Modeling inside of a cave?

[STRIMIX]

I'm using maya 3D

Hey i need to know what the best way is to model the inside of a cave.
Im working on a map that is shaped in a circle, it needs to create the feeling that you are inside a cave.
I quickly made a messy example of what i mean, you can see the rocks covering the sides and top.


I need to create a mesh that covers it in stat of massive rocks that you can find in udk packages.
What would be the best way to model this because i have basic knowledge of modeling and i mostly just model walls and stuff like that.
But a cave is a harder shape to do and to make it look nice.
So this is the basic grey-box W.I.P without the rocks.

[Graylord]

I would just make a lot of various rocks that you can put together into creating anything rock-like, such as a cave.

Just make a lot of rocks out of various shapes and sizes, just remember to use a similar if not the same material on each if you want to use them together.

[STRIMIX]

so basicly what i show in the example but then a few different rocks and mix it up?
Also i could leave the backside away to ease the polygon count?

[shuriken88]

When I modelled caves, I made them in a modelling program as seperate segments joined together into one big system. Basically a modular cave I guess, using predefind "building blocks". But they can only fit to their corresponding segment (so I cant make different caves out of the same segments, but I wouldn't want to either). So I guess doing it your way leaves you open for more variation on a spontaneous level. Instead of going into 3DS Max to create the next cave section, you already have your "assorted rocks" that you can move around into any formation you want, so things should be a lot less time consuming.

Nice looking "messy" example too. Do I sense a hint of modesty LOL?

[STRIMIX]

When I modelled caves, I made them in a modelling program as seperate segments joined together into one big system. Basically a modular cave I guess, using predefind "building blocks". But they can only fit to their corresponding segment (so I cant make different caves out of the same segments, but I wouldn't want to either). So I guess doing it your way leaves you open for more variation on a spontaneous level. Instead of going into 3DS Max to create the next cave section, you already have your "assorted rocks" that you can move around into any formation you want, so things should be a lot less time consuming.

Nice looking "messy" example too. Do I sense a hint of modesty LOL?

Thanks for the replies.

And haha no that first print screen you see was the first setup that i made, its a map full with puzzles can't say to much but that first screen shot was my first grey-box a really bad one and i quickly dropped in some ****tie meshes for the sake of this question, also the top on has all the puzzles working with kismet etc.

The bottom one is the grey-box i work on now the clean version, i build all the meshes myself and then re-do the whole kismet thing in there.
Also if your interested here you can see my previous project in UDK.
http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/...-project/page2

That was my first big udk project where i had to model and design everything.
This project i have to make it even better in a way of modeling etc.

[shuriken88]

I just checked out your older project and I was really impressed. I love those kind of enviroments. Medieval hillside, or coastal towns. They just seem magical to me. It was the same with the great Thief series, especially Thief 3. The level design and art direction in those games was virtually unparralelled IMO.

I made a similar themed map for UT2004, which my my own fictional version of a favella town from Rio De Janero. This was a few years back though, and I never released the actual map because I seemed to reach "absolute choking point" with the capabilities of UT2004. This map was HUGE. There was over 40 buildings, and this was only HALF of the map. Each of the buildings were FULLY interiored and could be explored for pickups and secrets, or just to take the fight indoors. Each of the buildings were unique (no copy & pasted geometry except for the houses), I had a sewer system that could be fully explored (if you could find the entrance), leading to the secret Redeemer pickup. You can look through steel grated man-holes and see the sewer system, but you didn't know it was accessible until you find the hidden entrance (the bots were too dumb to find it lol, even with proper paths). There were two HUGE mansions owned by druglords. One at the highest point of town, on the north end, and one at the lowest part, in the south (was going to be for CTF mode). The mansions were fully explorable, 6 or more rooms in each. I had a nightclub with strobe lights and oldskool drum n bass playing. A sort of "castle ruins" type monument that leans over a cliff. The whole map was set in the dead of night. Only artificial light sources lit the map (I wanted to get that magical night-time feel with colourful, bold illumination, dotted between areas of darkness). I was really heartbroken that I couldn't finish this map. I spent over a year making it (on and off), yea, a YEAR! Then it all just screws up and I have to abandon the whole thing....

You can still find the thread on here, but you cant download it. Just see some pictures. I may release the unfinished map, which is buggy, but I dont know if that would be a good thing...

Here it is, but the screenshots REALLY dont do the map any justice. You have to see it in action. Plus, a lot more was updated since that thread, EG, no blank texutures anymore. This isn't the dedicated map thread, I cant find it anymore. The dogs at Epic seem to have deleted the **** thread without even telling me about it. Thanks for the consideration guys.

http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/...-object-itself

Its also 97% BSP, hence the multitude of problems LMAO.

[STRIMIX]

Yeah i got the advice that i should use my 3d models in a better way, so the models you see in that old project were modular but very low poly and i could get allot more out of it so thats what i do as a improvement point in this project.
Also some other stuff i got as feedback that i use now and the map u made the favela sounds like a amazing map it would be cool to see the whole thing unlucky the topic you made is not here no more