Earth Spirit Concept Brain Storm

Haftoof

Wanted to ask in regards to the earth spirit. I've been brain-storming and one thing that caught my eye was that his staff could easily be transformed into a polearm shape.

I was curious for those who have experience with valve's design ascetic, do changes like this bother them or hinder the capability to follow through with the design?

Insaneophobia

I don't believe it does, but do remember that his animations with his staff are rather odd, if you make it a polearm it will cause a lot of clipping, and most of his attacks he'll hit with the back end of the staff.

Sukotto

Yeah his animations are weird, he uses his staff like nunchucks for some animations. Something to keep in mind.

Haftoof

Hmmmm, I'll have to look at his attacks. Using the butt of the weapon in combat isn't so bad, as long as the front of the polearm is fine clipping wise. I did see those "nunchuck" animations, suppose I'll have to take a look at it in engine and see how I feel about some of the animations.

Honestly after looking at the model and my initial foray and backstory I immediately latched on to the old Chinese general Guan Yu.

When you mention clipping, as long as his polearm is the same length as the staff what would clip?

Insaneophobia

Well if you're making it the exact same length, nothing really, except perhaps his idle rare animation when he's spinning the nunchucks, there it might clip with the hands he's holding it with.

Haftoof

Yeah from what I see the major problems are that he grabs certain sections of the staff and that idle nun-chuck animation. I don't know if that necessarily messes too much with the concept.

I kind of look at the current staff implementation which has the dragon head on top and the bottom being more bland. I could do a dual-bladed halberd, that might be another option.

Baddcog

Honestly I don't think clipping matters that much in game. I know that sounds bad but take a look at any of valves stuff and the majority of items in game. Almost everything clips at some point during some animation.

Also, when he's spinning his chucks around in menu you MIGHT notice it a little (if you are looking for that) but most players won't. And in game there's very little chance of it being noticed.

Mainly you need to be concerned with the idle poses in the selection menu.

Like you said the dragon head one is in game, and if anything clips that would for sure.

Not saying be sloppy with rigging, etc... but at some point you just can't worry too much.

Haftoof

Started sketching it and looking at different concepts. I really liked the idea of doing a shattered stone halberd in the style of Guan-Yu's green dragon Guan-do.

I'll start playing around with the low poly after I get the concept sketched.

This image particularly caught my eye for the style...
http://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/429836.jpg

Going to play with the dual-bladed halberd in the style of the Guan-Do, simplify the geometry a little and make it out of shattered rock (like the Earth spirit) and see how that goes. Hopefully the low poly requirements won't be too bad.