[Dota2] - Witch Doctor - Tiki Trappings

hopgood

Hi Polycount. I am considering a themed set for Witch Doctor centered around the Tiki mask and statues visual concepts. Just put together a quick sketch to show my current direction.

While scribbling I came up with an idea that the Voodoo Dolls hung around the characters neck/shoulders would be representations of other Dota 2 Characters. I had a flick through the Witch Doctor's Lore and his responses on the Dota 2 wiki but he doesn't seem to have any "rivalries" or quips with any other characters to base them off so any suggestions are welcome.

hopgood

Quick blockout to test shapes

hopgood

Work in progress on Tiki Mask

BC_

nice!

Erafic

I'm a little curious at the Tiki mask, most of the Witch Doctors body is asymmetric, from midsection and up. Right now the mask looks to be just a mirror on both sides, but it could be a nice touch to translate some of the witch doctors deformity into the mask as well. Maybe just make 1-2 parts of it asymmetric in some way. Still interesting progress so far! Been wanting to do a Tiki set myself, but for the juggernaut, at some point.

hopgood

Small Update, going off suggestions here I have added a bit of asymmetry to the physical shapes and I can probably add more with textures (Tribal paints, designs etc)

SgtNasty

Solid idea for this character, and I think the mask looks pretty cool.

hopgood

I went back to the drawing Board in terms of the mask. I felt that it wasn't reading as Witchdoctor as much so I tried to incorporate some more of his noticeable features into the design ie the Jaw link, brow and general face shape.

Now with mini Pudge Voodoo doll

Danglebob

i like the new mask much better. the mini pudge is also awesome. i hate that guy.

hopgood

Started sketching out some staff mockup designs while thinking of further ideas

hopgood

Had to try out the LOD_1 for the shoulder slot to make sure the requirement could be met with Voodoo Pudge. Managed to get it just on 450 Tri's so can start working on high poly for mask and shoulder slot this weekend.

shanks37

lookin pretty spiffy. the voodoo doll warms my heart the way that only true vengeance can.

if you have time maybe make some alternates? not everyone mind you, just maybe invoker and templar assassin. because seriously, those guys are jerks.

DanBe

the voodoo doll of pluge is a great touch! the staff should definitely feel a lot like voodoo as well, maybe get inspiration from a dream catcher!

the with doctor is everything about manipulation, so yeah having him have items with who he can manipulate his victims with, would suit him best.

hopgood

shanks37 wrote: »

lookin pretty spiffy. the voodoo doll warms my heart the way that only true vengeance can.

if you have time maybe make some alternates? not everyone mind you, just maybe invoker and templar assassin. because seriously, those guys are jerks.

Thanks!

I am looking to add another doll but the LOD limits on the Shoulder and back slots are pretty restrictive. If anything I am considering having another one strapped to the staff but the Invoker and TA are great ideas.

Olphelia

Haha the doll is brilliant! Looking forward to seeing more of your progress.

hopgood

Working on the staff blockout and general shapes. Ive included the Pudge Doll as a placeholder for another Voodoo Doll but its position its up for critiques. It will also depend on how the LOD_1 works out.

walt

the pudge doll is brilliant! love it.

shanks37

casting vote is for the earlier voodoo doll staff idea with it suspended in the center. that or maybe replace the hanging jars with 3 smaller voodoo dolls.

hopgood

shanks37 wrote: »

casting vote is for the earlier voodoo doll staff idea with it suspended in the center. that or maybe replace the hanging jars with 3 smaller voodoo dolls.

Thanks mate!

Given the limits I could probably only do the one in the middle if I went that route. With the limits on the LOD_1 its hard to maintain a recognisable silhouette of characters and with 3 it could be difficult.

Tvidotto

great idea, it fits great on witch doctor!

hopgood

so working on some suggestions in the thread I have tried to incorporate another Doll onto the staff model. I went to Dotabuff to look at the stats of Witchdoctor to see who was his worst matchup given the lack of some rivalry lore.

His worst match up is lich But second worst is Ursa, perfect. Fits with the big mean characters reduced to Voodoo dolls theme I had with Pudge. Ive tried two different styles but it doesn't seem to be clicking and looks a bit janky.

Any suggestions?

shanks37

it's not working because it looks like an action figure right now. i'd try simplifying the doll, maybe make it look more like a little big planet character.

since its ursa you could do even do a teddy bear though thats probably a bit too silly

hopgood

Yeah I was using the actual Dota 2 Ursa model just for placeholder, I would make my own as with Pudge, I just think the silhouette gets too complicated and heavy. I'll keep working on it.

Thanks for the crits

EVIL

hopgood wrote: »

Small Update, going off suggestions here I have added a bit of asymmetry to the physical shapes and I can probably add more with textures (Tribal paints, designs etc)

still think this is the better mask. Since you are blocking the face with a mask, you should make sure it holds some character. The current version is to dead looking, no emotion, just a stone faced mask.

hopgood

Working on the mask some more. Tried to add in some more emotion or themes through the diffuse.

makecg

nice mask

hopgood

I had an idea for the back piece last night and started blocking it out this morning. I tried to keep the blockout at the lowest LOD level to see if I could achieve it with the constraints.

Keeping with the Voodoo Doll theme, (I realise I am straying very far away from my initial ideas but I like where I am heading now) I decided that even though the Witchdoctor doesn't have any strong rivalries with any of the existing Heroes, perhaps he has a larger role to play in one of the strongest existing rivalries?

So, Mini Kunkka and Mini Tidehunter dolls with pins straight in the hearts

hopgood

WIP on Voodoo Pudge

hopgood

Work continues

hopgood

He has some nice jiggle but I probably need to play with the skin weights, something which I am not very familiar with. I opened up the SMD hoping to get some clues as to which joints I should skin too but it just contained the whole skeleton.

Any other people working on the Witchdoctor who have some advice would be great.

hopgood

WIP on staff, should have bake and textures started tomorrow

Okoo

Really nice =D

Farfarer

Cool stuff, dude.

Loving the wee voodoo dolls

You might need to push that wood grain a bit more on the staff to have it show up in the normal maps at game res. I had to bulk mine out quite a lot to get them to show up.

marul

Great concept you've got here, voodoo dolls will make this set very interesting. You should consider making the forehead of the mask a little longer and give it a little curve though. Keep up the good work!

Mongrelman

Loving that mask, and really like the shapes going on in the staff.

hopgood

Had to back to the drawing board in small part for the Staff, I drastically overestimated what I could fit in the LOD1, that will teach me to model to the LOD, I was so sure it wouldnt be a problem.

here is the current set WIP, just a basic diffuse on the staff, nothing fancy

Farfarer

Staff turned out awesome dude, love the shape

hopgood

Small update with a few tweaks.

I've "finished" 3 pieces ahead of the deadline so i'm going to push forward working on the backpiece and hopefully a ward model

Tdank

Looks great!

hopgood

quick sketch up for the back concept, I was worried about fitting two dolls into the budget but I like the Kunkka/Tide idea so I have adapted it slightly. Potion bottle open to change.

selvesteHE

Love the texture work bro!

hopgood

WIP on back piece

hopgood

early WIP on diffuse

hopgood

Small WIP update on the set as a whole, I'm going to experiment with re-incorporating the orange/purple in more areas of the set. As it stands now mostly just diffuse work with a bit of specular but I didn't pull them out of the mask2 for some yet. The small voodoo doll heads on the waist are Faceless Void and Antimage, at least in this case it comes with 2 free buttons

hopgood

update:

Gareth_Thomas

I'm really digging this set. Great work.

Jalcober

Looove it! The mask is so perfect!

hopgood

Some quick mockup shots while I tweak some things for submission tomorrow.

Gareth_Thomas

Great work! I just love this set.