Bridge - Portfolio work

[Garrador]

Hello.

Decided to make many models for my portfolio, replacing it with only texture sheets that were up there before. I noticed envio artists are more "attractive" than ONLY texture art, since noone (almost) wants only that. So I picked up the pace and got working on some art. Here is the first model of a scene that will be big (if you have suggestions for what I could make/would fit, please post them! )

I plan on making a big thing out of this, many different props and so on so forth. Big enough to actually make a whole level out of it (including world textures too)

Model #1: prop_bridge
Ok, here is the bridge.
Workflow:
- First I made the bridge out of a tube; dragging the verts around to make it block'ish, then I used symmetry a couple of times to make more arches along the way (in total three).
- Then I added some detail, like the borders on the ground and around the arches to bevel it.
After this I made the road tracks, along with the borders and fence. The fence is made out of three regular boxes. Then I dragged and copied them along the road. Then I attached them all and went into soft selection, selected the top verts and "disformed" the fence a bit to give it some variations.
- Then, the lights. I figured I could include them with the bridge, because I had so much room left in my UV's, and I figured it was the best way to go. I also let some space be in the finished UV's, because I plan on adding some small stuff.
-Then the texture. I had already made the brickwall, road and concrete base I used for the borders. Then I just went along making all the other stuff.

Triangles: 3724 (all)
1024x1024 Diffuse
1024x1024 Normal
1024x1024 Specular
512x512 Illuminant map
Models: 30 - 40 minutes
Diffuse: 40-60 minutes
(Didnt record time. That is ca.)


Diffuse
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...ffusemap-1.jpg
Normal Map
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z..._normalmap.jpg
Specular map
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...pecularmap.jpg
Illuminate map

Model #1: prop_rocks01
Workflow:
-First I made a box with 3x3x3 edge loops. Then I selected all verts and "relaxed" them to create a round shape box. Then I just moved the verts around to create some shape.
- I also wanted some vegetable, so I made that little plant right there.
- The plant was made with a cylinder with 3 sides. then I have about 3-4 loops to create shape.
- Then the diffuse. I found some nice rock reference at CGtextures and tweaked color and shape a bit. Made the edges blend as good as possible. The plant is also from CG. I found a busy leaves image and made a selection around the mid part of a plant, and pasted on the plane UV space, thus having a good selection for the opacity difference.

Triangles: 428 (all)
512x1024 Diffuse
512x1024 Normal
512x1024 Specular
Models: 15 minutes (UV time included)
Diffuse: 15 minutes (all maps)



Diffuse Map:
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...diffusemap.jpg
Normal Map:
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z..._normalmap.jpg
Specular Map:
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...pecularmap.jpg

c+c is very welcome =)

[Garrador]

edited OP with new model.

[Flakk]

I like the bridge texture but it could definitely use some optimization on the model. All edges (and verts) that don't contribute to the shape of the model can be deleted. Like those visable on the end of the bridge and the edgeloops going across the bridge...etc

[Garrador]

ah finally a feedback post. I was really hoping for some as I take this project rather seriously =P
Well, I was "afraid" to delete them incase some of the end wall would show ingame, but it really shouldent so you are right. Ill get rid of it. Across it? You mean the loop before the arch starts? I wasent really sure about that one, but I guess it should be gone too. I wanted to avoid smoothing errors, but if it would give any if I removed it, Im not sure. Only one way to find out.

Thanks alot for the feedback! I hope more is coming my way =) Posting up a few new ones soon!

[UnsteadyTeddy]

See the image attached for crits on modelling, where you can shave more tris off.
I'll leave crits on texturing to those that know what they're talking about.

The image is pretty self explanatory. You could remove the faces at the end of the bridge. I'd also remove the ' bump ' in the road. What is this bridge used for ? The texture suggested a road surface for vehicles but you've got lamp posts standing in the road.
I've just seen in your specs you've got a self illum map there, but it doesn't seem to be doing much.

As for the rocks, your texture size is overkill ! Your using half as much texture space for those tiny rocks as your entire bridge! You could easily make those rocks tileable on a 256 with the plant and it would look fine. The main gripe I have from the wire of the rocks though is that the smaller one at the front has what looks like the same/ more tris than the larger one. You should scale the amount of tris you use depending on the size of the object.

Are you going to import this into an editor ? Would look nice set up with lighting etc.

EDIT: What a spanner. Forgot the image!

[doylle]

Hello,

I like the idea of what you did. A small piece of environment, it's a very good practice. However there are a few things i noticed about the texture that you could optimize.
The bricks are a nice texture, but imho they don't realy fit for the bridge. On the first render everything looks kinda blurred out, no real detail or anything, i think a texture with solid bricks might have been a better choise. The second thing is the lack of details, in a way. Of course there are alot of details there, obviously, but i mean details that realy make the viewer believe that it's real. Stuff like road marks, cracks in the asphalt, maybe model metal "wall anchors", that give some leaking rust, stuff like that.

The thing that makes projects like these realy cool are a big ammount of small details that you don't see at first glance...

just my 2 cents...

[Flakk]

Good crits doylle. I agree, when you mention it.

[Garrador]

Hey guys, thanks alot for the feedback so far!

@UnsteadyTeddy: Oh my, I didnt see those opprotunities. Thanks alot for pointing out those optimization possibilities. Will definatly do so. The illuminant map there, makes the lamp head light up a bit. It shows in the render (if you had seen a image withouth the map). But will show in source i.e. About the rocks, yeah those will be redone. I knew from the start the rocks would shoot me dead, but I felt like showing them. I will optimize the smaller rocks, re-uv it to fit in 512x512/256x256. Whatever makes me happy with the texture at first! Thanks again!

@Doylle: Thanks! Yeah I see what you mean about those bricks. I like the idea about a clean brick texture too, so I'll make another version, and see what you all think about that. Details! Yeah I too would love to see more details, I just couldent figure out just what more to do. I sat here 30 minutes trying to come up with anything at all. I wasent sure exactly what a bridge like this would have, other than what was on my concept. But cracks and such should definatly be there! Will be in the next version for sure. When you say wall anchors, you mean ones that will face the "wall" of the nature when the bridge is stuck inbetween two "hills" so to speak? Or do you mean just ones facing out from the bridge wall. Well, thanks again! I will add as much details that sees me fit and get some metal in as you said, because rust and some greyscales will pimp up the texture contrasts a bit.

Thanks.

[doylle]

I was thinking about wall anchors on the outside of the bridge, cause those would be most in view, however, if there's a way to ad ones to the arches themselves, why not?