My Tree Model UE4 Implementation testing progress Report (ITPR) :)

So i did the some UE4 Implementation to see how the tree looks inside the engine with my current lighting setup, and I've noticed how bad the trees look, i think it's because i still need to work on shape and structure, Each main branch that holds leaves is a plane texture rendered from a high poly that's been curved so it's not flat and then painted on the main tree but the way it's been painted doesn't feel right, the branches are at the wrong angles and the flow is all over the place, so i'll be going back into the 3DS max to experiment with how i model the branches to get them looking more realistic and less, Clunky and rigid looking.

 I checked out one of epic's trees from the open world collection and they have textured 2-sided planes for branches that have been twisted and moved around, that have 2-sided leaves painted on them where leaves would actually grow. I think i might try the same and see how it goes.

If it comes to it, I might look into some official foliage tutorials from something like 3D motive to learn properly how to go about this, don't want to waste any more time trying to figure it out.  

Line

Some Progress

It's been text in my posts for awhile now so it's nice to have something to show.

The Tri-count atm is insane. So the next step is to figure out how i'm going to make the tree's look this good and better, maybe more full of leaves, and branches both dead and normal, without the insane Tri-count. This will most probably be done by rendering the 3d objects into a picture on a plane like i described before. I must admit, it's not going too bad for a first try on making a tree. Going to see if i can make each primary branch fork out on a wider radius for the illusion of a more full tree. Will see how it goes.

Edit: Might take a look at colours and brighten them up a bit, Seems to dark and dull in comparison to the Reference i'm using, where the leaves are a lot brighter.

Back to Work

So Christmas and New Years is over, Been a busy couple of weeks with family and such but it's now time to isolate myself permanently from all sources of human interaction to get some work done.

I took the time also to study trees a bit more so i can familiarize myself with there shapes and structures and realized that branches and the main core section out into 4-5 parts ending with leaves as the 5th or 6th from smaller twigs. all splitting from the beginning getting smaller and smaller.

My next Phase will be Getting Branches and Leaves on the tree in a way that seems random.

So to do this....

First i'll be modelling simple Branch planes with splitting branches on either side, i'll do a few in various lengths and sizes for variety.

Once I've done that, i'll get a basic leaf from the internet in high res, and re color it multiple times in the autumn theme so it's not just one plane color, set it up for integration with alpha's and such, and import ready to place on a 2-sided plane. i can then paint the leaves with the object painter on the multiple branches i have, with multiple selected leaves in various shades of orange and red for that autumn look.

Obviously...this is insanely un-optimized, having a tree with a gazillion leaves and branches as separate objects and planes rendering at the same time is not efficient and no game ever does it.

So the final plan will be to render the branches once they are painted with leaves into an alpha'd image and have the render placed on a 2D plane with ambient occlusion maps and bump mapping baked in, i can then paint the planes onto the tree. I may duplicate planes and rotate so they seem more full but hopefully this in the end will turn out great, will have to wait and see.

Solved Problem?

So today i was thinking about ways to improve my workflow to decrease time to an amount acceptable in the games industry, because now it clearly isn't. A mesh and texture realistically should only take a day or two for a professional and that's the standard i'm aiming for. 

Unfortunately, my time at university didn't allow me the diversity needed in this current day, where knowledge of real life reference like a tree, car or mountain wasn't attained.

Therefore i'm forced to do it now in pivotal situations, However, the problem that i may have solved is in regards to having multiple UV sets for a tree so the UV maps can be bigger resulting in higher texture resolution. 

Quixel does not accept one complete model with multiple Uv sets however it does support a series of grouped meshes, therefore allowing bigger UV maps for each. If i were to detach the branches and separate the mesh into multiple, and then group them up that would not cause an issue because the seams then presented are no different from the ones visible with a individual mesh.

This is because the only way i know how to uv map a tree is to un-stitch the separate branches attached to the main trunk, and Pelt them. It would be possible to then, in photoshop get rid of the seams by tiling a texture that has been cut out in the form of a uv though, which i may attempt with the use of spot healing and Cloning. 

So hopefully this new idea will work out well, and i can have a high res tree that doesn't require 8k textures to look good, Even though i can't seem to attain that resolution from anywhere, would be nice though :D 

More Tree!!!

This week has mainly been about finishing up Uv Mapping and starting and finishing the texturing Phase.

Unfortunetely i've run into a few problems this week, errors with Quixel, when starting a new project with imported maps that put me on hold, which are usually solved by changing imported formats from something like Jpeg to TGA, silly stuff, and when Importing a mesh from FBX the Mesh is all flat and distorted and is solved by importing the mesh as an OBJ file instead, which leads to my next problem.

I want to import and texture a mesh with 2 uv channels so the uv maps can be bigger on each, giving crispier textures for the tree. However, i can't seem to get that to work because of the latter, and even then, i can't seem to figure out how to select and texture individual uv channels on quixel, if it actually supports that which apparently it does when stated in this forum

Post.http://polycount.com/discussion/150862/answered-multi-uv-sets-capabilities

The guy says it's possible but the obj file has to have saved different groups within. But i can't do that on a single mesh unless i detach and separate the mesh into different groups. Don't really wan't to do that. Just want multiple UV channels to texture in Quixel without having to detach elements from the main mesh.

Was hoping this kind of stuff wouldn't halt me too much but it has, and i'm merely just getting a texture set up and normal Mapped but here are some Pictures of where am at so far.

I was originally going for a smooth pine Texture tree that has the horizontal wrapped flow but i might have to settle for this, can't keep spending too much time trying to perfect small things. Gotta get this done as well as learn as i go.

Might have to move straight onto the leaves and branches to put onto the tree. With planes.
 

Asset:

Tree:

Thus begineth the modelling.

My first asset will be the victim in the picture.  

I'm still deciding whether to model a variety of tree's similar to this or stick with one model with a variety of leaf and texture's differences such as color and age defining textures.

Anyhow, Uv Mapping can be a pain if not done right.

Only way i know how to do it is by splitting a part the base trunks and pelting all the parts individually,

I'm hoping i can cover up the texture seams in Quixel somehow.  

Will have to wait and see. 

                                                                                                       

 

Environment:
Ue4:

Basic Prototype Sculpt of the terrain is done with imported Vehicle blueprint.
I've added a landscape spline with a default road and random texture to test the feel of the road of done before getting to deep into the environments looks. 

I will be able to work as i go along on the terrain based on the reference i have but i can't spend too much time sculpting even though i could spend all day doing it.

Gotta do assets now, once they are done it's a matter of placement and painting nature randomly onto the terrain. not random enough for it to not look similar to Usui pass though :)