The rear track (connecting axle is not complete). Mesh is manifold, track and wheel movement I am planning to implement animated UV.
I followed some of that, I don’t know anything about the p3d preview either. Will have to see what that’s all about and what it can do.
I would like to see some frames of the blaster walking around. When I get better at this I would love to get my hands on the blend file and get him to do some moving and blasting. I can already picture the some of the sounds I would put in the anim for it.
I like the tricycle! Love the treads, that thing looks like it might actually move real nice!
I’m thinking that steering is gonna be a problem… 
(I’m joking, lets not start down that path)
Seriously though, if you ever decided to animate those treads, you are going to need equidistant loop cuts throughout.
I really like the guns. I’m digging the whole thing, especially the pose. You were probably wise to cover up the rear view, plus it’s no fun getting shot from behind.
Consider adding a proper seat. Kawasaki style.
Are you going to make a full game or are you just developing this to do a low-poly model?
I’m figuring to animate the UV’s (so the animation will occur w/o the mesh actually moving). I’ve never done it before, so this is a wonderful educational opportunity to learn what can and can’t be achieved. If it fails, I have every step of the way back saved (i.e. treads as separate objects) so re-work will hopefully be minimal. Thanks for following along too, the input helps me with finding new ideas (i.e. the back end isn’t figured all out yet, but I got some ideas from what you’ve been saying)!
I actually don’t know. I don’t plan to, but I haven’t crossed it off the list. The notion has also crossed my mind to render out animation to 2D sprite sheets (for a side scroller) and drop them on OGA, or work it out myself in C/C++ using SDL. There is also the other hand, however, I don’t think that there’s not enough interest in this kind of game to warrant the programming effort. I have lots of ambiguity still.
For now, it’s just something I’m finding lots of interest in working on with the ambition being in putting together enough “similar styled” assets for someone who might want to learn/work on something BGE. I’m having the most fun blending I think I have ever had and I can focus on small increments in improving my skills and comfort levels without huge frustrations.
For what it’s worth, I have been slowly chipping away at story line… but mostly because I would like to put some “names” to some of these models that have some tangible connection.
great pogress/ i might even pick up the final result^^ for a project am working on
(might change some things on it/ will see when i get my hands on your scifi bike;) )
the other day i was reading your blog/ portfolio - post about licensing and why you went the cco way with your models
In some way i totally understand it but tbh i dont really see a problem in cc-by-sa licensed models
unlike others that license is the one that is the most fair for both sides anyways
That’d be sweet! I also do my best to take in suggestions/adjustments (within reason) from anyone whose willing to share, so things can be influenced (can also make interchangeable pieces). Of course I do also completely understand keeping ideas for one’s self/projects too, so I only mention it for awareness.
Yeah, that’s actually a very intriguing topic, and I still have some doubts I haven’t completely wrestled away. Just as a preface, I haven’t judgement against any of the CC licenses (and for those reading that are curious http://opengameart.org/forumtopic/practicality-of-cc-by-sa I definitely welcome viewpoints on the matter).
To explain my conclusion, the point that struck me was that the SA deters would be model users away, as the SA is too “vague” and the possibility of legal trouble resulting is just something nobody wants. I gave it more consideration and arrived somewhere past that even. You for example, might use the bike, but you might like to change some things (and that’s exactly what I am hoping for), and for arguments sake, let’s say you make a Unity game to sell for $0.99 (or even give away as free). Under a CC-BY-SA (assuming you complete production or want to roll out your model for its intent) would be burdened now with also having to release it as a CC-BY-SA. My choice is not to burden you that way, I don’t want you to have that obligation for using my stuff. I simply want you to be able to use it and decide for yourself how you would want to “control” your extensions to the original work.
So that left me with CC-0 and CC-BY… and that’s kinda where my blog post picks up at (and I still do consider maybe a CC-BY would be okay somewhere down the road). For now, I have no notion that what I make and share has enough merit to warrant credit, so I just hope to make it as beneficial to others as I can, and to make it easy to claim any such benefit with less worry.
Question time…
1.) which is better, A or B?
I keep flopping, I’m torn.
Apart from that not much done today, I have been playing with Grapple Girl’s armature on the bike. I quickly crafted foot pegs and hand grips and tracked her IK solvers to corresponding vertex groups (the vertex in the triangle fan at the end of the cylinder) to test how she will move with the bike. She does a bulk of what I want her to do but not all of what I expect. After an array of experiments, that leads me to a few more questions that hopefully someone has some input to.
Since she would be keyed up to be controlled by the player, would it be better for her (armature) to drive the bike (armature) or is it easier (preferred) that she be “rag dolled” to the bike and control the bike? What would be “standard practice” with characters and vehicles in games?
If it’s just preference, my preference (as the rigging person) would be to utilize her IK solver and just move the bike as the bike and let her solve to it. I ask though because I want to attempt what is best for the “game implementation” elements.
^ I prefer model A.
You must choose. But choose wisely.
I vote for A. Looks more balanced.
I think I’d go with A, but whatever you think best.
Ya, I think I look at A I think more “industrial, menacing, meaty” and B says to me “faster, Segway”. I think A is for transport and fighting but B seems just more transport.
I think too maybe the mind can pick up on the “physics” of the fulcrum. In A the center of gravity for the rear track would provide enough leverage to hold the front end up properly, where B leaves it feeling as the front end should fall to the ground (so as pictured gives the impression of acceleration rather then at rest).
Will stick with A… just work out rigging now so I can plan the remainder of the model.
Thanks for the help everyone 
I would recommend attaching the rider to the bike then controlling the bike directly. Just parenting or “IK sticking” the character to the bike would be straight forward and control of the bike would be straight forward as well. If you do it the other way then you might run into all kinds of problems with making the character’s mesh and armature know about details of the bike.
@ Kastoria : Cool, thanks. I’ll just keep on that path then (and it’s easier to build :P)
Well, updates today:
- Building a page: http://quandtum.weebly.com/grapple-girl.html
- Working up some bad guy concepts (not yet ready to show).
- Beginning to piecing together the rear of the bike.
Then had a new idea for an additional utility. The rear tracks of the bike can detach and provide automated support as a bot… or something…
Tho the foot pegs need to move up to the first segment which I think might need to happen anways. As the bike bends she can’t stretch around it to properly manage the foot pegs and hand grips.
Haven’t gotten the seat done yet either, but haven’t forgotten =D
Perfect! Now those gears are turning! This adds a whole new dimension and is super cool.
It is going to help with turning, that is for sure. Loosening the connection between these components could add a lot of “plausibility” to the design. The middle portion can lean, and the outer treads can slip-steer like a bobcat.
Needs small blasters. on the sides or on the top. The back guns have now become rocket launchers of course.
nah i don`t have a problem to share what i would do with your piece^^
actually i was thinking about some kind of wings/ or spoiler like on highspeed sportcars/ or custom racing ones
other then that i would have added tires instead (but am not even sure if i will do that with the tires)
anyways thx for taking suggestions into the design
Awesome, adjustments underway! The genre is fun, cheesy story and cool factor is all you need! … anything goes!
I actually had tried that last night, the problem I found is as it’s more long and flat, it limits the rotation of the turrets (assuming it rotates with the turrets), it would hit her back. Now that I brought the turrets up on mounts to lower the middle rear, however, this might work better, so I think I ought try again. The flat spot there still needs to be filled. I had also been considering “upgrade modules” that would “snap in” there, but I haven’t much notion what they would work out to be.
The other nice thing about it separating, is different fronts and backs can be designed and mix’d and matched, be perfect for a racing game! I am actually considering forking this off down the road and making more modular components for a “build your own” type thing. Hehe, this thread is turning into a gold mine of ideas of stuff to model, I usually struggle to find ideas! =D
Thanks for offering them, I sincerely appreciate it!
Thanks so much, I sometimes wonder how ridiculous this thread may actually be or if I am wasting my time (beyond just having fun), so I appreciate hearing that! You know you are invited to play too /wink wink.
“Grapple Girl”, ya, I was just thinking like Super-MAN, Wonder-WOMAN, Bat-MAN, Mega-MAN… compared to say Power Puff Girls… there’s just someting more bold, powerful and affirming to that. I’m also not sure it’s an “attention grabber” (lol, and don’t dare Google it, it will take you strange places).
You know, after you mentioned rocket launchers above it occured to me, there is even more good (unused) work still in the Fandango thread (and I hate seeing good work go unused). 2 versions of CATE (bug CATE and box CATE, and now apply the rocket idea again), but what if there were two bots based of box CATE that fired 1.) projectile rockets, and a 2nd version that fired homing rockets? Bug CATE could be converted into some sewer/ground dweller thing. Then there’s also the shuttle, either a 2nd vehicle (that doesn’t fit with the pseudo story line, but heh, would be fun) or could be bad guys flying over head dropping bombs for outdoor levels.
What do you think of that? I of course wouldn’t do any of that without permission.
This is currently my favorite thread on BA. Normally I don’t find female game models that are designed without clothing to be very interesting. However, this has just enough tongue-in-cheek about it to convert it from something I’d consider juvenile into something completely hilarious.
I’ve been meaning to try to actually make something with the BGE and the current bike concept just screams “fun”. If you have an Android phone I might even turn her into a 3D live wallpaper.
That’s a lot of good extra motivation there, thank you lots! Feedback helps so much. I’m also hoping you’ll make sure to share as much input as you can when for (attempt at) the main character re-spin. I want to maintain the hilarious and fun factor, but I’d like to air out more of the juvenile elements (i.e. a bit less butt, and proportion adjustments). I fear the re-spin will make a decent character, but not capture that fit into the world built for the original. I’d really like to get her functional hands and armour that isn’t 4 inches thick. I think you’ll have some incredible input so I am hoping you will be very vocal when the time comes (about 2-3 models down the queue at the moment)!
3D wallpaper would be sweet, unfortunately I’m a bit old school with the phones (I still want my Nokia brick back). I have about a 5 year old LG “brick” (like the Nokia), and the irony is I program the guts of similar devices like that.
If you like too (even though it’s still a big mess), I can dump an early copy of the bike out. It will be CC-0 when I am done so I don’t see any harm in it (other than embarrassing myself with my construction and non-optimized mesh). I think I could even be convinced to convert to take more of a racing game too… maybe with bots that shoot at the riders!
I came up with another idea too…
the Blast All Mark 1 (BA-1)
http://www.blendswap.com/blends/game-engine/spider-spy-drone/
… re-textured, I think it will work.
… and some laser blasting out of his eye pain in the butt that will incinerate you where you stand.
http://www.blendswap.com/blends/characters/cute-robot/
… re-textured minus the tail.
Also been starting to sniff out a potential sound track. Not much yet, takes long time to listen to them all, and not final by any measure, just tagging possibilities for the most part. Really trying to understand the feel and theme of each level to get the art assets aligned. Modern but hopefully still some 8-bit sci-fi vibes…
Unsorted:
Assimilator by Clearside [CC-BY 3.0 / CC-BY-SA 3.0]
Man-Made Messiah by FoxSynergy [CC-BY 3.0]
Theme Crystalized by Ove Melaa [CC-BY 3.0]
Unsorted Boss:
Spacecrusher by yd [CC-0]
Opening scene:
Where was I? by yd [CC-0]