[DOTA2] - Outworld Destroyer - TBD
Hey all,
I know we're a bit late but we've been super busy with work lately.
Anyway me and Johnny (doesn't have an account) have decided to enter the challenge.
Johnnys the master concepter/ diffuse texture artist.
I'm all things 3D, Modelling, UVing, Sculpting, shader propertiets and getting it in engine (hopefully)
We've gone with Outworld Destroyer, mainly because we like hard surface stuff and he looks badass.
Here's our WIP's over the last 2 or so weeks ...
Original concept that we decided to head towards
HeadPiece Progression -
WE didn't really like the slanting spikes and wanted a sharper look. After another revision we came up with this:
I started modelling (LOD1) to see how it'd go in 3D plus tri restictions
256 Tri's ... Boom
Next up, Sculpt, Item Lore, Back Peice COncepts hopefully
I know we're a bit late but we've been super busy with work lately.
Anyway me and Johnny (doesn't have an account) have decided to enter the challenge.
Johnnys the master concepter/ diffuse texture artist.
I'm all things 3D, Modelling, UVing, Sculpting, shader propertiets and getting it in engine (hopefully)
We've gone with Outworld Destroyer, mainly because we like hard surface stuff and he looks badass.
Here's our WIP's over the last 2 or so weeks ...
Original concept that we decided to head towards
HeadPiece Progression -
WE didn't really like the slanting spikes and wanted a sharper look. After another revision we came up with this:
I started modelling (LOD1) to see how it'd go in 3D plus tri restictions
256 Tri's ... Boom
Next up, Sculpt, Item Lore, Back Peice COncepts hopefully
Replies
You can see some of the design element we've taken from them like the grill and the visor.
Onto the back piece/wings, we went pretty far out with these ones. Verging into mechanical territory. Let us know what you think.
These are the two we liked the most out of that batch.
Here's one I mocked up quickly with various design elements from the two. (you can tell its mine by the bad art :P)
Made bulkier to go with the armour theme, we're struggling a little bit to get something that works on the tail end.
But I'm liking what's there so far. Johnny should get a refined version out tomorrow or the next day.
And finally here's the head sculpt:
Let us know what you think
There are a few things I'd like to mention in detail:
That's all for now! I am really anxious for the progress and final product of this collaboration! Cheers
Thanks alot for all the kind remarks, Strange your crits are def stuff we;ve been thinking about, the colour is very placeholder atm.
We're heading into crunch time right as the contest is finishing up so its going to be an interesting couple of weeks
However we are determined to finish even if it means we don't sleep for a while :P but hey, what else is new.
Here's the progression of our concepts so far.
We had a little trouble figuring out what to do with the back, if you recall. As you can see in these concepts it came out a little bee like, which we didn't like too much.
I don't think the orange helped with the bee look either
So the basic wing shape and back we are happy with, still need to work out the colour/ crack detail.
The Front:
We decided to go for the third on across here:
So finally the major concepts are done and the shapes are all there, which means I can start blocking out
Basic Block out:
Ok that's it for now, would love to here what you think. Coming up next ... weapon concepts, LODS for back, detail sculpt on back and wing blockout, also armour description/ lore when I have time to write it down.
Although you two command every decision in this project, may I, at the very least, entertain you in regard to the background story of this set (as inspired by your work so far):
The otherworldly Harbinger channels the tremendous and unfathomable energies of Outworld Crystals, found only at the rims of the Void, into the world of mortals. Periodically yet temporarily, the complex forces reverberating between these crystalline conduits attain an improbable sort of resonance whose magnitude spontaneously overwhelms the prismatic power Harbinger consciously wields - sending a supernova of energy surging through a critically empowered Outworld Destroyer. Skybourne with unimaginable power, rivaling the cosmic forces responsible for creation itself, Harbinger's inauspicious presence reaches untold heights. Perhaps this brief but undeniable manifestation, whose duration becomes increasingly more frequent and stable, is a foreshadowing that the imminent danger that is feared to follow the Harbinger, is actually Harbinger itself.
To Cakeypigdog - Thanks for the comments, your designs are looking pretty sweet also. I look forward to seeing more of what you do with OD and seeing how you deal with some of the obstacles and challenges regarding this character. Sax and I have been exchanging ideas on OD trying to come up with the best possible design we can conceive.
To Strange - A huge thanks to you, your feedback has been absolutely awesome. Sax and I refer to your feedback and trust me we are definitely taking in your suggestions. I love that you go into full detail, you didn't have to do this but clearly you love the OD as much as we do and want to see this design to fruition. The background story you wrote is great! We had a few ideas for the lore of this character but nothing completely set. This will help heaps and we really appreciate it. Thanks for keeping track on us with our contest travels, I can't help but feel like you've been a third member of our little team. Cheers dude!
Thanks to everyone who commented and left feed back. Not too long now till submission. I should brace myself, all nighters are coming!
Its true, I do really want to see this project to the finish, but also help it be as awesome as worldly possible. Oh, and I love the his hero! I am honored to have supported your work at all while being limited to only expressing theory and wordcraft; though that is where most of my talent ends. Feel free to use as much or as little of that background story, as it was inspired by your collaboration's art and effort. I will continue to to provide thorough feedback and suggestions; starting with...
Color/Crack Suggestion:
Although at first I recommended a color that is polar in hue, I now think that a high saturation hue of a bright-white-blue (neighboring the original teal hue on the color spectrum) would be best. If such a color was chosen, it will serve to reinforce the "infusion of power theme" as often times energy sources that are overloaded are shown to explode to white. Something like "light bursting forth from the earth". Additionally, assuming you cannot change the color of his spells, the aforementioned hue would match the color of his spells at the moment. A link to his spells for reference.
Original:
Relative suggestion:
"light overload bursting forth from the earth"
That's all for now. I anxiously await hearing and seeing from you guys again - especially for the weapon design. Cheers!
Thanks Strange, I really like the description you've got there. Glad to know our sets inspiring you
We're still mulling over the colours but should have something to show by the end of the weekend.
Meanwhile ... Weapon Concepts!
And I think we've decided to go with the second one in this set:
So It's finish off the high and low poly for the bakes this weekend then get straight into the weapon on monday.
Little up date on the sculpt:
Tried something with the shape of the wings but it made him look even more lobster like than he already was.
And the full blockout:
Anyway thats it for now ... will have a bit more in a couple of days
The only thing I want to point out on the weapon is be cognizant of the weapon's thickness and shape when seen from multiple angles. Take a look at Destroyer's attack and casting animations for an idea; and try avoiding making the weapon look skinny or too flat. Just a small thing to keep in the back if your mind.
Keep it up, it's all looking awesome
Sax and I have been working on this every night this week and will continue to do so until this set is done!
So far we have models and textures for the head, wings and armour. Textures are not 100% percent complete still needs a little more work. We aim to have the entire set textured and modelled by Friday giving us the weekend to work on back story, maps, implementation, beauty shots and polish, polish polish!!!
@Strange - We have decided to pursue the bluish lighting/energy theme. Having considered overall design and weapon effects we feel that this decision will compliment the character design more so than our original idea. Our mission was to create a design that offered the player a totally different feel whilst still maintaining key elements that we love about OD. As you can see in our concepts we originally intended to go fire themed with the idea of solar like energy emitting from the inner shell, blending the greens to orange and creating an explosive design.
In the back of mind I was always excited about the potential about going fire themed however was concerned about the effect of the colour scheme and the repercussions of adding another colour to the pallet. Seeing your reference images inspired me to follow an energy like theme. I guess it kinda just clicked, we wanted OD to look battle ready yet also appear of higher rank and I believe what we have now will convey that. Anyway I feel like I am starting to ramble, it's late and I have a thousand ideas running through my head.
Once again thanks to all who commented, I am really, really, really looking forward to this weekend and adding the final touches to OD!
Thanks for stopping by!
Velendro: Thanks mate, I get what you mean about not being recognized but I think by the time he's finished he'll still retain the essence of OD while still being different enough to justify a new armour set.
Just wanted to do a quick update to show progress/ remind you all we still exist
Also extended deadlines are great for my sleeping pattern.
But were still working away and gotten everything in game, right now Im playing with the masks seeing what kind of effects we can get out of the dota character shader. It's actually really powerful.
So here are a few gifs to show you moving in game, unfortunately you can't see them all at one time without alot of dicking around (get on that valve)
Keep in mind these are very early, most just have black masks atm and arent skinned properly:
FOR SOME REASON THE GIFS ARE ONLY LOOPING ONCE, OPEN THEM IN A NEW TAB TO SEE THEM IN ACTION
Head:
Armor:
Wings: (you can see some obvious skinning issues here, theyll be fixed)
Weapon: (Johnny's on the diffuse right now)
And finally this is me just messing around with the detail mask. Hopefully we can get something good this week,
Turns out I'm moving house next weekend so Ill try to get as much done as I can.
Cheers
Sax
Seems like I can't keep up with the speed of your hard work! The sheer talent and dedication is overwhelming in all the right ways. It is truly great to finally actually see the piece on OD. I'm glad you guys could select a color that works out so well; the contrast is great and makes way for an imaginative back-story for the armor set. OD really looks more than just different: he looks all powerful due to his new silhouette and textures.
Let me try to offer some constructive criticism piece by piece:
HEAD - the angle the head sits at is surprisingly upright and appears to be a sort of crown - all which is boon. Makes OD looks a significantly taller too. This makes the details effects so much more profound in addition to making him appear "higher rank". The back portion of the head (as seen from the back) seems like it needs some attention - just a mater of time I'm sure.
ARMOR - the shape looks great; especially the shoulders. However, the detail on his back with the "two hexagons" looks a bit empty and incongruent compared the rest of the armor's details. Also, the straight-lined lower back/spine crack looks too artificial and linear. My advice would be to make this area directly correlate with the patterns found his wings.
WINGS - besides those skinning issues you have already addressed, this piece of the set looks spectacular. Only thing to be said is that high amount of crack details closer to his body make the "stretching" of the model look slightly awkward and less solid than his intended composition. Not completely sure what can be done besides pushing these details outward a bit away from the area of model that are force to stretch due to his flapping.
WEAPON - I'm highly curious to see a more final version since it looks so awesome already. Right now, it doesn't appear too flat or thin - but it is up to you guys if you would like to increase its mass for a slightly more powerful look.
DETAILS - I don't think I've ever noticed those effects on the regular OD, despite knowing they are there. Again the head shape really makes the effect more profound.
Guys, your work is fantastic and it is easily the best OD set to date. Keep it up - myself and every OD player will appreciate your craftsmanship and will know your name soon
Cheers!
(P.S. I have subscribed this thread's activity as a direct consequence of your dedication :poly136: Oh and good luck with the move!)
@ Naso - Glad you like the mask! I do too! I was playing with a number of different designs and then this immediately came to mind. As soon as I did my first sketch I knew this was the direction I wanted to go. At first I thought the nature of the shape would cause problems with the original head but Sax had my back and assured me we could make it work!
@ kukiloak - Hey man, I read your post and I was super flattered!!! If I had any doubt about this project you have now obliterated that and I will endeavour to deliver this set to the highest possible standard that I possibly can!
@ Strange - Thanks for all the praise and constructive criticism. I feel that our set is evolving everyday. For the past few days Sax and I have been spending time in getting the set in game and making necessary adjustments. Revisiting UV's to make sure we get the best possible resolution for both in game and portrait viewing. We have also been going back and forth with the energy designs along the wings and armour. Adding detail then taking it back, then adding some more and taking it back again, all whilst making sure it looks good in game view and making sure details don't transform into noise. I feel it's really important to nail this part!
Thanks for the detailed feedback as always it does come in handy and its nice to know people are thinking along the same lines as we are. I'll attempt to respond to each and inviting you in to some of the thought process of each piece.
Head - It was important to me to design a set that I felt gave OD superiority in both appearance of strength and ranking/title. The regular set is already pretty bad ass and so I wanted to take it further suggesting that the OD in its original form reports to a higher being. Whether it is in movies, games or comics every time I see a full on bad ass character, learn to fear it and then discover that bad ass character has a boss that is even bigger and more bad ass I just lose my shit! Anyway I'm side tracking a bit but yeah, I wanted to add height to the character to make OD look more superior. The head texture you saw was an older version which had very noticeable seem lines, all the updated textures were on my home pc and we do all the game imports at Saxons.
Armour - Yeah I would have to agree. I feel that the back area needs more attention. I would like to get something symbolic here, will be doing some more RnD when it comes to this. Also I think we may be dropping the blue energy cracks in the spine of the armour or maybe reducing it. We are finding that it can become overwhelming but its going to be one of those thing we will have to balance out. I'm looking over the back line of the spine and now that you mention it, that back spine line does look very linear/artificial compared to the rest. If we do keep the cracks I will have to address this.
Wings - I really love the silhouette of the wings but at the moment I feel it needs more work. I want to really show off the wings, after all it is the largest of the set and has the most contrast. I think this piece will naturally become the focal point.
Weapon - I'm quite eager to finish off the weapon diffuse, we had to make some UV adjustments but I will be on the diffuse tonight. I'm really excited about the weapon and look forward to seeing what Saxon does with the shader channels! Once we get it in game and look over it I'll know what changes will need to be made.
Details - There is going to be so much work done on the overall details. Saxon is doing an amazing job on the sculpts which really helps me with the textures. He has also been exploring the shader maps and we're thinking of taking advantage of this and having some cool designs run down the body of OD.
Anyway Strange, I think that's enough of me ranting, I seriously just get way too carried away with these posts. Huge kudos your way, we really appreciate your support!
Thanks again to everyone who commented and left feedback, it let us know we are in the right direction.
So glad to have this extension!
I managed to get the whole set in game after alot of screwing around:
Now it;s not completely done, the glow on the back isnt in and the wing glow pattern may change slightly as well as the head. The weapon needs to be positioned a bit better as well.
Anyway let us know what you think.
Cheers
Sax
One last thing though, in the workshop - can you make all the pieces set a part of a collection such that people can vote on the entire set at once? This would also connect the pieces together via a link on their respective workshop pages so people can navigate to them.
Cheers Sax and Johnny! I hope to see more of your work in the future!
Hello everyone !
I think your Outworld' set is the best I have seen so far ! (Even the ones that are currently in progress in the workshop)
I am just wondering WHEN this set will be available ??? I have been waiting for almost a year now... patches are released... but this set is still missing !
So much "crappy" sets are released and so much GOOD sets are still NOT released ! I just don't understand...
Can you explain to me why Valve do not make your beautiful set available in the shop ??? Is it Valve's fault ?
We're as baffled as you are ... could be that the silhouette has changed too much from the original or any other reason. Rest assured that when or if we find out anything about a release well let you know.
Also I realised I never posted the updated beauty shots on here so ...
(ps. I also have another little ward out on the store in case you're interested - http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=207099662