Archive for the ‘pet projects’ Category

I just finished simple chain anchors for the prison cell project. They are optional and cost 0.5LI each, therefore the setup on those pictures is 3LI (3 in/out). I was initially going for an “U” shaped anchor, but that’s a bit boring given that the freebie anchor plates already look like that.

They aren’t super detailed, but this is about on-part with the rest of the build.

I also added a simple wall insert to replace the bars, (it is just a slightly modified cube). You can see it in two of the pictures because I’ve removed the bars on one side, it is only really there to fill the space (and cost a little less LI than a primcube).

Finally, I started working on the lamp that will sit above the door, but I barely started really.

I was supposed to do a lot more work today, but that’s just how it is sometimes.

I finally got around to make some kind of texture for the floor trim, and to work more on the cell floor design. Since the very start I had in mind the idea of a “classic” tatami flooring as an option (wouldn’t be suitable for supermax obviously). Overall, I am very pleased with how it eventually turned out, given that I made them completely from scratch.

Don’t worry, the “normal” floor style is not going to go away.

I have also added in today’s blog update a quick idea for some potential floor markings. I would love to know your opinions on what else I could add (not “too specific” things obviously).

It is finally starting to look complete 😀

And another part of the cell project is complete. I’ve just finished re-rendering the cell door textures and am considering them to be final at this point.

All the models are final too, with proper LOD versions and colliders (I finally figured how to make offset colliders). I also decided to use the spare “face” of the door to put a configurable text engine on it, because why not?

It uses the simplified alphabet that my nameplate system uses, and so you won’t get fancy symbols. It should be good enough to put cell numbers, block denominations, things of that order.

13 different parts and 7 Land impact so far, including the required lock proxies, there is only a few more things that I need to finish before I can move on to the furnitures.

Cell door progress woo!

I’ve now gone through round after round after round of texture tests.

There is a limited amount of detail I can add on such a large piece without blowing the texture budget and it also had to be tintable.

…Or at least tint-friendly?

I’ve added a bunch of little normal mapped details here and there:

• Rivets on the front and back.
• Friction reduction rails on the window shutter path.
• Ribs on the shutter itself.
• Grip-style latch on the shutter handle.
• Indentations on the door edge where the deadbolts retract.
• Dishing on the backside of the shutter… because why not.
• You can also pick between glass or bars on the window opening.

Furthermore, the actual texture is “light” enough to be color matched with the cell framing beams and can support a fairly wide range of colors through tinting.

In all honesty, I’m probably forgetting some things, I always do 😛

After a much needed mini end-of-year holiday, I am back to work. Which means: back on the prison cell project.

I initially hoped that I would be able to cram everything into a half-width texture, but it wouldn’t fit. At least on a full-size, I know that all the parts should fit.

I’m not going to put anything into the window/hatch spaces because I intent on keeping those “black” for the lowest lod (when the door is merely a cube).

The hatches will also share the same texture area. Other than that, there isn’t going to be much UV recycling.

It probably won’t matter but I’m trying to do some pixel perfect snapping in the UV edges in order to see if I can make them as seamless as possible.

I also had an idea on how to get more value out of the prisoner uniform. The last picture is a quick mockup of a “conversion” to a japanese/korean style uniform, tell me what you think!

I am REALLY happy with how it is turning out. I’ve finally solved the TouchBound “padlock” issue that I was stuck with for a while now, I’ve basically extended the recess used for the handle OUTSIDE the shrouding, it makes the sliding bar mecanism more visible.

I have also added two more deadbolts that will be visible on the side when the cell door is opening/closing. Absolutely overkill? I know. But I’ve seen firefighters kick those corners with steel toed boots to great effect. And it justifies adding those little rivet details for the texture on both sides. It makes the back less plain since I removed one of the panels there.

The hatches also have handles now and a sort of spring loaded catch (I’m not gonna animate that obviously) and while more locks would be the right approach, I didn’t want something that would be complicated to animate during opening.

(Ignore the glass and bars being in eachothers, they are options, not ment to be visible at the same time)

Got the uniform completed and all imported in Blender (fits like a glove, so far). I ended up ditching all the stitches, it was cool but a bit buggy.. and in general a poly hog so I’m gonna have to re-introduce those using a simple bump map.

Cell wise, there has been SOME progress, I finally settled on a window with a vertical shutter and I’ve tried to get some material stuff going on with it.

Hoping to get the new bevel shader to do some magic here, but I’m not sure which color (or colors) to assort it with the rest.

That wasn’t what I had planned for today, (or the weekend) but I couldn’t stop myself from poking at it. So now you get a bunch of images from that.

Sorry for the color change at the end but I needed more contrast. I made a bunch of changes between the last blue and the brown version that I’m not 100% sure of, specifically in the sleeves shape and shoulder width.

I might go back to the blue one and try a different approach.

Some little work on the door, this seem a little better than what I had but the top part is so plain… I think I’m gonna re-add the window, not sure about the shutter for it.

Also a happy little accident and this is a really nice looking ceiling lamp 😛

I spent a while working on a potential prison uniform…. just the pants for now, but even if i end up using them for something else, it’s a pretty solid base.

Lastly, I’m having some DNS server issues and temporarily switched to a backup until I figure out what is going on with it, fix it, or replace it.

The window unit pretty much finished, and I’m very happy with the appearance of the glass.

I started doing some work on the door that I mocked up a while ago and came up with a cool looking handle/latch combo (with a nice guard around it), I ended up scrapping the original door design ans started fresh.

The biggest change is that the hinge runs the full length of the door now, with a few reenforcement tabs. Not entirely sure yet which parts will be normal mapped and which will be geometry, still at the design phase.

Not sure how I feel about the skirt around the bottom hatch extending all the way as some sort of … kick plate? I’m not sure it makes any sense really.