Blender Practice

Bl!tz · ...ǝp¡s ɹǝɥʇo ǝɥʇ uo

RE: Blender Practice

stevelois · ...

mAlkAv!An wrote:
New stone models... I will share them with the UOF team mates asap.
All modeling done in Blender as well as normal+ao map baking.
UDK Screens / static lighting (click for 720p)

Awesome Malk biggrin

Perfect for a natural scene aww

Lord_PorkSword · Connoisseur of Bourbon!

+1 to all the above comments! Beautiful work M8!

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Blender 2.64 is final now :)

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.64

Download at http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

A set of asteroid models.
Modeling done in Blender using a procedural workflow.
~1500-2000 tris

UDK static lighting /512²px lightmaps (click for full-res):

Lord_PorkSword · Connoisseur of Bourbon!

Once again, very nice work Malk!!

They all look superb, especially the round asteroid ones!! My hat off to you my friend!

stevelois · ...

Wow. amazing work my friend, really, a nice looking "astro pack" !

Bl!tz · ...ǝp¡s ɹǝɥʇo ǝɥʇ uo

top notch job

.....impressed.....again!

DarK · Checkmate mate.

Looking great man! very impressive work indeed :)

NOVA · French cat under acid

Great job

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I just read through all of the posts since my last post in this thread.

@ Sly I see you started to check out Blender... are you still using it?

@ Achernar What's your status with Blender?

@ Malk Don't take this the wrong way, but I sort of hate you! hmm Your skills have really improved and those screenshots are looking great. From the sci-fi floor panel and crate to the old world house and stone floor tiles.

When I saw that house, I was like... "No, he is making my tudor house!!!". A tudor style map made in Blender for UT 3 is my main goal. If I can at least do that, I will be happy. Given how rusty I am, that will take some time.

Time to install 2.64a and the newest version of MCampganini's exporter and slowly start scrubbing off the rest.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

@ Malk (et all)

Two questions

1. How do you normally update Blender with a new version (trying to keep your settings/preferences).

2. any new features in 2.63 or 2.64 that are worth checking out?

Achernar · Amateur UT mapper

Hey there Ode so good to see you back here

Well I've haven't progressed much at all since my last map. Life has been seen too many interruptions. Hopefully if your back that may change.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Hi Odedge, nice to see you back :)
Personally I just set my references again with a new version. That is because I don't change many settings at all, just the grid and some addons.
There are several new features in 2.63 and 2.64 (bmesh, inset + bevel (still very buggy) tool integration e.g.) but if you just do game-ready low-poly models I'd say it is ok to stick with 2.62.
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.63
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.64

I'm looking forward to your tudor houses

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I have breezed over the release notes, but some times I don't even understand what they are talking about (and probably only apply to Blender only rendering).

BMesh/Bsurfaces v1.5 seems like it should be really helpful with the modeling process, which I have never really got good at.

I believe 2.62 added some better UV mapping tools, but never got to use them either.

I need to practice!

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

The UV tools is the most important feature for me, espacially the island stitching comes very handy.
Bmesh might be helpful for high poly models but for game models you still need to triangulate the faces manually which can be even more time-consuming than doing it the traditional way. Besides, loop cuts don't work with n-gons.
I haven't tried Bsurface 1.5 yet but retopology is something you'll probably just need for characters, creatures or some special objects.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

So, what does the model look like instead, pure white (or is it a wrong texture)? If so, just select the faces of one material in edit mode and then re-select the texture in UV image editor.
You can also keep the viewport shading solid but check "Textured Solid" (right below Multitexture).

-- Edited by mAlkAv!An on Monday 19th of November 2012 10:22:09 AM

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I am trying to get back into blender and I always start with UV mapping a simple cube. While I have model it (I inserted some faces to allow for some extra faces to add trim). I have UV mapped both the main faces and the trim, but can't see the textures/materials on the cube in the 3D viewport.

I have created 2 materials (with unique textures and images assigned to each texture). I selected each each set of faces and assigned them the proper material (I choose a different color for the diffuse to confirm). In the UV editor, i open the image that matches the material. After UV mapping the faces, I selected the "Texture" viewport shading and have "Multitexture" set in the 3D viewport Display section.

*Odedge is lost and confused*

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

It's completely black, almost like it's not receiving any light (but that wasn't the case before. I think you might be right in re-selecting the texture (but I thought I did that). I will check it again tonight.

The view port view modes do confuse me "Multitexture" "GLSL" and stuff like that. I need to start taking notes!

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

If it's black and GLSL you'll need to add a light first, Multitexture works without lights.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

mAlkAv!An wrote:
If it's black and GLSL you'll need to add a light first, Multitexture works without lights.

That's what I thought, but it's not working for me! If you have a moment, can you check out the file. I have 2 materials with 2 unique textures (they are packed). I am truely lost why it's not working and that's not a good thing.

Download biggrin

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Ok, both only work with a light. The reason is that you have a proper material there which requires real shading (it's like UE3ed lit mode without any lights ^^). In the material properties -> shading, you can toggle "Shadeless" which is basically like an unlit view mode.
The other way is - as mentioned above - to just toggle the "Textured Solid" checkbox with solid shading and Multitexture.

http://www.mediafire.com/?7xv9s22gh4kub6m

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Excellent timing! I was about to try one more time before going to bed, but after reading your post. I am glad I didn't.

The black surfaces felt light lit mode with out any lights, but this seems to be a new "feature" as I never checked the shading section before. But that solves the problem!!!

And the other option solves the problem even quicker as I don't have to do it for each material.

Much thanks as I was truly lost and confused. Now I can start UV mapping and getting model into the game.

Then, I have to actually learn to mode something more than a complicated box!

*Odedge high fives Malk!*

p.s. It's interesting to see how others have their Blender setup (layout and settings(, Why do you use a scale of 1 and subdivisions of 8 in the Display section of the 3 view port?

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

There is no real reason, it could be also 16x16(scale, lines) e.g. instead of 1x256 - perhaps I just like my grid smaller.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I guess for the models you create, that would be useful. I never liked the fact that you can't change the grid (or even see what the grid value is while you zoom in and out) in Blender (like you can in the editor). I set mine up so that when I zoom in, the smallest grid will be 1 x 1, which will be snapped to the grid in UT 3.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Yes, basically the only difference is that I have to zoom out more for a larger grid.

Odedge, I just took a look again at your file and I can tell now what's the problem. In your scene there is a light by default, and this one implies real shading. If you delete the light from your default blender file, Multitexture and texture viewport shading will work just fine.
I was just wondering because everything else was identically to my setup, where I don't have to check 'shadeless' materials ^^

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

mAlkAv!An wrote:
Yes, basically the only difference is that I have to zoom out more for a larger grid.

Odedge, I just took a look again at your file and I can tell now what's the problem. In your scene there is a light by default, and this one implies real shading. If you delete the light from your default blender file, Multitexture and texture viewport shading will work just fine.
I was just wondering because everything else was identically to my setup, where I don't have to check 'shadeless' materials ^^

Right again! I never had a light in my scenes because if I did a render, it would usually be from the editor. I deicded to keep at least a light and the camer in my default Blender scene, because it's probably easier to use Blender for quick screen shots. I guess that makes total sense.

Now that I know, I will just keep it in and check the "texture solid" and make it part of my defuall scene.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I was doing some practice getting used to everything and saw some stuff on the web that made me rethink some work flow issues.

1. To create a standard box with extruded faces is sort of a hassle when it comes to UV mapping the smaller sections. Sure, you could just make a panel and reconstruct it into a box in the editor, but that would be a pain to resize and duplicate and you would have to make custom collision.

So why not just create a panel in Blender, UV map it, then reconstruct it. After you reconstruct it, you need to select the vertices that are in the same place (in the 8 corners of the box) one set at a time and merge them (Ctrl + M) and select "Collapse" (which won't mess up the UV layout).

Here is a "crappy" internal Blender render of the box.

2. I also read a tutorial that said you could create 1 UCX collision primitive, but have multiple sub-primitives(?). I always thought that each one had to contain only 1 primitive.

He displayed a simple stair case with 3 sub-primitives (one for the walking part, one each for the hand rails). The sub-primitives still need to be convex, but this makes it a lot easier to export and manage your Blender file.

Here is another "crapphy" render. The green part is the collision mesh. I tested it in the editor and it worked great.

Question: There is a section where you can change the objects color (Object tab > Display Sectin > Object Color field), but it says you need "ObColor" mode enabled. I can't find that.

Comment: I really like the resize image feature in the forums... is that new (how it shows the size of the pic while you are resizing it).

Back to your business folks... nothing more to see here.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Trying to work a little at blender every day to keep things fresh.

I tried to create a simple light cone (like in the LT light package) and while the mesh looks very similar when it's not textured in the game... when I apply the same texture to it... it looks like crap. I thought it would be fairly simple to do this.

Not-so-random question... Any good tutorials or techniques or tools to get good at bending planes? In my next map, i want what usually would be "harsh angles" to be "smooth curves".

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Perhaps your UVs are rotated by 90° or 180°. UT3 light is just made out of a usual cylinder with a tileable texture.

Just use curve modifier for bending planes?

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Hmm. I will look into the rotation. The light does move in a general direction, though the problem seemed to be more of a scaling issue.

I will look into that, but let's say I had a box and wanted to curve the sides of it, but keep the top and bottom flat. I tried repeating the bevel tool, then repeat it and it kind of works, but I would like a more consistent result.

p.s. Having a yellow wire frame with a dark gray grid background and a light grey grid makes it a lot easier to model in wire frame mode. wink

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Have you checked the UV layout of that UT3 mesh? It's matching the 0-1 UV space exactly.

Unfourtanetely the bevel tool is still very buggy. It might work on a cube but not for different shapes. So I'm afraid you have to do it manually... set supporting edges (loop cuts) and then move/scale edges.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

The UV layout of the mesh does match the 0-1 UV space "exactly" or it looks that way. I thought I did this with the sides of the cone. It uses a cylinder and I didn't realize, but they projected the top and bottom caps from a side view, so they wouldn't be UV mapped.

I know the bevel tool has some issues. It works in a way, but I would like to find a way to make curves more consistent. I will keep practicing (which is the point isn't it).

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Apparently it's very hard to create and UV map a light cone! If you create a 1024x1024 texture and UV map your model to that, but you apply a 256x256 "texture" in game, should that make a difference? Either way, I haven't been able to get it to work. The caps are still showing the texture even though I welded all of the vertices together.

I have made some progress on the curved surfaces. I added a circle mesh as a sub-object, transformed it to be the same "size" as my planes. I extruded all of the vertices to match the width of my plane. I edited it's vertices and deleted half of the circle. I then selected the vertices that match up and merged them together, using the collapse option. I forgot to remove doubles so the two pieces become connected.

This seems to work fairly well. I am also going to try the "loop tools" and "spin tool".

-- Edited by Odedge on Wednesday 28th of November 2012 08:12:48 AM

-- Edited by Odedge on Wednesday 28th of November 2012 08:18:07 AM

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

I wonder what your light cone looks like. I just made a simple cylinder, unwrapped it to work with horizontal tiling textures, then scale down the upper edge loop to give it more of a cone shape. / UT3 cone meshes have their cap UV islands at the very bottom where material opacity is close to zero.
Texture sizes in Blender don't matter, UV accuracy is always the same.

The circle (why no cylinder btw?) 'workaround' seems to work well but I'd give it less vertices.

-- Edited by mAlkAv!An on Wednesday 28th of November 2012 08:59:09 AM

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Light cone: Placing the caps towards the bottom would make sense. I thought if I collapsed the vertices together, it wouldn't even show the material. Can you send me your blend file?

Circle: I will try a cylinder. It just seemed more to delete since in my test mesh, I already have the floors and ceiling and these are the parts of the mesh that will be exactly on grid. The curved part can be a little off it.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

http://www.mediafire.com/?6ccahrqagzyc7o5

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

I just made a set of wood planks in blender. The idea is to rearrange those planks differently for multiple meshes (e.g. bridge, pier, barricade).

I started with the LoD model. Then added some more details and beveled edges for the game model, whilst keeping the UV outline/shape. Afterwards I subdivided the game mesh into (more or less) equal quads to add a multires modifier for sculpting large details.

The final normal map is a mix of the baked large detail normal map and a second one generated from the diffuse map for smaller details (using Njob).

Game Mesh (476 tris)

LoD (140 tris)

High Poly

UDK screen:

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

mAlkAv!An wrote:
I just made a set of wood planks in blender. The idea is to rearrange those planks differently for multiple meshes (e.g. bridge, pier, barricade).
I started with the LoD model. Then added some more details and beveled edges for the game model, whilst keeping the UV outline/shape. Afterwards I subdivided the game mesh into (more or less) equal quads to add a multires modifier for sculpting large details.
The final normal map is a mix of the baked large detail normal map and a second one generated from the diffuse map for smaller details (using Njob).
UDK screen:

If I was a teenage girl, I would have to say.... "I hate you!!!". But since I am not, I will say... "Great job". I may have to try this out for some real practice, though I think I wouldn't be able to do some steps. Argh!

I googled njob, downloaded it, but haven't checked it out. If you were motivated to do a tutorial coving these steps, that would be great as it's a "simple" item to create and learn the process for creating a high poly, low poly, and low-low poly mesh. Also creating normal maps and such. wink

-- Edited by Odedge on Saturday 1st of December 2012 08:24:46 AM

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I checked out your light cone and recreated it with the same guidelines and it worked. I think one of the problems with my first effort was having too many loop cuts going along the length of the cone and the caps weren't done right (both modeling and UV layout). So that's encouraging!

EDIT: Made some big progress on the "curve modeling" front. I watched some tutoirals and the Spin Tool seems to do the job weel enough.

spin tool 01.JPG

I just made this with a plane, then extruded the edges. I will delete the little "square section" to the right and make it curved, then close the left side with a curve as well.

spin tool 02.JPG

As you can see, it makes a very nice look curve that for the most part, matches up with the other edge. You can choose the number of segments, the degree of spin, and a few other options. I use the 3d cursor (which was centered for the picture) as my "center spot".

You may have to do some minor merging and collapsing of vertices, but it's completely worth it.

Here is the tutorial I watched.

-- Edited by Odedge on Saturday 1st of December 2012 08:52:56 AM

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

spin tool 03.JPG

Here is another thing I created with the spin tool The typical tutorial object is like a wine glass, but it can also be used for pillars and such.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Good idea with the spin tool. I did use it for the 'lathe' functionality once, just like on your last pic.

Not sure if I'm going to make a full tutorial. But I can post some more infos, screens, break down steps here if you tell me about your crucial/critical steps.

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

mAlkAv!An wrote:
Not sure if I'm going to make a full tutorial. But I can post some more infos, screens, break down steps here if you tell me about your crucial/critical steps.

Well I may have to take you up on this offer later. What you are doing with the wood planks is great and if that represents the 100% knowledge of the workflow... I maybe around 20% right now. I will focus more on the modeling and just use thos picturs as inpiration. wink

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Here's a simple bench using the same workflow. (240tris, 56tris LoD, 512px textures)

And a bridge model, using the planks. (3740tris, 1124tris LoD, 2 materials)

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

Coolio! Is that bridge model constructed in blender, then exported or is that just the total number of "tris" from each individual mesh? I am digging your skills man.

mAlkAv!An · calculating Pi by hand

Bridge model is constructed in blender, 3740 is the total triangle count for the whole bridge. I have some kind of a master blend file with those 4 planks. Rearranged the planks (copied several times + rotated) and added wooden beams (= 2nd material).

NOVA · French cat under acid

Yeah, dat bridge is nice ;)

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

mAlkAv!An wrote:
Bridge model is constructed in blender, 3740 is the total triangle count for the whole bridge. I have some kind of a master blend file with those 4 planks. Rearranged the planks (copied several times + rotated) and added wooden beams (= 2nd material).

I tried to do this in my last map Tapinak, but since I was going to be constructing a lot of "bridges", I decided to do actually construct it in the editor so I can make some last minute adjustments.

Back to Blendering...?

Odedge · Feedback-Master ..

I was checking out and making notes for the Tool Shelf while in mesh edit mode. After seeing what it can do, I remembered a video at blender cookie that shows you how to tweak it through "scripting' (if it can be called that). After some tweaks...

Tweaking Tool Shelf.JPG

I really don't like using "active" tools such as Extrude, Grab, Scale, etc... because the tool is active right after you select it. I would rather have it active when my cursor is over the object. But for tools like the "Spin", which is really just entering information, it works fine.

This toolbar is best for "On/Off" options like removing doubles, showing a different viewport direction or "Snap Selection To Grid". Once I figure out how to make my own section, that's probably all I will use.

Distractions... such fun distractions! biggrin

Lord_PorkSword · Connoisseur of Bourbon!

Very cool Malk!