Flower Petals with Expressions

This is my second melscript revision. It essentially does the same thing as the last one, but it adjusts the bend resistance and lift over time with an expression, in order to give a more leafy quality.

//Clean Up
SelectAll;
doDelete;


// User Definitions
string $currentSelection[];
string $myTurbulence[];
string $myAir[];

//Set Up Background
polyPlane -w 1 -h 1 -sx 1 -sy 1 -ax 0 1 0 -cuv 2 -ch 1;
move -2.076 -4.896 7.866;
rotate 0 0 90;
scale 9 1 16;
sets -e -forceElement surfaceShader1SG;
$currentSelection = `ls -selection`;
select -r (($currentSelection[0]) + ".map[0:3]");
polyEditUV -pu 0.5 -pv 0.5 -a 90 ;
polyEditUV -pu 0.5 -pv 0.5 -su -1 -sv 1 ;

//Create Fields
turbulence -pos 0 0 0 -m 6 -att 0 -f 1 -phaseX 0 -phaseY 0 -phaseZ 0 -noiseLevel 0 -noiseRatio 0.707  -mxd -1  -vsh none -vex 0 -vof 0 0 0 -vsw 360 -tsr 0.5 ;
$myTurbulence = `ls -selection`;
air -pos 0 0 0 -m 15 -att 0 -dx 0 -dy -.75 -dz 1 -s 5 -iv 1 -iro 1 -vco 0 -es 0  -mxd 20  -vsh none -vex 0 -vof 0 0 0 -vsw 360 -tsr 0.5 ;
$myAir = `ls -selection`;

//Create petals For Loop
for( $i=0; $i<10; $i++)
{
    //create plane
    polyPlane -w .25 -h .5 -sx 10 -sy 10 -ax 0 1 0 -cuv 2 -ch 1;
    move -r (rand(-1,1)) (rand(-1,1)) (rand(-1,1));
    rotate (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360));
    sets -e -forceElement flowerPetalTexture2SG;
 
    //Adjust NCloth settings
    createNCloth 0;
    $currentSelection = `ls -selection`;
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".drag") (rand(.05, 5));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".pointMass") (rand(.1, 2));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".lift") (rand(.1, 2));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".bendResistance") 10;
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".stretchResistance") (rand(1, 200));
    expression -string (($currentSelection[0]) + ".drag = (rand(.05, 5)); \n" + ($currentSelection[0]) + ".pointMass = (rand(.1, 2)); \n" + ($currentSelection[0]) + ".lift = (rand(.1,2)); \n");
 
    //Attach Fields
    connectDynamic -f $myAir $currentSelection;
    connectDynamic -f $myTurbulence $currentSelection;
 
    select -r $currentSelection nucleus1 ;
    setAttr "nucleus1.gravity" 0;
}

Flower Petals with Mel Script

I was attempting to use mel script to create an aesthetically pleasing piece.

The background is a matte painting, but the flower petals are all created dynamically through mel script.

To create the petals through mel script, I use a For Loop to create each petal.
1. Create plane.
2. Set starting position and rotation randomly.
3. Turn plane into NCloth.
4. Attach plane to fields.

I was trying to integrate NCloth, which Im pretty new at into melscript, and I think it turned out pretty well. One thing I would like to adjust in the future is the lighting on the petals. The color isn't quite right when its in the shadows. The movement is pretty close to what I was looking for though.

Here is the mel script and a playblast. Enjoy!

//Clean Up
SelectAll;
doDelete;


// User Definitions
string $currentSelection[];
string $myTurbulence[];
string $myAir[];

//Set Up Background
polyPlane -w 1 -h 1 -sx 1 -sy 1 -ax 0 1 0 -cuv 2 -ch 1;
move -2.076 -4.896 7.866;
rotate 0 0 90;
scale 9 1 16;
sets -e -forceElement surfaceShader1SG;
$currentSelection = `ls -selection`;
select -r (($mySelection[0]) + ".map[0:3]");
polyEditUV -pu 0.5 -pv 0.5 -a 90 ;
polyEditUV -pu 0.5 -pv 0.5 -su -1 -sv 1 ;

//Create Fields
turbulence -pos 0 0 0 -m 6 -att 0 -f 1 -phaseX 0 -phaseY 0 -phaseZ 0 -noiseLevel 0 -noiseRatio 0.707  -mxd -1  -vsh none -vex 0 -vof 0 0 0 -vsw 360 -tsr 0.5 ;
$myTurbulence = `ls -selection`;
air -pos 0 0 0 -m 15 -att 0 -dx 0 -dy -.75 -dz 1 -s 5 -iv 1 -iro 1 -vco 0 -es 0  -mxd 20  -vsh none -vex 0 -vof 0 0 0 -vsw 360 -tsr 0.5 ;
$myAir = `ls -selection`;

//Create petals For Loop
for( $i=0; $i<10; $i++)
{
    //create plane
    polyPlane -w .25 -h .5 -sx 10 -sy 10 -ax 0 1 0 -cuv 2 -ch 1;
    move -r (rand(-1,1)) (rand(-1,1)) (rand(-1,1));
    rotate (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360));
    sets -e -forceElement flowerPetalTexture2SG;
   
    //Adjust NCloth settings
    createNCloth 0;
    $currentSelection = `ls -selection`;
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".drag") (rand(.05, 5));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".pointMass") (rand(.1, 2));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".bendResistance") (rand(.1, 2));
    setAttr (($currentSelection[0]) + ".stretchResistance") (rand(1, 200));
   
    //Attach Fields
    connectDynamic -f $myAir $currentSelection;
    connectDynamic -f $myTurbulence $currentSelection;
   
    select -r $currentSelection nucleus1 ;
    setAttr "nucleus1.gravity" 0;
}

Randomized cube script

I was attempting to do a spiraling column of cubes, and this is the script that I came up with. Enjoy!



cleanUp();
buildCubes();


//CLEAN UP
global proc cleanUp()
{
SelectAll;
doDelete;
}



//BUILD OBJECTS - make a random sized cube
global proc buildCubes()
{

    float $spacing = 3;
    float $blockSpacing = 27;
    float $cubeSizeX;
    float $cubeSizeY;
    float $cubeSizeZ;
    int $cubeArrayNum = 0;
    string $cubeArrayName[];
    string $cubeArray[];
   
    //for loop
    for ( $blockHeight=1; $blockHeight<10; $blockHeight++)
    {
        for ( $blockDepth=1; $blockDepth<10; $blockDepth++)
        {
            for ( $blockWidth=1; $blockWidth<10; $blockWidth++)
            {
                $cubeSizeX= rand(3);
                $cubeSizeY= rand(3);
                $cubeSizeZ= rand(3);
           
                polyCube -width $cubeSizeX -height $cubeSizeY -depth $cubeSizeZ;
                move -r ($spacing * $blockWidth) ($spacing * $blockHeight) ($spacing * $blockDepth);
                rotate -r (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360)) (rand(0,360)) ;
                $cubeArrayName = `ls -selection`;
                $cubeArray[$cubeArrayNum] = $cubeArrayName[0];
                $cubeArrayNum++;
            }
        }
    }
    select $cubeArray;
    group -name cubeArray;
    for ( $i=1; $i<5; $i++)
            {
                duplicate;
                move -r 0 $blockSpacing 0;
                rotate -r 0 15 0;
                $cubeArrayName = `ls -selection`;
                $cubeArray[$cubeArrayNum] = $cubeArrayName[0];
                $cubeArrayNum++;
            }
}

Adjustments

Here are some adjustments that I made. I tried to allow the skull to be the main focus of the composition, and I adjusted the cluster of texture that distracted from the eyes.

I was struggling to make the rim light in Maya, so hopefully I can work on that a bit.

Final Scene!

Here is the final scene! Enjoy!

Side Note

I know this isn't really about the scene, but I wanted to post some other things that I've been working on. So, here are some other images.

Frozen Moment:

  

    Matte Painting: 

 

 

 

Skull Doorway

Adding the skull doorway, does not include the render layers, Ill go back to that once Im done putting my scene together.

Rendering Test

I still need to ad my skull back into the scene, but I wanted to do some rendering tests to make sure my render layers were working properly.

Updated Textures

Here is my scene with textures and the new objects. I will be incorporating this in to my original scene. I still have to fix some of the lighting too, but its definitely getting there..

UPDATE:

UPDATE: Almost there!

Additional Objects

I've decided to adjust some objects in my scene, and add a few more. I just felt like its not really creepy enough. Here is a rib cage that I am considering to use for my bridge, because I feel like the bridge isn't really working.

UV Mapping

Here is an update of my UV Mapping. Just working on trying to get the checker to lay out properly for now. I already have my textures chosen, so thats the next step!

Lighting Adjustments

I have been trying to get the lighting right, but I am still not too happy with it. Here is my lighting progression throughout the night.

Remodelling The Terrain

I have been working on remodeling the ground in my scene, based on the feedback I received in class last week. I am including pockets of lava to get some steam and brighter highlights. I also incorporated the new steps into the scene. Enjoy!

Remodelling The Stairs

I wanted to redo some of the details in my scene. Here are the stairs that I will end up referencing in to the scene. Enjoy!

Lighting Progress

I have just started on lighting the scene. I want the majority of light eminating from the magma, but I will ad some flames along the bridge and possibly have the door emit light.

Here are the beginnings of my lighting progress. More to come later.

UPDATE: I wanted to play with the lighting a little more to make it feel a bit more surreal. Here are some more pictures...

 

I like the lighting on the columns and skull, but I do not like how it is effecting the bridge. Maybe the texture is the problem, but it just does not seem as dramatic as the rest of the scene.

 UPDATE: I took Ilan's advice and tried light linking. I also found a light in my scene that was emitting the wrong kind of light, so I adjusted that too. Enjoy!

Scene Progress #2

Thank you, Ilan! I was having problems opening up my skull project that I spent hours and hours making, and panicked this morning when I couldn't open the file. As much as I love Macs, my problem was that I need to use a PC and ignore version when opening my file, even though I made it in 2013. Here is an update on my scene. It has my columns, bridge, and skull. I put some color on certain things so that it is easier to tell what is what.

Problem: My main issue right now is that everything seems so jumbled together. The stalagmites and stalacites are part of the cohesiveness to my scene, BUT they are making it hard to see everything else. So, I think I will need to put an extra emphasis on texturing and lighting, so that I can differentiate the stalagmits (which are just background props) from the main pieces that I want to highlight, like the doorway, steps, bridge, and columns.

Problem #2: I made a really hi-rez version of my columns, but I can't open my files very well, so I thought I would just use a low-rez, and normal maps, but Im not sure.


Here is my updated scene. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Edit: I am hoping to make a matte painting for the background. It seems silly to build the whole cave. I am currently taking a matte painting class and hopefully I can make it as one of my projects.

 

Scene Progress

I finally finished the columns. I am trying to stylize certain elements. Hopefully, I will be able to use textures and normal maps on the stalagmites and stalactites to improve the cohesiveness. In the morning, I will add my bridge and skull. Furthermore, I will probably add a bit more detail to the doorway. Enjoy!

UPDATE: More progress! With Skull!

Skull Modeling

My skull model is moving along pretty well. Its 10 times further than it was last week. I thought I'd post some progress. I am still working on making it look better, but hopefully it wont need much more. Enjoy!

UPDATE: Finished model below!

Scene Assets

I have been working on building some assets for my scene. Here is the start of my doorway, and a bridge. The base of the bridge will be stones, and the planks of the bridge are made with wood and rope.

Ostium Orci

I am considering changing my direction to a cave scene. I want to keep dramatic lighting, by using fire, but I thought this would be more interesting to work on. I did a quick sketch, and started modelling. The concept for this is a gate to hell (Ostium Orci). More sketches are coming, but the concept is basically a short walk up a mountain to the Ostium Orci, located in a cave surrounded by magma. Stalctites and stalagmites are used to create archways, bridges, stairs, and blockades. There is a wooden bridge over the magma because...who would want to walk on something so flammable over lava? Sounds like a death trap to me. Scattered around will be bones and weapons of people that failed to reach the gate.

A little creepy and morbid, but I think it will challenge me to improve my skills, and will require a lot of work. I'm excited!

Room Concept

Draft of my room concept. I am hoping to make a warehouse. This is just the basic room, but I plan on populating it with interesting objects, boxes, and other things. It is made of wood and concrete, with metal piping. I would like dramatic lighting that seeps through the wood and dirty windows.

NURBS - Antique Telephone

Antique Telephone made mostly of NURBS. The coiled cord is the only thing made of polygons.