I'd like to have a checkerboard marble floor here (or something in the like) - but I'm still a newbie. I can't make my own materials, so I've found a few that may work. They are either textures or tiles, and I can't seem to get it. When I try to load a tile JPEG into the 2D library, I don't get the colors...and I don't know how to tile things... How do I get the floor right?

here's the general idea.

Here's a render with a tile mat - it's too small and sort of wavy..

Size is right, but now the floor looks out of focus..?

Later...

A couple of things... In #3, above, the waviness comes from your AntiAliasing settings being too low, or at default. For future reference, should this happen again turn it up to Superfine, 16 or more RPP. In #5, notice Phil's "Ambience" dot? Methinks yours isn't there, in the Channel A spot. Thus, your texture is kinda washed out... Also, use a slight bump map. ALWAYS use a bump map, even if you don't want things bumpy this will add to realism. And try turning on reflections. Marble is often reflective, if smooth enough. Finally, you can take this one with a grain of salt, or discard the idea altogether : the stock library "marble" texture in question here looks nothing like real marble. It's more like squiggly black. I would multi-layer a few textures together, give your marble some color and depth, and complexity. You're far past the stage where stock textures from the libraries should be used, in my opinion! If you're still having trouble coming up with something tonight, I'll toss a few Materials your way, and either you can like them (or not), use them (or not), or just learn from them, (or not!). The stair model's lookin good so far, where do you plan on putting your lights?

Xenic101 helped me out suggesting I added one mat to the floor and duplicated it with another mat. The dark mat is Zhann's obsidian, but I did use the preset marble for the light one - can't seem to find anything that looks like white marble anywhere! It looks a lot better now imo, but the white marble isn't quite right...I do have a bump map. I have lots of things planned for this image, but the light will give me a lot of work! I don't know anything about lighting really, so I'll probably cry for help here :) This is how it looks so far - I'm not happy with the walls yet, though. LSD, I'd love it if you'd hand me some Materials..! Thank you all for your help :)

Here's four quickies I coughed up this afternoon for you. If you like any of them, just IM me with your email and I'll try to get them to you. Goes for anyone else, for that matter. Let me know... These are all four strictly procedural textures, no image maps were harmed in the making of these floors! But that said, your floor in #7 looks pretty damn good! Nice ans shiny, with a good level of detail...!

And the second two... Kinda strange ones. Just some ideas for you! You do what YOU want. (sorry about the misplacement there, I didn't notice the white line...)

Message edited on: 06/20/2005 21:51

ek-art-- Looks 100% better in my opinion with your latest pic. I really like the way the marble looks now, with the alternation. But it's still too flat, without much detail. On the lighting--perhaps some electronic torches along the walls, following the staircase? But the best thing on the lighting is to make absolutely sure that anyone that sees the pic can tell what the source of every light in the picture is. So, I would disable sunlight in the skylab and put in my own lights (in the aforementioned positions). Also, this looks kind of like a dance/ball room to me (the fancy staircase and windows, the fancy marble floor that would probably chip just because someone looked at it wrong, lol). So perhaps you should make it at night? Then you could have the lights really contrast with the dark. Just some thoughts, looks good so far! =) Hope this helps you out.

It IS supposed to be a ballroom :) And it IS going to be at night :) I've turned the sun straight on while working on the walls and floor, so I can see what I'm doing. I'd like to have the room itself right before I start throwing in objects this time.. Will be back to bug you all when I get to the lighting! Thanks a lot! LSD, I really appreciate your efforts - I'll IM you :)