6 replies to this topic

[DPRoberts]

With all the healthy discussion going on around here, I was motivated to provide some meaningful content. I think what separates JNPG from other golf games is the addition of customizable/personalized assets for courses via 3D programs. I have been in the habit of utilizing Blender for the creation of such assets and find it quite enjoyable. I was in need of a nice rope bridge for all the ravines and waterways to cross within my WIP Terra Firma. Because each hole will likely have 1 to 2 of these bridges, I needed something easy to be able to create without stretching/distorting. So, with the help of google, I simply typed "rope suspension bridge in blender" and the first tutorial I came to was spot on. Many thanks to Dark Scarab who created the tutorial http://darkscarab.com/view/60

I am posting how I have utilized some of his/her ideas for my project. I am sure others should find uses for this as well. The beauty of the tutorial is using the Bezier curve and Array modifier to create the bridge versus creating planks individually. The only differences I found in creating my bridges was that some of the rotations may have been around different axis than the tutorial. Additionallly, I am placing my support posts by hand, separately, in Unity so as to deal with irregular terrain and not have the posts floating or looking odd in some way. Texturing could use a little work, especially edges of steps but you get the idea.

I have placed 2 bridges, one 27 meters and the other 51 meters, and built them in about 30 minutes. Additonal bridges are 2 minutes in Blender to adjust Bezier curve and re-save and re-import in Unity.

27 meter bridge

Bridge from afar

Blender Bezier curve adjusting of end of bridge points only

51 meter bridge (measuring in Unity with CF)

Bridge placed

Individual post placement

[dpeters95]

That looks great! Awesome job...

[Kablammo11]

You can also create planks, ropes and poles individually, import them separately, then combine them into a bridge object and create it as a prefab. 

Inside your hierarchy folder, every game object can also act as a folder and host other, related game objects as a subfolder. That way you can plant your prefab, resize and move all its elements in Unity, either individually or together, delete surplus elements or duplicate others to get more of them.

 

That said, your Terra Firma looks very promising. But the textures stretching on very steep or vertical walls, well, they slightly harm the overall magic.... I know you want to go for rugged and jagged with this, but the Unity terrain editor is not very good at this... If you try to sculpt hard edges, your textures get all weird and smudgy, and if you smooth them, the rocks turn all icky-round and blobby. And there is no golden middle...

As for the tree reflections in the lakes, hehe, that's just, so... so... not your fault.

 

I'm not mentioning this because you've overlooked it, you are a very knowledgeable and committed designer, so I'm sure you didn't. I just would like to try and point out potential problem areas to all those with untrained eyes and raise public awareness for all the things that can go bonk in the night. There are strategies or tricks about how to deal with all these issues.

[DPRoberts]

I appreciate the tips. I tend to get verbose so I try to keep my tangents about other issues off but expect watchful eyes like yourself to pick those things up. I plan to play with the sky texture for reflection and add mountains instead of trees. I have plenty to figure out in this build and will definitely need some input as I go. I'm going to improve on the outer terrain but trying to get the rough "underpainting" down and tweak and tweak and fiddle and fiddle and you get the idea. Hopefully, one day publish. I'm 12 holes roughed in and enjoy the early part of the course lower in the terrain with somewhat less elevation change but water hazards to demand precision. My goal is Nicklaus like off the tee with generous landings but better angles to pins and Donald Ross like tiered greens in shorter approaches. My hope is that people would be using the map to aim every shot versus mindlessly slugging straight away. The setting should be intimidating but fair to those who aren't afraid of the hazards and undulations.

[Kablammo11]

I plan to play with the sky texture for reflection and add mountains instead of trees.

 

Bingo! Probably it will look a little less wrong if you simply reflect the clouds and not the mountains - you will never get a good match with the type of water you are using now. Unfortunately, for now at least, a missing reflection is preferable to a grossly wrong one.

 

As for the cliff faces, here's a very old one from a long time ago:

 

[DPRoberts]

Now you've done it K11! I have been known to be lost in the Layers Library for days, failing to draw a single spline or eat a proper meal. This was supposed to be saved for later. My attentiveness needs no additional distractions. Oh well, what's done is done. I may never complete more than a single hole but it will be a darn good one, leaving plenty for the players to b***ch about. As I want somewhat of a monotone theme, I downloaded a few similarly colored textures from CGtextures and a few rock normal maps from the internet and have made 5 new colors with which to paint. Definitely improves the look in just a few minutes. Seems headed for more of a Mars theme but I'll work on it to stay in the canyon realm. Yes, the meshes are still stock CF textures - focus, stay focused.

[Kablammo11]

Sorry about that - I'll shut up from now on. Looking good!