Character model prices?

etsuja

I'm thinking about trying to exploit some of my character modeling talents and I'm wondering what you all think a fair price would be for maybe mediocre to high quality models would be maybe for just licensing models meaning they could be licensed to more than one company/team/whoever for use. I'd include the model of around 3000 - 6000 polies with normal maps, and base model textures. I have no idea of what a price should be, anyone that can give me an idea?

JohnnySix

I'd suggest first thinking about what you'd place your hourly rate at - there a a whole bunch of threads on this here to help you decide, then work out how long an average contemporary game character as you described would take you to complete in hours.

Leyvin

There is so much it depends on, especially without seeing the quality of work.

Mind I've seen some people charge ridiculous amounts for piss poor quality work. TurboSquid has always been a nice safe heavan for ripp-off merchants who believe they have more skill than they actually do.

That said, you have to think about the quality of work. What market you're doing the work for (industry can often pay a bit better than indie/hobbyist), what a fair price for your time is, etc.

not doubt lots of threads explaining it buried under the mounds of portfolios of people desperately trying to get work. you want a good tip though.

do some freebie work that will get your work out there, and noticed. Mod games, indieware, etc.. doesn't matter just as long as you can show it off and a prospective employeer can see your work in action outside of a development environment reel is best.

You get to know how long it takes you to learn technologies, how long you can put stuff together, etc.

Another good way of starting out are model packs for engines, they go a way to helping finance and such. I mean just experiment until you're confident enough to be able to dictate terms.

Everyone will always try to screw you if you're freelance, something for nothing so to speak. Unless you get the odd company or team who actually respect the talent they've hiring. There's far less of them around now than there used to be, so often going solo and model packs tends to be better without good company repores.

At the end of the day, no point in doing something for money if you could make more as a 7-11 clerk.

etsuja

I've seen the models at turbosquid and alot of 'em are atrocities, hopefully mine are better. I don't have alot right now, most of my work usually ends up disappearing after awhile, guess I'll have to work on keeping track of it but this is a model I was thinking about selling, just need to finish the texturing and maybe giver her a hair do and maybe a pair of clothes but I was thinking of just offering to model whatever clothes a customer wanted on the model for an extra fee. I'm not sure who I'd sell her to but was initially thinking indie or hobbyists for a price of $100-$200 just with a diffuse map and normal map. What do you think?