Looking at my initial wainscoting design, I knew I needed to make some serious changes. That first version with the basic black bars was really holding the project back – not just visually, but from a technical standpoint too. The geometry was unnecessarily complex and the lighting interactions were a mess, especially with all those individual segments creating harsh shadows.
I went back to the drawing board and developed this new design with the interwoven pattern along the top. The change makes so much better sense for what I’m trying to achieve. Instead of having separate geometry for each panel divider, I’ve consolidated everything into a single mesh with the pattern detail baked into the normal map. This not only looks more period-appropriate for the Victorian-style room I’m creating, but it’s also way more optimized for real-time rendering.
From a technical perspective, this new version is just working so much better with my lighting setup. The reduced geometry means cleaner lightmap generation, and having most of the detail in the normal map gives me more control over how worn or damaged different sections appear through vertex painting. Plus, it’s going to be way easier to implement those material transitions I have planned for when things start getting weird in the room.
I’ve been experimenting with breaking up the darkness in my environment by adding these strategic white decal highlights. The wallpaper and wainscoting were reading a bit too muddy and flat, so I started placing these lighter decals along the top edge where it meets the ceiling. I’m really happy with how it’s working to create depth – those brighter areas catch the light in a way that makes the architectural details pop more.
Working with vertex painting here to really nail those wear patterns on the wainscoting. I’m using black paint to mark specific areas where I want the material to show more age and damage. It’s interesting how by painting these regions, I can create this natural-looking lightening effect that mimics decades of wear and tear.
I focused particularly on those decorative sections at the top – painting along the edges and corners where you’d naturally see the most damage. I’m letting the design of the wainscoting guide where I place these wear marks. Those curved patterns in the trim make perfect spots for paint to have chipped or worn away over time.