@ @AfroSnackey: Thanks! I got lots on mind to do yet too =D
I dunno, fail, didn’t even get close to what I was trying to do. Debating whether to trash it outright, re-texture (and maybe try a different process), or just rig it and pft. Poly count is even not that great, 1808 vertices, 3802 edges, 3552 tris. 2026 quads, tho can be reduced, I went heavy in the joints for no good reason.
It’s meant to be a product of the <evil> corporation BLASTCO. It’s the Blast All Mark 2 (BA-2)… actually BA was Blender Artists. Apparently this evil corporation is trying to hijack the world, who will stop them?
Decided to attempt a redo, it’s going better, but still needs work yet. This is diffuse only map and that still needs some adjustment still.
Final mapping (presuming I don’t spot anything while rigging)… will finish up the rig tomorrow.
Might try to see if I can make the barrels fire too.
You’re a very gifted texture artist! The models are good, don’t get me wrong, but your texture work is BAM!! 
The BA-2’s legs suggest (to me, at least) that it it transforms from something else, maybe from an unremarkable sphere, into it’s current state. Which would make it more suitable for stealth/assasin-type missions, because I imagine if it was meant for all-terrain, it’s legs would be more solid and adaptable to uneven surfaces and perhaps to anchor it when it’s firing a powerful gun without it sliding back from the recoil! Overall, nice work man, and I like the walk cycle you did, although something’s a little off with it, not sure what exactly yet.
Faved the Character on OGA! nice work!
Very nice models.
The metal textures are simply amazing !
Thank you all, the kind words helps to keep me motivated! Textures have been a big focus for me too (they’ve been a sore spot for quite a while), so this is good to hear!
I appreciate it very much!
I don’t get you wrong, I actually understand (or at least understand I need to put some focus there as well). Grapple Girl for example I think I went too “low” poly where more vertices in the joints to assist with deformation would have made a much better mesh. Likewise, the “metal-yellow” version of the BA-2 there isn’t enough to create a proper silhouette (2nd cut I increased the poly count, there is no subsurf on it). I’ve been trying to do more research on this in the past week too, but we’re not in the “old days” where models need to look like original Everquest for memory purposes (haha, had a Minecraft thought there thinking about that). The BA-2 is still not very imaginative, it could definitely be pushed to be more creative and original.
As I haven’t published a game story (trying to keep it vague for people to use the models) there is a pseudo one in my head. Short version of the notion is as the (old 80’s, early 90’s, keeping it “cheesy” nostalgic) video games progresses in levels the bad-guys grow in complexity and difficulty. The BA-2 was to be the “clunky” lead into 2 other “more elaborate variations” (both you have touched on). One being the base was to form a turret base (which didn’t pan out as I had hoped for this one and why I was considering scrapping it) for a more focused shot (love the recoil idea, I hadn’t thought of that) and the 2nd rolling into a sphere. The sphere one is the one I like cause I was thinking she would need to “fling” and “roll” them with the grapple to knock over crates/barrels to advance through the level. The grapple alone wouldn’t do it, she would need the weight of a bot to have stuff moved, while not getting shot by it.
I’ll share a few other ideas I have been toying with;
- Alternative armour & skin colours
- Male version of the character
- 2nd spin on female character allowing hands and moving cannon and grapple to back of arms (so she can run panels and open doors).
- A mine laying bot (need to grapple over the mines perhaps?)
- Maybe a vehicle (Blaster Master was a kicking game back in the day too, who doesn’t love flying cars with cannons!?)
- Environment elements
- Weapon upgrades (plug into the cannon base), grenade launcher, spread-shot (shotgun), laser/rail, chain gun, etc.
- Bad guys (was even considering half basing them off Blender folk, a Ton spoof could be the game boss, while others could be level bosses, Blastco could become a spoof off of the Blender Foundation, nothing mean, just “cute”).
… though I’m not sure how far I go. Maybe a complete game kit for a BGE starter I think might be nice, but I sadly don’t know if any of this actually works well in the BGE. I am figuring on all the pieces done here being CC-0 tho so there won’t be any restriction from doing something with it. For now, lots of easy ideas to mine for good model/UV/texture/rig practice and it’s surprisingly fun!
All those elements you mention, put together would make one kick ass action shot! She needs a vehicle, She needs access to use her hands. I think you should make a full fledged game-worthy, action figure! At least the digital assets (pun intended).
Forget the male character, we all want to play as her.
I think the clean lines and simple figure, actually adds to the appeal. You have always had a great eye for perfection in simple shapes. I think the character clearly embodies your style, and it’s great. Think Felix the cat, less is more.
Indeed, I always like and value your input and definitely like the idea of filling it out further (and a vehicle sounds like definite fun). I also agree with your assessment (and thank you for it) and will try to keep it in good form.
Kind of on a related note, and just out of curiosity, as a matter of opinion (and one of the biggest questions I still have) on the original model… In the event I reboot the model (which I think is likely), should the armour be separate manifold pieces. I struggled with that from a low-poly game model aspect. I know it can go either way and how armour upgrades could be managed… I also know it adds poly count. My biggest observation was where hardbody meets organic mesh and how that can influence smoothing, textures and UVs… tho I argue one of my bigger faults too is trying to allow for a subsurf to be put to the mesh (a practice I intend to discontinue, model needs enough verts to manage the silhouette on it’s own), but also how I draw the diffuse not taking into account for a UV sub-divide (the BA-2 I did make adjustments for this).
Anyways, question is (and for anyone to provide feedback to), single manifold mesh or separate manifold mesh for armour? What would work better for an actual game? I think WoW for example does the latter. Probably doesn’t matter for a model as specific as this either… more or less a curiosity I have.
It depends on what you really want to do with the armor. From what I remember of WoW, they have a bit of a hybrid with how the equipment works. Weapons, shoulders, and helms all seem to be separate objects. There seems to bee a generic “skirt/robe” that can be added to legs and a generic cloak shape. I think everything else is just texture painting.
If you want to change the geometry for different armors then I think you need to make them separate objects. If you just need to change the color then have 1 model and update the textures.
That’s what I would do. I’ve done lots of software development but only tinkered with games on-and-off so I’ve never really tried to implement a gear swapping system.
You’re welcome, I enjoy looking at your work and corresponding. +1 for not letting subsurf get involved at all. Sure for those cover shots, you should bump it up. But forget letting subsurf define shape in any way. I manually round all my corners.
By manifold, I assume you mean closed. I don’t think this is necessarily a requirement. In fact it seems that it would be the opposite
considering poly counts.
Definitely separate objects. I also highly recommend separate blend files and proxying. But seperate objects is a no brainer considering how flexible you can be with parenting.
Armatures are a different matter. I think you should have one armature for a whole character, including accessories.
Cool! I think though, that I would prefer something lighter.
Good thing this board is mostly full of males, so I can feel all right about saying this: picture the view from the rear on a mongoose from halo. Or a speeder from Star Wars. Or a dirt bike. All of those would also be more fun to drive.
There is something incredibly awesome though, about a vehicle with a mounted turret. I personally want to see a two wheeled vehicle, with a side turret.
A quad had crossed my mind at one point. This is really crude mock up (laugh all ya want) with some primitives tossed on top, but it’s “different” (I think) so kinda liking it. More or less a motorcycle on a tank track (think sled, snowmobile with no skids). “Latches” could deploy from the track and certain walls with certain grooves, maybe it could climb…? Can still squeeze in a fixed turret or two on the back side.
That one is pretty unique, like it
i would go with it, one thing is sure it would deliver some interesting possibilities
as u said climbing on walls +1
keep it up
Thanks! Encouraged I worked it forward further. It would be able to bend to the terrain (or for other reasons), not shown, but she and the vehicle body would bend in the center with it (not as shown, just meant to be showing the track bending). I think too it could almost fold in half, so am considering it folds for safe storage and the body would shield it (along the lines of Batman), except this would be more the form of a “seed” shape (maybe called seeding the vehicle instead of shielding?). Also trying to consider other utilities that might be fun.
When looking at the 3D view link of Grapple Girl I noticed that when her arms are at her sides the hands/items cross the boundary of her leg surface. I’m new at this and wondering a couple things; is that the difference in distance between the modeled surface and what was wrapped for texture? Or is it pretty tricky (or not possible) to set collision boundaries between parts of the same object?
BTW I love the rework on the Blaster bubble bot thing, the second version is sweet. I can picture a version of that guy just like it is but 50 feet tall (or bigger) just chewing up some pavement, chunks flying in the air as it stumps around chasing someone.
Actually (if I understand correctly, you are referring to the p3d preview), that was just me being sloppy. I think what happened is I had posed her with the armature to have her “hands” resting at her side, but when I did it I had a level or 2 of subsurf on it. Then wanting the wires in the p3d to accurately demonstrate the model, I deleted the subsurf and re-exported it not bothering to have adjusted the pose (otherwise p3d would show the more dense mesh as the subsurf would get applied on export). The armature itself will let her bend which ever way you like, including sticking her arm in her head if you wanted. I don’t usually add limits to that effect because I don’t want to restrict the animator.
Thanks! Ya, I think it’s ready for Blendswap, but just been holding it back as the rig is very basic and wondering if there’s more I could/should do to it… and even though my walk cycles aren’t the best, maybe try to key one up for him too (usually a good test to determine how the rig does or doesn’t work).