318 polygons
At least the armory has a shield and swords!
>>make everything look cool rather than easily recognized
The former doesn't rule out the latter, and it isn't bad. I think, if it looks cool, who cares about realism? As long as it looks distinctive, you will recognize it. It's not like you are thrown into a landscape with a set of buildings and have to find out what they produce just by looking at the graphics. You build a chemlab for example, you see "oh, ok, it's a hut with a big glass tank", and if you look at it again, you say "yes, that's the chemlab", not "hm, what was this again, a brewing stand?".
(note: actual power plants actually have something like that)
The original has this stuff left to the glass, which doesn't look like anything, I placed three lamps, which could indicate the amount of power currently stored. At the right side, below the tube, there's room for this power-socket-like thing windgenerator and elevator have, I don't know if we still want it.
I'm not sure about the basement - the only building with some kind of a base plate is the coal generator, all the other ones have their components standing on the landscape, so maybe remove the basement?
Otherwise, Matthi mentioned that he'd like it better if the battery would stand upright.
>>I liked the "details" on the left side of Mimmos original model more.
Well, it's just intersecting boxes, of course it depends on the texture. Do you plan to have a power display in the texture? Because it does need some sort of power-amount indicator somewhere.
>>The glass tube will be a problem
Why?
>>Otherwise, Matthi mentioned that he'd like it better if the battery would stand upright.
I'll try that out.
>>The glass tube will be a problem
> Why?
How would you model/texture it that it really looks like glass?
The bulbs are there again, but if someone has a better idea how to show the power level, I would be glad to hear it!
I see one negative point here: If it stands upright, the rings will always appear as stripes. The lying version can be rotated slighty. One cool thing about the vertical version is that there is more space for lightbulbs on the left now to display the amount of power stored (3 lights is too little, perhaps 5). Also, when standing, it more closely resembles the standard icons used for batteries (see this example)
Also, how to animate the lights?
>>Also, how to animate the lights?
I would use one material for each state with the active light having a strong, yellow-white-ish colour and then switch materials as only "animation". And additionally have light overlays ingame for the actual effect. There could also be some reflection on the accumulator, painted into the respective textures.
Normally a tesla coil has a ring shaped or a spherical electrode
Besides that i like the upright version more than the horizontal one. But the ringproblem, which newton already mentioned, is really a bit bothersome. What is about replace them with a thing like an elastic spring like this example
Metal cage looks too confusing imo, the accumulator is not that big and you won't be able to identify anything when zoomed out.
>>I see one negative point here: If it stands upright, the rings will always appear as stripes. The lying version can be rotated slighty.
>>What is about replace them with a thing like an elastic spring
Spiral looks ok, could be improved further, but I like the next one better:
Shift the tori around a bit so you recognize them. In the attached picture I rotated them so that they have approx. the same angle to the camera as the rotated lying version.
>The last one looks a bit like it is about to fall apart, I don't really like it to be honest
Wasn't that a bit what we were going for for the style of all the buildings? :)
I like the last one more than the two others on the left
PS: I forgot how to upload images from my computer onto the form could someone remind me pleas. :)
-The cage looks stupid, you're right, nobody will understand what this should be. What I was thinking about was more a "metal" box with several window (J.J. offered already a scetch, but I imagine bigger windows on the each face.
-The glass-thing does not look like a power-whatever. It simply looks like nothing. Maybe try a "edgy" glass thing instead of a "round" cylinder. That could look less modern and a bit more technical.
-What about add some wooden parts? e.g. 4 wood colums with a sloped roof? like most of the other buildings? r maybe a wooden frame insead of a metal cage. A sloped roof on the top of this box with the lamps could be a nice alternative?
what about adding more crazy power-line-salad everwhere: in the cylinder on the top of the "lamp box", on the side of the "lamp-box"...?
-what about a total new design? Maybe you have a good idea by yourself. nobody forces you to stick on mimmos idea?
Maybe you can have a use of at least one of my comments.
>-The glass-thing does not look like a power-whatever. It simply looks like nothing. Maybe try a "edgy" glass thing instead of a "round" cylinder. That could look less modern and a bit more technical.
>-What about add some wooden parts? e.g. 4 wood colums with a sloped roof? like most of the other buildings? r maybe a wooden frame insead of a metal cage. A sloped roof on the top of this box with the lamps could be a nice alternative?
>what about adding more crazy power-line-salad everwhere: in the cylinder on the top of the "lamp box", on the side of the "lamp-box"...?
>-what about a total new design? Maybe you have a good idea by yourself. nobody forces you to stick on mimmos idea?
It's only a prototype though, not yet finished, I painted over a bit. The brown things are supposed to be some kind of rubberband or rope, holding that stuff in place. It swims in acid. (As an advanced building, it could also need acid to build)
I could add the big hose from the picture, it could be used to refuel some crazy vehicles, or it could emit steam.
But now this battery loses its own power by the "bypass"-connection of both electrodes. That does not make sense. Both electrodes should be connected to these mysterious ugly light-box or to whatever.
Besides that, both electrodes are swimming?
Is this "basement" necessary? what about a stand for each of those "glass barrels"? like this: http://www.fotofachversand.at/shop/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Messzylinder_100_4a925bc7e6d48.jpg
But still, great improve. Really!
-instead of lamps some kind of display with a needle (i could be less grabby but more steampunkish elegant like this: https://lh6.ggpht.com/QbQPZrfXfx_GAnu1T89mY0U-bdN4VSI0DASJRho3uIB3TZFqq3sMDBMcLEUJCsPFLw%3Dw170)
-A little wooden cabin/roof structure
-only one tank
So the battery is still supposed to be a glass container with liquid inside? Cause that is difficult to texture, see chemlab. since there is a display with a needle now, I would like to suggest to drop the idea of the glass container with greenish liquid inside and instead have a solid container resembling a modern-day battery or some steampunky brass thing.
The downside of my idea would be this: The green color is not found in any other buildings so far, so this would be a nice distinct feature for this building, I know Matthias likes that.
So whats about some kind of such a 9Volt-Battery-like thing instead of this weird glas thing. I mean there could be a big kind of Danger! Acid! sticker or sign on this thing like these warning symbols known from chemistry (just in this bright greenish color?)
But this green is not unique since the chemlab uses a green liquid filled gigantic bottle. Are there plans to remodel the chemlab as well, because of the glas-texturing-problem? I mean it sure looks a bit like it is not yet finished?!
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