#051 GAD BA6: Texture Documentation Part 1

Texturing has always been my weakest point when it comes to modelling. For this unit it was my main focus again, so I took extra care in creating textures that are consistently coherent with each other, as well as being aesthetically pleasing.

I used a website (cgtextures) to source my images, I looked for textures that could easily be manipulated so I could tile them up easily edit them for different effects. Below are all the images I used to texture the environment level.

ConcreteBunker0059_1_H

ConcreteFloors0058_45_H

ConcreteLeaking0072_L

ConcreteLeaking0087_L

ConcreteLeaking0142_1_L

ConcretePlatesDirty0044_2_L

DecalsLeaking0206_1_M

DoorsMetalSingle0431_M

MetalBare0143_S

MetalBase0029_L

MetalRollup0008_S

SignsElectricity0040_S

I split the model into four sections, the buildings, hazards, floor and environment assets. Each texture map will be 1024 by 1024 pixels and 150 dpi (lowered from 300 to save space). I spent as much time as I could on the textures, trying not to go over the top and do too much, but keeping them detailed enough to be eye catching.

I started off with the buildings, using one of the walls textures I cut it down and isolated several sections of the wall. I then made them all seamless with each other, allowing me to placed them side by side. I cut some down to fit in to the correct UV sections, ensuing that there were metal struts on all the corners. For the door  I trimmed down and worked over the door texture, adding a simple metal frame with a bit of wear and tear on it. I struggled to find a material for the broken concrete area, so I used one of the textures in the pattern overlay and flattened it, I then applied the same pattern overlay again but sized it up slightly at a lower opacity. I did this process a few times to get a more natural looking texture, with large, medium and small stones.

For the environmental hazards I used a couple of tricks taught to be by a third year student. For the pits I used a concrete texture, then used a gradient overlay going from light at the top to dark at the bottom. The reason for this is so when a player looks down in to it, it will look as if it is a deep pit with no bottom. For the stripes  I simply made a 500 by 500 document and created the strips with a paintbrush tool, I then rotated and duplicated them to make a seamless pattern. I then used the pattern in blending properties to create the squares, then flattened it and cut out the middle. I used the stock metal surface texture for the power up spawn, cutting sections and using the bevel tool to create indents and raised areas. I added in some lights on some sections as well as putting a layer of dirt on the metal. For the flipper I used the stock metal again, using the process mentioned early about beveling areas to make indents and raised areas. I also used a diamond metal grid texture for the surface, to add some variation.

The floor was a lot harder than I expected. My first attempt resulting in a very repetitive floor area, which was very visible. I started again, working with a floor texture I found, first working on a large square area. I added in dirt and variation. I then repeated the larger tile texture I made, which seemed to work pretty well. I then broke up the floor area slightly by using concrete grid texture, adding a slight metal edge to it for extra detail. As well as the floor texture, I also included the spawn box textures. For these I created the net in metal, then worked on the individual faces to add detail. I beveled and cut the edges, adding in bolts and wear and tear. I then used some symbols I made using Adobe flash, as well as giving a bright background to catch the players attention. I used the same technique as I did for the environmental hazards in creating the black and yellow warning strips.

For the environment details, I used a different concrete texture for the sides of the building. Again, using the blending properties I added a gradient, so it looks like the building continue to goes down. For the electronic box I used a metal sheet texture, editing it to add in bolts around the edges as well as a slight inner shadow to add depth, I then put an electric warning label on the front of them. In my model one of the boxes is open slightly, so I added a circuit board texture (which I cannot find again for some reason) I found on google. For the perimeter walls I used the sectioned concrete texture, laying it across horizontally and lining it up so the block edges were consistent all the way along. For the metal pipe I used the red metal texture, adding lots of dirt and grim on top as well as dimming the color down a bit. I then duplicated it and flipped it, erasing one side so it made it a seamless join all the way along. I highlighted the areas where the joins were and darkend them a bit to add a bit more depth.