Organic levels - workflows and interation pipeline

[mjens]

Nice thread we got there in 3D forums, that one about our workflows. Cool stuff but I remember one thing that bugs me all the time - organic levels. I really liked them few years ago, it was simple, a bit of hill here, a bi there, some rocks, done! Experience shown that it's not so simple. Imagine that you have to prototype the level with terrain tool, dummy box and that's it. Actually it sounds nice but my problem is the iterations at the end of the project. When everything is done but someone says "Dude, it looks wrong, change it". Now remove whole decoration, all terrain details and paintings, start something new and hear "Oh, sorry, it was cool actually, revert changes". Fuuuu******* Now. What's your workflow with organic levels based on terrain, trees, rocks etc. Any cool stories from production?

 

I guess my problem is the tools I'm using. UDK looks like pain in the ass with iterations and massive changes. CryENGINE look nice here, lots of terrain materials to use, easy sculpting but I don't remember having option to copy/paste selected parts of the terrain. 

[Kedhrin]

in all the years of doing mass amounts of terrain work i've never found an easy solution to this. the biggest thing is focusing on creating a method to create quickly so re-creating when needed isn't that big of a deal - also, just force yourself to get used to remaking, replacing, polishing, etc.... cryengine and unreal engine both have their ups and downs when dealing with this....

 

i just recommend spending enough time in the beginning creating rules and restrictions for yourself, and sticking to a very extreme pipeline with layers (cryengine) and vegetation groups, and how your assets are authored.

 

if you're still taking terrain work one section at a time without any plan for how things are placed, grid snaps, spacing restrictions etc -> you're pushing yourself into a corner that can become really painful down the road.  

[Tutorial Doctor]

Hi seir, I think the word you are looking for is MODULAR modeling (It's a term I made up, but it is similar to modular programming).

 

In fact, I like to call it MODULING haha. 

 

What you want is a MODULAR SYSTEM. It's like LEGOS really. You have a bunch of pre-defined parts that are configured in different ways to build unique individual models. I saw a good example of a modular system in this video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mkPRmqUlFw

 

Drakes Uncharted used a very good modular system for it's level environments. Repeated geometry, but you couldn't tell really. 

 

I even have modeled what I call a BASE MODEL CHARACTER. It is super low poly, but with one subdivision it's like PRESTO! Found here:

 

http://forum.maratis3d.com/viewtopic.php?id=735

 

The idea is that you edit the base model which has minimal geometry and you get a completely different form of Character. It is a fast way to scrap an idea and start again. 

 

You could do this with terrain as well. You could create a:

Base Tree

Base Rock

Base Grass

Base Road

 

For example, look at this model of a road that has PARTS that can be configured to make various roads:

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=53c8c94f6076181ae4406b3bf37e6ffe&prevstart=0

 

Hope this helps

Edited October 2, 2013 by Tutorial Doctor

[mjens]

Dude, I'm talking about organic stuff like terrain. I can use modular terrain assets but it will be Transport Tycoon then. We're talking about two different things...

[Spherix]

i like to WRITE some words in capslock, but NOT ALWAYS.