Adding Ultima 7 Walls and Finding References

Saturday, December 26, 2020 at 09:02 PM

An array of textured 3D walls such as log, brick, worked stone, etc.

There are like 10 unique wall types. The rest is just texture variations.

I've added the walls from Ultima 7 as well. If I can find better reference photos, I can improve the textures and models. I'll add the windows and doors, too.

I've added arched doorways, window frames, destroyed gaps, fireplace areas, mouse holes, etc. Will I end up using these? Who knows! These pics are taken in Blender, but the goal is to rebuild the Ultima VI overworld for exploration in Unity.

An array of 2D sprite tiles from Ultima VI. Walls, weapons, characters, everything.

An array of 2d sprite tiles from Ultima VI. Walls, weapons, characters, everything.

I assembled and arranged all the Ultima VI tiles into logical groups for modeling. But also, if I can find a tile atlas image of all the Ultima 7 tiles and objects, I can add them in, too. Having the atlas image is key. Everything else is pretty fun since I love modeling low-poly objects in Blender. Here's an image someone suggested for the stone walls:

A stone brick wall.

Image Credit: Wallpaper Boulevard

According to Ultima VI dev/artist 'Manda Dee, the stone reference they used was actually that of the London Bridge from 1831 that had been tranferred to Lake Havasu City, Arizona right before 1971. Made of granite. This is what the stone walls in Ultima VI should look like! If you look, there's a yellow tint, as well as grey. Notice how it is rough, worked stone, and notice the cornices and voussoirs (the fanning stones above the arches).

A stone brick wall.

Image Credit: EWY Media on Shutterstock.com

It's hard to tell how much is weathering that would not be seen indoors, so I asked ChatGPT 4o (2024-09-07) and double-checked the following info:

Originally, the stonework of the London Bridge, as seen in the image, would have appeared much cleaner and more uniform in color and texture. When freshly cut and installed, the granite blocks would likely have displayed a consistent shade of grey, with a smooth yet slightly textured surface typical of newly quarried and dressed granite.

Over time, exposure to the environment—such as sun, wind, rain, and pollution—causes weathering, which can darken the stone, create streaks or patches of different colors, and soften the sharpness of the edges. Lichen, moss, or other biological growths can also contribute to the stone's aging appearance, which is typically not present in indoor stonework.

Indoors, the stone would have remained much closer to its original state: smoother, with more uniform color and less surface roughness or staining. However, indoor stonework, even granite, can weather or stain due to other factors like moisture, pollution, or contact with different substances. So, in its original state, this stonework would have looked much more pristine, with a clean, bright appearance and consistent grey color, exhibiting the fresh look of newly constructed granite masonry."

This kind of info and imagery will help inform the stonework and textures in Age of Singularity.

Here's the original fb UDIC post.

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