UDK - Forgotten Forest

biofrost

For my next environment I am going for something a bit more natural! Before I start on the layout of everything I want to be sure my props are up to par, as this is my first attempt at something like this.

I am pretty happy with my pine tree's but this other tree I am working on keeps giving me trouble. I would like it to be fuller but the more leaves I place on it the more obvious they are on flat polygons it becomes.

So rip this apart, nature props are my weak link and I'm looking to change that!


I think it may be the size of my leafs, Ill have to do some experimenting/


EDIT: New attempt

Zipfinator

Thinner alphas, more planes for the leafed tree. Try creating an X like shape with the planes too (Ideally with 3 planes coming out from the center). I've found that's a good shape for tree branches to make them not look plane like and give them a good viewing range. They only really look like planes if you're facing the top of it which will both not happen much and won't be all of the branches at once. Also the Pine Tree's branch texture could use some work. It doesn't look like needles are coming off of those branches, just weird triangle shaped green leaves or something. Did you use photo reference for these textures or are they all hand painted?

biofrost

Thanks for the tips! As for the textures it is a mix of photo ref and hand painted. I have been having some trouble with the pine needles. hand painting them makes it seem to fake and the photo ref makes it seem odd.

Working on the new X shaped planes now.

ZacD

You may want to try modeling it like I did, wasn't too hard, and didn't take too long, but I haven't got it put onto a good looking tree yet, you'd probably want to model a large part of the branch though.

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1517128&postcount=7

biofrost

Thanks for the tip Zac! This is some early results from that.

Tiraldric

Looking better! The original ones looked like tree's that were trying to stab you =p.

Hows the grass coming along? I see a few clumps but not well enough to make it out.

ZacD

it looks like you need to model the needles thicker or more layered, they are a bit too transparent. And the branches need smaller segments and more of them.

biofrost

I'll model them a bit thicker then rebake. It is a bit too transparent. One thing I am not too sure about is tri count for tree's. Right now its sitting at around 7 thousand tri's, so I am a bit weary of adding any more branches to it. As for the grass I'll be showing that soon right now it has not been my main focus(which is get the main models done, which will be 3 different tree's, a large reusable bolder/rock, smaller rocks, bushes, and probably some other stuff im forgetting that would be in a forest)

biofrost

Attempt number 3 at a pine tree!

The older tree was a bit too uniform.

Joopson

The second attempt is the best so far, to my eye. This one looks like a pipe-cleaner.

biofrost

Hmmm You're right. I hope this new one finds a nice balance between the two.

chrisradsby

Hmm I think the shape needs working on to make it look a little bit more natural, don't forget to add more detail to the bottom of the trunk as well, that's where the player will be ^^

Show more angles of the tree and maybe post your reference as well so I'm not talking out of my ass when I say that you need to work on the shape ^^.

Always remember: Even though it might be realistic, it still needs to look good. So those tweaks to make the silhouette more interesting is usually worth it.

Good work so far man! *thumbs up*

Donavonyoung

Yeah the tree should taper a bit more at the top. it is a bit to uniform across the height of the tree. Looking good so far.

biofrost

Worked on it a bit more, im using this as my ref




I have been having a bit of trouble of getting my grass billboards looking right so once I get payed on Friday I plan on buying a month of 3d motive and checking out there foliage in udk series.

biofrost

Well its not much of a forest anymore but this is what the project turned into so no need for another topic! Because this was for my senior final I realized that skills with foliage were lacking and because of the time limit for school I scaled it back a bit and reworked it to have less of a focus on foliage so I can get a few props right and not a forest full of bad looking props.

So what I am going for now is a futuristic park in the sky. I have benches and picnic tables(both yet to be unwraped) and any crits or suggestions on what else I should add are most wanted!

biofrost

Updates updates updates!

I still need to fill this up with a few more props and the buildings in the background need some love.

Feel free to rip this apart or any suggestions. Every crit is helpful.

Weazel

this is looking awesome, i havent had time to get my hands dirty with foliage before but i can imagine it being a head peck! something i must do this summer! as for the modular environment (im guessing its modular :P) ive started research into that too, if i can make anything near this in my first attempt id be really chuffed, it looks great!

as far as suggestions go this scene deffinately needs some flying vehicles in the scenery! and some grassy areas, id put them near the water (reminds me of this)

biofrost

That piece of concept art is great! Is it from Vanquish? When I played it I think it had a environment like that.

Thanks for the suggestion on the grass, shouldn't take too long to make something like that.

Samfisher84

Looks cool dude!

Tejay

Looks pretty cool, but the floor tiles are too big and feel clunky, or so I think.

dpaynter26

I like it but the bolts on the tiles just seem kinda off im not sure if they're stretched a bit or what, maybe if you could make sure to keep them from being stretched it would look a lot better , other than that i really like it

S2Engine

Cool, I think you should run around Illium in Mass Effect 2, you'll find some similarities and some great ideas for reference. The holographic signage there is particularly awesome.

biofrost

Thanks for the crits guys!

S2Engine:Now I have another reason to boot up Mass Effect 2!

In all honestly I may leave this scene how it is and move on to something else. This was for my senior final but I have a problem with how my teacher set up the rules. He wanted us to not use any references or existing concepts when working on it. This really held me back,I had been told to use as many references as possible and use an existing concept if your conceptional skills are not up to par by all the awesome artists here. Having a teacher tell you to do the opposite who does not do game art just seemed wrong.

It could be fun to take what I learned and do a full re-imagining of Illium. What do you guys think?

AlexCatMasterSupreme

You do skip around a lot, this needs to get finished it's awesome!

SirCalalot

biofrost wrote: »

This was for my senior final but I have a problem with how my teacher set up the rules. He wanted us to not use any references or existing concepts when working on it. This really held me back,I had been told to use as many references as possible and use an existing concept if your conceptional skills are not up to par by all the awesome artists here. Having a teacher tell you to do the opposite who does not do game art just seemed wrong.

Lolwhut?
What a stupid thing to say!

An artist is set to gain a hell of a lot more knowledge and skill development in a project from reference and inspiration images.

If you don't do research for a project, then you are pretty much running in circles and not gaining much.

Disclaimer: In my opinion, of course.

Edit: Can't wait to see what you do next by the way

Kathle7

you got it

tweekedgirl

Your trees are looking really nice, and good work on your project (if you do carry it on!)

Just out of interest, what poly/tri count are your trees coming in at?