2D/3D art

I redid the texture I made yesterday, it looks better in my opinion and looks much less repetitive when tiled (the moss is dead this time):

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Aaron's Stuff

The wall as a seperate texture, and the moss as an overlay would be good. Then you could apply them with slightly different horizontal scaling so that the repititions of wall and the repetitions of moss wouldn't occur in tandem, but would help offset each other insread.

But wouldn't the bumpmaps show through the overlay? I forget. Or you could alter the bumpmap's lower area if it does.

Looks good Aaron

fishy said:
The wall as a seperate texture, and the moss as an overlay would be good. Then you could apply them with slightly different horizontal scaling so that the repititions of wall and the repetitions of moss wouldn't occur in tandem, but would help offset each other insread.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea, although if you look closely you can see moss in between the cracks of the bricks and if the moss was an overlay it wouldn't align properly. The moss would need to be slightly alted but its do-able, it worked for the ivy overlays!

haymaker said:
But wouldn't the bumpmaps show through the overlay? I forget. Or you could alter the bumpmap's lower area if it does.

Looks good Aaron

Thanks :). I don't think I've ever seen normal maps show through overlays and I've got many normal mapped surfaces with overlays on them in Night Terror (current mod project), unless if I didn't notice :dizzy:.

Here's a scaffold model I made a few weeks ago. Its based off the scaffold model from Counter-Strike Condition Zero. 1024x1024 diffuse map (although it should have been 512x512)
Polycount: 838

• Model has an accurate collision model meaning you can shoot and throw small objects between the metal bars.

This is the scaffold model from CS:CZ that my model is based off.

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Aaron's Stuff

Wow, really cool scaffold model there Aaron! Although I ask why the need to make a whole scaffold model when you already have a good one available from CS:S? -Is this just for practice? If you want to make some models shouldn't they be of things you don't have in your library yet?

On another note, I'd like to bring up the efficacy of re-scaling textures (after taking note of the backgrounds of familiar maps of yours in the images). -When is it appropriate to re-scale a texture to some larger value and therefore over-stretch it beyond its original resolution?

I would imagine, one would prefer more detail the closer a player may be able to collide with the texture. -And on the flip side, less detail if they player could never approach the texture. Now, this would not mean giving an approachable texture a smaller scale than its original version, as that would lead to an obvious observation of tiling. But instead, create the texture with the intention of giving its maximum resolution so that if it is used in an approachable space, it would not need re-scaling before being compiled. However, on the flip side, a texture being used to cover a very large face from very far away should have no problem being re-scaled to decrease observable tiling.

-Is this not an understood method for level-design? Or am I singularly spotting this on my own as a misconceived concept? Aaron, why do you over-scale your textures on approachable surfaces?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Riven said:
Although I ask why the need to make a whole scaffold model when you already have a good one available from CS:S?

There is?

Riven said:
Aaron, why do you over-scale your textures on approachable surfaces? smiley

I really hate seeing textures being noticeably repetitive, as soon as I see it in a level, it feels immediately incomplete and n00bified. So I always try to make sure that textures aren't obviously repetitive (even though you can see repetitive textures in that Ourskirts screenshot - what was I thinkin :dizzy:). As for stretching textures, I don't know, I certainly won't hesitate to scale a Source engine texture up to 1 (even though they look crap up close scaled at their original resolution; Source engine textures really where designed to be viewed at 1/4 scale) if it looks repetitive. I'd just much rather increase the scale of textures than have them looking repetitive. I know that brick wall in the scaffold screenshot is grossly over scaled, that was just a quick box room I made, I'll be taking better screenshots later on for my website and when I upload it to snarkpit :D.

But yeah, what you say about surfaces that can only be viewed from afar having a large texture scale and such is quite true.

Oh yeah, I have a screenshot of that Train Depot for you Riven:

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Aaron's Stuff

Scaffold model looks great! Much better than the cs one in your screenshot.

Only thing I would point out is that these type of scaffolds are always designed, in RL, for the planks to run 90 deg to the way you have them. Not once in my 18 years of construction experience have I seen one with these short, unattached, slippery, unsafe planks that you have :P

Those planks on the scaffold look a bit too thick if you ask me, otherwise it looks good.

WIP rifle, can't decide on how the ammo clip should look.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/natus/snaprifle_v3_wip.jpg[/IMG]

Hehe thanks for the feedback guys :).

Natus, looks more like a shotgun to me at the moment, so far so good imo.

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Aaron's Stuff

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/natus/snaprifle_v3_wip5.png[/IMG]
Hurp durp, will probably change the front to look more like a flashlight or another barrel-attached gadget.
Still can't figure out a decent look for the magazine/clip.

Nice, I can see the weapon really taking shape. To be honest I have no imagination and advice really when it comes to weapon modeling, I don't even know exactly how I would go about it.

Regardless, I think its looking like a nice sophisticated weapon model .

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Aaron's Stuff

Yes it is looking good.
I'm no gun expert but I don't know of any break-barrel types that are repeaters, so I agree with Aaron in his impression that it's a shotgun. Also because of that impression the butt of the gun looks really uncomfortable, I can't help thinking whoever fires that thing is gonna be covered in bruises

I can't help thinking whoever fires that thing is gonna be covered in bruises

Have you seen the dudes in todays games? I seriously doubt they get any bruises. Ever. But yea I didn't have any sort of functionality in mind when making it, it was made from a picture from some "mix-guns-together" site.

Wanted to have a crack at making textures with my own photos so I brought my camera to school one day and ended up with 6 textures If anybody is actually interested in using these (for some reason), than go here and click on the thumbnails for higher quality jpeg versions of these.

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Aaron's Stuff

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/natus/bloodelfpaladin_wip.jpg[/IMG]

lolwipdrawing

• Torso's too thin
• lolhands
• shield is at wrong angle
• probably a lot of other mishaps in basic anatomy

Also thread necromancery.

her ass cheeks are fighting each other.

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Reality has become a commodity.

RedWood said:
her ass cheeks are fighting each other.

HAHAA, Those are some TIGHT pants fo sho!

-That hair for being hand colored looks pretty damn awesome. And where you started coloring now looks pretty good already. Everything else to me looks fine. -What's the original image's dpi at?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Her head is on back to front

But yeah, its cool. I wish I could draw or at least draw badly.

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Aaron's Stuff

Yea the face is annoying the hell out of me, it's damn hard to get that looking-back-over-shoulder look, everyone I show it to take a while before they figure out it has the back turned towards the viewer.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/natus/bloodelfpaladinwip.jpg[/IMG]
Oh look, progress.
Toned down on the "dat ass" and decided to go with leather instead of plate, gonna have to redo the shoulder now.
I still gotta do something about the legs, they look awfully blurry.

S'too flat, Natus. Can't you turn the sword inward, would give depth and add a VP for perspective. See if you can't "crouch" her, too. Good practice for drawing bodies if she's something other than rigid standing pose.

Thanks Gwil.
Yea I think it's too flat as well, I'm trying to change the perspective and position of the arm and sword, got the arm done but I just can't seem to nail the sword.
I hate perspective.

aaron_da_killa said:
Wanted to have a crack at making textures with my own photos so I brought my camera to school one day and ended up with 6 textures

I know it's a long time ago since you posted that, but how the hell did you make that? I mean, if you just take a picture of some stones, and put it as a texture in a map, you will see some unfinished stones. Can't really explain it but how do you make it so all sides are the same when they're next to each other?

Might be hard to understand, I know.

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Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Nibgames

Niborius said:
I know it's a long time ago since you posted that, but how the hell did you make that? I mean, if you just take a picture of some stones, and put it as a texture in a map, you will see some unfinished stones. Can't really explain it but how do you make it so all sides are the same when they're next to each other?

Might be hard to understand, I know.

I wrote a tutorial on how to do thishere.

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Aaron's Stuff

aaron_da_killa said:
I wrote a tutorial on how to do thishere. smiley

Tutorial looks nice, I'll try that out sometime. Thanks Aaron!

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Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Nibgames

Changed the theme of my website. It's supposed to tie in with the first release of the first version of my small platform game next month.

The background is composed of 6 images and should nicely align to any screen size and hopefully browser.

The 6 images are:

Bottom concrete/fence/buildings/trees/crates = 72kB in gif format
Sky = 5kB in png format
Two skyscrapers = 12 and 10 kB each in gif format
Red and Black fade (at the top and bottom) = 3kB each in png format

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Aaron's Stuff

I recently designed and drew a character for a 'design a special infected contest' at hl2.net website. Had fun painting it, and won a copy of left 4 dead! here's a link to the contest and the image. http://www.halflife2.net/2009/08/04/halflife2-net-design-your-own-special-infected-winners/

That is some Sick Stuff! Man after reading your description, I'm sure that idea would be totally fun! Makes me want to learn C++ to implement that!

Very nice skill you have. Just Photoshop and mouse?

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Yeah, maybe a little too high on the gross scale, but it's fun to do gross stuff sometimes.

I did some initial sketches on paper, scanned them into pc, and painted in Photoshop CS. I have a tablet pc, that I draw/paint with, but this was done using a new Wacom intuos 4 that I just bought. I got the 4 x 6 widescreen Intuos 4 for under 200 bucks. It's a great deal - very awesome tool for digital artist. I actually still have an old one I bought about 9 years ago (9 x 11 size, too large), that plugs into a serial port. I upgraded my pc and am using Vista now and couldn't get it to work, so I bought this new one - very glad I did.

If anyone considers buying one, I wouldn't waste money on a large one - the 4 x 6 is large enough and easy handle.

Man those look cooler than the ones Valve came up with!

Awesome idea about the pregnant/bellybutton bit. How creepy is that? I'll get nightmares just from thinking about it... Great!

Haha gross! I'm eating at the moment!

But I like it, great job!

I agree with Riven, be pretty sweet to see this implemented into L4D!

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Aaron's Stuff

A futuristic vending machine. I've used the selfillum property to give the front of the vending machine a glow.

What do you guy's think? In my opinion, the touch screen (white ugly thing) is sort of detracting from the model but I'm not sure how to make it better.

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Aaron's Stuff

That's a very nice model you made there, though I agree about the touch screen thingy. No idea how you could fix that though.

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Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Nibgames

It doesn't look like a touch screen; I thought it was a stamp or sticker on the front until I read your post. If you want it to stick out a little you could add a trim around it. perhaps one that causes it to protrude from the flat surface, or maybe just the trim is protruding. and you it wouldn't need to be one continuous surface, just add the trim on top without sewing into the front surface =less polygons.

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Ah good idea. I might be able to get away with it by using a normal map too.

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Aaron's Stuff

Riven said:
It doesn't look like a touch screen; I thought it was a stamp or sticker on the front until I read your post.

lol same here ^^

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Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Nibgames

Thanks guys.

Ok here is the second iteration of the model. I've made it a bit more detailed (90 something polygons now) and did a second skin. Also redid the touch screen.

Let me know what you guys think:

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Aaron's Stuff

I think the touch-screen is a little overpowering now; it's won't let go of my eye. It doesn't look glowing as much as it looks pure-white. Maybe a little bit of fade around the edges, and knocking the brightness down a notch will help. Also, all of the details seem to be clustered around the bottom of the machine - some subtle graphic, linework, or trim on the blue background, behind everything else, which draws into the big blank part of the top/topright might pull it all together more; or maybe play with placement/size of the touch screen to help balance the forms. I mean, I'm being pretty nit-picky, but what the hell.

I know this is your own thing, but check out some reference images and try to capture those little bits of realism you see in them. Remember - this is a device trying to sell a product. Looks to me like you're trying to sell a touch-screen. Tantilize and tease me with delicious and refreshing blue crush!!!

btw - what modeling software do you use?

Blue Soda Bottle

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=1251967

Use this above the pills.. would make me want some Blue Crush!

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1555/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1555R-80028.jpg

Or maybe

http://www.juste-art.co.uk/acatalog/BlueSplash400x300.jpg

Here is some pouring, if you can tie it into the splash above..

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1555/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1555R-75078.jpg

Hope that helps. If you like I can try to photoshop something.. give me the size you need.

Thanks guys. I'll keep working on this and hopefully I can come up with something that works.

"Finger" said:
btw - what modeling software do you use?

I'm using 3ds max 9.

"Muhnay" said:
If you like I can try to photoshop something.. give me the size you need.

Thanks for the offer but I think I've got it covered. But hey, if you feel so inclined here and here are the textures. If you do end up doing something, be sure to show and I might just use it/get an idea.

I was thinking of doing some subtle bubbles but they're actually more time consuming to make than I thought so I gave it a miss.

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Aaron's Stuff

I will see what I can do for you. If you had the PSD for the layers it would make it much easier. Would you like the keypad to be animated?

Just looked at your model.. I have some changes to do..

[IMG]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/MuhnayShot/bluecrush.png[/IMG]

Back to the photoshop.

Wow, it's quite nice but it's heading in a different sort of direction than I wanted. I'm looking for something very sleek and subtle. Nothing really overly complicated or "colourful".

The main face is fine except I don't really like the font and it looks a bit blurry in some areas. I like the control panel but the numbers/letters thing doesn't make sense as you can't see any of the beverages so you wouldn't use that system to select your beverage.

Finger suggested before that I need to make it sort of stand out to grab peoples attention but the sort of feel I want to create is a sense of unity (can't think of a better word). The "soda" beverage is the only beverage of it's kind available, the "credits" currency is sort of a global currency.. there are less options and competition, things are alot more unified on a global level, there may be a single government governing the entire world. It could almost be described as dystopia except its a very orderly world, I guess it could be compared to communism except on a global scale.

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Aaron's Stuff

Link me to the font you used.

I can dull it down. I can have a update today for you.

[IMG]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/MuhnayShot/bluecrush2.png[/IMG]

Ok, since I now know that is a texture mask, that you pull from to add your textures.. I made this new one... also based on your comments.

Ooh, that keypad looks sexy

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Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202

Yeah nice one muhnay. I think the image of the bottle should be more subtle. Maybe you could set its alpha value to 25-50.

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Aaron's Stuff

[IMG]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/MuhnayShot/bluecrush2-1.png[/IMG]

There ya go.. yeah it does look much better now.

Bottle is at 30 and the label is at 50.

Do you want the red the same way?

One thing I've realized. The bottle actually overlaps where the touch screen is supposed to go. What I suggest is you move the bottle to the left of the vending machine and put it under the text, you're going to need the psd for that though so I can hit you up with that if you want, don't feel obligated.

After that, you may need to make have to further decrease the alpha value of the bottle so it doesn't make the text harder to read, but I don't think that's bad, subtly I think is good in this case.

.. or, you could do something different.

Once/if you do that I can apply the texture to the model and I'll post the screenshots/upload the model and report back here.

Not that the texture looks bad but I still think it's heading in a slightly different direction than what I'm after, but it's closer to what I was after than your first iteration. I'm sort of trying to set up a visual style across the whole project (being my vista competition entry) including this model and your iteration sort of differs from that visual style, that's all. But I like where your going.

Here is the psd and three fonts I used for the vending machine texture that you may not have. Two of the fonts I downloaded and one is found on newer windows systems.

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Aaron's Stuff

Well I have another idea.. without the soda bottle. It maybe more in line with what your wanting to do.