R&D - Planeforms

This is a series of experiments I've done over the past few years. I can map hundreds of planes instantly using MaxScript, and this has allowed me to plot sequences and morphs in space. They have a number of uses for building out the game world of Intopolis.

This concept is really meaningful to me, not just for creating assets for my world, but also because it's similar to how I see relationships/solve problems visually (in the mind's eye). I often see states of a system as 2D representations, but many iterations of them in time, such that time is the 3rd dimension. So if I'm making plans or looking into the past, I see the situation as a "form." These experiments have allowed me to express the sensation of this to some degree.

"Peacock" - One of my favorite timeforms.

"Peacock" - One of my favorite timeforms.

Glitterstack, a recent timeform.  I feel like this comes close to the mark in simulating some of my mind's eye/synesthesia.

Glitterstack, a recent timeform. I feel like this comes close to the mark in simulating some of my mind's eye/synesthesia.

Flipbook texture in UE4.  I was able to get good performance when switching from translucency to dithered opacity.

Flipbook texture in UE4. I was able to get good performance when switching from translucency to dithered opacity.

I modified a codepen brush, drew, and recorded the animated drawing, then stacking it in space.

I modified a codepen brush, drew, and recorded the animated drawing, then stacking it in space.

Rendered in Mental Ray, this was one of my earliest timeforms.  Very slow!
I was also happy with how close this came to mimicking my mind's eye.

Rendered in Mental Ray, this was one of my earliest timeforms. Very slow!
I was also happy with how close this came to mimicking my mind's eye.

Another early Mental Ray render.
This one had a luminocity map applied.

Another early Mental Ray render.
This one had a luminocity map applied.

Early timeform experiment in Octane.  It handled these really quickly, although did not work so well in my pipeline for other reasons.

Early timeform experiment in Octane. It handled these really quickly, although did not work so well in my pipeline for other reasons.

Early timeform experiment in Octane.  It handled these really quickly, although did not work so well in my pipeline for other reasons.

Early timeform experiment in Octane. It handled these really quickly, although did not work so well in my pipeline for other reasons.

Lattice modifier with inherited bitmap color.

Lattice modifier with inherited bitmap color.

I used a facial morph program to morph abstract patterns, and then applied a displacement map to each plane.

I used a facial morph program to morph abstract patterns, and then applied a displacement map to each plane.

Got my hands on an MRI scan file and went through it to separate out the brain from the skull.

Got my hands on an MRI scan file and went through it to separate out the brain from the skull.

I'm working on a "brain garden" side project for an animated lenticular print.

I'm working on a "brain garden" side project for an animated lenticular print.

This is made entirely out of that brain/skull!

This is made entirely out of that brain/skull!

A vector approach.

A vector approach.

Monster multimaterial!

Monster multimaterial!