Modeling a building/sky scrapper in C4D?

Detail Detail Detail, this is what's really going to make your models look real, well that and many other things, but you get my point. :)
 
Maybe model the ground floor first.
The upper levels are usually just rows & layers of windows.
For that maybe model one area around a window with the ledge ect. Clone that several times until you have one floor. Then clone each floor and stack them up. You could hand clone them or use a matrix or mograph.
Later you could go back & put a couple lights in some random windows.


//Can you show a photo of a building you had in mind?
 
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Raptor365 said:
Maybe model the ground floor first.
The upper levels are usually just rows & layers of windows.
For that maybe model one area around a window with the ledge ect. Clone that several times until you have one floor. Then clone each floor and stack them up. You could hand clone them or use a matrix or mograph.
Later you could go back & put a couple lights in some random windows.


//Can you show a photo of a building you had in mind?
Click to expand...

Something simillar to this minus all the extra parts on top of building.

Thanks Raptor.
 

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Depending on how you intend to use the model, you can cheat a lot of it with bump maps and textures with minimal model. Obviously the closer you get to the building the more detail you need.

Modeling to scale will help with realism, and break it down into parts. It's mostly in the textures though, that will really sell it.
 
Raptor365 said:
Here are several tutorials on creating buildings & city blocks to get started.
Those techniques can be expanded upon as you need more detail.
Included are instruction pdfs and project file downnloads.

How to Create City Blocks

Camera Animation through a City

Close up Detailed Building for Camera Close-up

Creating Detailed Buildings for City Scene

source & more C4D tutorials...
http://www.maxoncomputer.com/tutorial_search.asp
Click to expand...

Thanks Raptor just what I was looking for. I'm very excited to get started. I sware 3d model/animation is so fun and addicting not to mention I can't wait to integrate it with AE.

thanks much!
Josh
 
No problemo.

Here's a very simple one I just did in about 1/2 hour using your photograph.

I used the photo as a texture on a cube.
Then used the Mograph cloner with a Random Effector to vary the heights.
Then used a paint program to adjust the color.

If I used a detailed model, or several and did some compositing, well you get the idea. I'll have to try another one.

//If you have mograph and would like this scene file, left me know and I'll upload it somewhere.
But I think those tutorials will be fine.

city_cropped.jpg
 
Raptor365 said:
No problemo.

Here's a very simple one I just did in about 1/2 hour using your photograph.

I used the photo as a texture on a cube.
Then used the Mograph cloner with a Random Effector to vary the heights.
Then used a paint program to adjust the color.

If I used a detailed model, or several and did some compositing, well you get the idea. I'll have to try another one.

//If you have mograph and would like this scene file, left me know and I'll upload it somewhere.
But I think those tutorials will be fine.

city_cropped.jpg
Click to expand...

Seriously wow Raptor very nice for that short of time and very close to what I want! Wish I did have mograph I just have XL Bundle. So I guess the scene file wouldn't work for me since I don't have Mograph. I would love to take a look at C4D.obj file of the building if you had one. Your work along with Anhars and few others have really inspired me to get into 3d.

I'll be starting my project tonight. Also thanks for that maxon link I didn't know it existed.

great work.
 
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I sent a PM.

Those tutes are a little old so some things in C4D have been changed since then.
 
My first attempt.....It isn't great or very realistic by any means yet but it does make me fool good to at least complete something and animate it. This is my first C4d Render so take it easy lol. Thanks to Raptor for all the links and help.
 

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Not bad for your first attempt, I'd play with your lighting and settings a little bit more. Now you've got me wanting to try.... :)
 
Looks like you did everything right. Umm, here's one I did just to give an idea of how to take it a bit further. Yours is right so far so dont take this wrong.
It's just adding to what youve done already.

I used a single B&W window as an alpha and placed that on a cube. Then scaled the texture to make the windows cutouts like in the tutorial.
For the relection in the glass I inserted another cube 'inside the building' with a plain white color. Reflection channel set to 100%. I also had too give relection to the building material, weird. To light the reflections I used
a light placed 'inside & middle' of the buildings with shadowing turned off. That allows the reflections of all buildings to see the light. It gets worse but thats all I'm saying for now. :) But that mght help.

I can send a semi-block portion of the scene C4D file to you to play with if you want.

You'll note that the first image has a little too much transparnecy.

hirise_test4.jpg


The image below had the grain & blooming added in photoshop.
Cars/road area added in post with alphas as seperate renders.
Getting that reflection look is a bit more complicated though.
Still needs a little work in making it look more random but I learned what I wanted to.

test6c_composite_ps.jpg
 
Looks good Raptor I acutally redid my whole scene. I will upload a pic. I've been playing with C4D all weeknd!
 
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