XO Desktop Art * Sci-fi / Fantasy * for Samsung 2342BWX 2048x1152

[Fuzzy Modem]

Just bought myself a new Samsung 2342BWX, which natively displays 2048 x 1152 resolution, perfect for displaying two 1024 apps side by side, but impossible to find desktops for, so I thought I'd make some.

I'll make six total, and post them all here in the OP, while showing wip material in the thread to follow.

(click to enlarge)

The Hive: Vagabond Capitol (Night Side)


Zenith: Ioman Capitol (Day Side)


Solar Station (Border)


Landfall: Fallen Capitol (Night Side)


Light House/Dragon Roost (Dayside)


Tree City: Elven Capitol (Border)


If you're running 7, try the desktop slide-show feature. The horizon lines are all identical, so they fade nicely.

[edit] all done

[Fuzzy Modem]

I'll re-size (final drafts) on request btw. 1920x1280? A little enlargement distortion is likely, and it'll crop off the sides a bit, but it should still look okay.

Solar Station wip shots should be up in a few hours...

[RJB]

Like always the work look very good fuzzy.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Originally Posted by rjb99

Like always the work look very good fuzzy.

Thanks A few unique challenges this time around, as I'm not doing any over-painting, and thus must work extra hard to maintain consistent clarity and realism. You'll notice some texture stretching on the larger buildings at the base of the palace for instance, and a rubber stamp effect in the forests due to overuse of the same paint effects brush without resizing, both things I may address (probably in Photoshop rather than Maya) once I'm finished with all six.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Update: Solar Station wip:



Adding scaffolding and such now... it's gonna sit on top of a mountain. Any thoughts on making mountains in Maya?

[edit]
progress...

[Fuzzy Modem]

Progress:



It still needs polish... and something else... sense of scale maybe? I thought about a flock of birds, but that seems odd with the lightning in the background.

[edit]

I thinks I'll make a swarm of these:


-circling the towers, vulture-like, but still a great distance from the camera, and tiny in comparison to the Solar Station. Perhaps they've built a nest inside the ruin?

[Fuzzy Modem]

Solar Station is done. OP updated.

Solar Station (Border)

[RJB]

Seems like it could still use something along the base of the building to blend it in better.

[Kerrus]

Originally Posted by rjb99

Seems like it could still use something along the base of the building to blend it in better.

Yeah- maybe a bit of structure sprawl, or maybe make the mountainy bits more prominent.

[DSV]

Is that supposed to be some kind of bridge? It looks like it is in any case. Combined with its angle and the perspective of the mountains it looks very, very odd. Looks like it needs to be rendered from a lower angle.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Minor updates. Added supports to the bridge.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Here where I am with the next scene:



I want to build up the "downtown" area A LOT, and replace the outer "wall" with something better textured and more rib-like.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Added some old models I'd already finished.



Don't know how I feel about the blue and green...

About to start modeling "ribs"...

[RJB]

This last one I'm really liking the idea of.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Progress:

(click to enlarge)



It occurred to me after I modeled the "ribs" that they don't really match the streamlined aesthetic of the rest of the city. I'll keep them, but I'm going to add a series of inverted arch shapes for them to support.

I've killed the aurora for now, but I'll probably bring it back once I find a blue to green transition that I'm happier with.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Here is a super quick doodle to show what I plan to add. I'll post screens of the modeling in progress after work today.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Modeling wips:




Very simple poly modeling.




Here I created a bunch of "bricks" which I then selectively boolean differenced from each "rib" to make them look like they've been cannibalized for scrap over the years. No two are identical.





And here they are incorporated.


I killed the sky and carrier for now. You guys ever have the problem after incorporating different complex scenes and then saving and reopening that some objects are missing?

[RJB]

The new ribs are much better and I do look forward to what you make for the center area.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Downtown progress. I feel a bit bad for keeping these objects so simple, but my scenes are getting complex enough that I seem to be hitting an object or poly limit. Hopefully they'll still look okay.

Downtown:





Goverment buildings:

[Major Diarrhia]

I'm glad to see this project isn't over.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Originally Posted by Major Diarrhia

I'm glad to see this project isn't over.

Never over, merely awaiting inspiration

[DSV]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy Modem

Downtown progress. I feel a bit bad for keeping these objects so simple, but my scenes are getting complex enough that I seem to be hitting an object or poly limit.

Doesn't Maya have some ridiculous, arbitrarily low polygon limit? I seem to recall a friend having mentioned that to me.

[RJB]

The only plus side I can see to having to work with a lower poly count is it makes your more creative in how you use them and a more efficient modeler.

[Fuzzy Modem]

This render time is killing me. I've set up a fake global illumination rig in the form of a dome of inward facing dim green directional lights with very soft shadows. I think this will blend well with the green aurora, but I think I set that blue cloud to real lighting, and so many depth map shadows on a volumetric object... kicks my ass.

I'm chomping on the bit, so I doodled on a screen shot of my render in progress so I don't forget all the things that piss me off, and can correct them all before stating the next everlasting render.

I suppose I should just turn off real lighting on that cloud. Might not be necessary anyway, and I want the light source in the center to cast ray-traced shadows, so that's going to bump render time up too, need to trim the fat from elsewhere...




The texture thus far:


-hiya Major

[Major Diarrhia]

It looks like you have some random small lights and big lights both representing windows. I would stick to one size. If the small size is the true size of each floor, then use that, and more numerously, and use the larger set only for public spaces part way up buildings and at the top. The windows, small and big, have too much separation.