Scifi Gun Critique

Christian Cunningham

Found this really cool scifi gun concept so I decided to create it. This is the first project where I really spent my time sculpting and baked normal maps instead of creating them in crazy bump. I was a little lost when I hit the texturing process because I don't want to just grab a metal texture and slap it on there. So I did a paint over of it. I am going to add more detail in the texture that what you see in the paint over I just needed to mess around with it for ideas. I am aware of when creating a metal texture what really gives it a metal feel is the spec/gloss map so any help with that would be amazing. I am planning on rendering it in Toolbag 2. I have never done PBR materials so I am slowly learning that as well. Any critiques or ideas will be much appreciated.

Right now it is sitting at around 5.5k Polys is that too low for current gen props? I always ask myself what is too low and what is too high.

Phaeton1911

so far things are looking very nice, very full and busy normal map and you've used all the available space within the model for good details.

the black tone isn't doing it any favors at the moment (unless its just not lit well) but i would start by brightening it up.
and look for areas where the low poly nature of the model reveals itself, like the base of the grip.
the grip itself isd rather stiff and shapeless imo, pistol grips usually have more of a curve to them, you can alter that without stretching or interfering with the uvs too much.

the brass fittings and scroll work are giving a slightly steampunk feel so id work with colours in that art style.
and it looks like it could make good use of an emissive map, i feel a reddish orange/ fiesta red to go with the aqua green around the magazine cylinders.

this would be a good opportunity to use a nice soft diffuse rubber/packmayr for the grip to juxtapose the metal, especially the brass and keep the sci fi feel

Christian Cunningham

thanks Phaeton, Very good idea to change the silhouette of the grip a bit. An orange instead of the red would create a very interesting feel I will try that out. I will look into some steam punk color pallets for the brass. I plan on making an emissive map later on and giving the black a hue shift. I will do by best to create a rubber feel around the grip it would give it a very nice break due to so much metal. Thanks for the tips!