Finished textures (image dump)

[Yoko Kanno]

1024x1024 textures, hoping it's obvious that it's for videogames.. next-gen video games:

http://methyd.propcinc.com/stuff/textures/scad_1c.jpg

http://methyd.propcinc.com/stuff/textures/set2_WIP.jpg

http://methyd.propcinc.com/stuff/textures/lef_1a.jpg

http://methyd.propcinc.com/mod/map1_floor_normal_1.jpg

http://methyd.propcinc.com/mod/map1_pillar_normal_1a.jpg

These are all pretty old, 1 of them is more recent though (the last).
Thanks.

EDIT: These are examples from different textures, not all that I've created. For more you can check out my portfolio (http://methyd.propcinc.com/pfolio)..

[chapel]

Love the ivy / celtic one.

there's a small jaggy on the middle arch, left side. not sure if it's intentional, my monitor, or slight misalignment

[Samurai]

Nice stuff Joi, but I have a few criticisms:

All of the textures seem a little flat and bland, lacking contrast and overall forms. Textures should be used to essentially model in 2D; portray the forms that the geometry itself cant. Mostly, these dont, but they do in some areas. For example, the designs on the first texture have no depth whatsoever. They look like they were painted on rather than carved. If that's what you were going for, alright, but it doesn't seem to go with the theme of the texture.

Also, these don't seem to be making use of their high resolution as well as they should. The blue one in particular could have easily been 512x512 without making any in-game difference.

By the way, shouldn't these be posted somewhere else? I really don't see the "concept art" in this.

[Kaylon]

Very nice ..

I agree a little that some could have been 512x512 even if for next gen game dev ... but overall fine work.

Texture creation is changing a lot currently (I am a texture artist in the industry) and due to the increase in the use of real geometry and shaders the need for doing "sculptured" textures is not as great ...Now we find ourselves doing detailing and base texture more and more and the engines are doing the rest :).

These are very good indeed as I have said ... and deserve to be considered "Art" cos that is what they are ... so they fit in well here at "concept ART" :)

Kay.

[Yoko Kanno]

Chapel: The jaggy is my fault, and is actually fixed but not updated on my site.

Samurai: There are actually hi/low lights on the designs within the stone on the top texture... It's my fault for making them more noticable. The blue one was exactly what was asked for, and I agree with you on the 512x issue with that one, but it's what was asked for. *shrug*

Kaylon: Totally. It's changing very rapidly actually, as I'm sure you know. The last piece of professional work I've done was actually complete base colours. And this new project I am lending a hand with titled Zymotic is asking for the same thing. It actually makes my work easier, which is nice. I still enjoy just doing the traditional ones aswell, as I think they look better.. I'm not a firm believer in bump mapping right now. But that's a totally other thread.


Thanks for the comments, I'll post more later on perhaps.

[Porkasaurus]

They are nice textures but they actually appear to be better suited for current generation or older game graphics.

Next-generation textures are getting less detail orientated and more into recreating the effect of procedural texturing. Material types such as metals, woods, stones, etc. Because now we can do a lot of these details in geometry.

Here is an example:
That first texture with the ivy covered arches. If I were making a level using that motif I would :
*Break that top grey into a tiling strip, segment the geometry.
*Created geometry arches and use a tiling brown texture
*The back plane would be covered with stone
*Create a tiling ivy texture with an alpha channel and lay a plane on top of the whole structure.

The memory trade off of that technique to creating a flat plane with a 1024x1024 texture - it's not even close to which one saves the most memory, the geometry solution. And if you are dealing with PC's and think memory isn't a problem - well all the reason to push more geometry.

On current generation consoles not only is texture memory at a huge disadvantage like always, but geometry compression is superior to texture compression. Look at any triple AAA GameCube title or PS2 title for examples of this, like Metroid Prime, Ratchet and Clank or Jak II. Explore those environments and see how they really got the most out of tiny tiny textures with more geometry.

Composite shaders are also eliminating certain textures, map1_floor_normal_1.jpg for instance. This texture can be 1/16th the size and not lose anything. You can cut out one grate section as your base. For your layer composite, apply a tiling noise. Now you get the exact same effect and save a ton of memory and in some cases fps. You can do the same thing for the last texture shown.

One last example, the loading dock texture right now is limited to a few uses because of it's distinction - it says LOADING DOCK on it. How many times can that tile around? Instead, take the words off it. Put it on a seperate texture and apply it to a card with an alpha cutout on it. Cut the original texture in half, lob off the bottom grates into their own texture and you've saved a ton of time and made the textures more versatile. Now if someone wants to use just that bottom section on the texture, they can without loading in the whole thing.

For textures the best thing to remember are versatility, redundancy and efficiency. It's a different mindset than just painting, but once you start thinking in the terms of actually utilizing the textures your making and asking if it's versatile, efficient or if it has redundant features - it starts to become more natural.

The best thing you could to test your textures is to actually put them to use. Build a level or level section with them.

Phew sorry for the long reply! Good luck :)

[Yoko Kanno]

You have to understand, these textures are for pimping purposes only. For messege boards and my portfolio, to show where my skills are. I know to break up textures as you've said, using the first one as your example.

And as for the loading dock, of course it would look silly to tile that. And of course I have other versions of the texture w/ out the loading dock and with other words up there. As well as w/out the vent, etc.. multiple variations. I know all about that stuff..

I just chose a few from each to show.
http://methyd.propcinc.com/stuff/textures for more

[Porkasaurus]

You have to understand, these textures are for pimping purposes only. For messege boards and my portfolio, to show where my skills are. I know to break up textures as you've said, using the first one as your example.

I do understand. But a future employer will not understand from your portfolio that you know how to break out those sections.

Painting environment textures is a very small percentage of time in the production of a game. Application is the bulk of game development. If I have 5 weeks to model & texture a level, I spend maybe 2 days total making new textures.

Your final textures are very well done, if you really want to impress in your portfolio, put together a scene using them. Either in MAX or some kind of game engine.

[Yoko Kanno]

Originally posted by Porkasaurus


I do understand. But a future employer will not understand from your portfolio that you know how to break out those sections.

Painting environment textures is a very small percentage of time in the production of a game. Application is the bulk of game development. If I have 5 weeks to model & texture a level, I spend maybe 2 days total making new textures.

Your final textures are very well done, if you really want to impress in your portfolio, put together a scene using them. Either in MAX or some kind of game engine.

I'm currently in the process of doing that with former modeller of the original UT2003 game (he's my room-mate). We're co-creating an animation, he'll be doing the 3D as I will be doing the 2D. Showcasing both our talents, so I agree with you :D