How To..

Moufisto

First Step
Hey guys.
So I know a lot of people have questions in different areas of building, and I'm here to advise on it.

I'm not going to presume I have all the answers, but I mean this to be a place where you can at least get an answer for whatever question related to 'How to build' something or where to start in terms of concept to development, or even blocks and what they're for in terms of synergies.

I won't go through personal qualifications on the subject, as it only comes down to opinion and practice and we all have our own ways of doing things.

Feel free to post pictures of your build and ask how it can be improved on. I'll try be specific and give reasonable suggestions.
 

Guarde

Admin
Staff member
Admin
What is the best way to start organic buildings? Start out small, or try to reach high?
 

Spazboy99

Blaze Estinguisher
Hello, do you mean how to improve your building? With our tech, idea?
 

Kath

Creeper Hugger
well, I just build whatever and whenever I feel the need to.. meh .-.
usually incomplete
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random thingy
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and welllll, a lot of what I built died in the reset
 
OP
OP
Moufisto

Moufisto

First Step
What is the best way to start organic buildings? Start out small, or try to reach high?

There's a couple ways people do organics, and how appropriate those methods are tend to depend on the size and theme.
1. Lining it out (as shown by Snave here: http://www.planetminecraft.com/project/captain-falcon-300792/ )
-
Would only use for the biggest of builds. This is a classic build, it was 400x400ish and I can't recommend this for builds smaller than 256 high and 300 or so long.
- A simple method to use, takes a bit of extra time but usually you'll get the dimensions right at least.

2. bulk voxel and chisel (basically, you overcompensate the size by mashing voxel until it's roughly the right size, and then smashing away at it
until it's the right model. It's the same way people do terrain, same principle. )
-
This is the method I personally most use, it'll work on build 200 blocks high and under, it's a pretty slap-dash speedy way of organics, if you don't finish it off it'll look like a playdough man invaded your world though. Pretty funny imo.
- This method only works on model work, unless you're familiar with voxel commands, there exist commands to point and spray paint essentially cutting out the extra work of having made the model out of one texture.

3. build it by hand (wouldn't recommend unless it's a simple statue no more than 20 blocks high)
- I know
this isn't really what you wanted to hear, but sometimes just building it by hand is best. Better attention to detail if you do, i'd stick to using stairs and slabs to make most smaller things like statues or lower end figures. this doesn't include player skins.

4. make parts individually and put it together ( Probably your hardest bet. )
- This method mostly applies to making mechanical entities, like robots. It can be applied in some other circumstances, but otherwise should be reserved for that, unless you reaaally don't have the space to make your whole figure.

That's for models.

As for textures, It depends on how well you want to make it.
You can be committed and just make things after the model which will look good, and doing good organics takes a lot of skill and practice and patience. it's not something so easy as building architecturally, it's unhinged and you need to know that you're not doing anything wrong until the product is completed, then you can criticize it because it can take any direction unless you are trying to copy an entity off google or the net.

as mentioned before, it may be worth looking into voxel painting, I forgot the specific commands myself but I found from experience that comparing my building speed to Alec's, he would always be ahead of me due to his knowledge on commands. it was cray, it wasn't even just the speed, it was also being able to make cool voxel models that can be applied to the organic to spice it up. Like say, for instance; Dragon talons or tips, horns etc. He had a command for that! (I don't know what it is, it's been 2 years since i last used it)

Where to start:
You asked what the best thing is to start on with organics. When I first started, Gassy (this guy: http://www.planetminecraft.com/member/gassy/ ) always started small and built it up. I don't think he really knew what concept he had in mind until it was half way completed.
For me, personally, I'd make individual parts and then mash it together (4.) and just go crazy with ideas. I loved to experiment. Like for instance, I made an architectural tower, and then i used a crazy a%# command to bend it so that it was an almost an S shape, and turned it into wings. It was so weird!

So where to start? Start small, and experiment a lot! But it depends if you have a build in mind.
Otherwise, if you want to reach for the skies, make sure it's a build that will excite you. Nothing mundane or you'll quit half way.
Something exciting like a killer robot, something you can terrorize people with!

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Sorry for the late reply, hope it helps ^^
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Hello, do you mean how to improve your building? With our tech, idea?

Sort of. What I mean is, people have questions about building and there are many ways to approach a project and many things that builders simply forget to think about.
For instance, when building trees people use 6 sided wood - and this drives me crazy - because it takes away the inconsistencies of wood and texture, the very thing that adds depth to the tree or terrain: which is never consistent in real life. Trees are not plastic!
Or that the more structurally stable your build looks the better it is because it looks right! Of course it'll have pillars or stable parts to hold it up, but people suspend their reality to make a build that looks weak or like that it'll fall over.
Or that people forget interiors or can't be bothered; But interiors add so much depth to a build and make it so personal, more than just a wall and so much more than other builds that otherwise don't have an interior.

If you have any questions specifically on building I would be happy to answer anything or at least point you in the right direction ^^.
 
OP
OP
Moufisto

Moufisto

First Step
well, I just build whatever and whenever I feel the need to.. meh .-.
usually incomplete
83b06daa1d994e82b1907e3d41c3c41e.png

This looks like a really cool pillar. Shame it died in the reset, rip. =c
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What is this, the top of a building frame? Netherbrick and coal block go well together! Evil!
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What is this, a shrine? reminds me of one of those japanese shrines but a big version. wood and stonebrick don't go together well by the way! though the wood in the middle does help define it, and despite the huge amount of stair and slab it would've been a good start.
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not sure what i'm seeing here, is this in a ravine, like a mining / housing area?
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Nice, terrain work! Rarely see people try this, try a water cavern sometime? would be really cool.
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is that a cave or an entrance to a cavern? looks ominous o.o
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Nice pillar, would strip it of its bottom stair/ random brick and add more anvils in the middle of it, would make it look real supportive!
And then chisel the top a bit and give it some archs!

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Is this an organic attempt? looks like wings o.o

Shame you lost them in the reset, rip man :'c
 

Kath

Creeper Hugger
I meant I lost builds that I don't have screenies of from previous resets :' (way to go past me) But thanks for the feedback anyway. I might try building more often, meh.
 

Spazboy99

Blaze Estinguisher
Ahh I got it :)
 
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