WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES, TWENTY FOUR LITTLE HOURS...

Two shots with two purposes: 

One to show the difference a single day can bring forth whilst traversing NOVA ZONAs many splendid environs.

Two to answer numerous requests by certain unnamed individuals seeking sun soaked Zones. (Ie: "Why is it always f&*$£!g raining in NOVA ZONA..?!")

++ IN THE LOFTY HEIGHTS ABOVE THE NEW ZONE, THERE ARE SOARING ANGLES THAT BREACH THE CLEAR DAWN ++

++ IN DARKNESS SHEER, TRAPS AND SNARES WITH HEIGHT SHALL INVADERS CLEAR ++

The "++" quotes above and below are taken from a guide that will accompany the release of NOVA ZONA: "SURVIVAL BY MEANS OF DECEPTION THEN EXTRACTION FROM THE NEW ZONE"

++ THIS PLACE EXISTS TO KILL YOU ++

ANOTHER QUICK UPDATE

Hey up, as I'm again pushed for time, here's three screen shots I've taken to show a new building in the engine and also a shot of the Raised Block again- this time with a sister..!

I read elsewhere that it's always seemingly dark and stormy on NOVA ZONA- this is just for the purposes of all these screens- in the final map, the sun will be making an appearance and there will be the full range of weather situations, although it be biased about 65% to stormy/gloomy weather.

GENERAL UPDATE

Wow, it's been awhile but I'm having a really difficult time to find any time to work on NOVA ZONA right now, but I've managed to scrape together some more progress and I'll just dump some images and videos here without much description guys- I'm really pushed for time as always..! :(

If you want to read about development please check out the thread over at BI Forums as it's always kept up to date:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?142308-Large-S-T-A-L-K-E-R-inspired-Island

Anyway, here's the dump lol:

And here's a couple of videos too to showcase the general atmosphere you'll find in NOVA ZONA:

Well there you go- I'm sorry I haven't got more time to describe in depth these latest updates, but as I say, you can always check out the BI Forums link if you want to know more..!

SPHERICAL PRESSURE VESSELS

Ok, I've managed to squeeze in some VERY late nights here, and eventually finished the new structures I've been working on at last. 

These are medium sized Spherical Pressure Vessels, and there's two variations of them- one is the basic one and the other is linked to the "underground" (Don't get your hopes up yet!) by an inlet pipe and has a raised platform accessible by stairs.

I've always loved the strange look of these containers when I see images of them or in real life- they look like they might just start walking towards you or something..! 

I have chosen to make some for NOVA ZONA as they are such a weird and alien sight on the landscape and lend a feeling of other worldliness to the island. From a distance they really help to break up the horizon line with simple spherical geometry that looks very out of place- this is going to be a continuing theme in my development; creating large big bold basic geometrical shapes that will turn the skyline of NOVA ZONA into a very uneasy place to be. 

I've changed them a bit from how they'd look in real life so as to fit better into this environment- things like making the base supports that horrible industrial tiling you used to get and rusting the hell out of them with drab colours.

I mentioned that these are medium sized vessels (Being 12 meters high from ground to top of sphere). I also plan to make really small ones about the height of a man and huge ones 2-3 times larger than these ones here- so you can imagine how freaky they'll look as they loom all around you in some dark Industrial Area of the map. I have in mind to create some areas that have nothing but these structures, so in effect you're surrounded by these strange spheres everywhere you look- it'd make for a unique environment I think! :)

Again, variations on all of these will play a large part in removing repetitiveness- I have some sketches down for how to chop and change these up and increase the alien feeling of them. ;)

Anyway, I hope you guys like them and here's a shot of them in game, just sitting there and waiting for the next unfortunate soul:

Also, as I am currently bogged down with RL work, I can't bite off another large structure right now so made a couple of VERY quick wallpapers of the NOVA ZONA logo with a few captions to capture the islands atmosphere:

The captions refer to the islands Industrial and Experimental background that went so horribly wrong- there is a back story to NOVA ZONA and I've fleshed it out quite a bit more, but you'll have to wait until release to find out for yourselves. Suffice to say it's not pretty and the island itself will tell the story if you can piece it all together...

As a final treat and because it's been so long since the last update I decided to make my first EVER Youtube video (Yahhh!) showing some of the structures I've already got in game and working. There is a lot you'll have to excuse about this video though- firstly I haven't the foggiest idea about best settings when recording (FRAPS) or uploading, so I don't think it's the best quality but maybe someone can PM me with some advice for future ref?

Also, as mentioned in the description this is a VERY BASIC setup that took me 1 minute to create in the Editor. I just picked a random place, then threw in these NOVA ZONA assets and placed OPFOR and BLUFOR on a collision course. If you look closely you'll notice the large Cinder Warehouses are "floating" slightly too- this is a very easy fix. Little things like oil drum/fences/sign posts are ALL still to come... 

Ok guys, I hope you liked this update and I'd love to hear any feedback you might have. 

It's probably going to be a LONG time again before I get the chance to work on this, but I'll try to find time when I can. 

CINDER WAREHOUSE 01

Hi all..!

Damn, it's been awhile but I finally found some time to get back on with my beloved NOVA ZONA project again..!!! 

I've just finished this large warehouse type building, and based it off the many grim looking warehouses that are to be found all over Thailands industrial areas here (Which are fantastic for inspiration by the way..!). 

As always, I'm trying to keep these in line with the STALKER aesthetic, but take them from a completely different approach design wise so they look new and unique- I don't want to simply reproduce the same structures we've all seen before.

It's a good challenge to build in large details like the overlapping sections on the sides and the large overhanging pipe that splits in two over your head when you enter- it looks pretty freaky when you're in game and you run inside in a rainstorm, look up with your torch on and it illuminates this almost organic looking structure. 

In adding these large details, I also try to make the basic layout of these places easily navigable and readable so as not to confuse the player or stop the flow of AI patrolling through them. 

With this one, there's basically the main front entrance (A large open end with a single concrete pillar dividing it) and two smaller holes knocked out of the bricks on the side. To get through the smaller one you have to duck. 

Inside there's a couple of concrete bulkheads that hold up the large pipe overhead to crouch behind, and also four little stairways up to a raised platform for a better vantage of the entrance.

Anyway, here's a couple of basic shots of the structure from the front and behind:

And, as a special treat as it's been so bloody long, here's a shot of the Cinder Warehouse in game providing cover for three poor souls who are about to be lost to the Zone from God knows what... muhhhhahahahaha..!

"The Last Stand"

Finally, I thought I'd show this building in game in day time too so you can get a better idea of what the sun shafts and overall look is like, so here you go guys- I hope it whets your appetites until the next update:

As always chaps, please feel free to ask questions, leave feedback/suggestions etc- it really does help to keep me going seeing people opinions and gives me a right old boost..!

Take it easy guys and gals..! :)

NOVA ZONA CONCEPT ART 02

Well, here's what is definitely going to be my last update before I go back home to chill for 9 weeks- another atmosphere/touchy feely piece to get across the mood for one of NOVA ZONAs many Industrial areas scattered across the island.

Again, it is to show things like weather/forms/lighting/atmospherics and overall tone, and is not intended to be taken as a literal shot. Although, saying that, just doing these two pictures has given me a lot of ideas and is also helping keep me on the right track design wise- as it's so easy to go off on a tangent otherwise, so I might do some more of these further down the line.

Little details like the reflective dirty water puddles on the ground will be included (If ARMA 3 terrains allow it?) as they add so much to a scene. I know in films they will literally spray water puddles onto road surfaces etc before filming a shot, as it adds so much depth and contrast (Interest) to a shot before filming, so why not use that method here if the engine allows? ;)

Extensive piles of rubbish and debris, huge tall over bearing structures breaking up the skyline, electric pylon wiring and mist patches will all add up to create an atmosphere of dread and foreboding in the right weather conditions so I'll try my best to get those all in and working too.

Anyway, here's the shot- I hope you like it:

Worth mentioning is that I got a considerate PM from Ceh (Bohemia Interactive forums) who pointed out that my logo for NOVA ZONA is in effect incorrect..!

I think because the [I]"N"s[/I] are reversed it seems like Cyrillic, and so is an incorrect spelling unknown totally to me. He is suggesting numerous fixes/advice etc which is completely welcome but if anyone here is also in the know, PLEASE let me know how I could get around this issue, and if it's an issue that is too much of a mistake as to be unacceptable basically. Like saying North America is only 2 miles from Britain or something... but if it's still sort of acceptable, then I'm prepared to swallow it and go ahead with it how it is as I really like the look and feel of the logo- it's exactly what I was trying to achieve.

To my tiny English brain it looks and feels Russian..! ;)

The font has a reversed "N" by default so I took it as correct but it seems to give out the wrong message. :(

Either way, it's great to get this feedback and tell me where I'm going wrong (I have literally 1% understanding of Russian/Ukrainian/Cyrillic!) so I can begin to makes amends...

UPDATED: The NOVA ZONA logo is now correct. Ceh sent me some amazing advice about Cyrillic variations and I've applied what he suggested basically, so a big thanks to Ceh..! Wouldn't have happened without him.
I've left the main NOVA ZONA in large fonts untouched as I really like the look and it's more appealing to us "Westerners", but the Cyrillic spelling has been added underneath and just adds another layer to the Periodic Elements look.
A great compromise.

CONCEPT ART AND LOGO FOR NOVA ZONA

Hi again,

I finally got that concept piece done- well, it's more of a mood/atmosphere piece really, as I wanted to get down in an image the kind of feeling I'm going for with NOVA ZONA.

I tried to capture it as the sun was starting to set, as that's more of an evocative time for a location like this- and it's also a bit more symbolic for the island in general as its time in the sun has long since past and now everything is in a state of decay and is slowly being claimed back by nature.

Hopefully you can tell by this image the kind of landscaping I'll be using. It will be varied and also extreme in some places in regards to the changes Anomalies have wrought upon their surroundings...

As this is in the ARMA 3 Engine, it will also be larger and more spaced out- when you go into a swamp area, you won't be able to see the other side- you will have to do a lot of walking to get back out again. I'll scatter little single structures around to break it up in general, but the overall feeling will be very remote, bleak and ravaged. 

I will be having clusters of towns and villages and the occasional Industrial or Experimental areas obviously but just wanted to get across that there will also be a lot of wilderness if you want to get away from it all and set up a camp fire. 

The statue is a reference to NOVA ZONAs hugely experimental past. Man is holding aloft an atom, but is now himself ruined and crumbling- destroyed by the very thing he holds above all else. You can see more evidence of this in the middle background- the ravaged radio telescope and huge array on the mountains edge...

Anyway, here's the full res one, I hope you like it:

Also, I took a little longer as I wanted to get down a logo for NOVA ZONA too.

I wanted it to be a little bit different and strange, and have some relevant information in it too somehow. I didn't want it to be another clone of the Stalker logo, fantastic as that is, as I wanted this to stand out by itself as something separate and new. 

After trying out a few ideas, I went down the route of trying to incorporate the "science/experimental" side of the islands history (As that's the sole reason it's in the state it is now..!), and came up with basing it on the Periodic Table Of The Elements. 

I've changed up the smaller element names and the figures for the atomic mass. 

The names are:

"unexpected"

"uncontained"

"anomalous"

"hostile"

which are obvious references to the creation and state of the Zone itself. 

Also, the first three atomic mass figures each add up to 13. The last one, "101" is yet another reference, this time to George Orwells fantastic book, 1984 and the Room 101 where your worst nightmares are made real.

Speaking of 101, I plan on having the main Experimental area (Underground, if possible in ARMA 3) named "Laboratory 101" just so you know..!

Anyway, here's a larger version of the NOVA ZONA logo guys:

I have only 9 days left before I'm without my PC for 2 months, so will maybe do another concept/mood piece. If I do manage it (time is short!) then it will be more in line with what you're used to from the Stalker games.

It will be down on ground level in the midst of Industrial buildings, piping and overhead wires etc, and will also be darker with storm clouds and lightening etc...you know the kind of thing. 

As always, any suggestions or advice is most welcome, as the feedback is a great motivator..!

Take it easy,

Marc