Drachis' Workshop Thread

Drachis

I have been enjoying a lot of Dota 2 over the last year and decided try my hand at creating some items for the characters.
I have a particular fondness for mages and playing Warlock has been a lot of fun. Still working on the concept at the moment, the idea is that this would be an armor set that is a little bit more ritualistic with bones and leathers exposed.

very much a work in progress and any feedback on the idea would be appreciated.

waffles.c

At first glance I was having a hard time figuring out what the concept was. Its a top down view? I like what I see I just wish I saw more. Cool idea though.

AndrewHelenek

waffles.c wrote: »

At first glance I was having a hard time figuring out what the concept was. Its a top down view? I like what I see I just wish I saw more. Cool idea though.

I didn't, it's warlock clear as day. Need to see a bit more, but the idea and concept is really cool. :thumbup:

MagnoHusein

Well make a front and back view (basically a model sheet) it's better for understanding all components of the set.

Drachis

I'm still working on the idea and will break it down into a model sheet when I have all the elements worked out. Working in the game camera helps me understand which elements will show up in game and read well and what I need to redesign.

I have a few more sketches of different elements.

The sketch that inspired the hood


The sketches that inspired the staff


Some ideas for the pet, still a ways out on this;

maybe more spikes? the numbers are the binds for the flame on the back. I was trying to integrate the existing character elements into the new design.


Some rough ideas for the bracers

unsure if they feel like something that a warlock wears yet, still looks a bit too far in death knight territory for me.

Drachis

Shopped the image around to a few friends and the book / bag did not read very clearly, here are some variations on the design on the base warlock (imagining that it could be a separate drop).
1

2

3

4

5

6


I am partial to variant 3, the bag with the scroll it. I think with some additional bone elements could be a good complement to the staff. Currently it feels much more refined in terms of crafting. Upon second look variant 6 looks a bit like a toilet paper roll rather than a scroll holder in a giant tooth... I don't think that is cool enough.

Looking over the sketch of the hood and the way it reads from game camera that is going to be my next target for iteration. I want to bring the teeth out more by increasing their size and pushing the jawbone lower and maybe a little bit further out.

All together it is coming along.

Some of the values are fighting for priority and the front of the robe has not been painted over.
for reference, and if you would like to flip between them in tabs this is the reference screen shot for these.

Drachis

Started working on building the bracers, the design has gone through some iteration because the game camera and my sketches don't quite line up like I imagined.


When painting the concept I doubled the resolution of my screen shot which gave me a very unrealistic idea about how much real estate there was to work with in terms of pixels. The low poly models for the other elements are my next step. Once I have those created getting the textures and details lined up (while it will still take time) should be much simpler in terms of design.
After the models are blocked in, grey scale textures then sculpting and some color. Very excited.

Drachis

It was brought to my attention that the Lantern/ Brazier is awesome which means the rest of the idea is okay... so I'm going to iterate on the concept to bring it all up to that level of awesome before modeling more. I'll be taking the bracer as a good learning experience and shelving it.

Drachis

Working on the shoulders and head again, bigger more readable shapes. Not loving the hood anymore going to work out a variation. The new spikier shoulders are brought to you by Diablo 3, inspired by one of the barbarian helms I ran across.

This now feels like a wip thread more than a workshop thread... but it will end up in the workshop soon, just behold the progress until then.

GhostDetector

It looks great

Drachis

Working across the model to get everything refined , not yet happy with the staff. Buffed up some shapes on the lantern read feels better all around right now.

Drachis

Balancing out the values to help with the read, going to work the gauntlet to create an area of rest before the lantern.



for reference this is the size of the character in game

..yup tiny.

Drachis

Threw the balance off a little with the staff getting painted in. Going to work on the values and see if I can balance out focus a little more.

getting closer to happy with this design. I feel that once I resolve the simple shapes on the cape a sketch should be enough for the front design and the bag should click into place easier.

Looking between posts I noticed that I lost the key values on the staff, will re integrate those and post up a new version.

EDIT 1

okay this version reads better - been staring at this for a long while, getting harder to tell where the points for improvement are.

EDIT 2
painted up the back, going to tackle the mantle and shoulders tomorrow. I think this all comes together fairly well.

cagdasx44

So much time spend on a concept. Why dont you use Spudnik's concept sheets? Anyways good concepts but you gotta finish them.