Jump to content
The Dark Mod Forums

Skybox request


Springheel

Recommended Posts

Any artists out there who feel like helping out, I could really use a hi res horizontal tiling texture of a city skyline that looks something like this (minus the rain):

post-9-0-02778400-1476895319_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couldn't it be done via cubemap in improvised scene with big circle of existing house models and a bit of fog?

 

 

I'm sure there are multiple ways to achieve that basic result.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should note that it will be more useful if the sky was NOT included...just the buildings with a transparent or flat background. The clouds and moon are separate elements.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always wanted to get the following skybox in TDM -

 

attachicon.gifdistcit_desktop.jpg

 

So am now gonna look for a why of achieving that..

 

I just tried making this into a cubemap and while serviceable there's visible seams at the edges of the image, so methinks it wasn't meant to be cubemap ready to begin with.

 

In any case, here's the raw cubemap, uncut, if you wish to preview it.

 

post-37271-0-40974800-1476908915_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1

My FMs: The King of Diamonds (2016) | Visit my Mapbook thread sometimes! | Read my tutorial on Image-Based Lighting Workflows for TDM!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, that would be a good way to remove some of the seems but at that point I think one can do with just using lasso selection in Ps/GIMP and cut out the buildings, then set them up as a cylindrical sprite in a 3D skybox, like several of our pre-existing skyboxes already do. It's easy enough and if nobody else jumps to it I might have a go...

My FMs: The King of Diamonds (2016) | Visit my Mapbook thread sometimes! | Read my tutorial on Image-Based Lighting Workflows for TDM!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would something like that be sufficient? (without the background gradient)

 

 

I was looking for something with the buildings much closer, like the image in the OP. Also, when the buildings are all facing exactly the same way with perfectly geometric dimensions, it loses a sense of realism.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you can come up with a panoramic image of a city skyline like this it would be a good starting point. I didn't found anything good looking doing a google image search but you may be more lucky.

 

An alternative approach is to actually build a low detailed version of a city in DR (just the buildings placed, nothing else), and use the envshot command to get an image to start with.

FM's: Builder Roads, Old Habits, Old Habits Rebuild

Mapping and Scripting: Apples and Peaches

Sculptris Models and Tutorials: Obsttortes Models

My wiki articles: Obstipedia

Texture Blending in DR: DR ASE Blend Exporter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An alternative approach is to actually build a low detailed version of a city in DR (just the buildings placed, nothing else), and use the envshot command to get an image to start with.

Didnt someone do this already, serpentime or aluminumhaste..? With the new models springheel has made this is very diable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are enough prefab houses that yes, you could just put them in a magenta devtextured box, disable bloom and AA, then take an envshot command with your scene and chroma key the whole thing out the way the distant_landscape materials do it.

 

Speaking of, I did a quick job on the texture, BD, see how it treats you. Use the same material definition as the distant cityscapes, then put the texture in the same way the tdm_oldskew skybox prefab does it. In fact, you could just substitute the landscape decal in there with this custom one and resize it a bit to make it fit better.

 

Here's the definition for distant_cityscape_01, just substitute the appropriate parts with however you wish to name this new texture.

 

 

 

textures/darkmod/decals/distant_cityscape_01
{

	nonsolid
	noShadows
	noimpact
	nooverlays
	forceOpaque
   
	{
	blend   diffusemap
   		map   textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01
   		alphaTest   0.9
	}
	
        {
	blend   add
   		map   textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01_gleam
   		rgb   0.8
	}

	// TDM Ambient Method Related 
	{							
		if (global5 == 1)		
		blend add				
		map				textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01		
		scale			1, 1		
		red				global2	
		green			global3	
		blue			global4	
	}							
	{							
		if (global5 == 2)		
		blend add				
		program	ambientEnvironment.vfp	
		vertexParm		0		1, 1, 1, 1		// UV Scales for Diffuse and Bump	
		vertexParm		1		1, 1, 1, 1	// (X,Y) UV Scale for specular		
		vertexParm		2		global2, global3, global4, 1	
																
		fragmentMap		0		cubeMap env/gen1				
		fragmentMap		1		_flat			// Bump				
		fragmentMap		2		textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01			// Diffuse			
		fragmentMap		3		_black			// Specular			
	}


}

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1

My FMs: The King of Diamonds (2016) | Visit my Mapbook thread sometimes! | Read my tutorial on Image-Based Lighting Workflows for TDM!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If someone is capable of doing a 3d skybox with cityscape, would it be good to document the process to the wiki?

 

That way the knowledge stays available to those who want do custom skyboxes, and mappers could easily learn to make their own.

Clipper

-The mapper's best friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are enough prefab houses that yes, you could just put them in a magenta devtextured box, disable bloom and AA, then take an envshot command with your scene and chroma key the whole thing out the way the distant_landscape materials do it.

 

Speaking of, I did a quick job on the texture, BD, see how it treats you. Use the same material definition as the distant cityscapes, then put the texture in the same way the tdm_oldskew skybox prefab does it. In fact, you could just substitute the landscape decal in there with this custom one and resize it a bit to make it fit better.

 

Here's the definition for distant_cityscape_01, just substitute the appropriate parts with however you wish to name this new texture.

 

 

 

textures/darkmod/decals/distant_cityscape_01
{

	nonsolid
	noShadows
	noimpact
	nooverlays
	forceOpaque
   
	{
	blend   diffusemap
   		map   textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01
   		alphaTest   0.9
	}
	
        {
	blend   add
   		map   textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01_gleam
   		rgb   0.8
	}

	// TDM Ambient Method Related 
	{							
		if (global5 == 1)		
		blend add				
		map				textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01		
		scale			1, 1		
		red				global2	
		green			global3	
		blue			global4	
	}							
	{							
		if (global5 == 2)		
		blend add				
		program	ambientEnvironment.vfp	
		vertexParm		0		1, 1, 1, 1		// UV Scales for Diffuse and Bump	
		vertexParm		1		1, 1, 1, 1	// (X,Y) UV Scale for specular		
		vertexParm		2		global2, global3, global4, 1	
																
		fragmentMap		0		cubeMap env/gen1				
		fragmentMap		1		_flat			// Bump				
		fragmentMap		2		textures/darkmod/decals/building_facades/distant_cityscape_01			// Diffuse			
		fragmentMap		3		_black			// Specular			
	}


}

 

 

That's awesome, will have a go and using this to replace the texture on Spring heels cylindrical skybox texture

If someone is capable of doing a 3d skybox with cityscape, would it be good to document the process to the wiki?

AS I have just upgraded myself to a GTX 1070 by way of an early xmas present, I may have a stab at this. I think the primary thing is building a dozen or so building models first so we can place those in the map.

 

@Sotha as your adept at doing modular, fancy working on this with me.?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hm.. I tried to make believable 3d skybox in the past, but it was difficult.

 

I tried a concept of a mission where the player climbs to a tall tower. Tower supposed to be in game, and the surrounding city in the skybox. Since the tower was really tall, the surrounding cityscape needed to be very convincing and moving skybox camera was used.

 

I made 1/16 scale buildings and pasted them into the skybox room. It looked like crap. I could not exactly put my finger on what was the thing that made it look wrong. Perhaps the building models, perhaps the lighting, perhaps the streets. Everyhting in the skybox area looked weird somehow. I dunno. Because I could not identify the problem, I abandoned the attempt.

 

Perhaps it would need to work like this: tower in game area. Immediate surroundings around the tower in game area, other cityscape in the skybox area.

Clipper

-The mapper's best friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did some analysis and yeah, it looks like it is easy to place objects in the incorrect place in the skybox.

 

If a human is 1.8m or 88 DRunits tall, then DR units are ~49 units/m.

 

Thus if you do a decent cityscape vistas, like the view from Uspenski cathedral, Helsinki:

lFj0QUV.jpg

 

The buildings shown are roughly 100m away in a nice long vista. Thus the object should be 4800 units away in in game geometry or 300 units away in skybox geometry.

Closer objects should probably be in the playing area.

 

Just throwing some rules of a thumb here to get a feel what the numbers should be like. For a hilltop church like the Uspenski, one would do

*Square play area of certain dimensions with border buildings in the play area rather than skybox.

*Check play area size and make a large skybox with a "play area dimensions"/16 forbidden zone in the middle of the skybox and then

*pepper 1/16 buildings into the skybox 300 units away from the play area.

 

That might probably work.

  • Like 1

Clipper

-The mapper's best friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would probably be easier to take photos like one you posted and create something with photoshop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Petike the Taffer

      I've finally managed to log in to The Dark Mod Wiki. I'm back in the saddle and before the holidays start in full, I'll be adding a few new FM articles and doing other updates. Written in Stone is already done.
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      TDM 15th Anniversary Contest is now active! Please declare your participation: https://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?/topic/22413-the-dark-mod-15th-anniversary-contest-entry-thread/
       
      · 0 replies
    • JackFarmer

      @TheUnbeholden
      You cannot receive PMs. Could you please be so kind and check your mailbox if it is full (or maybe you switched off the function)?
      · 1 reply
    • OrbWeaver

      I like the new frob highlight but it would nice if it was less "flickery" while moving over objects (especially barred metal doors).
      · 4 replies
    • nbohr1more

      Please vote in the 15th Anniversary Contest Theme Poll
       
      · 0 replies
×
×
  • Create New...