Post by: selmiak on 24 Sep 2017, 12:37
with the release of blender 2.79 (https://www.blender.org/) this free piece of software is getting better and better and there is no better time to start getting into blender than now (great, this line always works, I just have to update the blender version number :D). More and more AGSers are using blender, myself included, so think of this thread as a place to share your blender artworks aside from the critiques longe, a place to ask questions about blender, no matter if for your game backgrounds, lighting, or just some animation you do beside gamemaking and as a place to share and read about interesting tricks and shortcut for using blender.
Buckethead wrote a blender plugin to automate exporting gfx for AGS games:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=56207.0
https://github.com/Sanderdl/AGS_Tools
The new denoising feature for the cycles render engine is absolutely awesome. As the name hints at it denoises the resulting rendered image a lot.
jump to #1:30 in the video to see the comparison!
blender is getting better at aniating 2d as well with v2.79, just look at this video demonstrating the many uses of the grease pencil and cool distortion maps over images and smooth interpolation of these.
https://vimeo.com/channels/greasepencil
Post by: selmiak on 26 Mar 2018, 09:22
and the 19kb of python code are free! But you are encouraged to give the author some money if it really helps you.
https://gumroad.com/l/cQjUX
Do you use any interesting addons for blender? I wouldn't mind updating the first post with all kind of interesting and useful blender addons and other blender related stuff for people new to blender.
Post by: KyriakosCH on 26 Mar 2018, 11:59
One of my own creations, the Hagia Sophia:
(https://i.imgur.com/FO1PwYg.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/LiPXOt9.png)
Post by: selmiak on 29 Mar 2018, 20:09
just some 3d doodle in blender :)
36 frames.
0 ideas how to use that in a game 8-) :-D
Post by: KyriakosCH on 29 Mar 2018, 20:13
Post by: selmiak on 29 Mar 2018, 20:20
Post by: KyriakosCH on 29 Mar 2018, 21:40
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Haeckel_Stephoidea_edit.jpg/721px-Haeckel_Stephoidea_edit.jpg)
Post by: selmiak on 29 Mar 2018, 21:47
Post by: Darth Mandarb on 30 Mar 2018, 13:10
I still cannot understand how it's free but I'm not complaining.
I mentioned it in another thread here (can't seem to find it) but once you get over the interface hurdle, which is substantial, it's an amazing and powerful program.
Here are a few examples of things I was able to do really quickly:
(https://i.imgur.com/ASYLl5v.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/4tDfVCN.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NVjjRlj.png)
(still very WIP)
Post by: selmiak on 30 Mar 2018, 17:23
Post by: lorenzo on 30 Mar 2018, 17:25
Here are a few examples of things I was able to do really quicklyGreat images, Darth!
Post by: Ali on 30 Mar 2018, 18:28
(https://i.imgur.com/k0dnoRr.jpg)
Post by: ManicMatt on 31 Mar 2018, 13:38
While I'm nowhere near your levels, I did learn how to use Blender purely to render a city, with a zeppelin and cars etc, for my music video.
Because Because - Inferno (https://youtu.be/gcoyIDSrPvw)
Post by: Darth Mandarb on 31 Mar 2018, 14:14
this is great stuff Darth. Such a fluffy towel! Is the NES Controller rendered in blender render or cycles?
Definitely cycles! I don't remember the sample count but it's probably around 600. I find little difference in render quality between 600 and 1000. Just takes longer.
...But I never seem to create any finished scenes.
I am all too familiar with that! Still impressive in its unfinished state. The metals are particularly pretty!
While I'm nowhere near your levels, I did learn how to use Blender purely to render...
Still pretty impressive! Did you have fun making it?
Post by: ManicMatt on 31 Mar 2018, 14:36
I wanted more moving cameras but it would take forever to render just a still on my 2014 laptop! Still, I achieved what I had set out to do! My music has also improved immensely from the days when Helm was a forum regular and didn't hold back on his opinion of my music haha. He was harsh but made constructive criticism amongst the mean words, so I did take something from it.
Post by: KyriakosCH on 31 Mar 2018, 20:28
https://gumroad.com/byzantinemaker
Currently there is only the Holy Apostles byzantine church (the one in Thessalonica, Greece), which isn't free, but in the future i will upload a few free ones ;)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 16 Apr 2018, 17:43
Post by: selmiak on 21 Apr 2018, 21:50
I should learn how to code python into blender just to cut up an actual movie and arrange all the single frames onto that arraycurve too... maybe not :-D
still playing around with the colors and ambient lights...
Post by: KyriakosCH on 22 Apr 2018, 14:29
I don't know how to do that. (never used 2d shapes as a start; i'd edit a 3d one to go 2, then manually alter it further, but never used the set curves)
Post by: Mouth for war on 23 Apr 2018, 21:36
Here's a flag I did with the wind force tool for example. Not super amazing but still quite nice :D (Sorry for the gif quality)
(https://i.imgur.com/LncA4as.gif)
Here's a pretty cool animation with a dragon I did as well
(https://i.imgur.com/uTr7C12.gif)
and something toony!
(https://i.imgur.com/SBup2Gh.gif)
Post by: Slasher on 24 Apr 2018, 19:25
Post by: selmiak on 25 Apr 2018, 15:04
but it's for the very old blender 2.56 version, current is 2.79b with 2.8 soon to arrive.
Post by: Ali on 25 Apr 2018, 15:17
This version runs on 2.76.
Post by: selmiak on 04 May 2018, 13:36
blender now has an addon for FLIP Fluids. And it looks amazing!
and sadly it costs money. 76$ for lots of wet fun...
Post by: Darth Mandarb on 04 May 2018, 18:05
Blender's native Mantaflow does use, as I understand it, the FLIP model but this add-on is supposed to be much better (faster and easier to use).
I'm just not sure it's nearly $100 better!
Post by: dactylopus on 04 May 2018, 18:27
Post by: KyriakosCH on 04 May 2018, 20:27
Also clearly a work-in-progress, but seemingly more up-to-date: http://blendercam.blogspot.co.uk/
This version runs on 2.76.
Iirc v2.76 is the last one to run on OpenGL 2.1?
(cause i think i use that one in this computer; was using 2.79 in the other one, whose card just about died)
Post by: ToxicTuba on 30 Jun 2018, 22:07
Post by: kurzal on 01 Jul 2018, 08:34
(https://i.imgur.com/6zX4VMe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2Px0ZHH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qWgLuOE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/c6cQzOK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/x9F8cnk.jpg)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 01 Jul 2018, 09:10
Post by: kurzal on 05 Jul 2018, 06:42
Just tried to simulate pixel art in Blender. What do you think? ;)
Post by: selmiak on 05 Jul 2018, 16:04
Looks interesting. But somehow it looks as if the character has smaller pixels than the background, these mixed pixel ratios are not a lot like pixelart.
@huge images:
That low poly look is great, but maybe some more subsurf on that vespa and the characters could also work. for the island the low poly look is really fitting, but then the rough ground texture on the left stands out as odd. And why such low samplecount, it looks very noisy. the modeling and presentation and such of the low poly models is ace :-D
Post by: ToxicTuba on 06 Aug 2018, 05:33
use the mouse to pan around and the +/- keys on the numpad to zoom. As my channel is small, youtube seems to not deliver the needed high quality for the second animation, reload it in HD if it is too blocky and filled with artifacts. LOL, 4000x2000 pixels resolution ;-D 8-)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 18 Aug 2018, 14:16
Cause i started a series on modeling specific/intricate shapes, and could post on that. Eg my first tutorial is on creating a pendentive form in 4 steps. :)
(https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/14171901.png)
Post by: Darth Mandarb on 18 Aug 2018, 17:20
Post by: KyriakosCH on 18 Aug 2018, 18:44
I'd say this thread is the perfect place for posting tutorials for blender.
Ok!...
Here is a tutorial i wrote, about how to easily create a Pendentive shape, in four steps ;)
https://hubpages.com/technology/What-is-a-Pendentive-form-and-how-to-3d-model-it
Tutorial also informs you what a pendentive is (and how it is used (laugh) ). It is a highly Byzantine design.
(https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/14171899.png)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 23 Aug 2018, 17:20
https://hubpages.com/technology/How-to-3d-model-a-Byzantine-styled-octagonal-Dome
Includes some info on how to model the octagon manually (if your program doesn't do it automatically; Blender does it, but it is always good to know the ratio of length to width for modeling such simple forms out of other primitives...).
Post by: Retro Wolf on 14 Sep 2018, 11:20
(https://s20.postimg.cc/5e6qn42gt/shipss.png)
Best to listen to the Frontier Elite 2 intro music while looking at it!
Post by: KyriakosCH on 14 Sep 2018, 12:09
Nice :)
Post by: Cassiebsg on 14 Sep 2018, 15:49
Keep it on. :-D
Post by: KyriakosCH on 21 Sep 2018, 23:55
Hopefully this will be of use := The great Sept is mostly Byzantine in style. The tutorials follow the same format as those I did for purely Byzantine buildings…
The first one should allow you to end up with something like this:
(https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/d/1/a/d1ab0b16992421edaf1850024ffb4a25de744d9a.jpeg)
My tutorial is at https://hubpages.com/art/How-to-3d-model-the-Great-Sept-of-Baelor-from-Game-of-Thrones
Post by: Phemar on 22 Sep 2018, 09:17
Create your object, and set the origin to the center of the circle you want it to spin around. Now create an empty axis at the object's origin. Add an 'array' modifier to your object, and set offset to 'object offset' and choose the empty as your target object. Now change the count to 32 or however many you need, and rotate the empty by
Easy, and all changes made to the original object will be reflected to the rest of them too.
Post by: KyriakosCH on 22 Sep 2018, 09:21
I might suggest an easier method for working with objects in a ring.
Create your object, and set the origin to the center of the circle you want it to spin around. Now create an empty axis at the object's origin. Add an 'array' modifier to your object, and set offset to 'object offset' and choose the empty as your target object. Now change the count to 32 or however many you need, and rotate the empty by (count/360).
Easy, and all changes made to the original object will be reflected to the rest of them too.
+1
Indeed ^_^ I do plan to look at this method cause it saves a lot of time and is more elegant...
That said, for a tutorial meant for Blender neophytes I am not sure if it would be a good option. It will be great for myself (some experience with Blender, though not an expert) to work with, though!
Post by: Cassiebsg on 22 Sep 2018, 10:13
Post by: selmiak on 22 Sep 2018, 10:13
Post by: Phemar on 22 Sep 2018, 10:37
But you'd rotate the empty by 360/count and not the other way around ;)
That is very true, my bad. I'd just woken up :/
Post by: KyriakosCH on 22 Sep 2018, 12:42
So you mean that is better to "teach" someone a hack practice, rather than the correct and easiest mode of doing things? (roll)
I take it you speak as a user of Blender and capable in it, right? Cause hack sort of is someone who is useless or clueless at something 8-)
As for myself, I have been modeling highly intricate buildings for many years now.
Post by: Jack on 22 Sep 2018, 13:49
(I'll try to find something I can post)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 22 Sep 2018, 14:04
I wish some people would not try to antagonize so much (let alone without any knowledge of Blender) cause it is boring me ;)
Post by: Cassiebsg on 22 Sep 2018, 14:50
You the one making tutorials to teach others. If you want to teach others, fine, but when someone tells you a better way to place 32 circles/cylinders by using a polar array, you should thank them for point it out. Then spend the 5 minutes that takes to learn it, and update your tutorial... not just say "for Blender neophytes I am not sure if it would be a good option."
Post by: KyriakosCH on 22 Sep 2018, 15:14
Anyway, i am aware that i am dealing with greatness here, but maybe i should return to posting Blender stuff. And don't worry, indeed you don't have to prove anything to me; i don't give a crap about what you do, Cassie.
Current state of the model:
(https://i.imgur.com/7TtETiW.png)
Post by: Jack on 22 Sep 2018, 17:49
Anyway, i am aware that i am dealing with greatness here
Many have underestimated the AGS Blender Nerds to their peril, young one.
Post by: Ali on 23 Sep 2018, 01:28
Cassiebsg used "hack" in the programming sense of "an effective but inelegant solution", which is not usually intended to be insulting.
Post by: Cassiebsg on 23 Sep 2018, 12:56
Post by: KyriakosCH on 23 Sep 2018, 18:16
(https://i.imgur.com/38Gcf2H.png)
Likely to finish writing the second part of the tutorial in a couple of days.
Post by: KyriakosCH on 12 Oct 2018, 22:59
Closer to being completed :)
Post by: Jack on 28 Oct 2018, 20:27
(http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_StationSmall.jpg) (http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_StationLarge.jpg)
(http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_planetSmall.jpg)
The sunlight in the station shot needs to be doubled.
Post by: selmiak on 29 Oct 2018, 18:50
The earth is cool. If you want to improve it, check gleb alexandrov's space tutorials, but they are mostly paid tutorials...
Post by: Phemar on 17 Nov 2018, 05:57
(https://i.imgur.com/rnyCFD0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1H9E89C.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rngQUvS.jpg)
Post by: Cassiebsg on 17 Nov 2018, 12:42
But since this is the blender thread... what did you use to render it with and why did you choose it over Blender? ;)
Post by: Buckethead on 17 Nov 2018, 15:16
Post by: Jack on 17 Nov 2018, 20:03
Post by: selmiak on 18 Nov 2018, 10:33
Looks great Phemar (nod)probably for a game, so he chose some gameengine like unity or unreal engine...
But since this is the blender thread... what did you use to render it with and why did you choose it over Blender? ;)
Post by: Phemar on 18 Nov 2018, 16:43
Post by: Cassiebsg on 18 Nov 2018, 17:57
Neat. (nod)
Post by: selmiak on 21 Nov 2018, 19:50
Lucas Falcao made an Skin Shader Study (https://gumroad.com/l/skinstudy) 8-0
Post by: Jack on 22 Nov 2018, 00:55
I fiddled with the planet some more, giving it some needed detail. I'll probably use it like this.
EDIT: This tutorial goes into a lot of detail and achieves a comparable effect (though it sounds like the guy above might have a simpler setup using the principled shader): A Realistic PBR Skin with Subsurface Scattering in cycles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_kl5UgPIhE).
Post by: Jack on 28 Nov 2018, 20:19
EDIT: Some more work. Just a quick nude public selfie. We've all been there.
EDIT: A little more definition for the iris.
(http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_womanFace2.jpg)
*plugs in 3D printer*
Post by: Jack on 08 Dec 2018, 00:05
(http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_womanFace4.jpg)
EDIT: But that doesn't show off the texture of the skin at all really so here is a quick render that does. The next step I would like to take is to adjust the masks for the face to make some areas smoother, like the ears.
(http://techtroupe.net/content/sec_womanFace5.jpg)
Post by: Jack on 03 Feb 2019, 20:02
(http://techtroupe.net/posted/sec_womanFace7.jpg)
Post by: selmiak on 03 Feb 2019, 20:34
The area with the eyes needs some improvements, the eyebrows and the eyelashes both look strange. Are the eyebrows even hair or a texture? And the eyes are too damned dark inside, where there are shadows in the eyes should be white, reflection and some small veins.
Post by: Jack on 03 Feb 2019, 21:49
Post by: on 04 Feb 2019, 21:13
I'm going to give it a Japanese manga style (which I like so much).
(https://www.foro3d.com/attachments/227093d1537564974-chica-estilo-manga-zremanga.gif)
(https://www.foro3d.com/attachments/227206d1539555346-chica-estilo-manga-untitled.png)
(https://www.foro3d.com/attachments/227746d1546530996-chica-estilo-manga-gesto1.png)
Post by: Jack on 04 Feb 2019, 22:19
Post by: on 10 Feb 2019, 11:00
Post by: Jack on 10 Feb 2019, 14:07
Post by: on 10 Feb 2019, 19:31
The engine to render that I use the Cycles. I use the gpu (GTX 750) which is faster than the cpu (i5 4460).
Post by: Retro Wolf on 18 Feb 2019, 18:58
(https://i.postimg.cc/VLbK6bH6/ren.png)
http://pixologic.com/sculptris/
Post by: Retro Wolf on 03 Mar 2019, 21:48
Always wanted to make an isometric strategy game, here's a biodome sprite!
Post by: Jack on 03 Mar 2019, 22:17
Remember to include this guy:
(http://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9s0oylfm21qz4w1go1_400.png)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 24 Mar 2019, 11:03
Recently found out Blender can do everything Sculptris can, so what's the point? (laugh)
Always wanted to make an isometric strategy game, here's a biodome sprite!
Nice :)
I am considering creating an isometric strategy too. Byzantine-themed ^_^
Here is an aztec city set i made with Blender (in-game pic from CivilizationIII)
(https://i.imgur.com/2WdQ03z.png)
Post by: Retro Wolf on 24 Mar 2019, 14:12
Post by: KyriakosCH on 25 Mar 2019, 16:02
Which should not at all deter you, though. You should fiddle around with the lighting setting and the res setting (i use 800-1000 render samples, but even 500 will do in most cases for isometric).
For lighting i use a simple lamp, set to contrast/brightness, with brightness=0, contrast (usually) 18.0 and strength at around 4.0.
Obviously always use Cycles render!
Post by: Retro Wolf on 26 Mar 2019, 21:00
Post by: KyriakosCH on 26 Mar 2019, 21:39
I appreciate the starting tips.
Your first building already looks very stylish, i am sure if you keep at it you will be awesome in blender at no time :cool:
Post by: Jack on 30 Mar 2019, 11:33
Do you have a specific setup with materials, shadows, lighting, or rendering settings when you make your isometric sprites? Obviously I already know about the orthographic camera.
I got a bit of a cartoony feel from my sprites in Fists of Murder by using a generous plain environment light with a sharp (small) sun lamp. The environment light lights most of the model and then the sun lamp provides simplified and clear shadows. Not sure if this is what you're after but I think it will work for this and look good. I think the sprites kyrkiros posted in critics lounge would look better with this method (but I won't be sharing it).
Post by: Retro Wolf on 30 Mar 2019, 15:46
Post by: Jack on 02 Apr 2019, 20:50
(http://techtroupe.net/posted/sec_womanFace9.jpg)
Post by: ToxicTuba on 14 Apr 2019, 00:13
Post by: Jack on 21 Apr 2019, 17:09
(http://techtroupe.net/posted/steampunk_launcher.jpg)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 24 Apr 2019, 01:48
(https://i.imgur.com/CGNeoPR.png)
The buildings are based on the following:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSIzxRD8EVrl_47ib6YWmZJNh6DqKTAmJOpMgJBzSOZMQXYYnwb)
(https://blogs.sch.gr/4gymevos/files/2015/01/kigg-pic13.jpg)
Post by: KyriakosCH on 06 May 2019, 01:06
(https://i.imgur.com/JcSql9j.png)
Post by: Jack on 03 Aug 2019, 21:45
Post by: eri0o on 03 Aug 2019, 22:56
Post by: Darth Mandarb on 20 Aug 2019, 19:15
I just finished (well almost finished) this model and figured I'd share.
I'm pretty happy with it. I used 2k textures which kill it when you get too close but you have to get pretty close.
(https://i.imgur.com/vdFea4R.png)
FULL SIZE (https://i.imgur.com/vdFea4R.png)
I had a lot of fun with this... next I'm going to work on an AT-AT to practice some rigging.
Post by: Jack on 20 Aug 2019, 20:01
Post by: Cassiebsg on 20 Aug 2019, 20:25
Post by: Matti on 28 Aug 2019, 09:22
Post by: Babar on 28 Aug 2019, 17:11
Post by: KyriakosCH on 01 Sep 2019, 01:22
(https://i.imgur.com/lSDNziR.gif)
Post by: Buckethead on 23 Sep 2019, 18:13
It's the best Blender version so far but still a lot feels unwieldy because I'm not used to doing it this way. I was able to make this animation though:
Post by: Cassiebsg on 23 Sep 2019, 18:26
Post by: Jack on 28 Sep 2019, 20:54
Post by: Ali on 29 Sep 2019, 02:29
(https://i.imgur.com/DUAvQB1.gif)
Post by: Retro Wolf on 17 Apr 2020, 12:36
https://www.youtube.com/user/mrdodobird/videos
Post by: Jack on 27 Apr 2020, 19:16
(http://techtroupe.net/posted/8die.jpg)
Post by: Crimson Wizard on 27 Apr 2020, 22:25
My first acquaintance with Blender was not a very good one. All I needed was to model a "basket": a conic shape with a conic hole drilled through it. It took me about 30 minutes of googling and trying to find out how to cut a hole in object with another object, which eventually I did by clicking a button on a 8th tab of a 5th panel in the window, or something like that. Needless to say, I disliked Blender very much.
About a month ago selmiak posted this challenge video on AGS Discord, where an experienced guy models 10 low-poly cars in 10 minutes:
I was so fascinated, not only by how fast the guy works, but by how fluid and effortless it looks like to do simple models with combination of mouse and keyboard shortcuts. Also, he sais everything he does and has his key presses recorded on screen, making it possible to follow what he's doing step by step.
So I challenged myself to learn by repeating everything he does. There were few hickups where I had to enable some extensions in Blender first, and learn how to enable few settings (for instance, for auto mirroring), but eventually I managed to produce 1 car in maybe 3 hours total :) but it was great fun.
(https://i.imgur.com/AztSZZg.png)
Post by: Cassiebsg on 27 Apr 2020, 23:11
You have moved to the
Post by: Jack on 06 Sep 2020, 21:23
Post by: Mandle on 07 Sep 2020, 13:50
Post by: KyriakosCH on 07 Sep 2020, 14:59
Post by: Jack on 19 Sep 2020, 13:27
(http://techtroupe.net/posted/oceanview.jpg)
Post by: Cassiebsg on 19 Sep 2020, 13:49
The water looks a bit "plastic" to me though.
Mountains look okay, but they're too far away to give other comment.
Composition of the scene is relaxing. :)