Aperture Science Inc.

[31Orcas]

The title is self explanatory, I think : ). This project is my idea of the exterior of the Aperture Science Inc. laboratory. I think the project is a bit bland at the moment, but I will add a lot of details as I work on this project over the next few weeks. My goal is to get this project into the gallery : ).

Here’s a screenshot of the LuxRender window, the first full HD test render will be up tomorrow at about lunch time… it’s just past 3:00 AM :D, I’ll let it render overnight:

As you can see, it needs a lot of work, and a lot more samples per pixel, LOL (wow, I make really lame jokes when I’m this tired).

I’d like the front of the building to have a clean newly-built look to it, and the rear half to have a bit more industrial look to show the darkness that lies within Aperture Science, I guess. And also because there’s a lot of electronics and heavy duty equipment that would require a lot of power to run and stuff so there’s a lot of pipes and stuff and especially considering that when Chell escapes into the guts of the facility, beyond the relatively clean cement walls and super smooth floors, Aperture Science is very industrial looking like Black Mesa. So I would assume that the Aperture Science building would be somewhat industrial looking (c-c-c-combo breaker :D). Sorry, I don’t think too clearly this late.

BTW, on a random side note, about how many Samples Per Second does LuxRender calculate when you run a typical render?

My computer usually hits 17K to 20K samples per second. 11 samples per pixel on a 2560 by 1080 pixel render after almost 40 minutes. How does your computer compare?

So, yeah. I think I’m done explaining, tell me what you think of the sample picture and I’ll show you the result of ~10 hours of rendering at HD resolution tomorrow : ).

Thank you for your replies and your time, please, I’d like as many replies as possible! Tell me what you think of the concept as well as the render : ).

Thank you,

-31Orcas

[AdamTM]

@31Orcas"

Tell me what you think of the concept as well as the render : ).

Thank you,

-31Orcas

I really cant tell you anything, the picture is just too fuzzy and unsharp. I dont even know why it is that way?

[_ben]

Looks like a case of renderitis to me. This early in a project you shouldn’t be spending so much time getting high quality renders. Use viewport shots or a quick BI render to show off the model so you can get back to working on it and making it better. Later, when you want to start working out the lighting and getting final renders, then start spending more time on renders.

Looks like a cool project though. I can’t tell too much about it at this stage but it looks convincingly like some large industrial complex in the coarse features of it.

[Skyler]

“Aperture Science / We do what we must / Because we can.”

[AdamTM]

@Skyler

“Aperture Science / We do what we must / Because we can.”

For the good of all of us.

Except the ones who are dead.

[Skyler]

@AdamTM

For the good of all of us.

Except the ones who are dead.

But there’s no sense crying over every mistake
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

[TheLastTemplar]

@Skyler

But there’s no sense crying over every mistake
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

And the science gets done
And you make a neat gun
For the people who are still alive

[Skyler]

@TheLastTemplar

And the science gets done
And you make a neat gun
For the people who are still alive

And believe me, I am / Still alive
I’m doing science and I’m / Still alive

[_ben]

You’ve derailed this thread.

You monster.

[Skyler]

@_ben_

You’ve derailed this thread.

You monster.

I’m sorry.

[31Orcas]

Hahaha!!! I’ve never gotten better replies to a thread in any forum, anywhere! Thanks a lot : ). If I could post HTML, I would post a media player of the song “Still Alive.” BTW, I really liked what Skyler started, that was legit!

@ben: Yes, I’ve had renderitis for quite some time now. Thank you for the diagnosis, and now I will try to be less renderitis-ish : ).

@AdamTM: I actually was almost gonna say “If you think it’s too noisy to talk about the picture, then just tell me what you think of the concept.” Sorry man, haha, I have a better quality picture with me.

I brought this better picture to BlenderArtists for you to see:

BlenderArtists shrunk the picture for me : ). The final renders for this project will be in 2560 by 1080, at a nicely cinematic 2.35/1. There goes my renderitis again : ).

Tell me what you think.

I have to go to watch my sister perform at a summer school performance concert because I go to an art school (there’s all kinds of art there, but the popular kids are mostly dance and drama majors, I’m an art major, like the other quiet kids). She’s a dancer. There’s a Summer Intensive program where they sign up and actually had to try out for this, even though it’s during summer vacation. Art FTW : ).

Peace out, I’ll be back in a few hours : ). And remember, the cake is NOT a lie.

[TheLastTemplar]

Are you going to model the front gate you see at the end of the game?

[31Orcas]

Yes, it was already in my mental to-do list : ).

I got back from the school performance. It was amazing! The orchestra performed the 1812 Overture and the Pirates of the Caribbean’s Curse of the Black Pearl theme, and that famous bull-fighting theme song (I can’t remember the name of it), and some other song I’ve never heard, but it sounded amazing, almost like it was from a cinema sound system!

I’m trying to figure out what kind of details I need to add. I’m gonna look up some industrial factory reference images. I’ll also add more pipes and get inspiration from the game itself.

[pop850]

lookin good!

lighting looks OK by me

good luck, you’ve got a long way to go in everything else tho! (modeling, texturing, materials)

also may I recommend Indigo for much faster renders of the same quality (it’s worth the cost)

[TicTac]

@31Orcas"

Here’s a screenshot of the LuxRender window, the first full HD test render will be up tomorrow at about lunch time… it’s just past 3:00 AM :D, I’ll let it render overnight

BTW, on a random side note, about how many Samples Per Second does LuxRender calculate when you run a typical render?

My computer usually hits 17K to 20K samples per second. 11 samples per pixel on a 2560 by 1080 pixel render after almost 40 minutes. How does your computer compare?

Don’t use Lux for test renders, it’s a fantastic renderer but not at all for tweak-render-tweak kinda work.

I usually get about 70k samples/second, and I render at 1440x900 or lower. Doesn’t clear up until over 1k S/px.

Don’t render that high-res on a rig that pulls 20k s/second unless it’s your FINAL render. Go with 50% res or lower until you’re done.

[31Orcas]

@TicTac

Don’t use Lux for test renders, it’s a fantastic renderer but not at all for tweak-render-tweak kinda work.

Don’t render that high-res on a rig that pulls 20k s/second unless it’s your FINAL render. Go with 50% res or lower until you’re done.

Somehow I pulled it off :D.

If you let Lux render super tiny 300 by 400 or smaller images and only let them run for about a minute or two, then it’s not a whole lot different than test rendering with Yafaray or even the BI. I can see through the noise fairly well because it’s my own project and I know exactly what I’m looking at.

But, then again, I HAVE been diagnosed with renderitis : /.

And about the super-res render, I was going to bed. Why not keep my computer busy while I’m asleep? My computer has had a glitch that old-school freezes (as in Windows 98 mouse freeze plus an audio driver crash and you have to resort to the power switch kinda freeze) that essentially fork bombs my own computer 5 to 10 minutes after waking from sleep mode, so I’ve left it on overnight for the past few days. Which reminds me, it didn’t happen today : ).

I use the time I’m away from the computer to render whenever I can : ).

So, anyone got tips or anything to talk about how to make it look complex and industrial?

Anyone have tips on how to nicely fill up the space with pipes and scaffolding?

[31Orcas]

Ok, so, I’ve added some stuff, but, it’s taking me a long time. I don’t know if I’m inefficient or what but I think I could do better. I’m not too satisfied with my results but here it is:

This is just a little tiny section.

Anyone here an expert modeler? Got any thoughts, ideas? Thanks in advance for replies :D.

EDIT:
I have a lot to do:

[Pirate_man]

Me? An expert modeler? Heck no!!! But if you want my “fairly good at modeling” advice than I would say I think it is coming along nicely. I think you should actually tone it down a bit. Factorys don’t have thaat much rigging on the outside. Instead you could play around with smoke and chimenys and stuff like that.

And no your not innefecient. Good work just takes time. Good luck with your project!

[billymuncher2]

screws bolts and fine details would really bring it together and maybey some places in the pipes were it looks like it is conected and not just one big piece but over all very nice.

[31Orcas]

@Pirate___man: I really didn’t want a whole lot of smoke coming out, I highly doubt that Aperture Science is running their generators off combustion. I’ll definitely add a few pipes that’ll release pale or thin smoke, but Aperture is just too advanced for (completely) running off of old school combustion. Maybe that toxic goo that you have to avoid is a by-product of their fuel source, and they put it to good use, lol : ).

Also, hereare the reference images I’m using : ). Those are more complex than what I already have! But thanks for the advice! I’m gonna add some more vents and see if that helps.

@billymuncher2: You gonna munch me?!?!? What? Do you have BIlly’s for lunch or something? LOL My first name is Billy, and your name is billymuncher2, so yeah lol.

Anyway, I was thinking about screws and bolts but I think the amount of detail I have is just about right. I’m not gonna have any super close ups but I still want to make sure I have enough detail. I’m working on adding pipes, working my way from large ones to have branching smaller ones and then I’ll add scaffolding after that. It’s a lot faster than what I’ve been doing.

Also, does Blender have a sort of object-library type feature? Like where you can keep useful objects and drag then into your scene? That sound like an interesting feature idea if you ask me : ).