Detailed city project

Pingyao · #1 Posted **Mar 8, 2011, 5:57 PM**

Another year, another project. Sta Fee is on hold, I've lost a lot of my motivation for it and fancied a change. I've been playing around with a much more detailed city (and obviously much smaller), but I want to really focus on quality rather than quantity and also concentrate on individual buildings and architecture rather than town planning.

So I introduce the beginnings of an un-named city. At present it comprises just a single building and a few street furniture details, but eventually I plan a number of detailed blocks. It has fully textured roads and paving, plus some reasonably decent trees. It will also have vehicles and street furniture. I'm still using textures, although they will be high res as opposed to Sta Fee's that were definitely not high res (one of the major gripes with that city). The buildings will also have more detailed.

The overall effect I'm hoping to get is a more lived in city. I want it to be grimey and unperfect. New York is the main inspiration here and I'm using a lot of my own photos from my visit last year for inspiration.

Anyway thats all to come, there ain't much yet. This is also going to be a much slower project than previous. Don't expect many updates, I even debated starting this thread, but thought it good to share my ideas. Comments as always very welcome.

Tolbert · #2 Posted **Mar 9, 2011, 5:31 AM**

Looks good so far

Pingyao · #3 Posted **Mar 9, 2011, 5:12 PM**

Thanks Tolbert.

Some more renders from a few weeks back.

I have begun creating my own tiled textures - crucial when dealing with high res imagery. The brickwork shows how close I can now get to the model. I'm hoping most of the renders will be from a street level perspective, so proximity of textures requires a high level of detail. Sta Fee on the other hand was completely the opposite with frustrating post pro work to mask ugly textures on the facades in particular and a very dodgy ground texture. With this city the roads will be made in sections again to a high level of detail avoiding such issues.

Detail of low rise comercial building to become an auto repair business.

Tolbert · #4 Posted **Mar 9, 2011, 7:43 PM**

Your textures are great, even in this early state the city looks really promising

searstower17 · #5 Posted **Mar 11, 2011, 12:34 AM**

YES! You're finally back Pingyao and I'm so excited for your new project!!!

Pingyao · #6 Posted **Mar 11, 2011, 12:32 PM**

Thanks fellas!

A test render with palm trees. I said previously it would be inspired by New York, although I'm now thinking more tropical in nature (palm trees are less render heavy that good old deciduous trees.)

Mass produced public seating!

Tolbert · #7 Posted **Mar 11, 2011, 5:00 PM**

Nice Palm trees

I like your public seating, but i would give em a more segmented wooden texture.
The current one looks either carved out in a whole (to much trees to die for one

) or completely artificial...

Pingyao · #8 Posted **Mar 12, 2011, 7:01 PM**

Thanks Tolbert. True comment regarding the seats. I've made a new texture for them with reversed textured segments, hopefully to improve the appearance.

Some more test renders of the palm trees (tree models credited to http://www.exchange3d.com & http://www.flyingarchitecture.com) I hate modelling trees! A cheat I know, but it means it frees me up to model the city architecture and infrastructure.

A bit more detail added to the apartment block entrance

Pingyao · #9 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 2:48 PM**

So I have now begun modelling a traffic light. This is directly based of NYC traffic light details. First render shows the basic post and arm detail.

Detail showing the 'walk/dont walk' signs housing and connection to the post

huggkruka · #10 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 5:07 PM**

This looks like a nice opportunity to create some nice grit! Looks sweet so far, but I really need to set my mind to this being a "small" city, not like the earlier insane-sized projects.

NYCLuver · #11 Posted **Mar 14, 2011, 7:51 PM**

Amazing as always, can't wait to see some more.

Pingyao · #12 Posted **Mar 16, 2011, 2:25 PM**

Ped 'walk/dont walk' sign completed.

The basic traffic light is now done. Each set of traffic lights will have interchangable road name signs which will correlate to the actual street map.

Flamesrule · #13 Posted **Mar 16, 2011, 7:37 PM**

Great detail! You model everything like the street lights and everything?

Pingyao · #14 Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 8:48 AM**

Yep everything - all street furniture. The only thing I'm not modelling are the trees, which are just so labour intensive, so I'm using free use models.

philvia · #15 Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 1:11 AM**

the detail and textures in that traffic light are really nice! i wonder if it'll be made public... a SSP exclusive? hmmm

Pingyao · #16 Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 2:00 PM**

Thanks, I did release textures for my previous project. With this one its harder, as some are edited versions of textures from CG textures and Mayangs so partial credit must go to them. Others I have swiped of photos and web imagery, plus quite a few that are original creations, so its hard to keep track. I don't foresee releasing them publicly due to copyright issues, however if you are interested in a particular texture I could send you that.

Traffic light update - This is view showing alternative signage layout.

The completed model. Ready for copying into the city model.

Vellu · #17 Posted **Mar 19, 2011, 11:54 AM**

The detail on the traffic light is stunning! The textures are great and have nice grit. Only exception is the street name sign, since its modeled, not textured. Maybe you could add a procedural to it to give it a "worn out" look (I don't know, if C4D has procedurals).

This will be one hell of a city!

Pingyao · #18 Posted **Mar 21, 2011, 10:27 AM**

Thanks Vellu, Yeah I meant to add a grime layer in photoshop and forgot. For the other street signs I'll try and remember.

Here's the traffic lights in situ. I have bastardised the standard lights into smaller sets for the side streets which will mainly be 2 lanes wide. The named avenues will be 4-6 lanes, so require the cable hung sets.

Tolbert · #19 Posted **Mar 21, 2011, 3:52 PM**

The detail is really amazing! Cant wait for new buildings

guyFROMtheBURGH · #20 Posted **Mar 21, 2011, 6:55 PM**

First, let me start off by saying, AMAZING detail. I'm so looking forward to some modern buildings with this detail! The light signal poles are sweet!

However, I wanted to help you out about your crosswalk signals. They are supposed to be pointing to the other side of the street so the peds know when to walk or not walk. Just thought I'd help ya out!