Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Modeling a Low-Poly Medieval Vault


In this tutorial, I'll explain how I made the four way vault that is is the basis for my low poly castle. The screen-shots in this tutorial are from Blender 3d, but the modeling principles will be the same in any 3d package. Click the images to enlarge. The shortcut keys I'll be naming are based on Blender 2.5 series.


Step 1: Fire up blender, and set this  image as your background:


Step 2: Create this shape. It's best if you model one half, then duplicate and flip the verts horizontally. Be sure to join the 2 verts at the top of the arch. Re-size your arch to 4 blender units wide.


Step 3: In top view, extrude all the verts in the Y direction 4 Blender units. From the top, you should see a 4 x 4 square.

You should end up with this:


Step 4:  Enter top view, object mode. Select the arch and duplicate it. Rotate it 90 degrees:


Enter front view, and make sure the duplicated arch is still the active object.


Step 5: Enter edit mode, select all the verts on 1 side, and move them 1/2 Blender unit to the side (.5 in the x direction). The result should look like this:


Step 6: For this step, be sure that you are in wire mode. Blender can't see through shaded shapes when selecting verts. Select the top vert opposite the side you just moved 1/2 blender unit - the left side in this case - and drag it in the x direction until it lines up with the top of the first arch. If this sounds confusing, take a look at the next few images and you'll see what we are shooting for.


Continue selecting verts (use "C" circle select to make sure that you grab both verts), and moving them so that they line up with the template arch. Be really careful here, and make sure that your verts line up with the other arch exactly. Zoom in really close, or you'll be sorry later. The result should look like this:


Take a look at your progress in perspective mode. You should have something like this:


Move the original arch out of the way for now. You can use it as a straight hall way section, as it will connect with the 4 way arch we are making perfectly. You should end up with this - 1/4 of our finished 4 way arch:


Step 7: Go into top view, edit mode. Place the object center exactly at the point of the arch. Select all the verts, and rotate 90 degrees, with this result:


Step 8: Merge these verts by selecting all then removing doubles, or use center select to select the 2 verts near each other, then Ctrl M, center to merge them.You'll likely use a combination of both techniques.


Step 9: Making certain that you've got no double verts, head back to top view, select all, and rotate 90 degrees, with this result:
 

As before, remove all the double verts, any way you like. You should end up with this:


Step 10: Make sure all of your face normals point inward, thus:


Next, set the whole arch smooth, and add an edge split modifier (but don't apply it). The default 30 degrees is fine.


That's the basic 4 way arch. If you like, you can duplicate it and join the verts as before. When you join 4 together, you'll end up with this result:


The resulting geometry has some faces we don't need. Select the offending edge loops as below, and delete (delete  - edge loop).


After unnecessary edge loop removal, you'll end up with this:


At this point, you've got a hallway and a vault pattern you can use to create vaulted rooms of any size. In the next tutorial, I'll explain the construction of an arched doorway. Enjoy!


17 comments:

  1. thanks! Good Work!

    www.3desenho.blogspot.com

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  2. Nice tutorial, thanks to share this!

    Dom

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  3. Doug, i tried to follow you tutorial, but i don;t get what you did on "Step 6: For this step, be sure that you are in wire mode. Blender can't see through shaded shapes when selecting verts. Select the top vert opposite the side you just moved 1/2 blender unit - the left side in this case - and drag it in the x direction until it lines up with the top of the first arch. If this sounds confusing, take a look at the next few images and you'll see what we are shooting for."

    it would be nice a video tutorial of this thing. Thanks

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  4. I don't have the right setup for a video tut. Concerning step 6, all you are doing is dragging verts to the right.

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  5. Thank you for the cool tutorials! Would you be willing to do another one on how to unwrap and texture this vault? I have been unsuccessful in using project from view as in your other tutorial. Both the curves to the ceiling and the inside corners have been difficult to match. I've tried various seams, project from view, and all the other unwrap options in so many ways I don't know which combinations I have and haven't tried. I've tried other tutorials on the net but I haven't been able to use them for the way the vault meets in the center.

    Thank you for your time. And whether or not you post my suggested tutorial, please post some more. :)

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  6. Shannon - Thanks for giving my tutorial a shot. Ok, I'll try to make a tut on texturing the vaults - I meant to,but...life. I am very busy with work at the moment, so I may just do a quick tut an update it later. I have others I'd like to do, when I get some time.

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  7. I understand life. And work.

    A quick question while we wait: Would it be better to texture the pieces individually, or to assemble them together into a scene and then texture the whole?

    I made a tee intersection and a corner tunnel to help complete the set. I also started work on a balcony piece but decided to work on texturing and got stuck.

    I thank you for the time you have put forward for these tutorials. I hope that life and work will allow more in the future. Good luck!

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  8. It's easier to texture each section, and then connect them together as little modules. You can always separate the individual islands in the uv editor.I appreciate your enthusiasm. Working on some paid modeling work at the moment. I'll get on that tut soon! Feel free to bug me if I don't.

    This would be easier if I could make video tuts - I can, but camstudio doesn't want me record sound for some reason.

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  9. V. good tut.Step 9 should rotate 180 degrees.

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  10. OMG... this tutorial is awesome and so easy to follow. Just copy the pics. Thanks so much!! Where is the tutorial to the arched doorway? FYI ... thanks again. I'm not artistic, but this is so simple, even I can follow it.

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  11. Thanks! I have to admit I have been so loing away from making these tutorials that I forgot they existed! Here is the door arch:

    http://3dmedieval.blogspot.com/2010/12/modeling-low-poly-medival-arch.html

    I have a slightly more "next gen" method now, which I'll try to turn into a tutorial when I can.

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  12. How did you texture the arch, I have been looking for days online trying to figure it out and its driving me fracking nuts! thanks for any help....

    desperate in Seattle

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  13. Fear not. Easy. I will try to make a video if it tonight. I feel your pain, but relax, it is really simple when you see it. If I can't make a video, I will send screen shots.

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  14. Actually, I already made one:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRS0t02jwVY&feature=c4-overview&list=UUp389f1tsh8XbnLnn7XTU_Q

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  15. Doug check Windows Media Encoder out, it's free like CamStudio and unlike CamStudio doesn't come with a file size bug =)

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