Railway Scene (Trees and Weeds)

Yes your right the stones should be cut around the arch. I was being lazy and didn’t think anyone would spot the mistake. <!– s:oops: –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_redface.gif" alt=":oops:" title="Embarrassed" /><!– s:oops: –>
The blocky effect is Blitz kicking in with it’s mipmapping again. A bit more work on the texture and I should be able to turn it off.

Bazza

I’ve just spent all day planting weeds!! Most people pull them up.
I’ve been putting this job off for a long time now, so decided to make an effort and try to make some realistic trackside trees and weeds.
The poly count for the scene so far is just over 29,000. Ouch!

I used Tree(D) to produce the trees, a freebee if you purchase GILE(S) but produced the textures myself.
I’ve spent some time learning how to making my own trees so will post a small tutorial when I get time. It’s quite easy.

I’d like to know what you think. I think the weed colour is a bit to vivid bu like the leaves on the trees. Autumn is approaching.

Screenshot from Blitz, models with 3DC, Lightmapped with GILE(S)

And again

I like the weeds, they add a nice lifelike feel to the scene. You might have already done this but its kinda hard to tell in the shots but have you thought about varying the size of the trees a little bit? I think it’d help to further add to the realism.

I really like the scene tho, looks great. I can just see myself hopping the fence and poking around the complex hehe.

Thanks Bobirov, I think your right about the trees. These were my first attempt and I just put half a dozen of the same tree in to see what they looked like.
I also thought the original screen shot looked a bit dull so have made a new lightmap.
This is the result.

Bazza

Good job. The weeds really do make the scene. But the tracks look a little flat. Maybe you could fix that? The rest is great.

Thanks. I think the reason the tracks look a bit flat is that Blitz is a bit severe with its mipmapping and does tend to blur the texture a bit to much at times but when the camera is in the track area everthing looks ok.

Bazza

Looking good

Do you use a ‘texturemaker’ program or hand drawn them ?

Is this for a game/demo ?

Thanks Alan, all these nice comments will be going to my head. Where’s Alex <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

I gave up trying to find weed textures I could use so 95% of all my textures are hand drawn. Something I’m not to good at but I’m learning.

I built this scene so I could really put gile(s) through its paces. I couldn’t think of a better subject than a railway, rusty metal, shiny metal, old wood, new wood etc.
Also although I have MSTS I thought I could create better scenes using Blitz so thought I would give it a try.

The weeds are quite easy to produce, just double sided faces with a weed texture + alpha channel attached. I use .png because I also get the file compresion as well.

I was going to do a small tutorial when I get the time but if your interested here’s a small weedgroup and texture. Keeping things simple. <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Bazza

Shrubs and small tree thingies can be produced in a similar fashion, the one in the download has 5 double-sided faces.

This time I used the texture from the leaves on the trees. Very simple to produce, just use the airbrush in a paint program with the density turned right down and keep the colours to 2 or 3, no more. Agian saved as a .png with alpha.

Bazza

Put everything together, load into Gile(s) for the lightmap and you should end up with something like this.
I’m still working on this section, some of the colours are a bit vivid and the fence is to clean, but it’s coming along.

Maby if Richard is looking for a theme for his next compitition he could go for the best trees and flowers scene.
Bluebell Wood anybody.

Bazza

Just to cut you down to size then before you need to buy some new hats <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

On this last picture I think you should re-do (is that a real word ? ) the brick/stone texture – just to cut down the repeating blocks effects. On the arch – wouldn’t the stones be cut around the arc – rather than vertical ?

While on this subject (weeds that is) I hope all us Brits have checked our sheds to make sure we don’t have any of the now illegal weedkillers that were on sale up to just a few months ago….. <!– s:D –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!– s:D –>