Blade Runner-y Visual Experiment Thing

[Unstoppable Florence]

Final piece for my last ever School art project. Hooray, I'm free!

Essentially just an effort an effort at reproducing Blade Runner's diabolically awesome visual style in Source. Custom particle effects and one custom (sort of) texture involved. Hits/crits encouraged, but before I let you ravish me with your delightful talons of criticism, take note that this was constructed entirely on the new Clusterfuck™ version of Hammer and so I'm going to use that as an excuse for the smoke effect being half-baked and the general lack of props. Now hit me.

[nub]

I highly approve of this. You're lighting it pretty well so far. Maybe try and contrast it a bit with color correction, that might help.

[source-maps]

looks a bit boring geometry wise
cool atmosphere tho

[stoopdapoop]

you're going to really regret using such reflective cubemaps over a such a large area

[Dionysos]

Not dark enough, geometry too blank, but a workable starting point.

[Unstoppable Florence]

you're going to really regret using such reflective cubemaps over a such a large area

I regret that it prevents me from making this playable, yes. However it was made for an art project so I only really needed stills of it. To solve this, I did 3 compiles with the cubemaps built from 3 different points.

Not dark enough, geometry too blank, but a workable starting point.

Not dark enough? Elaborate?

[Generalvivi]

i really liked this!

[The Doctor]

Looks pretty good. Are you going to continue with it and pack in some detail?.

Anything Cyberpunk is good with me though.

[dewkl]

Since there has already been nice comments about it I'm going to point out a few negative sides. I don't think you utilized the theme enough. Blade Runner has an extremely rich theme and style. Some of the themes are paranoia, claustrophobia, retrofitting, corporatism, culture mash, desertion and globalization.

The areas are too open. The buildings should be looming over the player, blinding him with flashy advertisement and signs that scream for attention. The architecture should show signs of retrofitting (new applied to old) and overpopulation. Piping and ventilation should bleed out of the buildings.

While you have a nice atmosphere to it, it's not even close to what you can achieve if you apply these themes. Simply adding a few manholes with steam doesn't cut it. Not only is it not enough, but the contrast between not-steam and steam becomes too great. It needs to be omnipresent and not stick out like a sore thumb. Because of all the smoke in the movie, the film crew would constantly use gas masks during the outdoor filming. Blade Runner also uses light-blue color a lot, often with steam/smoke.

I can't find any good pictures of the movie, but I did find this picture from a competition at game-artist.net: clicky
Notice how it has used almost all of the characteristics and themes I've just described. Just applying a few of these to your current map will make a drastic improvement.

[Dionysos]

Basically what dewki said very well. If it isn't too dark, it *seems* too dark - check out screens from the movie. It's smoggy, oppressive and shady while being really flashy with the ads etc.

[The Doctor]

Basically what dewki said very well. If it isn't too dark, it *seems* too dark - check out screens from the movie. It's smoggy, oppressive and shady while being really flashy with the ads etc.

Or failing that you could check out some screens from the game.


Blade Runner Windows

[poisonic]

i love the lights i only mis a bit more realistic rain effect

[Unstoppable Florence]

I've left it a bit late to respond but hey, I've only just got round to thinking about it.

Thanks to one and all for the comments, although don't let my art teacher see them, because he might re-evaluate it and dock a few marks.

In hindsight I probably shouldn't have tried to compare it too much to Blade Runner since it seems to have raised the expectations a little. The map started out as being an attempt to create a confined, enclosed area that creates a sense of isolation amongst the sounds and shadow of a sprawling city; the Blade Runner aspect only came in very late as a way of getting extra marks. So what I have presented here is essentially what I presented at my deadline. But you guys have reminded me that the standards set here are higher than the standards set in school...

Which is awesome and you have all unknowingly challenged me to do much better! I reckon I should vastly improve this map, add the retrofitting that Dewkl mentioned and some fires and enter this into the map battle. Sound sensible?