Hey hey, dont go expecting too much, I was just going to write a short introduction on how to use the freeform tools in 2010 to make your work feel like holidays.
I'll agree with a lot of the people here and say a tutorial would be awesome, and this guys is great! if metal slug went 3d I think they'd give you a call ;-)
Hey hey, dont go expecting too much, I was just going to write a short introduction on how to use the freeform tools in 2010 to make your work feel like holidays.
Oh, and thanks for the kind words
please do! im too lazy to figure it all out for myself
i would have rather seen the greentooth on a medal or something than on the belt buckle, but the whole character is still very awesome.
I've liked this from the start. Really nice clean stylization.
Right now it looks like your normals aren't doing your highpoly any justice. I can see the influence of your low poly in the specular. Especially on the hands, face, pouches and belt buckle. I suspect it either has to do with the max normal baker or maybe the way it's being rendered. Look here: http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=68173
The only way to fix these is to add geometry and bake again. But to be honest, he is not even going to be seen this close, so for the sake of finishing I will hope that a good diffuse can save it.
Also, there is a bit anisotropy going on in the belt buckle, little bumps going over the surface. and skin needs very little specular.
So I am crossing my proverbial fingers and hoping for the best.
On the bright side! Here is some insignia heightmaps:
Swapping the swastikas for smileys is endless enjoyment for me. Though as this can be a touchy subject, it is not meant to glorify or belittle what the nazis did, it is meant to undermine them and make their symbols silly..
I have to ask, though - is there any reason why you've gone so low-poly with the mesh? Two segments at the elbow will make for terrible deformation when he bends his arm, his elbow will get all sharp... same with the knee and shoulder there really.
Are you planning to animate him? He definitely needs some more polys to look good when deforming, and to be honest I'd really try to get a bit more silhouette detail cut into the cloth where the heavier folds are - right now his arms are incredibly tubular and while the normal-map does pick up the cloth folds well, it's painfully obvious that there's no silhouette variation in the lowpoly.
It wouldn't add many triangles to cut a few of the larger folds into the lowpoly, especially around the shoulder, and I think it'd add a lot to the overall look in the end.
i loved previous variant because it was stylized and cartoony, last one is more realistically
that doesn't really fit his proportions and overall style.
I kinda disagree with this conte... I feel as though it still is representing he cartoony proportions and overall style, while breathing more life into with those more "realistic" details.
Either way I think it looks good, you could defiantly go more painterly style with the texture... but I feel as though what you have right now is really strong.
If anything, I would play more with the skin tones I think... maybe liven him up just a bit more.
Amazing work here, I love it. That said I also agree that the first pass at textures read better. The skin tone is more "alive" in the first pass. I think that you could add details like dirt and scratches without desaturating the textures overall. Both textures look good but I would like to see the second pass with more life like the first pass had.
Yeah Zac, I am gonna add more detail in the lowpoly tomorrow, that and the extra joint segments MoP suggested.
More colour also. Thanks peeps, your feedback is priceless. ^_^
@conte: First off, thanks for taking the time to write your oppinion, but the plan has always been to experiment with toony shapes and realistic surfaces.
I actually really like the style and think it looks great as is.
The cartoony shapes with realistic textures is really fresh and a nice variation to standard themes.
The uniform looks very realistic as a green wool and I think the somewhat muted colors help lend it more of a realistic feel. Too much saturation and you'll be going back towards painterly/cartoony materials.
Replies
always nice to see how different people work
"Schultz! Close the gates... the war is back on!"
Oh, and thanks for the kind words
please do! im too lazy to figure it all out for myself
i would have rather seen the greentooth on a medal or something than on the belt buckle, but the whole character is still very awesome.
@divi: It's NOT the polycount logo, lol. It's just a smiley..
But I have thought about doing the belt buckle differently, something in photoshops xNorm filter..
Shown with a Ambient OCC map in Xoliluls viewport shader.
Don't mind the errors since it was baked in one piece.. :P
Oh and thank you very much everyone for the far too kind words..
Can't wait to see the texture...
Been fixing up normal maps all day, and here is the results so far.
Using Xoliluls fantastic viewport shader.
Right now it looks like your normals aren't doing your highpoly any justice. I can see the influence of your low poly in the specular. Especially on the hands, face, pouches and belt buckle. I suspect it either has to do with the max normal baker or maybe the way it's being rendered. Look here: http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=68173
The only way to fix these is to add geometry and bake again. But to be honest, he is not even going to be seen this close, so for the sake of finishing I will hope that a good diffuse can save it.
Also, there is a bit anisotropy going on in the belt buckle, little bumps going over the surface. and skin needs very little specular.
So I am crossing my proverbial fingers and hoping for the best.
On the bright side! Here is some insignia heightmaps:
Swapping the swastikas for smileys is endless enjoyment for me. Though as this can be a touchy subject, it is not meant to glorify or belittle what the nazis did, it is meant to undermine them and make their symbols silly..
I like the birdy insignia
Anyway, a bit of an update on the diffuse:
I have to ask, though - is there any reason why you've gone so low-poly with the mesh? Two segments at the elbow will make for terrible deformation when he bends his arm, his elbow will get all sharp... same with the knee and shoulder there really.
Are you planning to animate him? He definitely needs some more polys to look good when deforming, and to be honest I'd really try to get a bit more silhouette detail cut into the cloth where the heavier folds are - right now his arms are incredibly tubular and while the normal-map does pick up the cloth folds well, it's painfully obvious that there's no silhouette variation in the lowpoly.
It wouldn't add many triangles to cut a few of the larger folds into the lowpoly, especially around the shoulder, and I think it'd add a lot to the overall look in the end.
It's my first game character model, so bear with me please
face is looking awsome man, hope you can finish this dude off (finishing ftw =D)
Are you planning on adding a cartoon MP40 or a funny panzerkaupfwagen?
Colours are pretty much in place now, just need to get the details like the nails, scratches and so on, down..
@Skrucey: we already have a tank for the Germans, the Panzerkampfwagen Ausf. III
http://i36.tinypic.com/2uqlocx.jpg
We also have a sherman for the British. ^_^
Then, perhaps, a rifle!
that doesn't really fit his proportions and overall style.
I kinda disagree with this conte... I feel as though it still is representing he cartoony proportions and overall style, while breathing more life into with those more "realistic" details.
Either way I think it looks good, you could defiantly go more painterly style with the texture... but I feel as though what you have right now is really strong.
If anything, I would play more with the skin tones I think... maybe liven him up just a bit more.
More colour also. Thanks peeps, your feedback is priceless. ^_^
@conte: First off, thanks for taking the time to write your oppinion, but the plan has always been to experiment with toony shapes and realistic surfaces.
The cartoony shapes with realistic textures is really fresh and a nice variation to standard themes.
The uniform looks very realistic as a green wool and I think the somewhat muted colors help lend it more of a realistic feel. Too much saturation and you'll be going back towards painterly/cartoony materials.