===[COMMITTED]=== Ptolemies Dock

[DukeDiamond]

Hi everyone,

here is my first try on the dock.

Comments are welcome.

Props and details are missing and a construction of a ship in the dock needs to be done.

Cheers

Duke

[Nolanjoker]

is too big or too little to be a dock, check all other dock have some proportions.

[Ludo38]

Hi Duke ! Welcome aboard !

Good work so far ! I like how bulky you imagined the platform. It could be a good way to distinguish it from the dock of the other civs. I'd definitely suggest to keep this idea, it looks epic.

On the other hand, I don't go for the building up there, because it's (to me) too much in the spirit of a temple, which is not necessary here. Could you test a simpler and more utilitarian building ? The figures paintings on the wall are also out of place here, I think. I recommend you to check the other docks from the game. I especially like the one from Mauryans, which is also the latest that was modelled.

[Nolanjoker]

for the game the dock can be 4x4. you can see the document design http://trac.wildfiregames.com/wiki/ArtDesignDocument

[LordGood]

I thinks its alright if the Ptolemaic dock is a bit bigger, they'll have the most powerful naval units in the game, no doubt

It should look more utilitarian, as Ludo says. Docks are seaside markets, after all. Give it a feeling of being both a commercial port and a military drydock.

Right now it feels like a glorified pier, but I love that bit of Age of Empires inspiration I see in there

[Nolanjoker]

here are some examples:

http://www.cornucopia3d.com/purchase.php?item_id=7352

[Enrique]

Hey Duke,

It's true that we want to make each civilization look unique, but we also want to keep some consistency in the building layouts of the same type.

Right now, the portal entrance and the squared house-like construction seems to have very inconsistent proportions between them. Also the whole structure seems to be too big for a dock... but is hard to tell. You should make the structures look like they have some purpose to be there, and they must look useful/needed for the whole composition.

Here are some images for inspiration (not to make it like them, but to gather some ideas)

http://ea.aoeonline.co/aom/egipto/edificios/puerto.jpg

http://www.cornucopia3d.com/purchase.php?item_id=7352

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/age-of-mythology/7/73/Egyptian_Dock.JPG

http://images.wikia.com/ageofempiresonline/images/7/7a/Egypt_Dock.png

[DukeDiamond]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah i knew it was to big and the house was just a quick dummy placeholder.

My thoughts on this was related to Alexandria (wich is a huge city i know).

But as the Egypt are known for architecture and maritime knowledge i give it a try.

I thought that they were so advanced in architectural consturction with piers and wave breaker

to give it this kind of look instead of ripped of wood piers. ;-)

I will take your suggestions into the next layout and post the results here!

I'm also in contact with an Illustrator for doing a sketch for this.

[DukeDiamond]

Does this fit better in the 4x4 grid??

And by the way what should the polycount for These models?

I have read in the ArtDesignDocument a number of 800 but the Art Dev Task track says i guess 4k-6k Polys?!?!

And the Objects currently in the game have between 3k and 6k so i'm fine with my 1100 polys i guess?!?

( i know about the textures and unfinished lighthouse it's just for the size as i have huge Problems to export it from 3DSMAX and build an actor out of it to compare the in the MapEditor )

Edited November 8, 2013 by DukeDiamond

[Ludo38]

I suggest to remove the tower (probably not necessary at all, especially if we consider the Lighthouse available i this civ) and to enlarge the building to have it much more in the scale of the rest of the structure. This building doesn't seem able to host what would come from such a large platform.

[Wijitmaker]

( i know about the textures and unfinished lighthouse it's just for the size as i have huge Problems to export it from 3DSMAX and build an actor out of it to compare the in the MapEditor )

Could you describe your specific problems? Maybe I could be of assistance.

[DukeDiamond]

Could you describe your specific problems? Maybe I could be of assistance.

Hi Wijitmaker,

hope you don't mind that I send you an E-Mail with details so we don't get off Topic in this thread.

THX for your help.

[LordGood]

I find the easiest way to compare is to import in-game models to whichever program you're using. It works well with blender, but I've never used 3DS

(I usually do that and steal the empties from the import) hehehe

[DukeDiamond]

Thanks for your help

I find the easiest way to compare is to import in-game models to whichever program you're using. It works well with blender, but I've never used 3DS

(I usually do that and steal the empties from the import) hehehe

Thanks for your help!

[Iskandar]

For the Dock there is the model Egyptian Iron Age Dock of AOE I: https://www.google.it/search?q=age+of+empires+1+buildings&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=319_UqfyDbCw4QS9w4C4Dw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=638#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=jaEd8nxw7p8DvM%3A%3BmPFR0wVpt1N6GM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.agecommunity.com%252Fimages%252Fart_banner_aoe1_3.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.agecommunity.com%252Faoeinterviews.aspx%3B610%3B180

[Lion.Kanzen]

obiusly not this exactly but is not bad idea, mixing with a Bazaar style and without the lighthouse.

or this one.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Lion.Kanzen

[DukeDiamond]

Next attempt!

Let me know what you think.

Still some Props are missing and also a boat construction inside the dock but with 3085 Polys still some Polys left i think.

Edited November 14, 2013 by DukeDiamond

[Spahbod]

I personally like the latest concept more. But I think those extra spaces make it a little unusual.

[DukeDiamond]

I personally like the latest concept more. But I think those extra spaces make it a little unusual.

Sorry but what do you mean by extra spaces (I'm a newbie to this forum ;-)

THX

[Spahbod]

Sorry but what do you mean by extra spaces (I'm a newbie to this forum ;-)

THX

I mean the empty spaces in the sides.

Well, I really don't think it would be related to you being newbie. It is my English that sucks.

[Enrique]

The concept looks better, but the proportions are way off.

The doors look tiny compared with the rest of the structure, or the structure is huge.

We're not aiming for 100% realistic structure scale compared to units, (buildings would be too big for a RTS) but you should make some parts like the doors correspond with the unit sizes in the game.

You should definitely try to import a dock or a building from the game in order to get better proportions.

In the texturing side, you can see how small are the bricks in the big structure compared with the ones in the lighthouse. Or how the surrounding blocks in the square platform has much less texels than the other mapped textures. You should work on that too.

[SDM]

The concept looks swell! I hope it still retains its beauty when you standardize the model to fit into 0 A.D.

[Enrique]

Hey DukeDiamond! Any update to share with us?

[Enrique]

I think the white ones look better for better contrast with all the beige walls, while the 'new' ones used on the market just look too much like leather or something (they don't look like cloth) and are almost exactly the same color as the walls, offering less contrast. Just my opinion. Do with it as you will.

I agree with Micheal on that point, unless you're planning on introducing more light colors. It's looking brilliant so far

Alrighty then, I'll add the standard variation to the stalls. Since they don't have even topology, it may look a little warped, but I'll try my best.

Here's a docks draft:

[Stan`]

Alrighty then, I'll add the standard variation to the stalls. Since they don't have even topology, it may look a little warped, but I'll try my best.

Here's a docks draft:

dock draft.jpg

Looking really nice, is the crane Accurate though ?