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#1 Yes, the video is very smooth, the artwork is amazing, and the music just fits.

If you are doing ruins are you going to have textures for the ruins for when they looked new? The reason is some areas/ruins may get restored by people at a later date. It could also make it so that you can show phases in the game of things new then later destroyed/aged.

#2 Frank,

Not a bad idea. I could use them as skins. Thanks! I will give it a go.

Ron

#3 Your stuff is always beautiful and top-notch.

#4 Hi Ron, looks good. Especially interested in the custom particle effects you mentioned.

There are kits for explosions and the like, but I haven't seen any for the more environmental style effects like falling leaves for trees/bushes, or relevant footpuffs for grass and the like.

Better smoke and fire effects will be welcome. Looking forward to seeing the kit.

Cheers

#5 fantastic!

#6 This ruins looking great!
Some models( the columnar ) could have a bit more polygons, so they looks more rounded. Maybe one more LOD level with more polygons for near view. But that is just my opinion :)
I really like the plants at top of the columnar. A idea for a ruin could be some thing with a cave.

Best wishes for this pack

#7 Nice work Ron, I'm very interested.

#8 @Joshua,

I already have several particle systems for flying leaves and things like that and they are going to be included in this pack. I plan on mostly environmental effects since as you stated, there are several really good packs for explosions and such already.

@ Everyone,

Thanks! Glad you like the preview. The final will be adjusted of course but, this was just to let everyone peek at what I have done so far.

Ron

#9 Great looking pack ron,is your tropical pack update uploaded yet i dont see it in my products page.

#10 Looking good Ron! Are most of the columns and "rubble" pieces going to be separate?

Something else to throw on your plate; We need some good rocks. You know, boulders, cave entrances, stalagmites and stalactites, that sort of thing. From 1 meter to about 10 meter sizes, probably 4 or 6 that can be scaled without looking funny.

I've been thinking of making modular cave pieces sized to T3D's 1m grid so that they can be "snapped" together in the editor....

#11 @David, nope not yet. The guys at GG have been really busy with the T2D MIT launch so they are probably running a bit behind. I will try and find out an estimated time for the trop pack to be up.

@Richard, Yes, there will be individual rubble pieces, along with a few larger set pieces. The plan is have the larger set pieces then break them up into individual parts. For example:

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The individual stone columns will be exported as a separate model as will the hanging foliage etc. Similar to these:


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So, you will have the 'hero' set pieces, and the elements that went into making them as separate elements. These and a few other elements will make up the entire pack. Overall, I am starting to warm up to expanding this one a bit already.... The rocks, stalagmites and stalactites each sound like a good match for this pack. I think you are the second person to mention 'cave elements', so I may do them. I would do a entire cave system, but I have not messed around with one as a .dts yet and I would need time to figure out a good way to lock a system together and make the collision reliably work. Not saying I can't do it...Just have not tried yet... ;-)

Ron

#12 Cool stuff, Ron. Just bought your savannah pack too.

#13 +1 ... I am buying this the moment it hits the stores. 8-}

Good job ... looking forward to this one.

#14 Would have to second the idea of perhaps one more lod level, or at the very least rounding off a few more edges.

Some of the ruin pieces look like they were brand new bricks just stacked then someone neatly unstacked a few instead of what's left of structures that have been left to ruin by the elements for years unknown.

Mostly the brick wall sections is where it's noticible. The layered hexagonicial step/altar structure looks a bit too hard cut as well.

All in all a great start, but with just a few improvements I feel it could be bumped up to a professional level.

#15 @ Ron Kapaun
if am not mistaken u use Blender, therefore
u could just use the displace modifier and apply it (optional sculpt some roughness/ variety)

finally bake it onto the lowpoly model

that way u would get much better results especially since u can define the bake resolution and since u can use the texture of your model to displace.

at the end this is just a extra step...
its just a suggestion
anyways great work

#16 Awsome yet another one I have to have :)

#17 Nice stuff Ron, looks great in the environment!

#18 @All,

Agreed, many of the models and such will be a higher quality. I posted this as a 'test' to get feedback from everyone. So, thank you for the feed back! I need to 'age' the models and such MUCH more as well as refine the polys and such. This will happen. This is why things will take at least 30 more days :-) At the same time, poly/tri count, has always been a personal issue with me. I can model anything.... Not bragging, just putting it out there. Just as a note, I have NEVER released anything that is over 2000 polys, although I do have source models that are higher than that. I try to keep the final products universal.

For example, if someone wants to use these as placeholders for an MMO, the requirements are much lower (poly count wise) than someone making a single player game. Just take a minute to compare Skyrim with Elder Scrolls online. You can see what I am talking about. My original intent was to find a happy medium with all of my packs (thereby helping the most people and provide a good quality level overall). Thus, polycount does suffer a little bit. The other thing that I think gets lost in translation, 3TD Studios is really just me (as far as production, development, web stuff, etc. Trisha , my wife handles most of the business side of things to free me up to focus on products and models).

Yes, I alone model, texture, light and animate everything you see in the videos and packs. This is not an excuse, it's just something I wanted to make clear because I push a lot of polys out the door. In other words, I need a life.

I want to assure everyone that I listen to all of these posts, and I do my best to take the time to correct all that is pointed out. I rely on each and everyone of you for feedback on ways to improve. So thanks, I will do my best.

Ron

#19 Do you do all the singing too? Almost as good as fellow Minnesota native Prince! lol Nice work as usual Ron.

#20 when I watch the new video I was acutally pulled a Keanu and said "Whoa" out loud....Please do more fantasy themed packed I could use them in my project.