Planet Postmoderna Blog

Well, with the help of someone on the Multiverse forums, I have been trying for the last 3 hours to tackle the challenge of getting the collision volumes for our Dome Model to work. There is a special process for creating them and exporting them to be converted into the format that Multiverse uses to make a physics file.

I have been trying to reproduce the process with the help of a friend on the forums but it just won’t come out right. It is driving me nuts.

When using 3dsMax, it seems pretty straight forward but I am exporting these models that were generated in Blender. The process is totally different. I seem to be missing something.

I want to get this to work though because future team members on this project may not have access to tools like Maya or 3dsMax and the price is always right with Blender (free). It is a great application too in spite of that.

I will try again tomorrow or the next day.

Here are are some screens of the 3D models within the initial Mail Hall from the Visitor’s Center in Vastpark.  Matic Mirnik and Ray Allen did most of the initial work on the models.  The shots displayed below are examples of the image maps of the models.

At the first stage, Ray took the layout and concept art and constructed the base models using Blender.  Most of the models were a little higher-poly than we needed.  Matic took the models and scaled them down to get the overall scene poly count total to 4000.

Main Hall Models

After that he unwrapped the models and did some additional radiosity work on some of the models (eg. display screens, etc) then took these shots.

View of center room

This is a view of the center of the room.  In the foreground are some couches and tables.  In the center is a column where a statue will be fitted.  We are entertaining the idea of making the statue a holographic image.   The center column is also surrounded bu several interactive screens.

One of the corner columns and bar area

Here is a shot of one of the corner columns and the main bar areas.  Most of the walls will have interactive pictures on them where we will be able to showcase works by real world artists.

View of one of the exits

Foyer Bay Window area

One of the overhead screens

I have spent the the last week tweaking models (poly counts, texture types, etc). This weekend I have more to do on the side of working out visual guides within the Base Camp POI. This is really the first adventure point in the Postmoderna story.

We have gotten to the point of reducing the size of the area to 2 terrain tiles and surrounded these with a background to give the illusion of distance. This was a great suggestion by one of our artists, Jeff Schreuder. We could effectively convey the story and purpose within this smaller area. Ironically, it really isn’t that small. Its 700m x 1400m in walking size.

I hope to work on two of the model placard terminals (used to note the artists and purpose of the model) and begin work on the “story and guide” placards. These will be used to guide visitors within the Base Camp zone and to tell the story. I am still fleshing out how I will lay them out and toying with the idea of numbering them so visitors have to seek out the sequential placard.

I speant some time working on the render that Ray Allen did of the lower level of the Zilthai temple.   This is an area that has been untouched for centuries.  It will eventually be discovered by exploration teams on Postmoderna.   This is of course, after they successfully can get through the challenges that lay before them and before they ever reach this point.

Zilthai Temple Lower Level

In the concept you can see that the walls and pillars are made of polished stone, much like the massive slabs that litter the landscape above.  The glyphs and highlights are aglow from the luminous energy of the native crystals found in Crystal Canyon.

We are working on a temple for the lost peoples/race of this world. Planet Postmoderna is home of a race that influenced many of the lost civilizations on Earth. Here is a movie of the initial conept of the interior of this part of the temple.

Ray Allen did a very good job on this one.  It will need to be refined and this would definitely be an area that is deep inside and untouched.

Click here to view it: Lost Temple

Zilthai Temple Interior

Notes: Temple of the Zilthai
Zilthai is a Hebrew name. It means “Shadow of God.”