Working on Sea Life for an upcoming map set...

[Gamerprinter]

So I finally completed my first release from my Kickstarter I ran last summer, a set of 100 map objects for general fantasy use with plants, furniture and assorted goodies in my photorealistic style. They are available as PNG files with Alpha channel at 72, 100 and 300 ppi - the latter size for use in published and printed maps.

I am now beginning a 250 map object set as Expanded Fantasy and Exotic Settings in the same scale and format. In order to get 250 objects created and still be manageable, I will create 25 objects for 10 different categories, 2 of the categories are Undersea Coral & Plantlife, and Sea Life (50 total). Although I have the Coral & Plantlife objects done, I wanted to redo my crab (as it currently sucks). I redid the image as a 3D model using Nendo, my preferred subdivisional surface modeler, exported in 3DS format, imported to Raydream Studio and rendered. I created the textures in Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 9, my preferred graphics/mapping app.

Here's my crab - looks good, huh?

crab.png

[madcowchef]

Great looking crab, did you model it on any particular species?

[Gamerprinter]

Something I Googled... it's a mud crab, Scylla serrata.

[Tracker]

Hello:
t looks good and if you change the material or the color combination you can create different species of crab, or change out the claws to create different species of crab. It is a great looking base. Well done.

Tracker

[Gamerprinter]

When I created the model, I created separate pieces for the carapace, each leg, and the forward pincers on each claw, so I could easily replace any limb with a different version (larger claws, etc.) While I don't have any near term plans to make other species, I always can!

[Gamerprinter]

Hello:
t looks good and if you change the material or the color combination you can create different species of crab, or change out the claws to create different species of crab. It is a great looking base. Well done.

Tracker

OK, you talked me into it! Instead of changing geometry, I just changed the color scheme. Now its a blue crab.

GP

blue-crab.png

[madcowchef]

That's the peacock of crabs. I get so used to muted tones for this things I forget how colorful nature can be.

[Gamerprinter]

Next a squid, though greatly enlarged it might work for a kraken too.

squid.png

[Pineapple]

That's the peacock of crabs. I get so used to muted tones for this things I forget how colorful nature can be.

Yeah, although I would say that generally blue crabs aren't that bright, and the lines between the colors aren't so sharp. Gamerprinter, the model is beautiful, don't get me wrong. As a guy who lives in Baltimore though, I have to say that the blue needs to be mottled with some darker blues and some grayish tones if you're able to do that.

Nice work!

[Gamerprinter]

I actually redid the blue crab (better I think) and its posted in this map...

Here's all the sea map objects created so far, placed in a busy coral reef scene as a test. I just created the dolphin, octopus, jellyfish, following creating the squid, crab, clams, corals, anemones and sea plants. I created a whale too, but it would block everything in this map.

What do you think?

reef-test.jpg