Tower - Need criticism - Simply Maya User Community

# 1 19-06-2003 , 06:58 PM

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Tower - Need criticism

I'm working on a project just for grins right now, need something to start a portfolio with. This isn't anywhere close to finished, but I still would like some criticism about what you don't like, or what you think should be different, and also some 'woohooo' about what you think is cool or neat. The final plan is to make the top bubble like looking thing into a organic tissue of some sort. Maybe a brain, maybe some muscle, i dunno right now. Anyway, here's what I got so far

user added image

Please lemme know what yall think!

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# 2 19-06-2003 , 07:08 PM

Kevin

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it looks fine mate, but what it is?

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# 3 19-06-2003 , 07:11 PM

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I like the design. Very cool. What's this tower supposed to be for though? I think you should give it a reason to exist. Add some textures obviously. Great work dude.

www.Darkware3D.com

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# 4 19-06-2003 , 07:14 PM

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Hmmmmmm.... well, i guess its just there becuase i wanna make something. It supposed to be a tower. I liked the cinematics they did on the LORT tower (the flyaround) and wanted to do something similar. I also like the concept of how the matrix is a mixture of man and machine and wanted to do somethin like that too.

Textures will come, as soon as i get some practice in doing them user added image

Other than that, I guess it just needs details too, and the whole top portion to be done:p

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# 5 19-06-2003 , 09:21 PM

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took me half an hour to do this stupid little pipe, but turned out well i think. This is just to show you the scale of the whole project I'm working on and the level of detail needed to accomplish it.

user added image

I realize its hard to see, but when i get some texture loving in there (soon as i get the brunt of modeling done).

anywho, C&C as necessary (I'm a slow updater I guess)

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# 6 20-06-2003 , 12:58 AM

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Wow. That's extremely small. I mean REALLY small. If you're going to do detail like that, this tower will take you a while. I myself would probably start with bigger things and work my way down to small things like that if I were doing it, but to each his own. :-)

Have you thought about substituting a texture for some of the smaller things?

www.Darkware3D.com

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# 7 20-06-2003 , 01:23 AM

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Looks good.

I agree with Darkware do all the large detail first then if needed create the small detail. This will simplify your workfkow user added image

Never Do Today What You Can Put Off Till Tomorrow..
My New Site MayaFx.com

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# 8 20-06-2003 , 02:12 AM

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Hi, I'm nuts

Yeah, i'm nuts for attempting it, but i think i can pull it off. The final fly through is gonna get in real close to those pipes, so doing a texture wouldn't cut it. I wanna have the whole 'oh my god i might hit the wall' feeling to it, sorta like Luke's flight in star wars when he is getting chased by Darth Vader.

Anyway, got 3 more pics to do, showing the pipes as i progress. I've gotten the basic pipe design down, so now i'm just duping and transforming. Its pretty quick right now.

Also, those are the SMALL pipes. There will be slightly larger ones going over those pipes.

user added image

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# 9 20-06-2003 , 02:23 AM

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If you plan on using the same pipes over and over again I would STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY suggest that you instance duplicate them. Instanced copies are exact copied of their original and can only be translated, rotated, and scaled. Any vertice adjustment on either the original or the instanced copy will modify both the original and the instanced copy.

Here's why instanced copies are so good: They take up a LOT less space. If you just regular duplicate each pipe, with that many pipes, your computer will slow down emensly. If you use instanced copies, Maya will run much smoother and your file size will be incredibly small as opposed to you not using instanced copies.

The only reason I suggest this is because you will be having so many of the same object. Oh, and before I go, you make instanced copies by choosing the options box under Edit>Duplicate. Simply check the box for instanced copies.

www.Darkware3D.com

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# 10 21-06-2003 , 11:16 AM

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Yeh i agree 100% there, because the tower is mostly symetrical i would center the pivot in the center of the scene so its easier to move your duplicates around. The detail is good but consider doing some larger pipes to, good luck.
-Laurie

FX supervisor - double negative

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# 11 21-06-2003 , 01:25 PM

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Looks good.
But keep in mind if you are not doing a close up you wont need the detail. Look at the pic above the pipes are almost lost. You could acheive the sane effect for distance shots with bump maps.

Never Do Today What You Can Put Off Till Tomorrow..
My New Site MayaFx.com

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# 12 23-06-2003 , 04:02 AM

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Let there be light!

I've been workin on the lighting a little bit so far, redid the colum in the center just to make it look better. Anyway, here's a snapshot of it so far, with some lighting added..its supposed to look dark.

user added image

Noobed and loving it!

https://forums.simplymaya.com/showthr...&threadid=6421

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# 13 23-06-2003 , 09:01 PM

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I'm totally for the 'model every detail' style of modeling because as a way of learning how to model it's hard to beat. As you move into working on specific projects with specific time and resolution limitations you can always pull back and/or substitute bump maps etc.

As for duplicating objects as instances I have yet to find a way in maya of making the geometry independant - this can be a very frustrating limitation and as long as you aren't bumping up against poly count/file size limitations I like to use independant geometry. Ideas?? Comments??

I like the design - since you are looking for a mix of mechanical and organic, once you have the basic form finished try grouping it and putting a non-linear bend, lattice or other deformer on it to get some cool odd shapes that totally move your modeling into a new dimension.

Check out the subsurfacescattering on my tongue...

<a href="https://www.reitzmachine.com">www.reitzmachine.com</a>

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