Myst Online: URU Live Forums :: View topic - D'ni temple (in production)

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

Thanks for the feedback!

This is going well, though I'm distracted at times by other stuff I want/need to get done. This is, after all, only one of many projects I'm working on.

I've been examining the model, and I've eliminated about 700 polygons. If the player can't see a polygon - like the bottom of an object sitting on the ground, or a surface facing a wall - it doesn't need to be there and I can safely remove it.

This has pulled down the poly count to 21,060 for the current version. It's not a big difference but it should help slightly.

The temple - as seen in the video - is only 40% of the planned size of the final complete version.

Next I'll be enhancing some of the details and adding new areas to the model.

_________________
Matthew L. Hornbostel, creator of Panoramic Worlds,
a Myst fansite , and
various other stuff.

Slightlybartfast

Joined: 17 May 2006

Posts: 196

Location: Poole Dorset

Fantastic! looks great.

_________________

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

Okay, I took some advice from people in the GoW, and turned off the ShadBuf setting in Blender.

That (plus the improved modelling efficiency and a few other tweaks) made the level run about 3x as fast.

Then I got a new PC and had to install Blender, Uru, etc, all over again. And reapply all the textures because the links to the texture files weren't there. There are still a couple of surfaces where the textures are wrong.

Still, give me some time; I have a new video capture showing the level running, and you'll see that it looks better than it used to.

Will try to upload that video soon - it doesn't show any new areas (still working on those) but will show the same ones running smoothly at higher graphics settings.

That means the textures will look nicer, the framerate smoother, etc.

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

I've lost the original texture files for this model when one of my external hard drives crashed. That means I only have the baked textures, and thus can't relight the model. Crying or Very sad

So I'll have to work around that, and redesign the D'ni Temple in two separate sections, not all in one piece, because if I connected the two sections, there'd be some lighting problems resulting from that.

In any case, I'll try to get the D'ni Temple (the first area of it) finalized sometime in the next few weeks. (Having some confusion with Blender's texture system still) Rolling Eyes

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

Okay, I finished the first area, and zipped and uploaded the files to UruContinues.com.

That's all for now - I'll start working on the second area of the D'ni Temple soon, in between my (many) other projects.

That'll take a while to do - depends on how much trouble I have with the animations, sounds, and the book implementation - but once I've got the second area done, I'll move on from there...

This isn't perfect, but it isn't half-bad for a first age, I think. Smile

_________________
Matthew L. Hornbostel, creator of Panoramic Worlds,
a Myst fansite , and
various other stuff.

janaba1

Joined: 27 Jul 2006

Posts: 1360

Location: Berlin, Germany

This is such a beautiful and contemplative place and quite complex and rich
in detail already... It was also cool to search for the way to the upper room... Very Happy

With a little tweak here and some polishing there and of course with music and
sounds, a journal etc. you could very well have partaken in the D'ni locations contest...
This is a wonderful work, matthornb, and I can't wait to see and explore the second
area and to enjoy the animations (water, fire, steps etc.), sound/music and book
implementations... Thanks for releasing and sharing this part so far... Smile

_________________
janaba MOULa KI #154268, Minkata KI #4525 , Gehn KI # 16392, TOC KI # 86963
MO:ULa is

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

Thank you, janaba1.

I'm not finished with this first area quite yet - I may still add some background music to it to enhance the atmosphere of the place, and implement some basic footstep sounds.

Other than adding some audio, though, I don't think I'm going to modify this area any more.

I'd like to move on to the next one.

matthornb

Joined: 10 Mar 2008

Posts: 592

Location: Houston, Texas

BTW, I got a message asking for permission to load this into an Uru: CC age download system, etc - if anyone wants to load this (the D'ni Temple level) into the various fan age delivery systems, I won't list those systems by name here but I'll just say that you have my general permission to do so and to run this age wherever Uru fan ages are displayed, downloaded, and explored.

Joey Zoonishii

Joined: 10 May 2006

Posts: 954

I have to say that I love the layout of this temple, not to mention the thought behind it.

~Joey Treestarer

_________________
"What you still don't understand you have failed to hear or don't need to know..."~Yeesha

Topic

You can…