Week13/Individual Process - New Terrain

Week13/Individual Process - Collection of the Project Process

dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0qjr0oia1u15wmg/The%20Gothic%20Architecture.pdf

Here is a collection of all group members work, in order to show group members contribution and project processing.

Week12/Individual Process - New Terrain

After collected all information and requirements from client, tutor, and other group members, I decided to create another environment with new terrain as well.

This time, I will have to carefully naming and numbering the package files in Unity with terrain and other materials so that I can simply export the environment and  share it within the group easier. Also, I have to flatten the whole terrain to make it as reality as the real world landscape. Which means I have to considering the location of the church with surrounding farmhouses and rivers.

I tried to use World Machine again to get the realistic terrain.

birdview of the testing terrain in WM
(image capture by myself in World Machine)

the detail of my terrain setting procession
(image capture by myself in World Machine)

I tried to lower the whole terrain into plain and basin so that I can set water into it. The setting in World-Machine is quite limited because of the free version.

top view of the testing terrain without texture
(image capture by myself in World Machine)

top view of the testing terrain with texture and water level
(image capture by myself in World Machine)

After the editing in World-Machine, it have to be export as .RAW file so that can be import to unit as heightmap. The import is plain without any texture.

 testing terrain import to Unity
(image capture of myself in Unity) 

 Then I paint the grass and rock texture on the terrain. Also I have use the 2D normal map on the grass.

 testing terrain with textures
(image capture of myself in Unity)

terrain with riverway
(image capture of myself in Unity)

 The free version of Unity can not add water in normal way, I create another plan and assign water texture on it.

import a plan to the terrain and set on water level
(image capture of myself in Unity)

final testing terrain with water plan and skybox setting
(image capture of myself in Unity)

Week11/Individual Process - Site analysis

Since John came to join us this week, we all have got some new specific requirements as feedback. 

For my part, which is the environment, John is satisfied with the current environment I have done. But some more details needed:
1 considering the lights setting inside/outside the church;
2 take look with the landscape in real world location (Laon, Chartres);
3 no people in the game environment but some animals is needed such as cows;
4 no background music or sound to make the environment too fancy;
5 keep the environment and daytime in sunny;

Also I have got some information from other group members, Lauren(texture) said the texture of the church is fine but he just want to keep the whole building plain in colors. Which means I don't have to spend time to put texture on the surrounding buildings, just keep they with default texture and in white color will be fine.

To get familiar with the real world location, I search them on google map in different views.

Laon, France (image capture by myself in Google Map)

Laon, France (image capture by myself in Google Map)

Chartres, France (image capture by myself in Google Map)

Chartres, France (image capture by myself in Google Map)

Rivers in Chartres is very impressive. And from the geomorphic map, I learned that the landscape for the environment should more flat and wide with some farmhouse.

I have also found a heightmap mainly of France to well understand the landscape.

heightmap view of France
(image from online: http://archive.forum.simutrans.com/topic/00098.0/)

Week10/Individual Process - Light

In order to develop the terrain, I tried to have some Light setting in Unity. Lights will bring personality and flavor to the environment as well as the whole scene.
( Online tutorial about lights setting:
https://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/Components/class-Light.html )

image capture by myself in Unity with test terrain.

In my previous Unity environment I have used one directional light, it's not as good as I expected because of the free version limited, I can't to any further shadow or shader setting to make it more reality.

Also, inside the church, lights might needed to illuminate the scenes and objects to create the perfect visual mood. The other group member Anthony tried to use some spot lights inside the church. It looks much better than before.

Week9/Individual Process - Nature Elements

Before I start with terrain, I did some research of Cerseuil in France with landform. These are some images I found:

(http://jeanjacques8420.fond-ecran-image.com/blog-photo/mes-clochets/)

(http://amicarte51.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/cerseuil-brocante-le-18-aout-2013.html)

From the images, I have noticed that the surrounding buildings are not very tall and the terrain ground is very sandy. So I search a dirt path texture to detailed the terrain.

    Texture of dirt path.                          Normal map of sand.

Texture: http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/Index.cfm/ID/293565

Normal map of sand:http://www.filterforge.com/filters/1829-normal.html

Terrain editing inspiration tutorial video:

This is the close view of terrain with three different textures in Unity as final out come:

Then I have started add natural elements, trees and grass.

 Images of 2D grass have been used in environment.

2D grass .png images: http://www.lenagold.ru/fon/clipart/t/trav.html

Close view of the draft environment with testing models and natural element.

Top view of part of the draft environment with testing models.

In next few weeks, our group is going to work together to make sure everything going well. Personally think environment edit should keep developing during the work all the time, since all members have done their own parts, then it's definitely a new start of environment edit when we put everything together.

Week8/Individual Process - Buildings

After this weeks studio, our client John James cames join us together then we have got some new requirements and also some feedback.

For my part, which is the environment, is required to have some typically buildings around the church, and natural elements such as trees should included as well. And the terrain don't have to be the exact same as the real one, but the landform have to accord with the actual of the church to make sure it fits in our terrain.

I have also been required by tutor that, do not make the environment too fancy because the main role is the church. Based on these informations, I have done some processes.


-Surrounding Buildings:
I have got some Sketchup model from group mate Anthony, in order to test with the environment and to have path within the environment.

Firstly I separated each building as single .skp file then exported them as .dae file, which is fitable to Unity.

After exported from Sketchup, I imported them as custom assets package into Unity.

Then I have done directional sunlight setting try to create some soft shadow with the building.

And in order to get better view during the edit, I play around with the camera setting for a while to get familiar with it.