Sword WIP - High Poly - Feedback Requested

Jack Ryan

Hello all

This is my first model that I've created without any guidance from anybody else and I have used original concepts.

I'd really like some feedback on it. I'm currently declaring this high poly stage of the model finished, so I can go in and start making the low poly which will eventually be imported into Skyrim.

The reason behind this project is simply because I'm trying to learn 3D modelling, and practice makes perfect, right?

So please critique my work, any feedback is welcome and highly encouraged!


















I'm currently wondering about the proportions and if people think they look right, and also if the blade actually looks like it's sharp enough to actually cut, and isn't too thick on the sides.

Thanks a lot for your time!

RogerP

I think you can revisit the handle is looking a bit small and uncomfortable, the sword doesn't have an edge (meaning is just blunt) I also think you could do with fewer edge loops to get the same effect. keep it up.

Jack Ryan

Thanks for your reply xxxcubanxxx,

Now that I've had a fresh pair of eyes (yours) point it out to me I very much agree with the handle size. I've scaled it up in Max and it's looking a lot better now, so thanks for that tip!

For the edge loops, I've removed a fair few off the blade and as you suggested I've remained with essentially the same result, but I can't figure out where to remove them on the crossguard, as there are so many extrusions into and out of the service I'm wondering where I can dial down the resolution and not lose support for the edges that really need it.

I am also concerned about the blade not having an edge, but I'm lost as to how to make it sharp looking. If I just scale down the verts on the edge then of course the blade remains flat and just looks thinner. Do I need to add some more edge loops? If so, where?

l.croxton

Unless I am completely wrong I would say throw in an edge loop nearish the edge; not to near though, and then pinch the outside verts together, again not to much though :P.

Also on a point of the handle, I would be careful not to make it to large as it will obviously effect the look of the sword. Sounds stupid but I think personally; the blade looks like it would be a big sword, so the style would look weird being on a small sword (because now the handle is larger), which would then make the handle look to big. If you sort of see what I mean.

I would have just stretched out the handle a bit and thinned it out and maybe made the ball at the end smaller.

I'll be honest, I am new to so maybe take my advice with a pinch of internet salt xD. Aside from that it all looks pretty sweet, so keep it up

Jack Ryan

You're right! I figured it out when I saw a sword posted in the Low Poly thread ^-^ Thanks though

It looks better now, and I've also added a small extrusion at the base of the blade to make it look like it's fastened into the cross-guard as opposed to just floating or superglued to it

I've made changes to the handle and the sword in terms of proportion, so I'm going to see what the general feedback is on that before I take it any further. Like you said, it can be a continuous loop of scaling if I'm not careful

Thanks for your help, here are the updated images!


















The more I look at it though, the more I'm thinking about dialing down the size of the ball part of the handle.

RogerP

Handle is still an issue, yes make the ball smaller and the handle the same width on both ends. Edge is looking better, you could even push it a bit more to show a broader edge.

Jack Ryan

I'm not sure what you're referring to about the handles width being different on one end, could you elaborate please?

Just made the edge broader and it looks a lot better, thanks for that tip!

IchII3D

If your new to modelling I would recommend trying to recreate objects and avoid going down the path of designing something. In my opinion you should aim to improve your core modelling ability before attempting to go into design.

Designing something is an art which takes a lot longer to learn than basic modelling techniques. What you might find is you fail to get good results over and over again, not because your not trying. But because your trying to model something which is fundamentally bad. The bonus of trying to replicate objects early when learning presents you with problems, an area must look a certain way and its down to you to learn how to achieve it in the best way.

If your into Skyrim and have a passion I would recommend this book, it will bombard you with awesome reference material and inspire you with its small sections of text. It talks about the fundamentals of weapons and how they function, why they where designed that way and how they where used. Its very image heavy and could give you a lot of cool stuff to make. Later down the line its also a great source of reference when or if you come to design your own weapon.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Weapon-Visual-History-Armour-Military/dp/1405363290/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1345303488&sr=8-9&keywords=weapon+a+visual+history"]Amazon.com: Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armour (Military) (9781405363297): Richard Holmes: Books[/ame]

RogerP

the part of the handle that meets the ball at the end is way wider than the end that meets the hilt, make them both the same

Jack Ryan

IchII3D wrote: »

If your new to modelling I would recommend trying to recreate objects and avoid going down the path of designing something. In my opinion you should aim to improve your core modelling ability before attempting to go into design.

Designing something is an art which takes a lot longer to learn than basic modelling techniques. What you might find is you fail to get good results over and over again, not because your not trying. But because your trying to model something which is fundamentally bad. The bonus of trying to replicate objects early when learning presents you with problems, an area must look a certain way and its down to you to learn how to achieve it in the best way.

If your into Skyrim and have a passion I would recommend this book, it will bombard you with awesome reference material and inspire you with its small sections of text. It talks about the fundamentals of weapons and how they function, why they where designed that way and how they where used. Its very image heavy and could give you a lot of cool stuff to make. Later down the line its also a great source of reference when or if you come to design your own weapon.

Amazon.com: Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armour (Military) (9781405363297): Richard Holmes: Books

Thanks very much, that's a very helpful piece of critique that will help me beyond this project! You're absolutely right in what you say.

As I result, I shan't give up this project but once it's finished to a point I'm happy with I think I shall go ahead and start modelling things that already exist. I think I will in fact design another weapon but use references of weapons that already exist.

xxxcubanxxx wrote: »

the part of the handle that meets the ball at the end is way wider than the end that meets the hilt, make them both the same

I see what you mean now and yeah I agree completely. I will get on that.

IchII3D

I think I will in fact design another weapon but use references of weapons that already exist.

Even the most experienced industrial designers will use reference and inspiration. Only when someone is very experienced will they rely less and less on direct inspiration or referencing. But that's not because they are not using it, but because its already in there head from looking at it so often. History and everything around you is your biggest source of ideas.

Jack Ryan

Thanks for the tips, I'm undergoing some more beginners tutorials (Digital Tutor's etc) so I can familiarise myself with the different modeling techniques.

Jack Ryan

Update!

The sword edge is now broader as suggested, and the handle as a whole as well as the end have undergone major changes. The biggest point being that the whole thing has been made thinner. I realised when investigating some real life swords that there really aren't any swords that had that much distance on the cross-guard surrounding where the blade connected with it.

The ball is also no longer, and the end is now flat and takes the shape of a mezzaluna (or, as I was calling it before I researched the name... smooth half moon blade).

Please take a look at my changes and critique them accordingly

Jack Ryan

Shamelessly bumping this, would love some more critique

woogity

can you post your concept plz?

Jack Ryan

The concepts are some crudely drawn outlines of a sword, which I used just to get me started. The model has derived from the concept by quite a lot now, apart from the actual blade.

I'm starting to think that, lack of proper concept is my downfall on this project, but I'm also too stubborn to want to give up on it.

acitone

WOw. You guys are so good here. And I love how no one here is afraid to show off their work

What software did you make that in, Sir?

Jack Ryan

I used 3DS Max

I like this forum, because even though my work fundamentally is far from any good, I know that posting here will improve me ten fold because people take people seriously here and want to help where possible.