Grand Space Opera 3D Entry: Maciej Frolow

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098441148_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098441148_large.jpg)

Hello to all.

No I`m not starting for the worse sketch ever made ;) but my hand drawing abilities are terrible and I don`t want to show them here.

Let`s set the story:

Fall of an Empire

Dark days arrives to the Empire, the ennemy`s ships arrived above the imperial planet, wich was for decades the administrative and cultural center of all the 278 planets. Was beacause half of them is destroyed by this unknown race of terrible warriors with which any negotiations are useless. The ennemy invades each planet, plunder all it`s resources and go. Each resistance encounters a terrible firepower of giant battle cruisers and a terribly powerful mothership. Now we stay here, at the fall of a civilisation which devlopped culture and economy and always preferd dialogue to war.

Of course I will devlopp that with some "deeper" story later, thers about 90 days for that :)

Let`s be honest it`s nothing original, but whats original in an iconic image? A battle still a battle, a fabulous city still a city. I hope my originality will be in the ability to create something big and visually interesting... we`ll see.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098442167_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098442167_large.jpg)

Hum modeling... thers not too much to say about the planet, it`s made of three planes which are bent.

I will come back to the ships later.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098443206_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098443206_large.jpg)

Now the texturing, this will take me probably few days to devlopp a good concept... this is an early version of the planets texture. The texture is based on an earth map which I restyled. You can see new lands created with some pieces of existing ones. For a good final quality the main image have 5000x3300pixels.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098466482_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1098466482_large.jpg)

Ok now we have a small sketch of what we can expect from this texture. For more details about the texture I`m inviting you on the CGTalk thread. Any comments are welcome.

Also more info about the starfield will come later.

[Nomad]

Then let`s see the texture more in detail:
http://www.maciejfrolow.com/files/step03b2.jpg

In next steps I want to devlopp this green planet to something which have 5000 years of technological civilisation behind. All the idea is to not make another "Death Star" and keep some green spaces.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099157272_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099157272_large.jpg)

Ok after a break of few days I`m back with a new concept. It` shoud be more interesting than the first one and it will combine a lot of different things.

Let`s start with the pencil sketch (yes I said that I will not show my drawings... well... newer say newer)

You can see a scene divided in three elements... thats in fact one composition which will show three etaps in the history of a civilisation.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099160298_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099160298_large.jpg)

The idea is to show the history of the Empire from it`s raise (1), it`s golden age (2) and finally it`s fall (3).

The concept is like 3 book covers together with the place for the title on the top and a verry interesting scene for each part. The planet on the top will be "evolving" too.

Some more explaination of the parts:

1. here we have bright colors near white, on the foreground we see the imperial city with one big building. On the background a nice ship with solar wings is "sailing" in the sky, it`s a quite and peaceful place with a sea shore on the left and delicate mountains in the background. Many green forests and a small city in the right.

2. The golden age of the Empire, the Imperial city is now full of magnificient buildings. The light illuminates all like all was made of gold. On the background we see the Imperial cruiser in the sky and a big city is now here far to the horizon.

3. War and destruction fall on the Empire, the Imperial city is burning. On the background there is tanks in the city, battlecruisers on the sky.
We arrive to red dark colors here.


Any comments are welcome.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099162992_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099162992_large.jpg)

Now let`s see the first concept of the small ship on the left. You can see the design which I want to use for all the ships and buildings made by this civilisation. Don`t take care about the dark aspect of the drawing, thats only the pencil shading to show the shapes.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099246774_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099246774_large.jpg)

Ok, let`s see now the big ship on the second part of the sketch. It`s a royal liner, a big flying palace.

I`ll see later if the size of 2km long is not too big and how many details have to be visible at this size.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099313020_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099313020_large.jpg)

Continuing in this design way here we have the building. I will probably start modeling first the buildings on the forground which will give me an idea of they impact on the scene.

Any comments are welcome.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099333209_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099333209_large.jpg)

An early model of the building. More detailed model coming soon...

[MatsM]

The first image is so naive and nice :) Big ship and planet. I just thought it was funny, but it gets your point across.

The ship design is hard to read, but that wing modell looks really nice, that made me visualise the whole ship better. Looks good

[arturro]

Hi Nomad! Very nice idea. I like your concept(the second one of course), it's quite original. I agree with MatsM, when I saw your sketch of the ship I was very confused. I just couldn't think out how it would look like. But this good model made my imagination visualise the whole ship, and it looked beautiful:)

[Nomad]

Thank you for the comments and the kind words.

MatsM: yea the first one was a verry original concept ;) but that gived me some time to think about the second one and to make the planet which I will keep for the second image.

arturro: well my drawings are not verry clear thats right... the 3d models shoud be better :D
I hope to devlopp an original style based on those interesting shapes.

[Genesisa]

good work man, is looking great, you work very fast, thats important

remember to take it easy, jeje maybe you can come whit more cool ideas later, anyway you know more than me, im the new guy.

have fun whit your work bye man.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099341578_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099341578_large.jpg)

Just refining the model... the green areas will be filled with windows... there will be also few open areas closed by large glass bays (light green at 1/3 of the building) which will contain plants... some kind of vertical parcs.

[Borro]

Hmm the design looks interesting? What modeling mothod did you use?

[Nomad]

Thank you for the comments.

Genesisa: Don`t worry I`m not rushing this concept... I have of course some ideas emerging but it`s only to devlopp this concept. I hope it`s enough original to not seek any other ideas for now and start to work hard on it.
For the speed.. well I shoud be at 30% now ;) beacause I have a lot of commercial work to do I`m spending only few hours a day on the challenge.

Borro: I`m using patches, I will post a small "step by step" image then you`ll have a clearer idea on how it works.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099393569_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099393569_large.jpg)

Just a small step by step on how I`m creating the main shape for the buildings and the ships.
1. first I draw the splines and connect them on jonctions
2. second I make the patch
3. I pass all in SDS
4. and finally I make a mirror copy to have the shape

All the other operations to devloppp the object are based on bevel, extrusion and combination of this element.

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, thanx for your nice comments in my thread.:)

Hey man, I like your second concept - this is really epic in its historian way...
Your modelling looks very unique to me - great visu so far!:thumbsup:
Now I'm a subscriber to your thread - looking forward to see more of your
"strange" (in an absolute positive way!) style...

Keep on flowin'
cya

[Nomad]

Hello Saschi0815, thank you for your comment.
Yes I always loved "strange" designs :D, I`m actually thinking about all this civilisation stuff which makes a complete universe from buildings, transport units, streets, small and big ships, etc. All that makes that it "works" and looks like something alive and really designed to be used by the inhabitants.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099425990_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099425990_large.jpg)

adding details...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099426349_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099426349_large.jpg)

... comments are welcome.

[Andrei2k]

Nice model very organic and smooth. I really like your historian concept as well. I had an idea to something along those lines but could not organize an image but it seems you found just the right way to do it.

The Barrel type shape in the center of the ship stands out to me for some reason....maybe the intersection....not sure but definitely keep it up.

[Virtuoso]

Hi Maciej................i think you have a unique appraoch,a nice start,and something with promise,a interesting piece of work,if you can continue with this and fulfill the vision you have this will be a piece to be proud of...........A very organic look,smooth,and flexible,shapes are interesting......I'll be back when you get more done........As of now it's a nice start.keep on keeping on real hard........:arteest:

[Nomad]

:) Thank you guys for the support. Glad to read that you like my organic design. :)

Andrei2k: well the barrel works well I think, without it the building looks a little empty & boring in the middle. :D Also I think that I will anyway choose the front view of the building (post #23)so we`ll not see the barel... I know it`s crazy to model things and not render them but you don`t know what you willl need in the future :banghead: I prefer to have full models and not cinema "one side" paper decorations :D

Virtuoso: I hope to arrive to the end with something cool... but my first goal is to learn new techniques... I`ll have to find how to make realistic explosions, great clouds and (most importent) a good composition of all this in one scene.

[artemesia66]

I really like your second concept--very ambitious, very operatic. Look forward to seeing how this progresses.

[vrhead]

Great modeling glad you went with another concept than the big space battle coming ....

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099483217_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099483217_large.jpg)

this is an early model of the megastructure which contains the imperial city. It have about a mile large.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099483823_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099483823_large.jpg)

... a closer view to the building area.

[DigiLusionist]

Maciej, long time no see! I like the ship design. It's unique. The detailing and light panels make it look alien.

[Nomad]

Thanks all for the support :bounce:

Roger: thank you... wow thats 3 yeras now we`ll lost contact... e-mail me some news about you :cool: I will follow your thread, it looks interesting.

[vrhead]

looks like a sight to see when its done

[Virtuoso]

So the meag structure of immensity comes to the 3D World.........Almost 2k of it.........My only thoughts are that you give some more thoughts to more clearly defined entryways,windows or portals for the buildings.............I think this will give your structures more of a building look,at the moment they look almost plantlife,very organic,but I think you can still keep this organic look and style,and add that more lived in "This really is a structure for living in " look if you add a few more common aspects to the structures.........Just thinking out loud,it's really a taste and style thing.........I like the unique concept and approach,and will be interested to see it advance......I'll check up on you as time passes Maciej...........:arteest:

[Nomad]

Yes Virtuoso I only made the main shape of the megastructure... there will be a lot of details which will bring life to this element. Remember that it will be a lot of different buildings on the upper side of it but also inside. The megastrucutre will be only something like a skeleton which will be a support to the following elements: buildings, roads, parcs, places, energy plants, astro port, senate, etc.
All the difficult part is to create a shape which will look light but also look enough strong to support all those buildings :banghead:

[Virtuoso]

Got you,this makes sense.........All is well now,just looking out for you Maciej,you now can continue in peace......;) :arteest:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099598351_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099598351_large.jpg)

Leaving for a moment the modeling I go back to my planet texturing. The two images are the closeups of my planet surface...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099598692_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099598692_large.jpg)

.. and the rendered look of the planet.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099602910_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099602910_large.jpg)

This is the final format sketch/simulation. I will be glad to have some feedback about all here. Thank you.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099603157_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099603157_large.jpg)

... and an explaination of everything I want to put in the scene... the arrows shows the main "composition lines" which will guide the spectator through it.

[Virtuoso]

Very nice "info-booth",I like the clear presentation,and the plan........Keep on.............:arteest:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659706_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659706_large.jpg)

Back to modeling... beacause any war need fast attck ships I created the nebula fighter. It`s a 3 person unit (one pilot, 2 "gunmen") equiped with many weapons which are hiden inside the hull. I will show some of them later. Any comments are welcome.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659812_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659812_large.jpg)

..another view...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659973_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099659973_large.jpg)

.. and finally 3 last views.

[overcontrast]

hey aweosme textureings buddy... i find ur models relly organic... keep it up.. and best of luck

[Nomad]

Virtuoso: thanks a lot (two times), I will send more concept info later in the project... there will be a lot of things to explain... and a lot of comments will be needed too :scream:

Overcontrast: thank you verry much for the kind words, thats always add more power when somebody likes your work :love:

I have a question, maybe someone can help otherwise I will send it to the challenge staff:
Can I add for example painted clouds and/or explosions?? (so not as a background)
is it considered as a matte painting and allowed or it must be made in 3D?:lightbulb

[vrhead]

wicked huge explosion on the planet effect ... very realistic looks alot better than any of the ones i have seen todate

[Nomad]

Thank you vrhead, I`ll try to create the same cool explosions on the ground battle on the bottom right of my image :D

[Gamoron]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099603157_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099603157_large.jpg)

... and an explaination of everything I want to put in the scene... the arrows shows the main "composition lines" which will guide the spectator through it.
I like the flow of the image and the transitions that it will go through from left to right. But I think you have to change the angle of the imperial cruiser. Very plain right now and not very dynamic. If it was just a test and you were planning on fixing it, no worries. My mistake!
Good job!

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, very, very nice - especially the nebula fighter - a big taste of your special organic modelling in it:applause:
Great to see u do some "sight-steering". I think this is really a good idea to think about! I guess most of us haven't analyzed their composotion in that way! I will check my scene!

Same little crit, as Gamoron stated before, I would bring in more dynamic with another position/angle of the cruiser, too...

...keep on rockin', mate - this will be an epic pic for sure:thumbsup:

[arturro]

Great progress Macius:bounce:! The nebula fighter is beautiful, one of the most original ship designs here:thumbsup: . Planet is also nice, and the explosions are quite real. How did you make them? Painted, or mixed from some renders/photos/or whatever? And I agree with Gamoron and Saschi0815 about the cruiser.

[Nomad]

Gamoron, Saschi0815 thanks a lot for the comments and for the kind words about my organic style :love:

For the "sigh-steering" it`s verry importent to have it if you have a lot of elements in your scene... you have to group them to not "loose" the viewer in a sea of elements everywhere.

I`m thinking about a big change in my scene, I will probably put the megastructure behind a forground where we`ll see the city evolving from a small village through a capital and finally in a battlefield. I think that will also help to see the scale of the Imperial City which will "float" above the city. Then I`ll can place the Impreial Cruiser above the city in the middle ready for a depart somewhere. I`ll can also place some smaller elements in the forground.

Let me know your comments. :wip:

[Nomad]

Thanks arturro, I apreciate that my style looks unique and I`ll work hard to keep it`s quality high :D


For the planet`s exposions it`s a big mix of some nebula photos and a lot of painting.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099924473_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1099924473_large.jpg)

Just a texture test here, beacause of the biological look I created a texture in a similar style with some curious shapes all over. I will work more on details IF they are needed, I still don`t know if one of those fighters will come closer in the scene.... but probably yes...

[Saschi0815]

Could be a good idea, Maciej! Do u want to focus some ships in a move to the front?
Looking forward to see another cool concept-pic from u....:bounce:

[KennyM]

very cool texture on the planet.
I like the peace war transition, succeeded excellently.
where do you get your inspiration for ships from? they looks so surreal and yet so technologicaly possible hehe:)

looks great, keeping an eye out for more

[Nomad]

Saschi0815: Yes I think I will add a second "dimesion" to my scene by creating a movment from background left to right forground. We`ll see how it looks then...

KennyM: Thank you.
My inspiration hum.... a lot come certainly from the nature, from plants, insects, etc
from the artistic influences... from years I`m a big fan of the artists like: Wojtek Siudmak, Rodney Matthews, Syd Mead, Boris Vallejo and many many more from the "golden age" of the illustration. Now thers a lot of new great artists but I think those ones had a particular influence when I grew up. I`m also taking inspitration from the industrial design and from movies. All is good if you not copy and can create your own style... I hope thats what I`m making here...

[uwil]

the ships intrigues me. stick to your style... i like it. by the way, nice mapping.:thumbsup:

[Nomad]

Thank you uwil, I`ll hope to make more intriguing stuff soon :D but for now I have some commercial work to do :banghead:

[Virtuoso]

organic ships to match the architecture is a good idea,other than that the balance would be off.......I like the idea of Mid range models,too many times the mid range is left void or empty of models etc,etc...Foreground while vital needs a good middle area to lead the eye to the back-ground.......Ok on track,nice updates Maciej,keep at it strong......:arteest:

[Nomad]

Thanks Virtuoso, I`m starting from the point that I have to design all... from ships to a teethbrush :D ... everything which will be in the scene have to be "made by this civilisation" with all what it`s means... so I have to think about the technology which is used and how it affect the look of everything. For example for the fighter it`s build from few big pieces not beacause I modeled it like that but beacause I think it`s created with a carbon-fibreglass technology and not with steel plates. For the city which I`m currently modeling I made only few roads on it beacause I think all the transport will be undergrounded....


Anyway I`m still working on all that :wip:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100088546_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100088546_large.jpg)

This is a sketch composed with sevral photos and my rendered megastructure. I think I will choose this approach for the final scene. Of course the buildings on the right will be partailly destroyed and we`ll see a lot of battles on the ground, in the air and in the space.

Let me know all your comments especially if the perspective "in front" is not boring... I first thought about placing the camera on the right then we`ll see first the "most recent" history and farer the other two ages but I`m not sure it`s a good idea.

[Dark_Drako]

Wow! kind of odd, your concept matches what I was thinking of doing almost exacly :P, I just went from piece to war in 2 steps though.... Very odd

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, you're a really good composer. Very nice perspective,man:thumbsup: ...I love your actual concept!

This is going to be absolut great, dude!!!:buttrock:

[Smooth-Criminal]

great composition, I think that the perspective this good, (in my opinion) good luck!!:buttrock:

>> MY GRAND SPACE OPERA (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=181156&page=1&pp=15)

[Nikus]

Witam Maciej, jak tam w polsce?
Man your modelling and texturing abilities are really great! Are you working in Lightwave? If you are, then I think I will have a couple of questions for you (need some help) I liked a lot your concept, but I do not agree with the camera angle, for me it is kind of boring. You should use a different lens for the camera, and perhaps zoom it to your buildings so everyone sees the great detail you have put on it.
Keep it up!
Nicolas

[uwil]

great comp.:thumbsup: looks cooler without the gradient. keep on!

[Nomad]

Dark_Drako, Smooth-Criminal: Thanks a lot.

Saschi0815: May the juges hear you ;) ... I hope the size of the buildings will be enough impressive :D

Nikus: Witam, w polsce bez zmian, pogoda okropna, ludzie narzekaja... :shrug:
Thank you for your kind words about my modeling skills. Yes I`m working on LW from ever :D
Feel free to send me an e-mail with your questions but I give no guaranties that I can answer all of them :argh:
For the camera angle that will be difficult to zoom to the buildings beacause I want to show many things here. Also in the print resolution the details on the buildings will be well visible. ( I think they are actually not enough detailed for the print res so I`ll add more detail soon).


Thanks again all for the warm support :love:

[Nomad]

Thanks uwil, I still thinking about this compostition and improve it to not have a borig look of buildings "just standing"... I hope to bring life inside with many flying vehicles and interesting buildings all over this...:wip: :wip: :wip:

[Virtuoso]

Hi Maciej....................Nice update,I see your progress is in a good direction.........You know I like the idea of showing the three ages,it's a unique idea,and I think it should be shown,it is a strong point for your design,and it seems to me at least to be needed,your work/concept is based around this for the most part,my take on this is you should go for the various ages idea.........Ok then,you go to it hard,and I'll be waiting for more,take care for now Maciej.....:arteest:

[Nomad]

Thanks a lot for your comment Virtuoso, I will definitly keep the concept of three ages.. this will maybe fix the composition on this "boring onfront view" but with all the details going all over that shoud be ok... I`m thinking about making three different architecture style variations (how big I don`t know now), let me know your thoughts about that if it will not be too much in a same image... beacause I have already light variation (from white to red), ships moving from left to right, a big battle on the right, a nice sea landscape on left, a big city in the middle.... thats already a lot of work for the next two monthes :D

[Virtuoso]

Yes it's all about managing your time,as important as anything........I would love another month,I have an idea for something more,but due to time limits and deadline have to leave this out.......It's best to focus on the prime idea,give it all it deserves,plan out your time schedule,know your limits.......I think you have a nice plan,an original idea,and just go for the "ROOT" of your idea,perhaps with more time in the end you can add that little something extra............Ok I know this project is in good able hands,you'll get this to its potential Maciej.........Ok,I'll see you soon..............:arteest: :cool:

[azazel]

Few ideas for composition: if you want to keep it the way it's now, you could make the image in wider, more panoramic format, even with slight pano distortion (like you are in the center, and you are looking around, not only at front). Other way could be to have the eras change as you go farther away from the camera... Or maybe tilted camera? Something more dynamic, drawing you in :) Powodzenia :)

[Nomad]

Virtuoso: Thanks... yes in my work I have always to manage my time so thats will not be a problem... the problem is to balance the scene to not make it too dense and fuzzy... I`ll see where this project will take me.... if it was an assigment to made in 3 weeks I will certailny resign from different architecture styes and probably lower the amount of details but this is a challenge where the main priority is to have FUN with what we done isn`t it? :D

azazel: I will play with the camera and certainly send some previews for considering... but the main idea have to stay: the image must have three parts with the building in the middle beacause I`m considering this as three bookk covers placed together.... so no panoramic views and no camera "deformation" allowed :shrug:

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, after reading about the "boring perspective" I can't agree with Nikus. I think your way to bring in more details like ships etc. is the right one:thumbsup: The perspective looks really good for your idea in my opinion. Don't let u get down,mate!!!:bounce:

[Nomad]

Saschi0815: Thanks a lot for your support, that gives me a definitive strong opinion that I have to keep my layout as it is :D We`ll see at the "jugment day" if it was a good choice but I have too many things to do so I will not spend any more time on this and start modeling my city and terrain right now :wip:

And the most important: have fun with your work as I have with mine :thumbsup:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100267839_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100267839_large.jpg)

Just a mountain test to show how I`m working to create them. ZBrush is for me the best tool ever made to create terrains :) it allows you a total control on what you do.

[Gamoron]

Thats an awesome idea man, and ZBrush is fairly inexpensive right? Looks fantastic.

[Nomad]

Thanks Gamoron, yes ZBrush is an amazing an unexpensive refining tool for me :thumbsup:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100274555_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100274555_large.jpg)

An early lighting test... you can see the three areas with a brigh white light on the left, a gold one on the middle and a dark red on the right... I had also to place a negative light to make the right side darker (selected on yellow on the scene).

Any comments mostly welcome.

[Nikus]

Hi Maciej
I liked the terrain a lot. I have only heard of ZBrush as a good modeling tool (like working with clay) but I would love to try it. THe lighting that you are applying fits correctly into the subject. I have one question, with lighting arrange will you use?

[Nomad]

Nikus: In fact I newer modeled with ZBrush :D only refined models (by 3d painting on them) made with Lightwave and re-exported to it. You can try the 1.5 from the ZBrush site, you`ll love it :love:

For your question about lighting I hope my english is enough good and you`re asking about the types of light I used... if yes I`m using one area light for the main illumination and the shadows (the square one on the layout), two spotlights for the gold & red color and an omni negative light for darken the right side. I will not use global illumination here beacause of the lengh of the rendering but I will probably add more "secondary" light spots on the places I will want to make brighter or darker. Will come also some backlights to simulate bounces from the ground and from the sky.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616033_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616033_large.jpg)

The following three images shows tree buildings in they environment. I created low poly trees and bushes which helps a lot to show the scale of the buildings... there will be also small and big rocks and smaller buildings and structures.

Let me know your comments...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616183_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616183_large.jpg)

Second image, the windows texture will be of course more devlopped beacause it`s too repetitive now.

[MickW]

Thats really cool! Damn, dunno how i missed this til now....

Are you planning to have foliage and other junk around the bases of the buildings, help them blend in and all that?


Hmm.... you own sasquatch or gonna use saslite?


Definately subscribing to this one!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616923_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100616923_large.jpg)

And finally the third image where you can see one of the roads. At the final stage where I will have all the buildings placed in the scene I will fill them with more small details beacause they look a little "empty" now.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100619446_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100619446_large.jpg)

Another global render test just to show the size of the buildings posted before.

[Nomad]

MickW: Thanks.

No I`m not using saslite, all the trees and other elements are placed with a plugin called RandomCloner made by my friend Pawel Olas (http://www.polas.net) and of which I`m a beta tester. This plugin allows to spread objects over a surface going trough the normals. Extremely powerful if you need hundreds of objects like here. The trees are made with 30 to 70 faces mapped with branches retouched photos.

[Nikus]

Those buildings look great! , I specially like the angles which you took the screenshots! I have one comment. Perhaps those trees should not be too detailed if you plan to put them on the bottom of the scene...could mean a waste of rendering time...just a thought...

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, wow man you go forward with gigantic steps...really great progress so far, mate!!
Looks awesome - i can imagine your style in the finished piece now....:thumbsup:

Very, very good, dude!!!:applause:

[Nomad]

Thanks guys.

Nikus: Thanks for your kind words...
well the trees are low poly and shoud be included on the final rendering even they took together millions of polygons they are enough importent to the look of the final image... I don`t want a city filled only with buildings...

MickW: ... and yes i`m planning to fill foliage around the buildings :)

Saschi0815: Thanks man... you say gigantic steps... hum... I`m about 20% of the content... I hope to had the time to finish that before the 10th January :argh:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100695552_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100695552_large.jpg)

Hello all,
below is pasted an early version of the story. My apologises for my terrible english, I`ll hope my friend from england will find some time to correct me that :)

As always any comment are welcome.

- Rise and Fall of an Empire -

The story begins when Zaroth Dirmond son of Karoth the Great at the age of twenty three years obtained the control of a small solar system which include nine habitable planets, he choosed one of them to estabilish the first colony and made it his main place where he builded his magnificent palace. He named the planet Aroth.

Young age:
In the first three hundred years the small colony rised to a waste city and the power of the young king become indiscutable.
At his five hunderd birthday Zaroth Dirmond ruled the entire system composed of nine habitable planets and twenty six satellites, moons and asteriods. The news from the rising power reached far away in the galaxy and the closer systems started to be afraid of an eventual attack from the Arothians especially that everybody knows that he started to building a powerful fleet composed of twelve intergalactic battle ships.

Golden age:
The next two hundred years was full of victorious conquests all around the galaxy, Zaroth became now an expert of strategy and a great economic negociator. A lot of his conquests was without weapons and made at the basis of treaties between his growing empire and neutral planets. By this way his power rised without any loses.

At the age of twenty six hundred years the Emperor Karoth the Great dided and the shadow of chaos covered the galaxy.

Dark age:
At the death of the emperor the galaxy become the theatre of the war between his three sons. A deadly race to obtain the throne of the Empire. Battles between space fleets composed of hundreds of spaceships ravaged millions of lives. After seven centuries of war Zaroth Dirmond the Terrible, Emperor of the galaxy died five years after obtaining the throne.

[Nikus]

Great story...reminded me of how I used to play Escape Velocity and the whole universe, including the neutral planets fell under my domain!!! HAHAHA!

P.S. Your english is great! just some minor errors on past tenses!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100722523_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100722523_large.jpg)

Sorry to jumping from an object to another but I have to make them ready to estabilsh the final scene... I will refine and add more detail to all of them later.

[Nomad]

Thank you Nicolas.. I`m thinking about a foreground with the Emperor in three poses (young standing, sitting on his throne and old) but I`m afraid that I will not have enough time for that :argh: and that will probably change the composition...

what do you think? buildings, trees, battlecruisers, megastrucutres, space battle... and an emperor on the forground thats not too much ??

[Virtuoso]

.....................buildings, trees, battlecruisers, megastrucutres, space battle... and an emperor on the forground ................Oh my...............Lot's to do,and thus far done well maciej.....A fully realised creation/plan you have here...........just go at it with full force,it will be well worth it,I like your direction and plan,it's unique,and interesting,and I think will be a piece to be proud of when done,just get this done.......hey if need be you can always add to this final,just get those primary models/ideas in......Looking very nice,keep it up..........:arteest: :beer:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100805603_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100805603_large.jpg)

Let`s back to the scene, I modeled a simple terrain in Lightwave and I refined it in ZBrush. I made on it many small mounts/bumps, with appropriate texture they will look good (I hope) and littely odd or alien like...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100806206_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1100806206_large.jpg)

.. and here you can see how the terrain looks in the scene. I added the battle cruisers, one is just above the mountains. Also I placed a copy of my three buildings to show the sizes... the three buildings on the middle are just under the megastructure.. of course it will fill this place with a "foot" on which it all will stand.

As always comments and criticts are welcome :)

[Nomad]

Thank you Virtuoso, let`s say that I will make everything I planned without the forground emperor and if I have some time I will make it. I never worked on characters before so that can be interesting to work on... beacause it will certainly not be human that will be easier than creating a real looking human.. no? let me know your thoughts about that :curious:

[Matroskin]

Maciej Frolow has entered the Grand Space Opera 3D.

Challenge Page (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/grandspaceopera/view_entries.php?challenger=4585)

Latest Update: Modeling: ZBrush terrain


.. and here you can see how the terrain looks in the scene. I added the battle cruisers, one is just above the mountains. Also I placed a copy of my three buildings to show the sizes... the three buildings on the middle are just under the megastructure.. of course it will fill this place with a "foot" on which it all will stand.

As always comments and criticts are welcome :)
Scene lightning has really capchured my eye. This looks like a gradient ramp of warm sunset mood... Actualy for me your immage also would be even greater beeng stylised as an old photo (by the way warm color lightning partly creates this effect and it already has some kind of such a look) - I mean some vertical lines, highlighted parts etc. It could get some "retro" style...
But it's just my first impressions

[overcontrast]

hey thats very cool... by the way, the terrain looks good, but the bumps looks a little bit unnaturel... u might want to add some more detail to them, or smooth them out and add some bushes or sand... well its just me... but u got a amazing rendering... hope to c more of your good works soon... :thumbsup:

[Nomad]

Deryk: Well that was my ambition to make something like "from sunrise to sunset" but I can`t make it "in real" beacause that will create too much strange shadows.... but I keep the colors...
I will also remove that yellow middle area and change the colors here to gold... all is a question of adjustments... there will come more point lights to pull off the details.

overcontrast: Yes after a day of break I see now that I`m not happy with this terrain... the only thing I like is the lake :D ... I think I will return to ZBrush and remodel everything... maybe here too I will apply some variations from let to right, for example soft mounts on the left and sharp and chaotic rocks on the right... I`ll see how it looks....

Thanks a lot for your comments :)

[kaajey]

I like the idea of three ages it perfectly describes whole history of that planet (i think)
Looking forward to see the realization of the war.
I'm subscribing

See this

[Nomad]

Thank you kaajey for your comment and dont worry the war is coming :scream:

Stay tuned :D

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101133363_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101133363_large.jpg)

Just an update on my progress...

Not too much to say
- I added the megastructure`s "legs"
- I made a boxes city which helps a lot to show the scale of the imperial palaces and of all the scene.
- and finally I changed the terrain as I wrote before.. from small mounts it passes to high mountains. I will post later a full tutorial on how the terrain is made and it`s texturing.

Stay tuned and as always send me your comments & critics :)
Thank you.

[Nikus]

Its taking shape! will look great in the final image! you are nearly there!

[Nomad]

Thank you Nicolas, I hope to reach my objectives...

I just recived an answer from Leigh that there is possible to paint over the final image (details)
That will give me a lot of possibilities to adjust some things which if they are all rendered will burn my computer :argh:

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?p=1750526#post1750526 Q&A answer

[Tranchefeux]

Hi, All my encouragements for your GSO, Your design are very
futuristic and it is good modeling good road for the continuation.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101318674_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101318674_large.jpg)

Continuing the work on the city here is a residential building, I still working on the windows texture which looks actually ugly ;) but thats will be corrected soon :).
All the idea is to place a lot of parks in the city and (like here) on the buildings.

Will follow few other buildings.

[greentek]

hi Maciej..
your scene is going to be really grand!!! great concept! :thumbsup:
i like your citiy and especially residential building! it looks very impressive!
i'll deal with some similar terrain in my scene.. great job over all! i like it a lot! :thumbsup:
looking forward to see development!
the best of luck and cheers!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101320615_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101320615_large.jpg)

Next building, a factory this time. The blue elements will not be necessary windows, the brown will be some kind of ventilation areas.. maybe glowing... we`ll see on texturing...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101323961_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101323961_large.jpg)

Next building, I called it administrative building but it can be simply a multifonctional building.
As you see it`s based on the residential building form, maybe it`s the same architect which made it ;). The similarity of certain buildings will help a lot to show a certain style. This building will be placed on the "peace" area like the residential one.
I will try to make evolving the architecture styles during my 3 ages.

Comments & critics absolutely needed :))

[userBrian]

Very interesting, I see why the retro comment was made
with the perspective of the "battlefield" looks like some alien
English-Napoleonic battle painting could be placed in here.
I think it's all those little buildings in their barracks like layout.
Like stuff that gets me daydreaming. I'm using LW too.
This shows how important it is to start about now with the
big composition, rather than focussing too much on details
that wont be seen.
my 3d GSO entry (http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=179803)

[FuzzyModem]

I really like the buildings. I can see them being structures one would build in an empire building strategy game.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101329375_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101329375_large.jpg)

Next buildings are individual houses. They will contain two gardens and will have a lot of windows surfaces.

[Nomad]

@ Tranchefeux merci / thanks for your support & encouragements :bounce:

@ greentek thank you, I`ll take a look on your terrain when it`s ready, thats always good to see similar situations... be sure to use ZBrush for it, thats an exellent tool for this kind of work :D

@ userBrian thanks and yes the most importent is to know where will be placed the objects to not go too much in the details - thats always can be corrected/refined later. For the battle I hope to show some interesting things like troops, tanks etc... that will come just after I finish the buildings :D

@ Fuzzy Modem thank you, I love RTS games so the influence is natural but I also want to create a functional city... that will make it more real if it have not only skyscrapers but also some factories, hospitals etc...

[monsitj]

your concept is great , your scene is very grand! keep going man!,
my suggestion is you can make your building look more scale by put the detail in texture map such as small window to tell the audience the scale of your creature that live in the buildiing ,i like your resident building ,
goodl luck !

[Nomad]

@ monsitj thanks a lot for your support. :)
Yes I will work on the windows texture beacause actually we don`t feel exactly the scale of the building... I think I will have also to put some more details on them... I have to make some render tests to see and place them on the final scene.

[Unes²²]

Very original concept (specially the buildings), hope everthing go well, and good luck

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101477388_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101477388_large.jpg)

This is the final texture for the buildings. It looks like some concrete with an addition of rusty/pearl effects. In my warious colors scene it shoud look good.

You can see here the almost final version of the biggest building in the city (exept Imperial Palce of course). With the adition of some cars the size starts to be readable. I will refine this building near the end of the contest when I will have all the other buildings (and the battle) done.

Comments & critics always welcome.

[SnakeFarlow]

Hi.
Wow your building looks great, I think the texture you have choise is the apropiate one. Only one sugestion. Yor are workin with organical shapes, and it looks great, so why do you use an axis of simetry. Your base is a triangle, one of your corners is very high, and the other two, are in the same level. you could try to brake the simetry rising one of these plataforms.

I hope this help.

Snake Farlow. The rogue.

You could give me some advices too. Thanks.

[Nomad]

@ Unes²² thanks a lot for the support.

@ SnakeFarlow thank you for the comment... the symetry of the buildings is something I wanted to have. In the left side of the image you have peace and harmony, in the right side the buildings will be more chaotic, less finished etc. The architecture of the buildings will evolve to something more agressive and industrial with less windows etc... this will change the buildings to a sort of bunkers... same for the last imperial palace, it will be deformed and partially destroyed :D

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101482959_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101482959_large.jpg)

For this milestone I will post only renderings from the final scene. For me the rendering part is the calculating of all the layers in the final resolution...

You can see here the whole scene rendered and a detail at 100%. The detail will have about an inch of large so thats not verry small and that means that I have to add much more details to the front buildings.

[keetmun]

Damn that's some impreessive modelling. Nice start, looking very epic even at this stage. Can't wait to see more!

Cheers!
:buttrock:

[Nomad]

@ keetmun thank you for the kind words. Thats a pleaseure to read that my scene looks already epic... but thers still a lot ot do :argh: so I`m returning back to modeling :wip:

[arturro]

Hi Maciej! Everything looks very good, but I have one remark... I don't feel the massive size of your buildings. Firstly I thought that it's because the lack of some details on them, but when I saw them as they will appear, I thought there is no need to add some details, because they won't be noticeable, or even may distroy the very nice and clean style of those buildings. I suggest adding lots of trees, birds and ships on the bottom of the picture. The flocks of birds always give a sense of scale. They would be hardly noticeable, but they will be there, and give the impression of the grand size of your buildongs. This same is with some small ships flying between the buildings. I hope you got what I mean:) Good luck!

[Nomad]

Hello arturro, you have absolutely right. With this kind of verry organic buildings where there is no precisely defined single windows but only "big glass areas" textured as windows it`s difficult to show the scale. :argh: I planned of course to add many trees and flying ships which will certaily help to better see the scale of the buildings... I`m thinking if the roads still a good idea :curious: I think with flying ships there is no need of roads... the creation of them will take many time (especially the placing of them) which I can spend on making flying cars, buses and many transports...

Anyway... your idea of flocks of birds is exellent :thumbsup: I will create them.. white for the left side and black on the right side... thank you verry much for the advice and feel free to send me any kind of comments & crits you have :bounce:

Cheers.

[arturro]

I wouldn't go with the roads. I think they won't look good. The ships will be better! It can be almoust boxes as they will be small in the scene. With the colors of the birds it's a great idea:thumbsup:

[KennyM]

great ideas on the symmetry, considering you want some sort of timeline/evolution in decay theme, symmetry will add to the idea.

been a while since I visited your thread (or any for that matter :sad: )
but it's turning out great, this will not only be a very nieve piece to look at thanks to the original model , it will also have a great story to tell:thumbsup:

[Virtuoso]

The plan is coming along quite well maciej.............Nice progress................I think where there might not be roads...........Well................I still think something should be there.....If for nothing more than extra fill or beauty for the scene itself..........Next you have to think of landing strips,or launch pads.......In the end some kind of roads have to be in anyways for any real feasibility...............Anyways......Looking nice,I think you will get your vision out with this,and I wish you the best at doing so Maciej.......:arteest: :beer:

[overcontrast]

nice work man... good rendering too... i like where ur going.... keep up the good works... but i wud like to point out some lil things in the modeling...some edges of ur model looks a lil bit odd... u might want to fix them... thats all for now... good luck bro :thumbsup:

[Nomad]

@ arturro thanks for the advice about the roads, I resigned to make them, thats illogical to putting roads when most of the vehicles can fly :D but I don`t agree with you that only boxes will be enough... even at verry long distance on the final rendering we`ll can see the details so I will make low poly versions of my foreground ships... Thanks again for the idea of the birds, they will be a nice touch to my world.

@ KennyM I hope I can guide the spectators eye on the image to tell him a story :)

@ Virtuoso yes, as Iwrote below I resigned to make the roads for the cars but I think I will make some pathes for the people... and I hope to fill all with millons of trees, small and big rocks and other elements (if my computer will survive this :argh:)... the launch pads and landing areas are already present on my big administrative building so I have to make some on other buildings and place few aircrafts... that gives me the idea to create an astroport too :)... I can also replace the roads by few railways which will be faster to create and place... I`ll see.. lots to do... :wip:

@ overcontrast what edges? :argh: I see nothing :sad: can you please explain me this?
(if youre writing about the last image the texture bump disturbed a lot the concrete surface, I have removed this, see previous image post)

Thanks a lot guys for all your warm support :love:comments and critics.

[Manoo77]

Cool "rise and fall" concept, and your organic models are very original, they look ancient and modern at the same time!

Also like your textures, even the starfield looks great.

This is one to watch!...

[FuzzyModem]

Is anyone else getting a falic vibe from these buildings? I think you and Gieger would get along great :p Seriously though- great work. I'm interested in how you will handle the shadow cast on the city by huge platform thing. It has the potential to create an impressive sense of scale ala Independace Day. OOOH! What if it were a very dark shadow and the buildings under neath it had thier building lights and street lights on? And what if some building were haning down and off the underside of the structure near the support barnacle/stalagtight like. Just thoughts...

[theuni]

Hi,

I really like the overall look of your work. It`s something different to all those "dark" images.

[Nomad]

@ Manoo77 I`m glad you appreciate all... the starfield will be devopped, I will add some nebulas and maybe few planets... thank you for your kind words.

@ Fuzzy Modem haha... well... about the fallic vibe.. I just made a tower, if you see something else that was not my intention :D it`s anyway far from Mr explicit Giger ;)
For the dark area under the megastructure yes I will certainly make many things under like lights in buildings and many elements hanging from the lower side of it. But it is in my refining plans, I have now to fill the city with buildings to get a final look of all the scene :wip:
Thanks a lot for your comments.

@ theuni thank you, I hope to handle a good balance of colors.. thats not easy to have this kind of gradient especially made with many lights :D

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101644240_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101644240_large.jpg)

I would to show few details about the texturing of my terrain. This method works good with relatively flat terrains like this one.

In the first step I`m making screen shots from top of the terrain and fits the borders of the image to the edges of the terrain, then my mapping will fit exactly when I will make a planar projection from top...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101644522_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101644522_large.jpg)

... the second step (woops, showed on the previous image) was to paint the main colors of the texture... you can already see my gradient stps.

On this image you can see few texture refinings. I draw a coast and added a light texture to make some color variations...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101645210_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101645210_large.jpg)

.. beacause the terrain is verry hudge I decided to add more details on the forground by adding a second layer of texture.

In Lightwave it`s possible to add images with transparency which works exactly like photoshop layers, so you can add an infinite amount of maps and each can have his mapping coordinates.
Of course the resolution of each layer can be different.

On the image A you can see my scene where I placed 3 boxes to have they coordinates.

The image B shows my refined forground details.

And finally the result of mixing both of the layers is showed on the image C.

Same things can be made for the saturation/bump/and other layers.

I will post a rendering of the scene where you will see this on the final image.

But that will be tomorrow...
Stay tuned!! ;)

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101727619_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101727619_large.jpg)

As promised here is the render test where you can see the final effect of this multilayered texture. The details near the roads looks enough good and I have no need to refine more my mapping resolution.

That will be nice to get some comments about this ground... I`m afraid that the buildings looks like space crafts after landing (with burned grass around)

[shadowcrane]

Hi:
The organic design is very interesting and the composition with the big planet too. Maybe putting lights and elements not too simetrical could avoid the image of a landing craft to your builndings. Nice work

[arturro]

Hi Maciek! I must say that I change my mind about the roads:) on your last test they look very good!! but still some flying ships would do good:thumbsup:

[Nomad]

@ shadowcrane thanks for the kind words... I will see all this... from the other way the dark area near the buildings looks good.. it adds some radiosity effect and the building looks more realistic... maybe I have just to make that area smaller? :curious:

@ arturro yes I changed my mind too... especially that making roads by this way tooks me few minutes :D I will place all the buildings and add the roads.. than we`ll see how it looks... with few flying crafts that shoud be nice :)

[Saschi0815]

Wow, Maciej, your buildings rock my mind! Where did u learn that cool organic modelling style,mate?

Love that smooth design! This gives me really some good inspiration...don't misunderstand me - don't want to copy what u've done/ are doing, but your work makes me more creative in some ways... :bowdown:

Knowing your concept, your composition looks very nice so far. Keep the updates coming, dude!

[Nomad]

Thank you Sacha for your kind words... my design goes from my influences modeled by years of reading comic books, watching mangas, playing games etc... I`m always feel good in any organic mixed with technology designs... (biomechanics?)

I`m glad that my work gives you some inspiration... feel free to copy but if you win you`ll had to send me the prize ;)

Cheers

[rodrigogua]

very good work in here. i like your modfelling style very much, it is very particular. my only crit would be terrain map. i dunno, it just doesn't fit to me.... anyway, good job overall, and i hope to see more of it!!! :thumbsup:

[claudiojordao]

Hey Nomad, you're doing a very good work, I like your "biomechanic" models!
However... are you sure about these colors? They're a bit unusual for this kind of models... I think! But maybe that's the idea!... sorry! :)

[greentek]

hi Maciej..
nice rendering my friend though you could improve it a lot..
especially colors..
btw how long took rendering at this very high resolution?
kee it up mate and cheers.. :beer:

[Nomad]

@ rodrigogua thanks a lot, the terrain stills a WIP, I will add many elements (rocks, trees) which will make it much more interesting

@ claudio_jordao thank you, yes I`m sure about the transition from blue to dark red... ofcourse I will adjust all this to not have this too saturated image like now... with nice clouds, interesting stars and a lot of details the transition will not be so sharp and intense

@ greentek thanks for the kind words man, as I wrote below all still in WIP and will be improved... unfortunally I have a lot of commercial work to do these days and I slow down the Space Opera production :sad: but that will restart soon... I still launching some render tests at night...
The render time for the highres image is of 7h on my AMD Athlon 2200+ but thats will vary depending on the layer I will render (buildings, terrain, megastrucutre, etc) all shoud contain about 6 to 8 layers and will not take more than 5 nights to render. I have already finished the planet so I will render it in highres soon... I don`t think that I have to add something... maybe few explosions...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101982402_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1101982402_large.jpg)

Just a test for the trees. I hope that will look better if I add some size variation, some bushes, some bigger trees and some rocks. Of course the texture of the terrain have to be changed too with added bump map, procedurals... still a lot of work :)

[arturro]

Hi Maciej! Very nice update. I have a suggestion tho. I would make the ground color under the forest adifferent then in other parts. Darker perhaps... I would also move the trees further from the water(I mean the opposite side small group of trees), I honestly don't like them on the beach so close to the water. If you want them there, than I would advice to change the coast style to some cliffs....

[Nomad]

Thank you for your comment arturro, I will certainly change the texture of the terrain under the trees and remove them from the beach. The test was more to see the shape of the single trees... I hope I can inprove that 2d sides without adding a terrible polycount to my image :argh:

[keetmun]

hey hey nice work here! Yup arturro has got some great suggestions. I like the sense of scale in your work. Great stuff!

Cheers
:buttrock:

[Lelantos]

Great stuff your concepts are really impressive
your scene looks very nice i like very much the colors and the lighting:arteest:

keep up the good work:beer:

[Nomad]

@ keetmun thanks man, I`m glad that my work on scale pays. I was wondered that with this kind of bio-building we`ll can`t see the sizes. :argh:

@ Lelantos thanks for the kind words :) I hope to stay on track and deliver a nice picture.

[artemesia66]

oh yeah, the trees really bring home the sense of scale. look forward to seeing a mix of trees and buildings.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1102080035_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1102080035_large.jpg)

Continuing this mini tutorial I want to show here how benefic can be some preparations before the final texturing of a terrain.

In lightwave it is possible to map a gradient on the slope values (that means if the decay angle is changing the color changes) or simply on high.

On the first image you can see the high and low values which will help me a lot to define the coast and to make some basic color varations by altitude.

On the second image you see the slope changing, I will use that to put some bump maps in the darker areas which will simulate some precepitous areas with rocks. That will also help me to place less grass on those areas.

A render on top at high resolution gives the possibility to maps those values as an alpha layer on my previous color mapping.

I will show soon the final mapping rendered. So stay tuned ;)

[ARSA]

sweet! even when rendering a test I always try to achive something valuable with the render, By saying this what I'm trying to express is that you could have done some litttle tweeks before posting the image, to help us visualize the scene from a wider aspect. Hope I don't sound like I have a bad attitude, my apologies if I do. Is hard to explain somethings when english is second language and foremost when usin a forum...lol!

Everything is looking great, I like your tutorial and everything. Can you post a picture of a close up of the trees, just to see the model of the tree.

-cheers!

[Nomad]

ARSA Thanks a lot for your kind words :bounce: feel free to post more comments & critics...
well... for me english is a third tongue after polish and french so excuse me but I don`t exactly understand what you mean by "little tweeks" :curious:

Here is a render of my tree, as you can see thats only 2 planes mapped :)
I`m not happy with the result on the final render but if I multiply them on post and make more varied sizes that shoud be ok.

http://www.maciejfrolow.com/files/tree01.jpg

[overcontrast]

hey not bad.... the tree it self looks good but the thing is wen u multiply it it looks a bit weird.. i mean it looks like u through some blask rock chunk on a lighter surface... i hope u understand... anyways, keep it up mate... :thumbsup:

[Tranchefeux]

Hi, Your work 3d is good you with good design, good road

[Nomad]

@ overcontrast thanks for the comment, yes the trees on the render test looks bad beacause they are too dark, the single one is self illuminated at 25% and looks much better :) I will work on this and send some updates soon.

@ Tranchefeux merci beaucoup :)

[Kraull]

Hi!
I like your approach to do an environment with more vegetals that architecture! It seems to be quite a challenge to do in 3d, but it will be more original at the for sure!

I'll follow your progression!
a la prochaine et bonne chance!:)

[Nomad]

Merci Kraull, creating many vegetation with the tools I have is not a problem :) it just takes time to make something interesting beacause of verry long renders :cry:

[graga]

Hi! I'm impressed with your smooth and organic modeling. Great progress! I think that a sort of the river would add to this city more life.

[terraarc]

Hello Nomad! :)
Just read the Rise and Fall (Smells some Helloween (http://www.helloween.org/index2.html) track 4) of your Empire and it sounds and looks like a great idea so far! :thumbsup:
Your last images look great! On the forest of crossed planed trees I'd say adding some noise color variation over the map would give a nice effect randomness on the final image...

Keep it up! You still have an Emperor to Rise and of course to Fall !! :bounce:

[Nomad]

@ graga thanks a lot for your kind words :) a river? thats an exellent idea :thumbsup: I`ll see how I can place it...

@ terraarc thank you, I listened Halloween for the last time about ten yeras ago :D but that will be nice to back to those ambiances :buttrock: ...and yes the trees will have many color variations but I`ll make that on post.

Stay tuned the fall of the Empire is coming :scream:

[shotta]

:thumbsup:woooow buddy i like very much ur concept art and the all models. I'm impressed :beer:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1102969582_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1102969582_large.jpg)

After a long absence I`m back on track and I hope I can now focus only on finishing this contest.

Here you have 5 versions of a "simple habitation building". As always for the golden age big glass/garden roof.
Beacause I have a lot buildings to do I will decline one "shape" into many variations which is fast to create.

C&C welcome.

[Nomad]

shotta thanks a lot for your support and sorry for a long delay of my reply, was busy on commercial work :banghead:

[arturro]

good to see you back:thumbsup:

Noce update, I advice to do some experiments... in my opinion those buildings would look nice with those yellow elements glowing... but I'm not sure...
good luck and speed up:bounce:

[Nomad]

Thanks arturro, I still not happy with those windows... maybe I will make them of glass/mirror at the end.... I`ll make some tests when I`ll finish my city. :)


BTW cool Christmas awatar :thumbsup:

[Lelantos]

Interesting buildings i like them they are organic like you have right about windows maybe adding some reflection would make them look more like windows right now is hard to define what they are.

But this buildings are really very nice i like very much this kind of designs
keep it up mate:thumbsup:

[Virtuoso]

First and foremost I like the fact that you had a plan,and a very good one,a fresh concept,and stuck with it.And it's really nice to see you approah your visions...........I think that you could add some reflections for the glass,possibly the glow idea could also be effective.In fact even more so,now that I think of it.Those are good suggestions by aturro,& Lelantos........I think the strength in your entry is the concept/idea itself.........Now as for "Pivotal moement".....where are you on this at this time?

I think it will play a big part in the overall piece,besides of course the art itself...........Ok Maciej.......Keep working hard I would like to see this concept get to that finish line,your doing a fine job,and I appluad the efforts.......:applause:

[terraarc]

Glad to see you're moving on! :thumbsup:
The buildings look certainly of the same designer or period. Waiting for texture updates on these ones. Nice thought on variations derived from a base model! They should blend nice. No crit at this point!

Keep it coming!

:beer:

[Nomad]

Thank s guys for your warm support :bounce:

@ Lelantos yes reflecions seems to be a thing to add absolutley.

@ Virtuoso your words of wistom are a light to follow (poetic no? hehe) I will keep my plan of rise and fall of the Empire... the pivotal moment is here on the middle on the image when glory days starts to decline, war comes, battleships appears etc. I hope it will be enough clear for every one :curious: I`m just start worring if this "time effect" will be accepted by the juries, the rules said a pivotal moment of the history and my image covers a big part of the history :argh:

@ terraarc yes, thats nice that you see the buildings looking like from a same period/architect. I hope to keep this style with other buildings and periods.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103481368_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103481368_large.jpg)

Second stage of refining of the battlecruiser, I added the bridge and some complex elements under the ship. I will probably add more elements on the docking bay and everywhere where there are too big empty spaces.

I`m always glad to know constructive opinions so feel free to fire any comments and critics.

[arturro]

creazy design mate:) but I love it. What to say more, I'm waiting for next steps:thumbsup:

[Nomad]

Thanks arturro for your support :thumbsup:
Crazy design? I hope it is :D and I hope people like it :curious:

Send more and more comments :bounce:

[Radulan]

I've just started on this thing.. I feel a little outgunned and out numbered. Your's is great so far. When your done it'll be stellar.

[terraarc]

Nice addition and detailing Nomad :thumbsup:. The ship looks OK at this point. Are you planning on further modelling details on it or you're going to add it in texture?
General Question: Has anyone thought of Normal Maps for detailing?:shrug: (I come from an intense two year period of game modelling..so that explains my thought)

[Virtuoso]

Hi maciej.......................well this cruiser turned out very nice,nice flowing lines and within your overall organic style for this project,as for empty spots....well they can be nice in many cases,they can even add breaks in the design,allowing for the main designs to shine on there own.......very nice job,and I wish you the best in your next steps,work hard,it's paying off.Until next time...........go at it extra hard,and I'll see you at update time........:arteest: :arteest:

[Nomad]

@ Radulan thanks for the kind words I hope to deliver on time all my ideas on a finished image :D

@ terraarc thank you for your comment, I think I will completely pass through the texturing process beacause I have no time for it and beacause at final I have to deliver one unique image I prefer spend my time on modeling much more details and other objects than texturing. I can paint cool textures in few minutes by retouching the final render :D
To answer your question: yes I will add many more details to the battlecruiser and no I will not use normals texturing.

@ Virtuoso thank you Michael for your support. Yes I understand that I have to not overload the ship with too much details but at this stage it have not enough details... keep in mind that he will be clearly visible on the final composition and it will be not small on the image. (about 900pixels wide) But I like your idea of shining areas without details :thumbsup:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103662557_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103662557_large.jpg)

Another piece of my puzzle, this city test (I hope) shows that my design "works" and with only few types of buildings I have created a city looking various and interesting.
This is of course a verry small part of the city. Beacause the objects are so heavy I will render all in parts/layers so I added on below how looks the alpha channel. This actual small part of the city have about 3 millions of polygons :)

Any comments which can guide me and show me any mistakes are welcome.

[arturro]

nice test Maciej, but I think something is not right. Make the distance between the buildings a little bit bigger, and separate them with some fog, because it's hard to say whara one building starts and other ends... I don't like this sort of confusion. I think that with bigger distance(not much bigger) you won't loose this nice metropoly feeling. Besides, it's always good to make tests:) if you have time for that of course.

GL mate!

[Nomad]

Hello arturro thank you for your comment but I don`t agree with you to add some distance to the buildings, they are already separated by distances from 20 to 50 meters... take a look on a photo of new your took at the same angle, you`ll have the same effect. The only problem I see is that the buildings are not enough varied by colors but I will fix that with the final buildings variations. :)

Also keep in mind that it`s only a small part of the image you see here, I want to create a "sea" of buildings to show the size of the Imperial city.

I`m firing the tests at night, they are done in few hours at final res, that gives me a full image on which I can see all the defects and problems. I`ll fire tonight a final test for my forest (on the left of the image) so you`ll can see the effect tomorrow.

Stay tuned :scream:

[terraarc]

Hello Nomad, the city test is looking good and my comments are already mentioned by you (eerr....self-mentioned?) So nothing to crit just "greetings and salutations!" :applause:

Thanks on answering my question...:)

[arturro]

Hello arturro thank you for your comment but I don`t agree with you to add some distance to the buildings, they are already separated by distances from 20 to 50 meters... take a look on a photo of new your took at the same angle, you`ll have the same effect. The only problem I see is that the buildings are not enough varied by colors but I will fix that with the final buildings variations. :)

Also keep in mind that it`s only a small part of the image you see here, I want to create a "sea" of buildings to show the size of the Imperial city.

I`m firing the tests at night, they are done in few hours at final res, that gives me a full image on which I can see all the defects and problems. I`ll fire tonight a final test for my forest (on the left of the image) so you`ll can see the effect tomorrow.

Stay tuned :scream:
yes I know what you mean, but note that with sch picture I'm familiar with buildings' shapes. Here I get lost. But I agree that some diversity in colors would do the work!

[Nomad]

@ terraarc thanks for your comment

@ arturro I understand you get lost, it`s alien architecture and it`s not easy "to read" but I will work on many variations on it to make it as most clear as possible :D

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103735501_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103735501_large.jpg)

Final test of my forest, I have now everything I want and I just need to make a final render of this layer with more stones, trees and some bushes. After that I will make many corrections in post like adding color variations, adding/removing some trees etc.

[arturro]

looks promising. When you add more trees with some clone tools, it would look really amazing. A lot of work to be done in post:) but good base for that! I'm waiting what's next:)

[Nomad]

Yes all will depend of my work in post :D I hope to have the time to work many days on it :banghead:
I don`t want to deliver the final image too late... about the 12nd jan shoud be enough...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103747464_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103747464_large.jpg)

Another rendering, not a test this time but one of many layers with buildings (without post effects of course). You can see in the medallion how big it is in the full image.
Thers some flying cars which are visible... also some of the bigger "special buildings" appeared.

Feel free to send me any comments, they always helps a lot :)

[terraarc]

I like your test with trees! :thumbsup: Adding the ground texture and some shadows....It'll look splendid! Only minor thing that came to mind was that maybe it end up a little monotone, no variations meaning. But again some bushes, stones will do.....

I like it alot mate! Waiting for more! :thumbsup:

[Radulan]

Your ship designes definitly show the civilizations mastery of their building ablities. No seams, fuild lines... ergonomical designs which seem to have sprouted as much as being manufactured.

The textures are very believeable.

Keep it up.

[claudiojordao]

Hello Nomad. Congratulations for your great city, it's really amazing.
As for the trees, I like the idea, but don't you think they are too typical, too normal?
Keep your excelent work.

[Nomad]

http://www.maciejfrolow.com/files/noel06.jpg

All the best to all :)

[Nomad]

@ terraarc thanks for your comment, yes the trees are monotone but that was a test and the final aspect will be varied in shapes and colors. I`ll work on that after Christmas.

@ Radulan thank you for your kind words. I belive that a highely tech advanced civilistation can build nice things beacause it masters all the construction process... also for the battle cruiser it`s the biggest ship of the king/emperror so it have to be nice and look majestatic :D

@ claudio_jordao thank you for your comment, I will work a lot on the trees variations

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103804286_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1103804286_large.jpg)

Another composition test, you have here two layers of buildings and the trees.
In the medallion you can see how works the composition of the buildings and the trees.

[DigiLusionist]

Maciej, Merry Christmas!

Your project is very interesting. I've been wondering how you were going to approach the landscaping so that scale was not lost. The trees are a good scaling device, but they seem uniform in height. Therefore, thery appear more like grass to me than tree. When placed near buildings, however, they make sense.

The buildings don't look "grounded" enough. Meaning, they aren't anchored by concrete, or some sort of foundation that also connects the city buildings to each other. Not to mention roadways, etc.

Also, the buildings are all on the same level (at least that's the way they appear to me). If you varied the level, that might go a long way to breaking up the uniformity of the overal city.

I hope these observations aren't premature. I can imagine you are stil intending to add many scenic elements to the scene.

[Nomad]

Hello Roger, hope you had a pleasant Christmas like me :)

Yes the trees are uniform but as I wrote before that was only a test... in final there will be few different species of various sizes.

The fact that the buildings are not grounded will be eliminated by the final ground texture which will be little darker arount each building which will make a nice illusion of "radiosity" / shadow around the building... there will be also few trees or bushes near...

Hum yes I did not made many ground level variations but for me it`s illogical that a large city is build on a mountain :D ... but on the sides of the terrain the landscape is verry irregular and the buildings on it will be placed on different levels.

Thank you for your comments, they always help to adjust or devlop an idea especially in a work in progress.

Happy New Year :bounce:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104500313_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104500313_large.jpg)

Finallly some time to work on the contest... time is running fast :(

Here you have a composition of all my finished layers and rendered in final quality. I still have a lot of elements to render beacause the image looks a little empty on the right...

As you can see I started to work on some post effects: I changed colors of some of the buildings elements which adds good variations of all the city.
Also the trees are a good addition to all this.

[koyimaold]

I like the close up of the city. Nice shaped buildings, but you are right the far away image looks kind of empty on the right...Maybe achanging the view like it is from one of the building thus showing buildings up close but still showing the planet on top

Have a Happy New Year

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104500984_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104500984_large.jpg)

Another two closeups, as you can see the buildings have to be "grounded", I think they have to be surrounded by trees, other buildings or I have to paint some shadow/dark area near them.

Comments and crits as alwyas are welcome :)

[Nomad]

kotsos thank you for your comment. I will probably fill all the right area with buildings (more bunkers and military buildings in fact) and with empty areas where war destroyed everything.
There will be also some explosions, tanks, ruins etc... I hope finish the modelings of all this today.

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104520040_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104520040_large.jpg)

Last post in this year :)

Some clouds test, composed from five photos... how it looks? I`m thinking to cover the top of the mountains with clouds... is it a good idea?

Happy New Year!

[Saschi0815]

Happy new year, Maciej

All the best to u and your family :beer::beer::beer:

[Nomad]

Thank you man, all the best to you and a winning place in the contest :D

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104615412_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104615412_large.jpg)

Need comments !!!

This is my last changes in the colors and the clouds, I hope to get from many of you some constructive comments about all this :) by advace thx.

Now I`m starting to work on the last two steps: the imperial palaces refining and the creation of the battle!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104756410_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104756410_large.jpg)

Next step, I added two of the three palaces and played a little with colors... the megastructure is not grounded and is not casting shadow on the terrain, please don`t take care about that now.

Need comments, fire your critics!!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104782177_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104782177_large.jpg)

Here you have a corvette with his escort... I`m still thinking about the ships of the ennemy, beacause it`s the same race (the kings brothers attaks him) I think I will not make many variations of the attakers... the composition is so huge than we can`t probably see those ships in detail.

[arturro]

awsome models as always:) But with the composition I now feel the lack of roads:shrug:
you could also brighten up the areas in the lake along the shore. And maybe darken the areas in the middle. Now it looks too constant.

[Nomad]

Thanks arturro for your comment... about the roads well... I will just don`t want to put them :D I will fill the empty areas with trees or rocks... for the rest of your critics yes the lake is dull and I will work on it... all the composition will recive some 2d post layers which will add more depth to all this :D

Thanks again for your precious comments :thumbsup:

[monsitj]

i like your space ship design ,waiting for your texturing!

[Nomad]

Thank you monsitj for your comment. I think I will not texture too much my ships... this actual organic texture looks good and I`m afraid thats a waste of time to add details to ships which will ahve about 100pixels wide :D but I`m thinking to put one or two of them closer to the camera... I`ll make some tests soon... I`m not sure if that works with this kind of composition...


Stay tuned :bounce:

[Virtuoso]

Almost there..................You really have taken this to the finishline maciej.......A great achievement in itself.......Nice effort and results here.Your concept looks to be very close to it's potential..........Compo time for you I see........nice effort again,and Heres to you getting across the finishline from here,you are real close.....:arteest:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104853765_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104853765_large.jpg)

I`m thinking to make the hulls of all the ships of the same gray like color and to change only the colors of the lights glowing from interior. Of course the shape of the ennemy`s ships is different as you can see on the image :)

[PeterSanitra]

IMHO,the explosions on the surface are too flat.

[M477]

The use of colour here is really good, I'm lovin' those vehicles! There is truly a great deal of 3d talent here :deal:

[Nomad]

@ Virtuoso Thanks a lot for your support... unfortunelly I not made 50% of what I wanted... but as you said it`s an achivment to be here 13 days to the end of the contest with an image looking almost finished :) I just hope to have enough time to make a nice battle :wip:

@ Darkone2652 thank you for your comment, why did you not told me that earlier?? :argh: I don`t think I have the time to re-work this now... maybe few adjustments... maybe...

@ M477 thank you for your kind words, thats an honour to read such things about my work :bowdown:

[rattlesnake]

i like the atmosphere u achieved...this environment looks caothic and beautiful at the same time...very good job with it...
ill be waiting for that battle!

[Nomad]

Thank you rattlesnake for your support... caothic and beautiful sounds good :D

Stay tuned.. the battle arrives :scream:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104963461_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1104963461_large.jpg)

Just few improwments to the fighters and the corvettes and that on both ally and ennemy sides... feel free to drop me your comments.

[arturro]

very good! now they are much more real. If you have some time and willingness you can experiment with different colors. Or rather with darker/lightener options of these colors on the bigger parts. I think that it could work great. But there is no need as it looks good:)

[monsitj]

hi , maciej! your new ships are looking better and better! but i suggest that u put it all to your composition to see the right color ,because now your city image seems to be no red and blue color , maybe u have to fine tune it again when everything combine ,

hah! dead line coming ! good luck!

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105014684_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105014684_large.jpg)

Well... this is the first part of my image, it looks almost ready... just need to refine the megastructure and the palace with a lot of details paint by hand, add some stars, add few spaceships and at last rework contrast and color balance :)

Send C&C please.

[arturro]

looking good. You can try to add gently fog around the palace, somewhere in the middle of it's height.

[Nomad]

@ arturro thank you, yes it`s a good idea this fog around the palace... I`ll try to see how it looks... I`m not forgeting your suggestion to make floks of birds, that will be a nice addition to the composition. And thank you for our comment about the spaceships, I agree that they look better now :)

@ monsitj thanks for your comment, yes I will make a render test soon to see how they look in the compostion... I`m really thinking to make the hull in grey tones and leave only the shape and red or blue lights as an indication from which camp are they. The ambient lights will anyway color almost in red all the ships.


Stay tuned the war comes :bounce:

[PeterSanitra]

I din`t know that such a big images(photos) are alowed in postroduction, like clouds etc.
Are they?

[Nomad]

humm good question :curious: but those "big photos" are actually 1000 times refined and repainted by me so I consider that they are more paintings than photos now :D the instructions for the background was clear, it can be everything.

[PeterSanitra]

ok, that answer will help me a lot:-)

[Nomad]

Don`t take this as a rule, maybe I`m wrong (I hope I`m not :argh: ) but I consider that my clouds are so much refined that they are not a "photo for the background". If you`re not sure about that send a question to the contest team... I`ll be curious of the answer too.

[keetmun]

Coming along well, should look really good when it all finally comes together. Keep it up man!

:buttrock:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212165_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212165_large.jpg)

First some close-ups...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212251_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212251_large.jpg)

...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212333_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212333_large.jpg)

...

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212872_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105212872_large.jpg)

... and a global view.

Thats where I am at 9 days of the end of the challenge. Now I have to create the following things to finish this picture:
_ add spaceships flying, fighting and exploding (the most diffictult part beacsue they will be verry small and will be a lot of them).
_ add some buildings behind the megastructure, the areas under and behind looks empty.
_ repaint the starfield color gradient beacause it looks bad especially the transitions between the colors.
_ refine the 3 palaces with some nice painted texture, better windows etc.

And thats all ;)

As usual any comments are welcome!!

[Aethyrprime]

Its looking great! Keep at it! I would suggest having at least 1 or 2 ships closer to the camera to draw the viewer more into your scene. Currently you have alot of "space" to fit things so it will be interesting to see how you use that space. Keep it up!

[terraarc]

Man the last image is epic at least! :thumbsup:
Nothin to crit at all....waiting for those ships in battle....:)

[Nomad]

@ keetmun thanks a lot :)

@ ||) |V| |^| thank you for your comment, yes it will be few ships close to the camera :) especially on the right side... the composition shoud guide the eye of the spectator without putting too much details on the front... hope to reach my goal without surcharging the image...

Stay tuned :bounce:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105216084_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105216084_large.jpg)

I filled with trees all the empty space I had on the megastructure... it have to be a place of luxury and for high level people so I think it`s a good solution to put a lot of vegetation here.

[Nomad]

Thank you terraarc for your support, I`m glad that you like my image :)

[Saschi0815]

Hi Maciej, your last pics are really great and as our friend terrarc said: "...epic..."!!!:thumbsup:

Waiting for your spaceships....:bounce: Keep it up, man, so there are only a few days left....but i see u're on track :-))

...ahh, and before i forget to repeat it: i love your model-style...organic, but strong and somehow strange, but really in a positive way.....and when it's painted....---> :buttrock:

[arturro]

Well done Maciek! I really like it. Don't forget about the fog around the palace an folks of birds, and this will turn to a great piece of grand art:)

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105350598_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105350598_large.jpg)

Just a short step by step of how I`m painting an explosion...

1. just painting colored dots with a brush set on screen mode

2. painting over smoke clouds

3. I also placed some elements of my clouds (from the main image) which I changed to grey tones

4. more clouds, I paint over some red glowing effects.

Now I have to place this explosion on the image, add more smoke and a glow effect around it.

[Nomad]

@ Saschi0815 thanks alot for your support :) I fixed a deadline for my work to the 14th, I don`t want to have the bad surprise that I can`t upload my finished picture the last day :D
So now I`m working full time to finish all this :wip:

@ arturro thank you, and yes I don`t forget those effects... especially the folks of birds.. that shoud be ready today :wip:

[Nomad]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105353639_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/4585/4585_1105353639_large.jpg)

Now you can see the explosions placed on the image. I added some smoke in few places.

I also added few ships, I like alot the bottom "squadron" and will probably leave it here... I thought about a ranged battle between the two camps but thats looks much better... in fact the king wins at the end so I will show just few ennemies running away or been destroyed. Same on the top, only two battle cruisers and maybe a big explosion showing an ennemy mothership been destroyed.

I still unhappy with the colors, the blue color wich I choosed for the ally camp is not good here... I will take probably a gold one... the ennemies will still in red.

[arturro]

Well, about the test itself: I like it, but the engine glows are too long. I would stay with a shorter one, and some smoky trail behind. But I garee that the squadron look very nice. I also think that it would be good, if the to pof the palace was breaked. It would emphasize the drama. But if you don't have time, it's good as it is as well.

[terraarc]

Hey Nomad great fx mate! :thumbsup: Explosions look great...

Agree with arturro on sships' exausts ..if not scaling them down I'd suggest making them more transparent...:)

Keep them coming mate!! :bounce::bounce: