i’m one of the graphics guys working on the open source strategy game unknown horizons. i’m relatively new to blender and not this deep into modeling and mechanics like light setup, post processing and rendering and use the project to improve my knowledge in blender.
we got a unified light setup for the project which is ok, but i think we could get a better output with perhaps some improvements to this. one example is this farm i made and the output with our setup:
what would be your improvements to the graphics and do you have any idea on how get better results? especially in rendering and setup. personally my goal would be getting such lovely and high quality renderings as for example used in settlers online (http://www.diesiedleronline.de/screenshots/)
I’m no pro, but I think it looks great as is. Although, the walls do seem a bit dark and it is hard to see the detail there, so maybe lighten up those textures? Thats all I can think of.
Perhaps walls are too dark.
And i think that buildings are enough detailed if they wont be rendered from smaller distances.
If you want more details, normal maps could offer a big improvement, but again, if that is closest zoom in, you dont need it.
EDIT1: and one minor tech detail, chimneys could be a bit higher. If they are low like this it is possible that hot piece of wood might fly on roof and set it ablaze.
You need to always be mindful of that niggling thing called “Gamma.” (Otherwise known these days as “linear workflow.”) To make a very long story very short … the color values that we manipulate in 3D renders (3-tuples of “R,G,B” values, each of which are assumed to be “nice 'n linear” …) are not, in fact, consistent with how physical display-devices will actually render those values. A “smooth, linear progression” from (0,0,0) to (255,255,255) will not yield “a smooth, linear progression” of apparent color values.
“Dark areas” can easily appear, on the display, when the numerical (R,G,B) values would not imply that such an abrupt visual change “should have” occurred. The visual response to a “linear” change in these values is not “linear.”
