Sketchup and post-processing help needed... Synthesis??

beaudoin_n

Hi all..

I made this using sketchup and i'd like to have some tips on how to make this good looking in a graphics software (free??!?) to then use in my nexr gamesalad project.

Any tips, tricks, tutorials or walkthroughs ?

Also i'd like to know if you'd make this the same way as I using sketchup... so if anyone wants to shoot a video demo, or just send me some info that would be great

The image is here
www.nathbo.com/test.png

Thanks!

Hunnenkoenig

I don't know, what you expect us to say.

Do you want to make some tubes? Do you want to make a guy? Do you want to make a green background or a dotted line? :-P

Do you want it in 3D or 2D? Do you want the cubes being metallic, plastic, glass, transparent, green, yellow, web2.0 looking, rusty....what?

There are billions of photoshop, 3dmax and other tutorials on the net.

Just use google like "photoshop tutorial rusty tubes" and I am sure, you will get at least one.

Good luck

beaudoin_n

Exact tubes

not sure what's the best look and how to acheive this in any graphics program
what's important is that the player can figure out the 2d/3d thing out without the tubes being different

Also I can have to stitch several images together

Hunnenkoenig

First of all you should know, what look and feel your game should have.

Cartoon? Realistic? Sci-fi?
Is it a children's game or for general grown up audience?

So many questions without answers, which influence the look and feel and the direction and the technique. You have to know, what you want to make. We can't help with that.
The look and feel of the game decides, how you proceed with art.

If you have no clue about art design and graphic software at all, I would rather advice you to look for somebody, who have a clue and let him make the art or just look on the net for tutorials and learn it by yourself.

Nobody will write you extensive tutorials about something, not even you know.
A tube can be made in 1000 different style with 1000 different techniques. It ahs no sense if I write you here 10 site tutorials how to make a cartoon tube if you want to make a realistic dark sci-fi tube.

Sorry, but you are on your own.

synthesis

Have you watched ALLLLLLL of the video tutorials on the sketchup support site? if not...do that first. There are probably 40 of them and tons of good info.

Then spend AT LEAST 2 weeks working with sketchup. I have been using it for 6 years...but learned 80% of it within 2 weeks.

After that...I think you will be able to answer your own questions. Sketchup is quite easy for 3D software. But it is only 1 tool of many.

My recommendation is to build your model with this in mind:

I use a 1 cm unit and make 1 cm = 1 pixel in the ipod world. Then I create a stageset the size of my game scene environment. then I build my "world" within that stageset container. Then I set my views up as necessary. (any more info than that and I would start to give away my proprietary secrets

it takes trial and error. There is no single solution. part of the fun is developing your look and style.

The advantage of using sketchup is it allows a NON-artist the ability to create environments. Then you can use the Styles (in the paid version) to create the graphics look. Or you can export a 2D Black and white image into photoshop or illustrator and do all of your "coloring" in that platform.

I personally build the model in sketchup...then import the model into 3DStudio and render it there. Then bring it into Photoshop for final touchups. the result is near photo-real effects.

however...you can achieve a stylized look much more easily. Sketchup supports Bitmap textures...so you can paint the model any way you want.

use the tutorials...as well as some of the sketchup or photoshop support forums for graphics assistance...there are more people available on those boards to help you specifically with that part of the process...since this is a Gamesalad forum.