Ships

[KnightHammer]

Ok i didn't win, didn't place so i want to re work this until it is up to snuff with the winners

 

suggestions??

[robcat2075]

suggestions??

 

I think the asteroids have too much detail and too much contrast. They look a bit more like small rocks close-up rather than large asteroids far-off. That makes the apparent scale of the scene ambiguous.

 

The ships, on the other hand, are very low contrast seem to not be in the same light that the asteroids are.

[KnightHammer]

Hmmmmmmmmmm.... Ok i can see that now

 

Lets see......rework the material for the asteroids...more shapes than three...possible a better pattern to put them in...color shift to more earthy less Galaxy Quest fuel source....

......rework the light...add better lights

 

And the ship its self...ummm... I'm thinking just to rework some of its parts and adjust its profile a bit

[Darkwing]

i would also have itsy bitsy meteors floating around too

[Eric Camden]

Check out this thread and get some ideas: http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php...hlight=asteroid

[rusty]

I think that you are short-changing your ships. Nuke that generic material and create some custom maps (aka images used as decals... you need at least color and bump types) showing pipes, docks, hatches, containers, steering jets, port holes, heat dispensers and etc. One map type (can't remember which) shows as brightly lit/dark areas and can be used for rows of windows.

 

Just my .02.

 

Rusty

 

BTW, I too had to create two dozen 'asteroids' -- very similar look to yours.

[robcat2075]

ok, i looked again and another thing hit me.... there seems to be no direction to the light, it sees to be coming from the direction of the camera which makes for a very flat appearance.

 

move the light more to the side so the asteroids have a shadowed part.

[KnightHammer]

Thanks y'all i got allot of good ideas to work with...give me a couple of days and I'll have something new to put up

[CreativeAustinYankee]

Okay, a few guidelines about creating interesting images. Your image is very static. The best images tell a story.

 

Perspective:

 

Right now, the ships are all of apparently the same size and approximate distance away from the viewer. Two of them are shown top/bottom. There's nothing there to really catch the eye and bring the viewer into the scene.

 

Show us the viewpoint from one of the ship pilots or perhaps what it would look like standing on one of the asteroids.

 

Play around with perspective, find an interesting viewpoint.

 

Composition:

 

The rule of thirds - this is a basic guideline used for all types of visual media. If you're not familiar with this rule, the short version is this: Divide your image with grid lines into thirds horizontally and diagonally. Where these lines intersect is where you want your object of interest in the image.

 

Contrast - vary the size of the asteroids a bit more. Perhaps, show us a planet, moon, or space station to help us establish a size reference.

 

Space is huge, everything in this image is kind of clustered together. Spread things

out a bit. Vary the distance.

 

You have a lightsource from the bottom right, yet everything is evenly lit and flat. The contrast of shadow and light would really add some depth to this scene.

 

Color composition: The space rocks are grey/white and the ships are grey. Uninteresting.

 

Storytelling: There's not really a story here. The ships don't really look like they're ore miners, they look more like single-pilot fighters. There's no implied action here. We can't tell what's going on. Give the ships a purpose for being here.

 

Take some time and really rethink this scene and you'll be suprised with the results you can achieve.

 

Good luck,

 

Steve P.

[KnightHammer]

oK oK Here is a new piece, every turret is independent pivots around and goes up and down. This thing would have 360 x fire arc and a +/- 60 to 80 y firing arc unless you parked on the center you can get hit.

 

Ill add detail and color and some symbol for a faction or something later

probably change the center to look like a better reactor module

 

Have a few more plans and a few extra models to make before the final final version is made...i like the mine idea

[KnightHammer]

Well... i took my time and realized something. I have some serious work to do on textures.

 

I think the general idea behind it is good, but i will be laying this to rest for a while. Thanks for all the ideas they helped allot.

[CreativeAustinYankee]

Overall, the image still seems a little crowded, but that just may be my personal taste. Much better than the previous version.

 

My advice, let this rest for a bit. Come back to it when you have fresh eyes, and I'm sure you'll see things you can improve on.

 

In the meantime, take a look around some of the 3D galleries on the net for inspiration.

 

Check this out:

 

http://www.eve-online.com/screenshots/coll...5122007&n=8

 

http://www.eve-online.com/screenshots/archive/

 

Best of luck,

 

Steve P.

[KnightHammer]

EVE....good graphics, not a very fun game (i hate game you have to pay for more than once)

hmm....the dimpling of the ships hull... will have to work on that i think in some other project this one is annoying me right now, bump maps it i remember right

[Darkwing]

i think putting it down for a while is a good idea, just remember to pick it back up sometime LOL! anyways, something i thought of while looking at your old image, give it a purpose. the ships all seem like they're headed in random directions for no apparent reason. do it more than just to look good. if the ships have a personality, a consciousness, then your image will improve drastically. perhaps one lead ship, one with a little more emphasis, and then some smaller ships escorting it of different classes perhaps. i don't know, just chucking some ideas out to you