Creating the cover for new Croft

adam

Working with 3D renditions for the concept process; Crystal Dynamics has released a making-of video for the new look of Lara Croft, seen on a Game Informer magazine.

Check out this making-of video for a new Lara Croft by Crystal Dyanmics, seen on a Game Informer cover.

It's nice to see a brief rundown of the process; Concept, 3D model, details & touch-ups, marketing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8XODqvPOI4

 

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Habboi

Short but sweet. I always like seeing these sort of videos cause they remind me the dev's aren't doing anything surprisingly different to what I expect when they create artwork.

ScoobyDoofus

It was nice to see I suppose, but disappointing in its almost complete lack of detail.

Summary: "Hey, new Tomb Raider! I drew a picture, and then some Japanese guys made an amazing 3D model, which I painted dirt on, and then some other guys drew the background. Thanks for watching"

Bishop313

I think she looks a little bit to much like a real doll, made of silicon! It´s a great piece, no question! The composing part is realy nice!

Joshua Stubbles

Too much specular highlight stuff painted on it, made it look glossy and very "shopped" in the final cover shot.

But overall it was a decent piece.

adam

What they don't show much of is the coloured model (seen at 0:32) but from the shots you do see I think her new look is more tame, or what I'd likely see out of such a person (read: not such a 'character'). Pulled tight pony tails that are 4' be damned.

Treacharous

Love these kinds of vids , cool stuff

arrangemonk

looks like scarlet johannson

Tyrone70

it's an amazing piece, but I'm really surprised that it took that many people in so many different locations to make that. I'm not sure they mentioned how long it took either

Bal

I'm surprised to see the Japanese dude working on 3D-Coat at one bit, he's drawing black blotches on the Lara's face, wonder what that is for?

d1ver

Holy-crap-on-a-cracker. SE really tries to make studios cooperate. I mean, It's visual works, guys, 'cmon. Can't wait to see their cinematics.

adam

@Bal: He provided some basic dirt and damage to her for when it was sent back to CD.

EVIL

hmm, talk about throwing out money, I mean flying over to japan to have some guy fix you a model and give directions on how to render it. dont they have any inhouse artists who could do the same thing? plaus I am sure that if they would have left the concept artist push that sketch more, he propably would have came up with results that would have been of the same quality as the render.

Ged

yeah the concept sketch was almost at the same level of the render so they just wasted time and money in my opinion

Mark Dygert

I think they they probably have plans to use or heavily base the in game res model on the one created in Japan? In that sense they probably wanted what players will see in future media as well as in the final release to match as closely as possible. If they had gone with just the sketch it might of been off to a degree that they where uncomfortable with.

Looking at airfare and hotel it probably cost around 2-$5,000 to send the guy there? Considering some studios send teams of people to E3 and CES, maybe Julie the intern doesn't get to go to E3 and hand out stickers... I'd rather have a rockin cover than have to listen and smell Julie yelling at her shoes on the cab ride back from an after party.

Really not that expensive and they could of shipped him in a crate...

Muzzoid

I dont think this is excessive. If you have ever tried to design a major marketing piece such as an iphone app icon you realise that this isnt out of hand.

I spent a week on a single icon once because everyone had different opinions and i had to try and pander to everyone. In the end because it is a major part of marketing it is worth it though.

dkreset

I think this is a great piece. I second Muzz's opinion there, having worked on marketing render materials. It's always better to have the piece look as good as possible and seeing that there are different artists composing the matte painting that goes behind Lara there, the concept artist may not necessarily be familiar with the process. In this case if the aim is to have a high quality cinematic look then a concept art would've looked differently. Blizzard also goes through the same process so I think this is not at all excessive.

A great piece nonetheless, I actually can't wait to see the new game ...