'm not, just modelled the doors and windows onto the main layout.
Got separate files with the Lamppost and the crime scene tape underway.
:poly121:

DrMalfice

Super Happy Cow wrote: »

What do you imagine you would need zbrush for? This is all hard surface stuff, save for the implied "Do not cross" sign.

You should get rid of a lot of edge loops you aren't using. That'll save you tons of time on renduring, and it will look a lot cleaner and professional.

And do what he said^^^

Never model things as one piece that you can model as multiple. That's a disaster in the making.

Cheers for the advise on the edge loops, started to clear those up now. :poly121:

And I don't know what I was planning on using zBrush for really. I was thinking of using it to put chips in the walls and such, to make it look more worn out.

Baddcog

I'd try to work alot more modular.

Make a few sidewalk pieces (a straight with curb, a inside corner with curb, outside corner with curb), a lamp, a building...

Then all those pieces can be put together in any shape, rotation, etc... You'll use less uv space and it'll be easier to map them too. Plus you'll save tons of polys.

Orchidface

yeah before making chips in the walls with zbrush you might want to consider the trillions of other things found in an alley that are worlds more important to sell your scene... Like fire escapes, rain gutters, garbage, random cardboard boxes and various kinds of trash bins to name a few. I'd suggest looking at reference of alleys extensively. No serious artist goes without tons of research first.