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Monastery Graveyard in the Snow - UDK Environment

Hello.

Studying 3D graphics and for my "do what you want" project I've chosen an UDK environment. Specifically, Caspar David Friedrich's "Monastery Graveyard in the Snow" as a game environment.

This is pretty daunting, but I need some game stuff in my portfolio (which is very weak overall.)

I'm a complete noob to this, so I'm in dire need of criticism and suggestions :)

This is the "concept":
UPFU9.jpg

Here's the current progress on the main church/monastery ruin (little cube is human scale, 96 units):
jnmux.jpg

The window trimmings are wrong, I used a much blurrier picture originally, where they wasn't clearly visible.

The round section is composed of 64 sides, which I feel is quite much. On the other hand it's gigantic in game, and I had great trouble getting the vertex normals smooth with the windows in place.

Have no clue how to approach the terrain, I was thinking about doing it all in Modo/Maya.

Replies

  • skurmedel
    A tree WIP, feels all too high poly, ~640 tris.

    emkNB.jpg

    I studied some Skyrim trees and I feel my approach is wrong, they don't bother connecting the branches to the trunk. Doing this would save triangles and let me produce different variations quicker.
  • skurmedel
    So some updates, I feel I'm getting close to done with the main parts of the building. The alcoves inside is supposed to hold statues or something, but I'm holding off on those.

    Tfr3u.jpg

    9OO9l.jpg

    Also trained rock sculpting:

    aXVfA.jpg

    And a somewhat finished headstone:

    oO0RM.jpg
  • Cibo
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    Cibo polycounter lvl 10
    The ruins looking similar with this art piece:

    http://raphael-lacoste.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d11falr

    :poly121:

    Caspard David Friedrich, the painter of your concept, was his inspiration. Maybe this is better or give your more ideas.
  • skurmedel
    Yeah that's a good one too.

    I'm deliberately moving away in some respects from the painting, because it needs to be visually interesting up close too.
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    Really digging this so far. I'll be keeping an eye on it. The monastery itself is really beautifully intricate.
  • Cibo
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    Cibo polycounter lvl 10
    My critic:

    Windows to small (yours maybe 40% wallspace, original 50%, lacostes maybe 66%). Your construction looks very heavy in comparison.

    Bring light (god) in a house was a very important factor for a cathedral. Bigger is better so long the cathedral dont crumble.

    The window frames are to bulky i think normally in the gothic architecture are filigree window frames which are thinner then the walls.

    Your pillars are to cornered and look more like roman then gothic architecture, make a statue in the middle and it looks like a greek or roman temple. Your construction has not enough gothic feeling.
  • skurmedel
    There is not much I can do at this point about the size of the windows sadly, it would require too much work and I have a deadline.

    The window frames look bulky, the walls are much thicker though which may not be apparent from that angle. Maybe I should tone the frames down, so they don't look as thick.

    I agree with you on the pillars. I'll probably switch them out for three round ones, with the middle one larger which is common in many gothic cathedral's interiors. Or just one round..


    Anyway thanks for the criticism. Please keep it coming, I need it.
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