Architectural modeling tips?

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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby Shoggoth » Tue May 25, 2010 11:09 pm

Thanks a lot, guys. Believe me, I'm quite good at just walking away when I can't think of anything. :lol: tachzusamm, that site looks like it could be enormously useful. I'm already subscribed to a couple tutorial makers on Youtube, too.
I use the Ctrl key a lot to snap vertices together, actually. I guess I just need to keep better track of the angles between sections of my models (I know Blender's capable of displaying angles and lengths and such). I'm planning to take a CAD course in next spring as part of my university studies, too, so that may help. Unfortunately, I'm a guy who grew up interested in both art and science, who went the science route and is now wishing he hadn't... :)
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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby andylegate » Wed May 26, 2010 4:40 am

I use the extrude function a LOT.

Didn't used to when I first started out, and spent hours trying to line things up.

Model building in Max for me is a nightmare. You use layers of modifications, and I keep trying to use hot keys that I use in Blender..... :lol:

But then I noticed the other day while in Blender, I kept trying to navigate like you do in Max (hitting the "T" key for the top down view, or holding down the Alt key while using the mouse wheel button to pan around.. :roll: ).
"I'm still trying to find the plKey for Crud!"
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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby Perlenstern » Wed May 26, 2010 12:23 pm

Thank you for all these nice explainations. I think I have to use more time for my textures. Until this time I have used it in the original way, but you give me many ideas to make nicer textures.
Also thank you for uploading your work :)

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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby Shoggoth » Thu May 27, 2010 10:07 am

Incidentally, what's the best way to make a radially symmetrical building or object, like a lot of the areas in Gahreesen? Objects that aren't regular all the way around, but have overall symmetry? Making radially symmetric platforms with railings, like catwalk-type areas or balconies, also confuses me.
I would imagine Spin, SpinDup, or a creative use of the Array modifier, but I'm not sure...
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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby Jojon » Thu May 27, 2010 1:15 pm

Those would work.

For my part, I tend to do it the cumbersome way of manually extruding, or copying sections and do an axis-restricted rotation around the cursor, which has first been placed at the centre of the structure.
Macro recording would help, if we had it. (I believe there may actually be a script that provides it...)
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Re: Architectural modeling tips?

Postby past08 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:28 am

I've noticed that, while I'm pretty good at modeling organic objects like terrain, trees, etc., anything manmade tends to come out really bland. I look at Uru's environments, and the way that every room and building fits together just seems so much more intricate than anything I ever create. This seems to come down to three problems:

1) It's hard to come up with ideas for interesting-looking buildings. I've actually gotten a lot better at this just by looking at architecture online or in real life, though. This one isn't so much of a problem anymore.

2) Unusual shapes, like the Kadish pyramid or any of the Gahreesen interiors, are hard for me to assemble. I can come up with a concept, but when I try to model it, the pieces don't fit together the way I envisioned (verts don't line up, etc.) This may have to do with my self-taught, relatively naive modeling style; I don't know. It's especially difficult when modeling with the curve modifier, but that's still the best way I can come up with to make, for example, curving bay windows. I notice the perfect interlocking symmetry of more professional work and can only wonder how such things are done.

3) I tend to texture models using basic "metal type 1," "metal type 2," "stone," etc. kinds of images, which creates little visual interest even when an object has multiple materials. I'm teaching myself how to make more interesting texture designs in Photoshop, but I'm not sure how to organize the image for applying to a model. Most tutorials nowadays focus on making full 1:1 UV maps for whole models, with much higher resolutions than Uru uses (an unfortunate side effect of modding an older game, but oh well). How much texture information is typically used in a single image? I'm really wishing I knew how to make wall textures like those in the Ahra Pahts shells...

My problem, therefore, appears to be a lack of expertise in digital art in general. That's obviously not something anyone here can help me much with (although it would be much appreciated if you somehow could). Does anyone have any tips, though, for dealing with any of the above problems?


If you import some of Uru's Ages into Blender, you'll see that some of the models for buildings, walls, etc, while looking complex in game, are actually quite simple and low poly.
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