Physical Base Rendering (PBR) In my scene.

I'm working with the Traditional (old) style rendering technique of using a diffuse/normal/spec in my project. This is not out of choice however. I started texturing my scene weeks before I knew about PBR, and how to use it. So when I was finally lectured about it, I had already created 40-50 textures already. because of this I've decided to carry on creating textures in that way, I don't want to create any contrast between assets. I am however using the roughness in UE4 with a constant to create a "wet" effect on my materials.

I will experiment with PBR in the future after this project, It is however the next gen version of texturing, and is the only way forward as far as I'm concerned.

High poly sculpting for assets

Due to the nature of my project Iv'e found it hard to implement high poly sculpting techniques to enhance my normal maps. The reason for this is because I have SO many assets to create, I already have way over 100 models, so making a high poly model for each is not feasible. I have however made high poly assets for a select few items. items that I feel are important to have a high level of detail, because without it, they would look incredibly flat. Examples in my scene include extruded bricks (like above), fabrics and highly complex surfaces such as the lock mechanism of my chests.
in future projects I know now that I should scale down my ambitions so that i would have more time to create higher quality assets.

(Above) I added a second layer to my normal map created in xnormal. The second layer is a very light 50% multiply of a normal map generated from the texture that I created with a 2D normal map creation software. This gives the texture a slight roughness that corresponds to the diffuse map.

Adding decay and damage

I've been adding damage to the buildings, to add more complexity, and to make the building more interesting. the main way I've done this is by extruding bricks outwards, and removing bricks to leave bare spaces where the bricks have come away from the render.

TOP: I've added wooden beams within the extrusions to show the structure of the buildings.

Changes to a few assets

I've made a few changes and reworks to some assets within the scene. Above is the straw parasol which I had already created with holes in using alpha transparencies. I feel that if the lower town was partially abandoned, It would not have any straw on the parasols as the upkeep is clearly going to be minimal.

below is the steep pathway that originally was flat. I added ridges to the path to simulate planks, but it ended up looking to "clean" for the scene. I reworked it to have crude wooden planks that where raised up above a lower level of terrain. It looks much more interesting and fitting. With this design I was able to make thinks look more gritty and dislodged.

UNREAL ENGINE 4

I've been getting up to scratch with UE4 in the last few days, I've learned a lot of things that I had never got to know back in UE3/UDK. Ive leaned the ins and outs of the cascade system, I've learned how to make CPU particles and GPU accelerated particles, I want to eventually add a fog particles system to roll through my scene using alphas. So far I've made fire and I've been using the Unreal level blueprint editor to create light sources that have brightness variables.

I feel I've achieved the cluttered and "overtaken" feel with the town. My goal now is to make it seem that the lower town is abandoned and older and the upper town is the place where the population has moved to. I've gotten the two main features into the upper town, the windmill and the pulley system. I now need to texture them and get them in engine.

new floor

I've created a new floor for the main courtyard as I feel that the last courtyard was too clean and didn't suit the style of the lower town.

Top: OLD

Bottom: NEW 

Town surround

I've created a surrounding scene for the town, on its own it looks very simple, but when it's occluded by the scenes buildings, and is only visable through gaps and cracks it gives an effective sense of a large scale wooden town.

WATER!!!!

Using these texture layers along with the use of the roughness shader function in UE4 I was able to achieve a very nice looking puddle effect. I want to drape my scene in the water to add to the misery.

The Planks

I've started to add the wood, timber and planks to the build. The wood is clinging to the tops of the buildings in the style of Lebbeus Woods' work. Although unlike his work, It's more decayed, less desirable and purposely much more depressing to look at. The Idea of this is that Poverty has built upwards, And the structural sound base town below has become the basis of a shanty town constructed with coarse timber.  

I've started to build more modularly, by doing this I'm able to construct scenes much more quickly.
The nature of a wooden shanty town means that I can reuse assets repeatedly without the scenes form looking repetitious. My aim is to finish the base tow, and with the time I have, extend the shanty town far out using low poly meshes and 2D alphas to give a grand sense of scale to the poverty driven town. I hope to achieve the depressing vibe that I'm after with these inclusions.

Update on the project

The scene I'm creating for my project has changed since my initial idea. At first I was going to create a scene that used angles and shapes that where similar to the work of Daniel Libeskind. Since then I've changed the project plan as I could not get a consistent style that truly represented Daniel's work and west clock-town from zelda. I'm now creating a scene that emphasises the shoddy nature of clock town, while making it feel old, "make-shift" and forgotten. I'll be using lots of planks and wood similar to Lebbeus Woods. I'm still suing the iconography and themes from zelda to keep it true to the original.

I'm achieving the look I want by using scattered brickwork, planks and dislodged tiles. There will be scattered props everywhere to give a sense that the town is in a rush, since there is "limited time".

The idea of the town is that It's made from mostly brick and wood. Some of the buildings are constructed with wattle and daub. It gives the impression that the town has been in a flux in terms of it's construction. It's material choice (even in the game) are a bit strange, with materials that in our world span centuries. I'm trying my best to make the material choice appear coherent.

Alpha/transparency layers

I've started to use alpha masks/transparencies as much as possible, or where ever I can. I'm really trying to cram as much into the scene as possible, while keeping a consistent and sturdy framerate.

Planks

These are the planks that I will be scattering my scene with. They are old and decaying, It will add to the coarse, rough and depressing tone that I'm trying to create. These planks along with the bricks that I'm scattering will give a sense that the town is forgotten, lost a nearing its end.

I created the planks simply using a simple rectangle polygon, I then attacked 4 plates on either side which I've applied alpha channels to. this allows me to create a plank that looks like it's snapped or worn down while limiting the polygon amount.

Window with curtain

Adding colour and more "form"

I've been adding more geometry to the wall with bricks on corners and vertical faces to make surfaces look less flat and straight. This is most prominent on the window fitting and arches for the shops. I've also added two rows of coloured bricks which are meant to look scattered in a vague pattern. This adds some NEEDED colour to the scene. I feel with the red and blue bricks with the additional green ivy, the scene feels more vibrant, but not too vibrant that it strays away from the old, poorly constructed and depressive scene I'm after.

Using gemotry to add form

While playing Blood-borne, I noticed that the developers had used a technique that gave added form to otherwise plainly normal mapped flat surfaces. They tessellated bricks in the floor to give a more appealing appearance. I started using this in my scene starting with the stairs. I extended this technique to walls and cobblestone. I feel It's added a much better appearance to the objects with only a minor polygon increase.

Ivy

Small Bridge

Large Steps

Item sacks

Scaffholding

Starting to texture

It's been a while since I posted. I will begin to do a blog post on each prop I complete. So far I'm getting the theme and style of textures right. I don't want to stylise it like some of the Zelda games (Skyward Sword and Windwaker) because I fell it may stray away from or effect the overarching theme of majoras mask. My aim is purely to exaggerate the town. So far I've been experimenting with planks and forming structures with wood that has been "cobbled" together in the same style as lebbeus woods. I want to create a sense that there is a "base" town structure with modular components made from wood that where essentially stuck onto the town as an afterthought. It will give a rushed and clumsy aesthetic to the town, which I personally like because nothing has to be symmetrical and some complicated and interesting shapes can be made.