FMP - Tree Stump Final Sculpt

Now on my third attempt because I still did not feel satisfied with my previous examples. I wanted to represent the stump with a smooth bark free upper section which would flow naturally into the lower bark level that was still intact. I did this by problem solving from my previous trials of the tree stump and figured out a way by masking out areas of the tree stump and then extruding and separating that section out.

Beautiful image of a isolated tree stump, something along the lines I was trying to achieve.

I decided to chop of the limps of the tree stump, keeping it simplified.  The extension of the arms just got in the way. I also sculpted a variety of form from a separation of its firm structure of the bottom half, of the tree stump and en-large forms to show the grandness, this allowed me then to get some ground elevation when sculpting in the terrain later on.

I created these three different variations of my tree stump. I was at the stage of experimenting with 'Alphas' in ZBrush. From my previous attempts, it lacked the actual detail of the bark, and it was hard to even sculpt them in. However I also came across the 'noise filter' in ZBrush which really sped up the detailing and aswell given me alot of new forms, detail and information that I wouldn't thought otherwise to do so, it very much was a treat and discovered at the right moment. With that in mind my variations above refines it self to be much realistic and believe-ability. 

The first tree stump, was a test after small amount of alpha brushing applied and then used a heavy dose of noise. It looked pretty good but I was after something more subtle. The second one had more alpha brushing applied and hardly any noise filter active. I'd then improved from this by adding a larger noise forms and the tiling more wider, to which it bulked out certain areas and gave extra subtle sculpted bark details.

 Here were the alpha brushes that I created my self from my own references. I placed the original reference in Photoshop, created a soft circle mask  to which I paste my reference with a circle selection and then changed them to grey-scale, adjusted light and dark's, then saved them out as JPEGS.

 I decided to work on the smoother upper bark. By keeping it separated from the main body it was alot more organised that helped when sculpting because I could work on this without affecting the main body and help when retopologizing or applying ZRemesher it could give me a better typology.  I gradually was building in the forms and detail. I didn't want it to heavy but very subtle, which I'm sure I have achieve.

At this point, I still kept my previous tree stump version, which were still in my sub-tools. By when getting feedback my friend suggested to merge my previous tree stump versions with the one I will be keeping. It worked out great and given it some slight variation in the detail.

My final version of my trees stump, I am happy with what I have achieve so far but have to leave it as it is and move on. I have definitely improved  from my first tree stump to my final, I feel that my decisions choices, problem-solving and my skill and techniques has grown alot stronger.

 I have learn't alot from this for now I will then apply and learn more when doing my other assets.

Testing out ZRemesher, ouch doesn't looked it did a great job, so I have no choice in manualing retypo it in 3DS Max.

In my 3 years at University I have never retypo before, better late then never! So I have to do some fast learning to understand how to do it and properly.




I'd centered them both to 0,0,0 and with pivot and xform reset.

In Grey is my High-Poly from Zbrush, which I had to decimate it from 15million to around 1.5 million, it kept alot of it detail :) However my PC couldn't handle it in 3DS Max which I notice the tri count doubles it from what you decimate it in Zbrush.

So standing at around 3 million in 3DS Max, my PC was just very slow.  So I decided to make a decision to decimate it alot lower and import that into Max which  the High-Poly stood at around 450,000. After I retypo from this I would then import back in the 3 million High-Poly to bake.

450,000 High-Poly alot of detail still captured.

After many trial and errors of retopologizing, I came to this result. I still feel I would need to tweak it or actually redo it again but I need to move on and get onto sculpting my terrain. I can always go back quickly, I just need it in engine as a filler to sculpt around.

Just placed some color onto the high-poly in max and the retypo version next to it which I vastly improved from my previous attempted. Using the graphic modeling tools were very useful to help conforming the low poly to the high poly.

I did attempt to do do the landscape in Zbrush but I stopped mid-way to see how to import it into UDK and it was a ball-ache. I believe I had to do have it as a RAW. format but to get it as that, I have to get my height map file of the sculpt to a 16bit bmp, if I remember correctly. Which I searched around on how to do this and couldn't' come with a conclusion. So I just decided to just keep it to UDK.

FMP - Tree Stump Sculpting!

I did a simple height test in UDK. It is smart to check the scale of your player to the 'tree stump' and this enabled me then to sculpt with out worry.

From this I created a simple tree-stump in 3DS Max enabling me to then export this in to ZBrush for which this base mesh can be sculpted on top and add in the details.

This is the base mesh that is now imported into ZBrush, with the default brick red texture. Imported with no problems to the mesh.

Here presented development stages of my tree stump progress. Although, I have used ZBrush previously this was the first time I have actually sculpted an organic shape. The concept here was to try  to convey the age of the tree stump by showing how with age the bark appears to thickens with it's own 'wrinkles'.

The image above is my first finish attempt. I was trying to incorporate different states that tree bark may be presented as within a tree stump that has been standing for sometime for example, the erosion of the bark that has fall off the stump leaving the raw under-side of the tree it self. I had some difficulty in achieving this mainly due to the fact that it has been sometime since I have used the program, so needed to refresh my skills using trial and error method of working it out.

My second attempt, I stayed with the chipping of the bark, figuring out the best way to achieve this and I changed many design choices by removing the fierce aging of the tree stump and I slimmed down areas by sculpting in a straight vertical way.

This was the finished outcome of my second attempt. I feel that I have improved my techniques and understanding of sculpting and the observation of trees from how they sit, the variety of shapes and designs.

FMP- Alteration in my idea!

For the last week or so, I've felt very stagnated regarding my project and my actual direction. I really still love the natural homes idea, but have not established theme or set design.

This has resulted in the need to alter my idea. Having discussed this with a peer, we both filled in those missing links. We developed a better theme and a more solid direction, keeping to the natural homes but  with a better version.

My new idea is still keeping the Wizard character ,but having him very miniaturized in his world. His home will be placed on a large tree stump that he has adopted with the idea of nurturing regrowth. The player would need to jump on to mushrooms/ fungi platforms to get to the top and travel to the Wizards house. The player will start to the left of the Wizards house at the point where the rooted bridge crosses the puddle stream. At the point of starting the player would become miniaturized so that the environment including the grass, leaves, ferns and rocks will be Goliath in comparison.

The animated film "Epic" shows the exact idea I am attempting to emulate as there is a clear example of how the normal environmental and natural descriptors within a piece can be shown as towering above the characters, or in this case the player.

Using Photoshop I decided to plan the design layout to give a clear idea of how the scene would be set.
The image screen above shows firstly the colour coded pallet displaying the main assets that would be used to construct the foundation of the level.

The bottom right, illustrates an birds eye view with descriptions of my layout, I kept it relatively simple on my first design so I can build on top of my next version.

On the second design I decided to extent the puddle stream and have it follow around half the perimeter of the scene, leading towards a small mushroom cave, to the right of the tree-stump, which could possibly house gaming assets for the player to chose from within the game.

I improved from my previous design by adding  more detail to the underfoot foliage giving the impression of depth to the area leading up to the puddle stream. The stream itself is showing a more natural flow which is reflected by the course of the stream being unstructured to show how overgrown and uneven the terrain is.

The following are mood boards which have different themes and will provide ideas and direction regarding the detail, colour and texture I would need to encompass within my own piece

The examples below shows mainly features I would like consider for the structure of the Wizard house as well as the bark detail of the surrounding environment.

The references showing fungi gives a good representation of those fungi that attach themselves to the tree-bark both living and dead.

These are some terrain and foliage images, with the exception of two of them which show newly baked bread. Surprisingly the crust of the bread gives good ideas for sculpting out the bark. The other images give ground coverage ideas related to leaves, ferns, moss, new shoots of plants and thicker grass. The bottom of my reference sheet, there are game screen shots to help me visualize and seen  the high quality result I will attempt to acquire.

FMP- Building WhiteBox

 Just an old quick model I was deciding it could be place on a hill.

Another building attempt. Keeping certain elements from my previous work. I went with more of a oval shape and decided to have this placed upon a tree, with a platform supporting the building.

I had to be mind-ful of creating an 'inner wall' because of the realistic thickness and the outer exterior wall doesn't show in the same texture.

This is the shot inside of the building, I will tweak each wooden beams to make them looking more unique, but these are just place holders for now, getting in the foundation.

I decided to have the roof flat to one side, because I thought it would break up the circular roof design and I can add a wood texture to it. I am liking the shape of it for now.

 This is just the other side that I split up so I can work on the main part. Also decided to create a second room onto.

I added a front door and a shelter for the entrance of the building.

a stage of my white-box, I still have windows and everything else to put in.

FMP - Progression Concepting #2

These were just 5 minute silhouette thumbnails, to convey some shapes and form to generate quirky house designs.

Adding more detail enable me to choose a possible final design, based on the idea of the wizard hat as a thatch/grassy roof. Experimenting through the design from natural tree buildings to more man-made material builds and then combining both the natural and the man-made

With the above figure, the initial design is show on the right, with added detail represented in the main drawing.

I created a whitebox for a test to understand my design in 3D. I looked at my design at each angles and there were some disappointed with the model from when compared with my 2D concept.


However, I gained more understanding from this experiment and design choices which I will take into my next experimentation.

This was a small practice of a paint over on a 3D model.

I decided to do a paint over on my white box using texturing and paint techniques, this enable me make different decision and get my visual ideas across.

Finish the paintover on my 3D model. I was trying to mix in alot of elements in like hand calved cobbed walls, thatch roofing, grassy slope foundation, wooden structure and stepping stone walkway.

Turned out alright, but I just don't get a right feel with this building and design, it just didn't make sense when I was breaking it up and creating it properly, so I am deciding to scrap it and take what I learn't, and improve my idea.