Underwater stereoscopic short

[ard]

I have this environment (morning scene) and I need to place sponges, algae, corals and so on.

The terrain is 256m x 256m and I want to create different environments, I don't want it to look just the same everywhere.

Can you give me suggestions about how to make this particular scene look better?

Here are the images with and without props.

And here's an animation of two fish I did for this scene.

http://rapidshare.de/files/3599259/Cena\_2\_...7-2005.avi.html

[ard]

I created a forum for the project where I have information about it and a list of tasks (finished, open and assigned). If you want to know more about it or lend a hand, contact me.

http://www.phpbbplanet.com/forum/index.php?mforum=monkseal

[david-schoneveld]

well crit for professional so here's the deal. The lighting isn't that good, th ray effects looks almost like it could have been done in 2d, the textures are ok but the uvs an't layed out very well even in the images above you can see texture streach and blurs. There isn't much going on in those images NO plant life just 2 tiny fish. the image on a whole doesn't have very nice contrast and seems washed out. The envornment seems sterile and clean, you do have the depth fog working for you, just looks half done. Thats my take on it. I don't mean to be mean just critique it.

[ard]

Thanks destruct007 (what an appropriate name!)

Just kidding, thanks really. I'm too close to see clearly what's wrong and you helped me to see the main problems.

I don't like that milky look on this morning scene either. But when I try to remove it (by changes in the light configuration or photoshop), the underwater feel goes away too. The complete light setting is a bit messy:

Here's another try with the volume caustic (I'm just projecting a film I did with crossing lines animated with layers of noise and loads of motion blur).

http://rapidshare.de/files/3778299/Caustic_-_3-8-2005_-_MB_-_FullSpeed.avi.htmlhttp://rapidshare.de/files/3778299/Caustic...lSpeed.avi.html

I'm making tens of fish but I'll only populate all the scenes in the end of the project. Right now I'm just trying the animation on the main characters.

I hadn't noticed the UV problem until you pointed it out. I know what causes it and don't know how to fix it completely... the endless layers of noise modifiers. The terrain is quite big (256m x 256m) and created dynamically in two meshes: sand and rock. Only the part visible to the camera gains detail through repeated layers of volumeselect, meshsmooth and noise. The fog makes all these changes happen beyond what's visible.

The texture is made of a composite map where all the submaterials are based on bitmaps mirrored tens of times with detailed procedural maps for opacity. I'm placing sponges, algae and corals in the places where the tiling shows.

I only found two solutions for the uvs. Use the terrain plane original uvs when the noise is not distorting the texture too much and use a planar uv on top of everything when it is. But this causes uv distortion in the vertical rock formations.

The third option is to position the camera somewhere else where these problems are less evident... the terrain is large.

You also said the environment looks sterile and clean. The thing is that my habilities allowed me to build a texture for the rocks that I can settle with, but they don't allow me to build props that go with it. So, right now I'm a bit reticent about adding too many bad props covering a nice rock texture. Unless I find what's wrong with the sponges, corals and algae that make them clash against the rock texture.

[david-schoneveld]

I couldn't download the avi, not sure why...
What I mean by sterile an clean is that the rocks join so cleanly with the ground. I'd imagine there'd be a lit of smaller rocks there before it hits sand or the sand would be more varied. I'd emit particles that are like sand all over the floor and extra around where the rocks meet. I'd also render it separately so you can tweak it in comp to get just the right color and look.
As far as the coloring goes I think if the water wasn't so highly saturated in color it might help. I can't help you much on the lighting b/c you don't seem to be using Maya. It's not that bad, what could help sell it would be to have it a little sharper maybe. The coral is nice and the surroundings are well made. if you can't fix the uv thing then I'd just shift the camera like you said a little, or rotate the rock. the crack in the rock looks like it is just a texture and is not actually a crack in the rock. It's so clock to camera you should really model some of it. Mainly tho I'd like to see the sand note get touched up. Good work thus far.

[ard]

Thanks for the idea of the particles. I'm going to try it and then post it here.

Until now I've been avoiding the issue of using compositing in stereoscopic images cause I've been using an interlaced format. This is the first one I'm doing in side by side.

As the film progresses through the day, my idea was to have a less saturated start in the morning, and then progressively go into more saturated, sharper and darker colors as the day advances and finally into less saturated darker colors in the end.

But I agree that if that first image was just a little sharper it wouldn't hurt. And this will have to be reviewed when I start testing the images on the projection system. 70% of the light of the projectors is wasted through polarization and there is a slight color cast. I'll have to take that in account too.

About the film, I forgot to say that you must select "free download" at the bottom of the page and then wait 15 seconds (there's a counter at the bottom after you select free download).

Thanks for the ideas once again.

[ard]

I tried the particles (large sized) but I couldn't get them to look ok on the scene. It also make the scene too heavy. I guess it was because I was using the sand and rock as a deflectors and they are heavy themselves.

I tried to add green algae that move with the current and from that moment on, it started to take shape and I could add some more props.

I also tried to change the lights direction because the nearest rock defined a line that was running down to the right and the light rays were parallel. In this image I tried to make them perpendicular and it seems to gain a better balance.

The uvs are a bit better now.

New coments will be helpfull

[david-schoneveld]

Hey it's looking a lot better! The textures look a lot cleaner. I talked to the texture guys at our company they said that they model some sand the moves up the rocks and paint a transparancy fade down into the full on sand, not very promanent fade subtle.

[joojaa]

agreed... still need more

[ard]

I also agree. it still needs more. And I hope that the fish will help to make it look complete.

Thanks for the idea of the sand going up the rocks. I hope I have time to try it.

Right now I'm going to work on the animation. I've 15 minutes to do in a couple of months, with 3 main characters (2 seals and a fish) and dozens and dozens of fish. I'll try to finish it as fast as I can so I can go back to improve the set. I already have a good amount of fish and I have a few guys who are helping me making more.

I'll keep posting the progress here.

This is a terrific project for me, cause if they like it, they will be requesting 1 film per year and that's all I need

Thanks once again.