Steampunk Workshop No. 1

[Dave]

Room101, it's fine to use this thread if you want to throw around some ideas. Please do.

[mahotsukai]

Parduz.

Photos from the industrialised North East of England.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

[room101]

Feb 14, 2014 10:03:25 GMT -9 mahotsukai said:

Parduz.

Photos from the industrialised North East of England.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Ten minutes from my home.

[Dave]

Snow textures in progress.

[room101]

Ok Dave, my ideas for steampunk engineer no 2 are a shell not unlike the Swan House Inn, with a crane tower replacing the tower section. The crane head on a cog type thing so it looks like it rotates through the horizontal axis.

The lower roof could then have a big pair of doors / hatch in it where the crane lifts things in and out. Up to you the level of functionality of course. Add in an optional viewing platform like On the investor's house too perhaps.

Big set of doors on the front too.

Happy to sketch it up if it isn't clear what I mean.

Mike

[room101]

Loving that winter render.

[Dave]

Yeah, I kinda get what you mean. Good idea.

[Dave]

This is how steampunk layers begin. The bright colored elements are 'masks' for the metal sections.

[afet]

I like what you're doing here, Dave.

[Dave]

Steampunk layers in progress. This snapshot is a few hours old, so the latest version is a little better than this.



At this point I'm thinking that three separate model kits make the most sense:

Armorer's Workshop: fantasy/medieval theme, multiple layers, optional snow layers, $5

Steampunk Workshop No. 1: steampunk theme, multiple layers, optional snow layers, $5

Armorer of Rake's Corner: fantasy/medieval theme, ready-to-print/one look only (no snow), $3

[cowboyleland]

I don't see where it could get better You Rock, dood.

[mproteau (Paper Realms)]

Forgive me if I'm out of line... the drop shadow under the top window just strikes me as odd. Where it's just bricks, it looks like the windows are inset. I assume inset because there appears to be a dropshadow effect above the window. Where it overlaps the metal, it looks... like a window layer pasted on top of the metal beam. Ditto on the snowy building picture. The top window is overlapping the wooden cross beam below it. I'd imagine if I were putting in a window, I'd put the window above the beam, or else I'd have to carve some of the beam away (which I really wouldn't want to do), but the window would still be set into the beam, not over the beam... In the early pic with the wooden beams, the lower row of windows look like they should be raised so they're above the beam below them, and rather than having a vertical beam running into the window, there should be a horizontal beam above the window.

You know, I'm a software engineer, not an architect, so my 2¢ may not be worth a full 2¢... Sorry, I usually start out the *correct* way as a casual observer and say "er mah gerd it's so perty!" but now I've got my kitbasher hat on, where I'm looking at things at the pixel level. These are just some things that caught my eye.

[Dave]

Sharp eyes! Just keep in mind that these are all snapshots of my work-in-progress files, and that the window placements are deliberately offset from the beams so that I can more easily judge how the textures are blending before putting everything where they'll eventually go. Also keep in mind that architectural accuracy takes a backseat to visual appeal (or takes the bus), and that working at this scale requires certain compromises such as exaggerated shading and proportions or a model loses a lot of its appeal at table-viewing distance.

Feb 20, 2014 13:23:38 GMT -9 mproteau (Paper Realms) said:

the drop shadow under the top window just strikes me as odd. Where it's just bricks, it looks like the windows are inset. I assume inset because there appears to be a dropshadow effect above the window.

That's an early screenshot before shading was added. They are not meant to be inset.

Feb 20, 2014 13:23:38 GMT -9 mproteau (Paper Realms) said:

Where it overlaps the metal, it looks... like a window layer pasted on top of the metal beam. Ditto on the snowy building picture. The top window is overlapping the wooden cross beam below it... rather than having a vertical beam running into the window, there should be a horizontal beam above the window.

It might not be architecturally accurate, but the window layers are optional, and those wall sections look much better if there's a vertical beam there when there is no window option selected. It's just one of those "architectural accuracy takes a backseat' things, and a compromise that works best for the model overall. I might add a horizontal beam below the window and see how that looks.

Thanks for the feeback!

[cowboyleland]

Putting a window through a beam is definitely not a diy project I would undertake, but it is a fine looking wall and not impossible to pull off if you have the money . . . or don't care at all about structural integrity of your building.

[Dave]

This is as good a time as any to make those adjustments, so I did. The windows now sit just above the beams, and I've removed the vertical ones that were behind them. Looks fine.

[Dave]

Coming tomorrow! Here's a look at the Armorer's Workshop multi-layered PDF kit. Here it is showing the optional snow layers.

[WackyAnne]

Feb 26, 2014 8:29:19 GMT -9 Dave said:

Coming tomorrow! Here's a look at the Armorer's Workshop multi-layered PDF kit. Here it is showing the optional snow layers.

Very nice, Dave! I wish my snow was looking that way... but that's another six weeks away at the earliest... we've record amounts of snow.

[Dave]

There are snow layers that let you make the roof and ground look totally snow-covered. I opted for a look that would show the standard roof and ground textures underneath.

It's always tough to pick one or two looks for a model from all the options available, and because there are so many options sometimes I don't even recognize my own stuff when I see it in photos from other folks.

Here's another view of the Armorer's Workshop, showing the other side with no snow textures at all:

[Dave]

PREVIEW OF STEAMPUNK BUILDING NO. 1: South-west view showing optional snow layers. This model kit will be available tomorrow.

[room101]

I like the double chimney. I nearly suggested that two chimneys made sense in an armourer's, so it's nice to see it here. The exterior copper / bronze work is a lovely touch too.

[Dave]

Another look at Steampunk Building No. 1, coming tomorrow.

[emergencyoverride]

This turned out AWESOME!