SciFi/Cowboys Vs. Indians

Nato_VanDookie

Basically, this is all for a contest on cgtalk, but the situation is that I've yet to recieve a critique and I've really only received a couple comments of any kind. So in an effort to improve my character designs and their corresponding models, I'll post what I have here for you to tear up at your discretion.

My idea for the Sci-fi Western theme is cowboys vs Indians where the cowboys are space settlers and the Indians are the planet's native inhabitants. Simple idea but an ambitious undertaking for me personally. I've never really tried to do serious game modelling with poly limitations. I've never created a high poly model for baking normals,(nor do I know how to bake) and I've only used Zbrush 2-3 times...but I fel I'm up for learning something new, with help of course.

On to the concepts:


I want him to be more sinister but the more I try to change him the less sinister he looks...suggestions are welcome.



I'm actually quite happy with this character, being alien I didn't really have any bone structure to stick to, so I combine Indian with steed to create alien minotaur.

The models so far:

I haven't really ventured beyond his head because I don't like any of the rest of my concept.

The things sticking out the back will be feather-looking things growing from the scalp.

I finished the hands, but lost them in a devastating computer crash.

Wires:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/nato_vandookie/cauboi2.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/nato_vandookie/injin3.jpg

Please critique, and maybe link me to a good Zbrush tutorial for normal map baking. Thanks.

Edit: I'm using Valve's Source engine for my limits here, these two characters are main, so their limits are higher, around 6-7000, but I'm really aiming for 6000-6500. If I get to the background characters, they'll be around 4000.

Keg

looking good. I can really see something similar to what tf2 is doing working really well for the textures.

Slipstream

I love your modeling style It really communicates the character's well.

There are a couple things though.
For one, given its facial structure, why does the alien cowboy have a human skull on its head? That's a conflict of both the design and story you've set up (unless the aliens and settlers have been fighting for years of course)

The deisng you have for the cowboy now, isn't really evil. If it were to stay this way, then you'd really have to communicate his insidiousness through the color scheme and facial expression.

You could also change up his profile some to make him seem more evil. A cape with sharp, jutting shoulders; spikes on his toes and knuckles, and making his chin more pointed would be some ways to handle it. Bad guys tend to have sharper profiles so that they seem more dangerous

Nato_VanDookie

The cowboy is actually a good guy, so i don't want him to look mean, just tough. He's long and lanky, but I want to convey that he'll put a bullet between your eyes if you lok at him wrong, and your a bad guy.

I am basing these characters in a story that's been going on, they've been fighting for awhile, the skull on the alien's head is maybe a friend or relative of the cowboy and similarly, another concept of the cowboy has an alien skull as a shoulder pad for his robotic arm. These two are bitter enemies.

Thanks for your suggestions and comments, and if anyone else has a question as to the origins, I have all the basic info in my head but I just don't always think to type it all out.

dj snyder

Bring the cowboy's hat down over his eyes more, that'll make him look more badass

Archanex

Congrats Nato_VanDookie on bringing racial stereo types to new heights! :P

seriously though, I think it's looking pretty good except that the cowboy doesn't really feel like a space cowboy to me... he's just a cowboy... maybe try to incorporate some spacy elements? A blaster as opposed to a 6 shooter would be the obvious answer, but try to go deeper than that.

Another thing that sort of bugs me about the cowboy, is why does he have one scrawny arm, and one beefy arm?

anyway I'll be looking forward to seeing your progress

Lord McMutton

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Another thing that sort of bugs me about the cowboy, is why does he have one scrawny arm, and one beefy arm?

[/ QUOTE ]

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another concept of the cowboy has an alien skull as a shoulder pad for his robotic arm.

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killingpeople

the fact you've made the "indian" a whacked out alien beast and hardly altered the look of the cowboy, makes me smile.

dj snyder

us god fearin white folk'll learn them damn space injuns

LEARN EM GOOD

rooster

eyes of the hawk, strength of the bear, speed of the puma!

Nato_VanDookie

In response to my fellow facepuncher, I like that idea, simple, but still good.Thanks.

In response to killingpeople, as I said before, I just haven't really been struck with and inspiration on the cowboy character, but the alien character just kind of hit and I made the model before the concept sketch...which I guess makes it not a concept sketch.

Archanex, I agree completely with your impression of the cowboy, my original was completely opposite making him completely sci fi and no resemblance to a cowboy. I'll come up with something, and when I do I'll post here.

Thanks for all your comments, I'll update soon, I'm currently wrapped up in my Harry Potter book.

dj snyder

am I your fellow facepuncher?

I didn't know you were the same dude :0

dejawolf

thar's be a mighty fine cowboy yaw got there i reckon, pahrdner.now saddle up and git yer work done!

Nato_VanDookie

dj Snyder, yeah over there I'm just vandookie, dunno why.

I finished the alien model completely and I'm gonna really try hard to get some work done on the cowboy now. I'll update as soon as I have something big enough to deserve one.



I went a little over on my polys, I'll try to optimize it a bit. Next step is UV unwrapping, unless I need to do things differently for normal mapping in ZBrush?

Nato_VanDookie

Sorry about the massive bump here...but I've begun working on this again, despite the contest being over. I ran into several computer problems which halted my progress with unwrapping. But those problems have been solved...and it's back to the old grind... or new grind rather since this game modeling thing is fairly new to me.

But now I have a question:

I've seen it done but don't know how to do it. How do I bake a shadow map on to my UV's in Maya?