Camo Pattern Generator

Edit: I'm posting this as an edit of the original post, in case you're wondering what's going on here. I've spent some more time on my Camo Pattern Generator Photoshop action. The biggest improvement is the new look of the digi camo pattern, which is a lot more realistic now, I think.

The usage is still the same, create a new document (something around 1024x1024 works best), select a background color and a foreground color (for the first pattern's color), run the script, change the remaining colors during runtime. You'll be asked if you want to turn the resulting camo pattern into a digi camo pattern.

The generated patterns, classic and digi, will both be seamlessly tileable.

(click to download)

Btw, if you want to use the patterns on a 3D model, say a character's clothes, that has volumes, like folds, here's a little tip for you. Sorry for the sloppy illustration, I'm too lazy to look for my Wacom pen.

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Old post:

A couple days ago, I was supposed to use a camo pattern on a flyer I was making for a friend, so I tried finding a decent camo pattern generator. I didn't have much luck though, so I played around with Photoshop to find my own easy way to create camo patterns.

My initial idea was to use four layers, that's one background and three additional layers, with slightly different colors. Then use a cloud filter on the layer masks and tune its levels until it's starting to form solid shapes.
While this produced acceptable results, I still wasn't 100% happy with the way the patterns looked.

Last night I started turning that workflow into a Photoshop macro, and while I was at it, I enhanced it a bit with filters, and the results were getting a lot better. Then I decided to add another function to the macro, that can optionally turn the oldschool camo pattern into a digital camo pattern. I'm still tweaking that last part, but I think the macro works good enough to release it to the public, maybe some of you find some use for it.

Camo Pattern Generator 1.1

(click to download)

It's compatible with Photoshop CS3 and up. The workflow is fairly simple. Your background color will become your background color and your foreground color will become the first camo color. The remaining two colors can be set during the macro.
For best results, I suggest an image size of around 1024x1024. Oh, and the generated pattern is also seamless.

this is the new shit

Well oh my god, it has been ages since I updated this blog.
I've been crazy busy though, and much has happened in the mean time. Here's the story.

My work on Depth is complete. I've modeled, textured and rigged the three shark classes, and I tell you, that rig I've built is wicked. So far I can't show anything to the public, but I'll check with the team lead if it's possible to share a little bit of it with the world.
In the meantime, check out the website for some awesome sneak peaks of the game play.

Right after Depth, I started doing contract work for Piranha Bytes, most infamous for their incredibly awesome Gothic series.
Since they announced at this year's gamescom that they're working on the sequel to their equally awesome 2009 hit Risen, I can now safely tell that I created part of the environment models for Risen 2.
Getting this job has to have been the high point of my career, because I'm a huge fan of their work and Gothic I actually is the reason, I got into game development myself.

Last month I finished the work I was doing for Piranha Bytes, and went on to another project. This time something rather different. Hocoma AG, a swiss company specializing in robotic rehabilitation, hired me to do a graphic redesign for some of their games and deliver the assets that go along with it. I can't tell much about this job, and unless you're in therapy because of some spinal trauma, chances are that it'll be a while before you see anything of that.
I haven't worked on any serious games before, but I cherish the experience and I think my karma raised a bit, for doing something that actually helps curing people.

Now here's a special one. I just started my ninth website re-haul. That's nine in nine years. The new site will be leaner, with less content and a bit less chaotic, I hope. I'm still considering whether or not I should put in some content of my old website, or just make a clean start from scratch. Either way, the new website is online as of today, and I'd be happy if you'd stop by and have a look.

And last but not least, I finally had some spare time and managed to finish a model that was on hold for a much too long time.