===[COMMITTED]=== Rotary Mill

[Stan`]

Hi,

So since this task was assigned to me I decided to improve the Rotary Mill. I had a hard time finding it because its in five parts, maybe someone should unify it for the next time. Since the file didn't import correctly at all i had to make most of it from scratch except the props. To eventually figure out that it was the normals who had flipped, preventing me from welding the whole thing.

Okay so after doing so I added this little door on the front and lowered the roof. For some of you it may have appeared strange that the gaul would let holes in their roof. (A little blink to idanwin & quantumstate) Which leads me to an other question should there be hay around this building. Pots are okay, so are shields and the little helmet, but i question the presence of hay.

On an historic point, its hard to find references for such a building. You can find mills without trying to hard, but the whole building no.

Spoiler

Most of the mills are rotary but not "donkeypowered" so i don't know if it stays in the way of the game. the shape of the mill is weird to, because its quite hard to move for a human. Maybe i should add two wheels like this one and keep the middle thing :

Spoiler

So here is the model :

Spoiler

 

 

On a saddest note, i will go back to my prep school so even if I'm going to fail I will have less time to work on the models. But I will finish what i started.

Regards, Stan

EDIT : A small detail addition (Warning Huge)

Spoiler

[LordGood]

I'm not sure why the old model needed to be replaced, honestly, but that said the rest of the art team might be looking for something completely different than what's in game now

And it really needs to convey 'rotary mill' we modellers have to create artwork defensively as well

which means they can't be mistaken for something else

the open roof, Imho, was the best way of dealing with this.

the dark age mill in AOE II might be a better source of inspiration (without a tent roof and stone walls, of course)

And when I say 'inspiration' I mean consider the elements, and building shape, but don't follow this exactly. This isnt really the architectual look we're going for with the Gauls

think laterally

[sanderd17]

I thought it would be nice without a roof, just because the building is unique, and thus needs to be easy recognisable. Showing the donkeys in all angles, together with the mill stones, would make it as recognisable as it can get I think.

This is just my opinion though, I really don't have anything to say on art matters.

[Stan`]

I need Enrique to read this. I don't think the aim was to make a new building.

I thought it would be nice without a roof, just because the building is unique, and thus needs to be easy recognisable. Showing the donkeys in all angles, together with the mill stones, would make it as recognisable as it can get I think.

This is just my opinion though, I really don't have anything to say on art matters.

I could remove the roof indeed or put it back as it was. =)

I'm not sure why the old model needed to be replaced, honestly, but that said the rest of the art team might be looking for something completely different than what's in game now

And it really needs to convey 'rotary mill' we modellers have to create artwork defensively as well

which means they can't be mistaken for something else

the open roof, Imho, was the best way of dealing with this.

the dark age mill in AOE II might be a better source of inspiration (without a tent roof and stone walls, of course)

And when I say 'inspiration' I mean consider the elements, and building shape, but don't follow this exactly. This isnt really the architectual look we're going for with the Gauls

think laterally

Since the Gauls have more squared buildings I guess maybe i could replace the round building by one. That's all I can think right now.

[Enrique]

Quick draw concept (not final in any way, we must build over this one if we decide to go with this)

1.- Cart prop

2.- Hay props

3.- Possibility to keep wood beam supports from the current model entering the roof

It needs ton of detailing and this would be just the starting point where the modeler needs to add improvements and such.

As I said before, modelers in 0AD must take care also of the conceptual part of the models.

[Stan`]

How much poly for the limit ?

[LordGood]

poly limits should be on the art tasking thread, but you should keep it as low as you can manage while still keeping it looking good

"- Approx triangle count for buildings: small 2k-5k, mid 4k-6k, big 6k-8k, wonders 8k-12k."

Edited January 6, 2014 by LordGood

[Stan`]

Didn't know if it was considered as a small building

[LordGood]

hmm, I might consider it a small building, but it's also the Gaul special building so a few extra polygons probably won't be an issue. I say shoot for small, but if you end up with the medium amount of polys that'd be fine

[Lion.Kanzen]

Pyrogenesis supports real time strategy games. RTS games have large numbers of entities on the screen at one time at a small scale. Due to this small scale, the total polygon limits are rather low compared to the average first person shooter. This is a list of recommended max poly counts for 3D Modelers to take into account with making 3D models.

Humanoid Bodies – 500

Animal Bodies – 700

Humanoid and Building Props – 50

World Objects – 150

Buildings – 800

Note: Engine DOES NOT support Double-Sided polys - don`t use them. If double sided polys are required, duplicate geometry must be created with the normals flipped.

From our wiki trac.

[Enrique]

Lion that info is way out of date (several years) I've repeated everywhere that its outdated and poly limit is much higher than that.

[sanderd17]

Lion that info is way out of date (several years) I've repeated everywhere that its outdated and poly limit is much higher than that.

Maybe it's worth editing the wiki in that case

[Lion.Kanzen]

Lion that info is way out of date (several years) I've repeated everywhere that its outdated and poly limit is much higher than that.

upss XD, that explains why I see more Polygons, and Im trying to have that standard in my mods. thank you for that.

[Enrique]

Maybe it's worth editing the wiki in that case

Totally agreed. It would be nice to update several parts of it. I'll write something in the near future

[Stan`]

Quick Edit.

[Loki1950]

looks like you have a ninja turtle on top ;

Enjoy the Choice

[plumo]

I think the statue on top is not needed (it is a mill after all, not a temple).

If the donkey could be animated to slowly turn around, it would be very cool (and less static).

[Stan`]

Yup, the howl was just for fun for rendering, it will not be included in the release.

The Donkeys are messed up with the normals i need to flip faces.

Don't know how the animation is supported in DAE format. Does it support multi mesh ? Also should I use a walking animation for donkeys for they don't seem to be rigged ?

[Enrique]

I think the structure is too similar to the current rotary mill. It needs to be bigger overall, with a wider entrance and wooden beams framing the entrance.

What I'd like to have is the mill not in the center of the round structure, more towards the outside, so even if the roof is closed the mill is quite visible and when the donkeys are walking around the mill, they actually get totally outside and they are easy to view. You can see in my sketch top view that the mill is partially outside (top right of the sketch).

Keep in mind that the normal point of view of the building in-game will be from an angled top view and with your layout the mill and donkeys are not going to be seen.

Donkeys will be eventually animated along with the mill turning 360 with them.

[Stan`]

Small Update :

[Sighvatr]

Any mythical story behind the owl? Is it a spirit to keep the evil trolls and Romans away?

[Stan`]

Any mythical story behind the owl? Is it a spirit to keep the evil trolls and Romans away?

It's not intended, just my personnal touch, until it is finished. Though, here (it's in french sorry) http://www.arbre-celtique.com/approfondissements/symbolisme/animaux.php

it says for the owl : It is the light of druidic knowledge

they are some medieval texts talking about people in the Antiquity, one of them is turned into an owl. But, since it's written one thousands years after....

[Enrique]

Nice, Looking better already, but I still think the stone mill should be moved more to the exterior. It still looks like is in the center of the building and will be hardly visible from the camera point of view. It would be better to post screenshots from an isometric-ish view, like it will be viewed ingame. Keep it up.

[Stan`]

Nice, Looking better already, but I still think the stone mill should be moved more to the exterior. It still looks like is in the center of the building and will be hardly visible from the camera point of view. It would be better to post screenshots from an isometric-ish view, like it will be viewed ingame. Keep it up.

Launched the game to have an idea, and moved the rotative thing.

[LordGood]

check out what Pureon did with the mauryan farmstead's grindstone, I always thought that was clever

It's integrated into the framing of the structure