Concept refined(ignore the earlier post

Ben/maverick's concept 1

Work for the next two weeks! *updated with poly counts*

Ok team blice, these are the assets that have been choosen. Everyone has to complete these assets for 13^th of February (Wednesday).

The process that we will go through to create these assets will be as followed.

A collection of concepts, references or any useful images to model the object in question will be shown to Nikki

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When Nikki approves it the asset is then modeled, unwrapped and with a block colour texture based on the colour chart. This is then passed to Carter and Ben.

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When it’s been approved you further go on to texture and complete the asset. When it’s complete it is shown to everyone for approval.

All the assets must follow the guidelines outlined in the technical spec ( it is uploaded here http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SMQJE4T2 ), otherwise they will not be accepted.

Also do not include any ice or snow in your models or textures as all of this will be added on top at a later date.

The triangle and textures limits are fairly rough, we have alot more to work with than we have before but that doesnt mean we can waste them. If you really need more talk to Ben or Carter, the lower the better really.

Ben L

• Lift

This is the lift in the first room of the queens building, we have talked about having it broken and midway between two floors. You will need to get scale reference from caters block out. This assets includes the inside of the lift shaft as it will be visible from.

triangles: 1000-5000

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec)

• Statue

Use the statue in the courtyard as reference but make it bent and destroyed as you see fit. You could also put something in its place such as a new statue or something fitting with the revolution theme.

triangles: 1000-5000

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec)

Hicks

• Vending Machines

Use the vending machines already in the queens building as refrence. Think about how they would be damaged through the process of a revolution. The more variations you can make the better because they can be used in other areas, such as barricades.

triangles: 500 -3000 per machine

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per machine

• Metal Gate

This is a main gate in the front of the courtyard. It needs to look strong, heavy and signs of battle damage ie bullet holes.

triangles: 1000-5000

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec)

Nikki

• Flags and Posters

We had talked about putting various flags posters and banners around the queens building. These will all need to have a unified symbol(s) to show a revolution took place. We had also talked about making them red to balance the colours in scene. Make as many variations of these assets as u think are needed. In addition you could look into making textures for graffiti.

triangles: 0-500 per itteration

textures: 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

• Doors

These will be based on the current existing doors but they will be broken and damaged fitting with our chosen style. Remember that any parts that include glass need to be a separate untextured asset as a shader will be applied to it later.

Here an examples.

Don’t worry about making barricades at this point as we can use other assets such as the vending machines to make them faster.

triangles: 100-2000 per door

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per door

Alex

• Bins

Use the bins that already exist in the queens building as a starting point. Make a few iterations such as a rusty bin, a bin on its side with rubbish coming out.

triangles: 100-500 per bin

textures: 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per bin

• Fire Extinguisher

Again use the reference that already exists, look at rust and the effects of extreme cold and damage would have on the different types of fire extinguishers. As ice may play a key part in these assets you could add it in, but don’t waste time texturing ice since it will be added in later, just make the mesh.

triangles: 100-500 per itteration

textures: 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

• Display Case

There are a few display cases and notice boards around the queens building. Damage them how you see fit. Remember that any parts that include glass need to be a separate untextured asset as a shader will be applied to it later. Make as many iterations as you think we will need.

triangles: 100-1500 per itteration

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

• Broken glass

There will be broken glass scattered all over the building, make a few iterations of groups of smashed glass. There is no need to texture these models as there is a glass shader in unreal.

Triangles: 10-500 depending on how much glass there is, and how big it is. Shards a few cm long should only be around 4 triangles.

Texture: shader

Joe

· Crates

Find a variety of crate and wood references before modeling this concept. Try and us photo reference if possible. Think about all the things that a group of people would bring into a building if they were to take it over. Create some with evidence of food, ammo etc. Try to not to create generic crates that appear in most games.

triangles: 100-500 per crate

textures: 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per bin

· News Paper

There needs to be rubbish left on the floors, look into creating your own newspaper article, there are site especially made to do this sort of thing. This will give the player a hint of the story. Make as many meshes and texture variations as possible but remember to stick to the limits as these will be duplicated a lot.

triangles: 2-30 per itteration

textures: 256x256 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

· General Rubbish on the floor

Such as Crisp packets, chocolate bar wrapper, bits of wire (like to ones found in the factory.) and bullet shells. Remember to keep the rubbish pretty low poly since they will be very small.

triangles: 10-50 per itteration

textures: 128x128 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

· Cone

Look at generic cones, make a few iterations of cones bent or evidence of them looking old.

triangles: 50-500 per itteration

textures: 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

Dale

• Stairs

-Railings

Create as many iterations of stairs possible. Think about scale and using the block out supplied by Carter. Also look deep into rusting on pipes and how to accurately damage the stairs and still make them possible to walk up. Also include one set of stairs that is twist to block the player of from a certain area. For the railings try to create many different types that can all join together to make one, like building blocks or assembling a train track.

triangles: 1500-2000 per staircase, 200-1000 per railing segment

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per staircase, 512x512 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per railing segment

• Seats

Look at the existing chairs in the Queens Building; think realistically how they would be damaged. Broken legs, some complete smashed to pieces etc.

triangles: 100-1000 per itteration

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

• Circular Windows

Create loads of versions of the circular windows; make them all as varied as possible. Some windows will have boarded up sections in different places, smashed windows and a dirty outline to the window.

triangles: 200-2000 per itteration

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

Carte

• Walls and Floor

For the walls I really want them to look the dirtiest and scummiest as possible. Here are some references pictures taken from the factory, these pictures pretty much depict how the idea looks.

• Other Windows

Make variations of all the windows other than the large cirular ones. I think there are about 3 different types in there so make a few variations of them. i think alot of them will need to be boarded up with small gaps were the light comes in. I recommend making a few variations with the same boards in different positions. You know what your doing anyway!

triangles: 200-2000 per itteration

textures: 1024x1024 (x3 for diffuse normal and spec) per itteration

Ben W

• Walkway

Be sure to make the walkway matches the railings on the stairs. Create different iterations so we can discuss which one suits the most.

• Debris (Including parts of collapsed chimney)

Create as much debris as you feel comfortable. If you feel confident on creating you’re original concept of the broken chimney I strongly advise you follow it through. Think about positioning of the debris, make sure the debris doesn’t conflict with the areas the player walks.

Communication is absolutely needed to keep everyone constantly on track. I will contact everyone everyday to see if everyone’s work is on the right track. Also (if you haven’t already) please sign up to Painter, it will be a brilliant way for us all to discuss our work at home. To conclude as I mentioned earlier I will in the labs 1:00 to 4:00 every Wednesday to Friday if anyone needs to get in contact with me in person.

Bits and Bobs

First I give you the wood (eg boards) palette expansion for your use.


Second I give you the best mist reference I took at Bradgate.


Hope that helps.

main room concept

So this the my idea for what the main room could look like. I only used the colours from the colour palette below. I am aware that the bits are blocking the walkway but it could easily be edited to be passable. I wanted to get the lighing and the feel of the room more through this pic.

Group Notice 02

Hey are the more accurate plans of the Queens building. This help us out loads on our finishing concept work and vastly help with the 3D =P

Concept Art

A bit more concept art, using the colour palette, for the front lobby area. Its in my usual rough speed paint style, so isn't the neatest thing in the word.

If anyone else is trying to do a picture using the palette, remember:

1) That the palette is a guideline, not a rule, if you try to do it just using palette colours it will be very hard and probably not be as good as it should be. Sample colours from a whatever reference photo you are using if doing it digitally. The shortcut for culour sample is Alt+mouse click if you don't know already.

2) The colours we sampled were largely in direct light, this means that if you need shadowed areas you are going to have to darken and / or desaturate the colours. If you don't know how to do this or are unsure of how much you should do it you can ask me or Nikki (or anyone else you can get hold of, but I can't guarantee they'll know either, though they probably will)

3) Detail is not the most important thing for broad concepts like this, it would be better to have

a couple of very rough pictures which give the idea rather than one polished piece - it may look nice but it'll only help us with one thing out of many different bits of the building we have to do.

Also:

Download a copy of the palette and have it open while you work, as you'll be belding colours of even pickign similar/complementary colours to go, scribble them down on your copy of the palette and save it. Obviously don't do it over the exisitng colours.

Anyway, when you are done you have the colorus saved as reference, or in theory, you could show it to Nikki, and if theres any particularly good/useful colours there it could be put into the overall palette.




Very rough concept for the stairs, it probably looks a lot like a mass of squiggles, but I can always produce a far more polished version if necessary.

Photos Galore

Here are the photos I mentioned earlier:

http://hosted.filefront.com/Alexholt/

In the Queens and Snow file, we have demonstrative shots of the front hall, main hall and back stairs area. It also has a selection of average snow pictures I took this morning.

Also in the lichens, ferns etc there is a ton of lichens, mosses and a few other bits and bobs that should help make whatever you do look a bit more natural, even if you just use them as a subtle overlay on some surfaces should add a greater sense of detail.

Hope that helps.

Concepts and snow

I've got snow pictures that I got eariler and will put up on the k drive on Monday, and here are all the concepts I've done. Including the last one which I did today.

Various Things

Firstly, the concept I did the other week:

I also have two batches of files for people, the first is of snow I got earlier this morning and also pictures of the rooms of the Queens Building at a nice flat angle for cocnepting off (rather than the previous complex angled arty shots)

Secondly I have an 80mg zip file of mosses, lichen, icy ferns etc as reference for any of that stuff you include in your concepts. We do need some kind of signs of that stuff: bear in mind that you get lichens even right in the middle of antartica, and it'll also add more interest to the scene.

At present, filefront isn't working, but as soon as it is, I'll put the links up.

Group Work Plan 01

Hello everyone, the meeting today was a bit sketchy so I wanted to write down what I believe needs to be done for Tuesday.

Carter (Tech Lead) : A basic block model of the Queens Building created in the Unreal 3 engine.

In order to continue we need the block model to work off.

Nikki (Art Lead) : Nikki needs to see as many of the groups art work to create the Art Bible of our chosen style.

Unless we all find time to show Nikki our work the Art Bible wont be possible. We have until Tuesday to arrange a meeting.

Ben (3D Lead) : A technical specification (a rough one if need be) of all the assets in the Queens.

This isn't too crucial at the moment but it would be nice to think ahead.

Dale, Alex, Ben L, Hicks : will continue with concepts, if you feel you have done enough concepts then feel free to model some in 3D.

Note: Models created at this point in 3D may not be used, it depends on the quality and if the model fits with Ben and Carter, also if you do model don’t texture them, it will take too long.

That's about all, additionally I will look into time management and how to write a proper schedule as well as finding ways we can all communicate better.

Colour Palette

OK here is the colour palette, if you think we need more colours etc please say.
This will be tidied up in the Art Style Guide so this just a draft for now so everyone can stick to the same Colour Palette.

Group Notice 01

It's been a bit bumpy recently I think we can all agree on that. I want everyone to forget what has past and concentrate solely on the project at hand. This blog will indicate my personal opinion on the best way to follow out this project.

Since communication is a key issue I want find some solutions and these are ones that I have come up with.

1. Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I shall be doing my part of the group work from 1:00 to 4:00 in the labs. This is so if anyone needs to contact me in person you will know where I am and I will notify to rest of the group.

2. There will need to be a few more group meetings to help our group communicate and get back on to the right track. Meeting up loads can be a problem for people. I would like to know the dates when people are free for group meetings.

So far we can't have a meeting

• Monday afternoon
• Tuesday afternoon
• Late Thursday
  
• Friday

Some members have activities on these days, this narrows us down to lunch times, Wednesday and possibly weekends. One solution I came up with was if someone is too busy to attend a meeting I will personal meet them at a place comfortable with them as to discuss what has happened.

3. I have started writing a diary, although I'm writing it, it is a diary for and about the group. Everyone can read it and write in it if anyone wishes. The reason for this is to see how we change and to look back on things if need be. Also the diary will indicate who was given a certain amount of work. If the work isn't produced everyone will know because it is in the diary.

Before the day ends I will of given you all the Unreal 3 engine, I will drop it off at each of your houses to save time so you all can concentrate on work. Also I will have with me a copy of photoshop CS if anyone needs it. Having the Unreal Engine is a good opportunity for us all to understand how our models are manipulated in a game engine. Good knowledge on what happens to our models when they're made means we will have good knowledge on making them, it will benefit us all. Remember though since we have little time simply just look at the Unreal Engine, play around a little, try and relate it with what your currently doing and try not to conflict with what Carter is doing =).

These are a few changes I hope they all benefit you all. To conclude as far as I'm concerned everyone is the leader, everyone must have their own input otherwise we will crash and burn again. The leader title is a bit miss leading all I am is the singular voice of the entire group.

After you all have Unreal and the latest Photoshop, a new blog will be posted containing the schedule. It's hard to predict when it will be up because I don't know how long it will take me to give you all Unreal but it will be up for tonight. Further more I will look into how to communicate properly and how to mange time.

Come Group look sharp keep smiling and lets have fun with this bloody project =D YAY!

A few ice referances

Not of them were great but I managed to get some at Nottingham Ice Rink yesterday, theres more in the k drive.

Ideas.

The Metal crates with the chairs in.



A bunch of wooden crates they could possibly have brought with them with things they need in... maybe I make them look damaged or something...

A few window concepts =P

I will hopefully show you more later on today during to meeting with Powell.

On a side note, I think all of our work is blending in quite nicely, I think were as close to our style as we can possibly get. I think we can pretty much get started modeling, plus we're running out of time. During when we model we will need close observation on each others work so it all fits in.

yo guys

hello team blice as u know i have been working on walls and vending machines this week so this is what i have got

Rail Concepts

I basically decided the best way to concept rails (and also stairs) is to knock up a few tiling textures and stick them on a cylinder (along with a normal and spcular map) to see they look like. I'll design the bridge deformation as line drawings, and then once I get both the damage and texture approved then I'll do a final reference image. In the mean time theres no point me doing a massive number of combinations when it can be done much more efficiantly like this.

Anyway:


This is just a plain metal texture, with a bit of scratching, mainly just for comparrison.

This is a rusted texture with flecks of paint, probably more rusted than we are going for though.


This is a more 'painty' texture, basically theres still a lot of paint still on it, although ideally I want more still.


Edited version of the previous texture, now with 500% more paint.

I'll update this post later, I'm going to aim for a bnout 3 mroe textures, and a load of stair designs. If anyone has suggestions for textures, either about different textures, or features you like/dislike of any of the others just reply to this post.

Asset Concept: The outdoor enviroment

Concept:
3d parts:


pictures to use to make sky:

Just incase....

Just incase anybody wasnt clear or had forgotten what they needed to be doing i thought i would write it up here just incase, basicly this week we just need to prepare to start moddeling next week so all the major assests need refrence and concept pictures so that they can be modeled easily and effeciently later in the project.
So take the staircase as an example, to make them well I would:

-Go and take pictures of it from all angles
-A draw a concept of what it will look like with our chosen style applied to it.
-Collect any pictures needed for texturing (ie dirt textures, cgtextures is good for this)

I know it seems a bit crazy to make a concept picture of a bin or something small like that but if we really think about what every object is going to look like before we start modelling then it will improve the quality of the model and speed up modeling time. And remember that you may not be making the assest u have concepted in 3d, so it needs to be good enough for someone else to work from.

Yea so this is what everyone is doing this week:

Hicks: walls, floors, vending machines and broken bricks by wednesday
All pipes and radiators by saturday
That big metal door by monday

Dale: windows and wooden boards by friday
doors by monday

Joey: pillars by wednesday
crates by saturday
electrical wall boxes by monday

Ben L: broken lift by wednesday
statue in front entrance by saturday
fire extinuisher by monday

Nikki: flags, posters and banners (including symbols) by saturday

Alex: Stairs and railings by wednesday
Seats and chairs by saturday

Tom: glass bricks by wednesday
cameras by saturday
display cases and noticeboards by monday

Me: outdoor enviroment (the area not acessable by the player) by wednesday
lights by saturday
Technical specifications and 3d workflow by monday

So when you have done an assest concept post it on here and give it to Nikki.

Cheers guys