Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
First Hlaalu Building model completed
07-02-2005, 11:07 PM,
#11
 
Razorwing,

That's strange, re: the sizing, as I used the actual Bethesda mesh as a template. I imported it directly into Rhino, put it on a locked layer, and built my model around it. Oh well, resizing won't be a problem at all.

It's the slicing up that I'm not so sure about. Unfortunately, my friend with 3D Studio, who helped me get the mesh from the .max file is one of those... eh, well, let's just say his copy of the program is probably less than legitimate, and he has no intention of learning it. Sad He's offered to get me a copy, but scruples won't let me participate in that kind of thing, if you know what I mean.

At any rate, what we need is someone who knows how to slice and uv map meshes within 3D Studio itself. I don't have any experience in doing that myself in any program. About the only thing I can think of is that it'll most likely use planar mapping. Beyond that, I haven't a clue.

So... if anyone who reads this is familiar with slicing up and assigning UV mapping to a mesh like this, and is willing to give it a try, please post here.

Quentin,

Nice work with the textures! Creating bump maps is fairly easy. For example, a rough, sandstone surface like Hlaalu walls could be bumped using monochromatic noise in Photoshop. Just take your existing textures, convert to greyscale, add about 15 to 20% monochrome noise with a gaussian distribution, and increase the contrast +30 or so. Save them as seperate files, and apply them to the bump channel in whatever 3D program you use, and voila! Once you see how the noise pattern creates a surface texture, you can play with how much or how little noise to use to get the desired effect.

With bump maps, dark colors represent recessed areas, while light represents areas in positive "relief". You can do cracks, simple friezes, and other surface details all with bump mapping to give the illusion of polygonal detailing, as Razorwing mentioned.

-Jon
07-02-2005, 11:49 PM,
#12
 
The size doesn't really matter though, as you say it can very easily be fixed, either in Rhino or in 3DS.

I can't say I have experience with slicing, but I imagine it's quite easy for me to learn. In a worst-case scenario I'll just make sufficient copies of one level of the building and delete polys accordingly on each copy, then realign the vertices so they conform to a size grid of 256x256. I've done those steps numerous times so if you can hook me up with three .3ds models of one floor each, I can get started in a day or so.

Mapping is easy, getting it to show up in Morrowind is a different matter, but I'll do what I can. Planar mapping is definetely the easiest, I think. Morrowind can't handle Multi-Sub objects and probably Oblivion can't either. Multi-Sub objects is what Max calls several textures on the same mesh, and it makes it easy to make textures look good on all sides of an object, at least inside Max. If you've checked out Bethesda models I'm sure you've seen how they use planes all over the place to build many of their meshes.

For a house, I think using planar would work the easiest if the floor and ceiling are deleted; with the floor being stuck in the ground, and the ceiling covered by the bottom of the second level. Bannisters could perhaps be used to cover up any glitches. Those are just some ideas though. Smile
¤ How to add images or files to your post ¤ Silgrad's UBBCode
My pet peeve: huge images in img code. I reserve the right to make any such image into a clickeable thumbnail whenever I see it.
Angel mired in filth
[Image: SignatureBannerRazorwing.jpg]
07-03-2005, 06:50 AM,
#13
 
@Razorwing:

I found a link to a plugin for 3ds max that allows it to read .dds files. It's for versions 3, 4 and 5, so I hope that will help you. Here's the link:

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/3dsma...ugins.html

@Jon:

Unfortunately my modelling skills are none-existent so all I could do is create the bump-maps and hand them over to anyone, who's able to do something with them.

But thank you for your hint with the bump maps. I checked out Razorwing's first link and even though it is a very good tutorial, it requires a certain plugin which isn't available on nvidia's site any longer. Sad

One last question: which format is needed? TGA as well? Or can I use DDS providing that the plugin for 3ds max works?

Thanks a lot, guys.

Greetings

Quentin
That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs, but what a ship is - what the Black Pearl really is - is freedom.
07-03-2005, 11:45 AM,
#14
 
Thanks Quentin, I'll be sure to get that plugin Big Grin
¤ How to add images or files to your post ¤ Silgrad's UBBCode
My pet peeve: huge images in img code. I reserve the right to make any such image into a clickeable thumbnail whenever I see it.
Angel mired in filth
[Image: SignatureBannerRazorwing.jpg]
07-03-2005, 12:47 PM,
#15
 
So I'll wait with the conversions until I know, if it works or not. Smile

Greetings

Quentin
That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs, but what a ship is - what the Black Pearl really is - is freedom.
07-03-2005, 08:32 PM,
#16
 
The DDS plugin worked perfectly. I added it as a link in the database btw, it seems like a good tool to have. I have my fingers crossed there'll be a version for later 3DS versions as well, because once Oblivion comes, v4.2 goes out the door Big Grin

This is how the first floor of the Hlaalu building looks with one of your textures Smile I lifted out the staircase because I figured if the staircase was a separate mesh then when we mod later we can choose to have two doors, one door and a staircase, two staircases, etc.
¤ How to add images or files to your post ¤ Silgrad's UBBCode
My pet peeve: huge images in img code. I reserve the right to make any such image into a clickeable thumbnail whenever I see it.
Angel mired in filth
[Image: SignatureBannerRazorwing.jpg]
07-03-2005, 08:46 PM,
#17
 
Whoa... is that my mesh or Bethesda's? Looks great! If mine, then I think I should look more into this Normal Mapping thing. If I'm reading the articles right, all I need to do is make a stupidly-high polygon version of the building from which to create a map to apply to the low poly version. I say this mainly because of the faceting that's present in the doorjambs. I made them almost identical to Bethesda's, yet they look smooth and rounded in renders of their models.

I think, before I get started on another building, that I'll try my hand at Normal mapping this one. I figure if I can learn the best possible way to make the buildings with this one, turning out the others won't be a problem.

-Jon
07-03-2005, 08:59 PM,
#18
 
Quote:Originally posted by jonrd463
Whoa... is that my mesh or Bethesda's? Looks great! If mine, then I think I should look more into this Normal Mapping thing. If I'm reading the articles right, all I need to do is make a stupidly-high polygon version of the building from which to create a map to apply to the low poly version. I say this mainly because of the faceting that's present in the doorjambs. I made them almost identical to Bethesda's, yet they look smooth and rounded in renders of their models.

I think, before I get started on another building, that I'll try my hand at Normal mapping this one. I figure if I can learn the best possible way to make the buildings with this one, turning out the others won't be a problem.

-Jon

That is indeed 100% yours and Quentin's excellent work in the screenshot =)

From what I know of mapping in general, the important thing is actually the size of the mesh, as that ties into how many times the textures are set to tile. If your building is in normal size - for this one I think it would 3x2 set pieces, or 768x512 points - the texture might be set to tile 4 times horisontally, while if it is as small as the model I imported it would only need to tile, say, twice horisontally. Don't take my comments as gospel though... but it's true that if you create a plane sized 256x256 and use a 256x256 pixel texture, it will fit perfectly if tiled once in both directions.

I think it'd be a good idea to focus on this particular building, because when it's set up it's a great base model that I could see being used for pretty much all of the peasant Hlaalu houses. I'd like to beg you on my hands and knees to try and get 3D Studio Max though; I think you'll generally have an easier time modelling for Oblivion if you do. Smile Plus there won't be any conversion problems like the resize (and I'm absolutely not saying that's caused on your end, it might as well be me that's importing it with the wrong settings).
¤ How to add images or files to your post ¤ Silgrad's UBBCode
My pet peeve: huge images in img code. I reserve the right to make any such image into a clickeable thumbnail whenever I see it.
Angel mired in filth
[Image: SignatureBannerRazorwing.jpg]
07-03-2005, 09:16 PM,
#19
 
Wow ... or in other words :pop:

Now that the plugin works (and it is at least working for version 5, says so on the website) I'll start on the bumpmaps and post them here.

Excellent work guys :goodjob:

Greetings

Quentin
That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs, but what a ship is - what the Black Pearl really is - is freedom.
07-12-2005, 06:51 AM,
#20
 
Sorry I haven't been active lately, but Real Life tends to have that affect. There's nothing like the stress of a graveyard shift job, an upcoming marriage, and the preliminary legwork involved with trying to buy a house, all jumbled together. Big Grin

Anyway, I was wanting to get some thoughts and opinions about something I was thinking about. Morrowind buildings were generally smaller in scale than any real world counterpart. For example, look at Arille's Tradehouse. It looks to be the size of a 3 storey garden shed from the outside. The same is true about the Hlaalu buildings, although it's not quite as bad as the Imperial structures.

What we've seen in the screenshots and trailer from Oblivion is that the player:building scale looks to be more correct. In light of that, I was thinking of "re-engineering" the buildings I was working on to reflect more realistic scales. Take the building I completed and posted above. It's a two storey structure with a full, interior-access basement. In modern construction, a storey is roughly 10 feet, including subflooring/cieling joists. The closest thing to Hlaalu buildings we have today are adobe structures in the desert southwestern US (at least the closest thing that I'm familiar with as an American. Other international examples may be applicable). These are generally shorter structures, maybe 7-8 feet tall per storey, maxiumum. However, square footage could be larger and more spacious than what we see in a lot of the "apartment" type dwellings as seen in the Labor Town district of Balmora.

Anyway, what this is all coming to is that I've decided to scale up the buildings to fit a more realistic size. I'll start with this first one and try to get some feedback. Differences won't be drastic, but you will be able to tell the difference.

Comments or ideas anyone? I'd love to hear them. Thanks!

-Jon


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)