Modular SciFi Series - Engineer Hallways Vol. 2 Released!

SE_JonF · July 8, 2015, 11:11pm

Greetings everyone!

I just received a message from a customer and I felt I should share the question and answer here in case someone else was curious of the same.

The customer was concerned that the second pack contained a couple of previously seen meshes.

The Modular SciFi Series was designed to be an interchangeable set of assets across a series of packs. As such, some certain pieces may find themselves present across a few packs. This new release for example, 65 of the assets are newly created, 6 of them are reused from the first in order to ensure compatibility. The assets are as follows: 2 doorways, 1 door, 1 doorway accessory, 1 post, 1 post accessory. This is necessary in order to maintain connection within the series. I also want to add that these assets are not factored into the price at all, and as was the case with the first installment in the series expansion updates will be released in the future.

A request was also made about upgrade prices, or discounts for people who have purchased previous installments in the series. This is something that I would like to implement, and will be asking Jones about whether it’s something we can do now or in the future. More information on that as I hear more.

If anyone has any comments or questions regarding this, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Thank you all for your support. =)

SE_JonF · August 6, 2015, 6:21am

Hey everyone!

I’d like to share some screenshots of an example environment utilizing all of the current packs and updates. Seamless integration is very important to this series, and this environment serves to demonstrate how the packs can be used together. I want to thank everyone once again for their continued support of these packs! Happy developing! =)

Check out the packs here!

Modular SciFi: Hallways

Modular SciFi: Interiors

SE_JonF · August 14, 2015, 9:56am

Greetings all!

Here’s the new trailer for the recently released Modular SciFi: Interiors, as well as the collection as a whole. Hope you enjoy!

Joure · October 27, 2015, 8:31am

Hi SE_JonF

So sorry for this late reply/feedback I’ve been swamped lately.
So I did buy the modular sci-fi hallway pack a while ago and the quality is superb. The design aesthetics are also top notch. Basically I am very happy I went with the purchase and am surely going to buy the 2nd pack.

I also wanted to extend my appreciation for adding in the props for free, that was such an awesome move. So, I wanted to share you my findings when using the pack.

I think my biggest gripe is the X design that’s on everything. The first annoyance is that it seems to become repetitive. I just wish it was designed to be masked away very easily, but it’s not. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool design, but it should be used a bit more sparingly. Also, as these props are meant to be used in more then one game, I feel that adding these kinds of details will make them stand out more, and thus will take a way from being able to create a more unique feel in a game.

It sets the assets apart from more common designs, but the drawback is that I will be able to spot these assets in other games very easily, because of it. Maybe take this as a bit of personal advice from a developers point of view. In my case I am very limited with resources so I have to make due wit what’s available and I’m sure I’m not the only one

Secondly, I think using numbers and letters for designating areas is not helping either. Of course I can edit textures but that would be going against the time reducing consuming aspect when buying a pack like this. The material instances are really amazing though, that’s really helpful But yeah, I hate seeing that annoying H on the door everywhere, so I had to edit it out. And every hallway is “Hall 07” These kind of details to me personally are iffy and again had to edit it out. SO i guess all I want to say is try to keep things more neutral.

Like the text on the generators for instance, those are perfectly fine But every crate is cargo 07-A, just get rid of the numbering and leave it blank. or at least be able to mask it out easily. that way it’s just another crate, and people could tweak the texture themselves to add text if they really wanted to.

The reason I wanted to speak out is because I love your work and I want to use it, and buy other packs because the quality is there and the effort is so clearly visible. I want to provide some personal feedback after using your models for a while and I want you to succeed while helping us succeed at the same time

All that being said I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not simply complaining because I want to, I really am happy with the purchase, but I do hope you’ll take some of my words into consideration. I’d hate to see a bunch of games that are all stuck in hall 7 trying to find the key-card to open door H

So I wish you good luck on the new assets, I’m looking forward to buying whatever you’re gonna create, DEFFO will buy a furniture/console/computer/generator whatever pack haha when it’s out. there’s a bunch of sci fi assets packs out there, but nothing that goes into anything to populate the mostly empty areas …

Filly_The_Owl · October 27, 2015, 8:34am

I could create this too! Hahahahahah busted. :c not

SE_JonF · October 27, 2015, 9:04am

Joure;408030:

Hi SE_JonF

So sorry for this late reply/feedback I’ve been swamped lately.
So I did buy the modular sci-fi hallway pack a while ago and the quality is superb. The design aesthetics are also top notch. Basically I am very happy I went with the purchase and am surely going to buy the 2nd pack.

I also wanted to extend my appreciation for adding in the props for free, that was such an awesome move. So, I wanted to share you my findings when using the pack.

I think my biggest gripe is the X design that’s on everything. The first annoyance is that it seems to become repetitive. I just wish it was designed to be masked away very easily, but it’s not. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool design, but it should be used a bit more sparingly. Also, as these props are meant to be used in more then one game, I feel that adding these kinds of details will make them stand out more, and thus will take a way from being able to create a more unique feel in a game.

It sets the assets apart from more common designs, but the drawback is that I will be able to spot these assets in other games very easily, because of it. Maybe take this as a bit of personal advice from a developers point of view. In my case I am very limited with resources so I have to make due wit what’s available and I’m sure I’m not the only one

Secondly, I think using numbers and letters for designating areas is not helping either. Of course I can edit textures but that would be going against the time reducing consuming aspect when buying a pack like this. The material instances are really amazing though, that’s really helpful But yeah, I hate seeing that annoying H on the door everywhere, so I had to edit it out. And every hallway is “Hall 07” These kind of details to me personally are iffy and again had to edit it out. SO i guess all I want to say is try to keep things more neutral.

Like the text on the generators for instance, those are perfectly fine But every crate is cargo 07-A, just get rid of the numbering and leave it blank. or at least be able to mask it out easily. that way it’s just another crate, and people could tweak the texture themselves to add text if they really wanted to.

The reason I wanted to speak out is because I love your work and I want to use it, and buy other packs because the quality is there and the effort is so clearly visible. I want to provide some personal feedback after using your models for a while and I want you to succeed while helping us succeed at the same time

All that being said I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not simply complaining because I want to, I really am happy with the purchase, but I do hope you’ll take some of my words into consideration. I’d hate to see a bunch of games that are all stuck in hall 7 trying to find the key-card to open door H

So I wish you good luck on the new assets, I’m looking forward to buying whatever you’re gonna create, DEFFO will buy a furniture/console/computer/generator whatever pack haha when it’s out. there’s a bunch of sci fi assets packs out there, but nothing that goes into anything to populate the mostly empty areas …

Hey Joure!

Thanks for the feedback, it’s great to hear from you again. I’m glad you’re enjoying the pack. =)

For the painted X areas, yeah that was something I originally did to add an extra layer of detail to the pieces. I tried to keep it as minimal as possible, but also wanted to give the opportunity for developers to incorporate a modifiable color that wasn’t tied to a metal. Going forward it may be best to leave that to decals, and leave it entirely up to the developer rather than integrating it into the texture itself. I’ll be doing that with future architectural packs for sure.

Again similar to the X squares, I tried to use something that wasn’t too distinctive (H for hallway) while adding more details to the texture. You raise good points, and this is something I myself have noticed and marked down for future packs. Maximum customization is my priority, and having optional distinctive branding and decals is a big part of that. =)

I’ve been meaning to provide the PSD files for some of the textures, namely the ones with number or shape branding, and the UI designs so that developers can tweak the masks and extra details themselves for the first two packs. Alternatively I could also provide variants of the textures that do not contain the paint details, which might actually be more user friendly. I have been swamped myself with working on new content behind the scenes, but am hoping to be able to do that as soon as I can. Definitely before the end of the year, the latest.

I’m glad you love the packs! And that you are providing feedback that you feel will help improve the quality of the content.

You aren’t complaining at all, you’ve brought up some good points that can help add further customization and identity to the content packs. If you have any more feedback, don’t hesitate to post it. I’m always here. =)

Thanks! I’m actually working really hard on that right now. I need to catch some sleep, but there’s so much to do! Can’t wait to show it off, it’s coming along nicely. If you have anything specific you’d like to see, feel free to let me know and I’ll see what I can do. I’m aiming to make it as comprehensive, and practical as possible. =)

I’m sorry, I’m a little confused. =P

SE_JonF · November 2, 2015, 7:19am

Greetings everyone!

I’m excited to be able to share some of the WIP images from the upcoming props pack. My goal is to make a pretty comprehensive set of props for developers to utilize in their projects. One of my biggest objectives is to include props that could provide use not only in appearance, but also for gameplay purposes. Here are some of the technological props that will be included in the pack.

Communication Device

Long distance communication is inevitable in most games. The comm device comes with buttons, a UI screen and ports for even more added depth. The WIP images are using the Login Screen UI. I plan to have several UI templates that will cover many apps and uses of your average phone device. Examples include home screen, settings, web browser and email UI. The PSDs of these templates will be included in the package so that developers can further customize them should they desire. The UI is cosmetic, not functional. Unfortunately that’s beyond my capabilities. The source files will allow developers to pursue that option. As it stands now, the UI colors can be modified and there is a subtle animation effect in the material so that it isn’t too static, similar to that of the Datapad UI in the Hallways pack.
**
Laptop**

Another necessity in most games is a computer terminal. The laptop features buttons, power input, ports, and a UI keyboard. The screen itself will feature similar UI/software templates as the communication device, covering the general uses one might have for a computer terminal. An open and closed version will be available, and I will be including separated versions so that developers can have the option of animating the device.
**
Keypad**

Almost every game has their share of locked doors, or containers. The keypad can be used for both, and comes with UI templates and optional lighting to reflect it’s lock status.

As with all of the previous packs, you can modify the color and pbr settings of each of these props. There are plenty more props that are in the works, and I can’t wait to show them all.

If you have any feedback, questions or suggestions please feel free to share below! Until then, here is a collection of screenshots for the assets described above, enjoy!

BardicKnowledge · November 2, 2015, 12:31pm

Those props looks great!

anonymous_user_d0179cd91 · November 2, 2015, 4:27pm

SuperB! I’ll buy it for myself to walk around : )

SE_JonF · November 2, 2015, 10:17pm

Thank you both! This is just a small glimpse of what’s to come. Stay tuned for more! =)

BlackFangTech · November 3, 2015, 1:38pm

So excite for the new props.

BardicKnowledge · November 3, 2015, 3:29pm

The main issue with your assets is finding props matching the same incredible quality!

SE_JonF · November 4, 2015, 1:35am

Thanks! As am I. =)

Thanks! I’m working hard behind the scenes to be able to put packs out more often. If you have any ideas for assets you’d like to see in the collection, feel free to suggest and I’ll see what I can do. My goal is to create a vast library of high quality resources for developers to utilize. =)

SE_JonF · November 9, 2015, 9:31am

Greetings everyone!

I’m here with another WIP update on the upcoming props pack. Here we go:

Waste Bin

It wouldn’t be a props pack without one!

Desks

Desks are another integral prop in many games. Whether simulating work, or to search for information and loot in drawers. There are 3 variations of this style depicted below. The drawers are modeled so that they can be animated to allow for individual opening, perfect for games with that extra layer of immersion! Below you will also find a variation that shows off the potential material customization. As with many of the other props, PSD source files will be provided for developers to further tweak and implement additional details, such as branding. The desks, along with the other props, were designed with the UE4 Mannequin scale in mind.

If you have any feedback, questions or suggestions please feel free to share below! Until then, here is a collection of screenshots for the assets described above, enjoy!

BardicKnowledge · November 9, 2015, 11:15am

Are the writing (letters and numbers) on the keypad and tablet easily editable in the editor by an art illiterate coder or you need to change image files into photoshop (or whatever) ?

SE_JonF · November 9, 2015, 11:51am

Hey BardicKnowledge! They are emissives that are editable via photoshop. I am providing all of the source files and templates for the UI designs so that people can edit them. =)

I’ll be expanding on how you can modify the templates at a latter date. But rest assured, it has been designed for ease of use. =)

Amievil · November 10, 2015, 4:54am

Man this looks awesome.

BardicKnowledge · November 10, 2015, 11:40am

Thanks! Just a suggestion, you could add an alternate version of the keypad where authentication is performed using fingerprints (whole hand?) or retinal scan!

SE_JonF · November 10, 2015, 1:05pm

Thanks Amievil! =)

That’s a really good idea, I’ll look into including templates for those designs! =)

Edit: Thinking more about it, it may be better to create a new device altogether for the fingerprint scan. I’ve got a couple of ideas already. =D

SE_JonF · November 12, 2015, 10:25am

Greetings all!

Just wanted to give a heads up that I confirmed 4.10 compatibility for Modular SciFi: Hallways with the marketplace team. It should be updated to reflect that soon. Modular SciFi: Interiors seems to be the casualty of a bug that is causing normal distortion errors, and I submitted a report on answerhub. I’ll update when I hear back and can get a resolution to the issue.

Edit: A solution has been found, and I will be submitting the update for Interiors. I also went back and checked versions 4.8 and 4.9 and somehow the issues were even there. Those versions will also be included with the fix. =)

Edit 2: Fix was sent in for all versions of Interiors. The description has also been updated to reflect the changes. It should be live soon.