CN:MI - Levels, Perception & Smoke and Mirrors
by Alan James · 03/30/2007 (11:08 pm) · 14 comments
Hi Everyone!
I've been working primarily on cloud layers, skyboxes and some general content (crates, barrels, stairways, simple buildings, etc.), but I figured I'd post some shots of what I'm trying to end up with. Like I told someone recently, it's all about perception. Just like with magic, games have to convince the player they think they see what you want them to see. How it's done is up to you.
Partially inspired by the .plan for Mini-37 game...level modified to fake "wet" asphalt.(well, it actually is a waterblock, so I guess it's not really "faked")
Terragen Skyboxes. I've recently picked up a full license and have made nearly sixty. They may turn up in as part of a content pack I'm kicking around.
Resized terrain. Helps on reducing texture stretch if you want a small, tight level.
Digarts treeline with Terragen Skybox and *LOTS* of billboarded foliage.
DRL, bloom, short view distance, heavy fog...
More Terragen Skys and reflective/refractive water...
Some 3DWS work
Crates, crates and more crates. Again, something that might make its way into a content pack. DTS objects...24 polys baby!
Well, it's late here and I'm happy with what I could get accomplished after regular work today. Here a little, there a little and the work goes on...
BTW, I did update the photo gallery on our website with a *whole lot more* game screenshots if anyone is interested.
www.reallyreallygoodthings.com
And the teaser site is up for our Dream RPG Contest Entry Dwarf Quest - The Legend of Helga at:
www.dwarfquest.com
Ok..I'm really finished this time...
- Alan
I've been working primarily on cloud layers, skyboxes and some general content (crates, barrels, stairways, simple buildings, etc.), but I figured I'd post some shots of what I'm trying to end up with. Like I told someone recently, it's all about perception. Just like with magic, games have to convince the player they think they see what you want them to see. How it's done is up to you.
Partially inspired by the .plan for Mini-37 game...level modified to fake "wet" asphalt.(well, it actually is a waterblock, so I guess it's not really "faked")
Terragen Skyboxes. I've recently picked up a full license and have made nearly sixty. They may turn up in as part of a content pack I'm kicking around.
Resized terrain. Helps on reducing texture stretch if you want a small, tight level.
Digarts treeline with Terragen Skybox and *LOTS* of billboarded foliage.
DRL, bloom, short view distance, heavy fog...
More Terragen Skys and reflective/refractive water...
Some 3DWS work
Crates, crates and more crates. Again, something that might make its way into a content pack. DTS objects...24 polys baby!
Well, it's late here and I'm happy with what I could get accomplished after regular work today. Here a little, there a little and the work goes on...
BTW, I did update the photo gallery on our website with a *whole lot more* game screenshots if anyone is interested.
www.reallyreallygoodthings.com
And the teaser site is up for our Dream RPG Contest Entry Dwarf Quest - The Legend of Helga at:
www.dwarfquest.com
Ok..I'm really finished this time...
- Alan
About the author
#2
My trees look better in your environment than they do in the original one I made them for! :P
By the way, I will be releasing a free update to that content pack following the free update to the FPS content pack I am finishing up now.
Terragen is a great program, I have been thinking about picking that up myself, would be easier than painting them by hand.
03/30/2007 (11:37 pm)
Great stuff Alan! Really very nice.My trees look better in your environment than they do in the original one I made them for! :P
By the way, I will be releasing a free update to that content pack following the free update to the FPS content pack I am finishing up now.
Terragen is a great program, I have been thinking about picking that up myself, would be easier than painting them by hand.
#3
03/31/2007 (12:53 am)
Looks really wonderful! 
#4
03/31/2007 (1:07 am)
Looks great.
#6
I'd suggest that you add some red to the water youre using for reflection. The road looks too blue right now. Might even want to desaturate the blue a tad and have it a sort of blue grey.
Can I ask, where you got the player model again? I remember asking another Alan who I got confused and thought was you :)
Btw: did you model all those buildings? I really like the building on the right (the damaged one in the top shot). If you did em, nice model work! if not, where did you get em?
03/31/2007 (2:30 am)
Nice one Alan!I'd suggest that you add some red to the water youre using for reflection. The road looks too blue right now. Might even want to desaturate the blue a tad and have it a sort of blue grey.
Can I ask, where you got the player model again? I remember asking another Alan who I got confused and thought was you :)
Btw: did you model all those buildings? I really like the building on the right (the damaged one in the top shot). If you did em, nice model work! if not, where did you get em?
#8
03/31/2007 (3:36 am)
Great work again ! 
#9
03/31/2007 (4:36 am)
Wow Alan, those look great, you can really get a sense of mood in some of these screenshots and you can never have too many crates huh! ;0)
#10
@Phil
The model came from a China-based team I have a couple of contact pages:
w664.s3.linktom.com/profile/index.html
forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=427226
Blake Seow was the gentleman that I worked with on aquiring one of his teams models.
Regarding the buildings, those are my DIF work. The crates also mine, using photo work from a family trip (with label overlays). The photos are stored in a directory called DL T...see if you can guess where we went where I could get that many crate textures. =)
- Alan
03/31/2007 (6:23 am)
Thanks guys!@Phil
The model came from a China-based team I have a couple of contact pages:
w664.s3.linktom.com/profile/index.html
forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=427226
Blake Seow was the gentleman that I worked with on aquiring one of his teams models.
Regarding the buildings, those are my DIF work. The crates also mine, using photo work from a family trip (with label overlays). The photos are stored in a directory called DL T...see if you can guess where we went where I could get that many crate textures. =)
- Alan
#11
03/31/2007 (7:20 am)
...Walmart?
#13
03/31/2007 (3:38 pm)
looks great dude!
#14
Here's a little closer detail of the building you mentioned. Remember, "Smoke & Mirrors":
03/31/2007 (4:35 pm)
@PhilHere's a little closer detail of the building you mentioned. Remember, "Smoke & Mirrors":
Zod