Here's a breakdown of my brush and layer setup in Gimp, I may do this up as a full tutorial if I ever get around to it. This is a metal tone but pretty much every material is something like this:
In this case, since there's no model to look at, it's a bit hard to judge if what I have here is any good. Pretty much everything has a variation based on context (e.g. gun barrels mostly get brush strokes that are perpendicular to the barrel direction).
The stroke layers have a high opacity. I find that having at least a couple of visible brush strokes at angles that aren't regular help the look a lot. If a variation colour looks off I either redo the layer or play with the its opacity/colour balance.
The highlight layers start low opacity and get stronger as I sharpen an edge, but I probably spend most of my time tweaking the highlights since they're most variable as they get based on where an edge is and what type of item it's on. This also influences the wear patterns. Often my first attempt at highlights gets scrapped entirely.
Oh and a note on Gimp brushes in general - edit the spacing to 1 (lowest) otherwise you'll get jagged lines as you paint with them.
Thanks all!
Unfortunately they still have not put the ''borg'' version yet, one that all of you guys helped me to develop. When I met this forum I had already sent the ''mad eye'' version.
But valve said that they Will add the ''dead eye'' version as a "Style'' in the future
Thanks all!
Unfortunately they still have not put the ''borg'' version yet, one that all of you guys helped me to develop. When I met this forum I had already sent the ''mad eye'' version.
But valve said that they Will add the ''dead eye'' version as a "Style'' in the future
Yeah I know, lol. That was a photoshop typo, but I figured people would figure that out, doesn't look like 15,000 does it?
It's 1560.
But yeah, that contribute site really has little bearing on reality. Many of the hats in model viewer are well over 1,000, quite a few up around 2,500. It also says 'artstyle blah blah', but things like the pimp hat (70's), the cat-n-the-hat (90's rave hat), ze goggle (80's ghostbusters), head squids (futurama), etc... basically override that. Pink as Hell Paint...
But as far as submission goes too, I gave them every single file, layer PS file, qc, everything.
I'm just wondering if there is some reason my models are 'sub-par', or don't fit anymore than any of fore mentioned hats don't fit.
Maybe some people like them, just nobody at Valve?
I was trying to be patient but 6 months on I'd like some word/reason. I know Valve had spoke about making it a more open process and they get tons of submissions so it's not that big of a deal. Would just be nice to know, help to improve, etc..
I've also seen quite a few models other people made that are generally well liked on the forums that have yet to make it.
@BenHenry, it's looking alright. The cigarette is pretty funny. The legs and the main body could really use some work though. It would be so much better if you fleshed out the shapes on them similar to how you did on the front claws so it resembles a real crab more than a stuffed animal.
The idea is already excellent. I'd like to see some jiggle on the claws but it might not be easy with the cigarette option. Also, i agree, the body deserves a touch of more organic shape (normal map?
I based it off the defaults, I not sure about it yet.
I like the sight but I think your original barrel had a more interesting and better silhouette. it definitely set it apart from the original SMG. Now it just looks kind of funky.
@Norron: Problem was that nearly everyone else was saying that it looked unatrual and not itimidating enough, it was unique, but it also looked like the bullet was more likely to explode in the barrel or misfire.
Besides having a bigger barrel could provides more opputiunities for stats (slowdown, more damage ect).
I think you should just make the body jiggle, but have the bottoms of the legs fixed.
So when you turn left he would sway right. It would be like he's just hanging on for dear life.
Ok got it in game, however for some reason even though I used edgesplit from blender, when I do the final milkshape export, not all the smoothing groups are being rendered, this is mostly visible on the barrel:
My workflows Modo-Blender(edge splitting)-milkshape(rigging and exporting)-TF2 if thats any help.
Thanks guys for all your help I am currently making some normal maps using mudbox... so it should come out pretty good. I am thinking about adding the cigarette smoke particle on the crab just like the spy. As for jigglebones.....Hmmmmm, I'll try.
I just worked on the shape a little, and I added a cig_smoke particle on the end of it and here is what it looks like...
So, not extremely great, in the item testing it automatically takes out all the white and puts in a painting color (depending on the team,) so thats why the texture doesnt look like the hlmv screenshot.
Also, do you think this would be a paint-able crab? Or do you think I should tell Valve to leave it like the hlmv screenshot?
I did work on the body a little more, and here's what I got.
@SVDL, looking great. A few months ago I was planning on doing a Sniper set with a 50. Cal somewhat similar to that but I sort of gave up on that item set. Glad to see someone else had a similar idea. I agree with Ruskeydoo that you should test out some more variation in color. Maybe it'd look fine once it has some color variation from painted details though.
Replies
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1825602
Tis' getting there.
Here's a breakdown of my brush and layer setup in Gimp, I may do this up as a full tutorial if I ever get around to it. This is a metal tone but pretty much every material is something like this:
In this case, since there's no model to look at, it's a bit hard to judge if what I have here is any good. Pretty much everything has a variation based on context (e.g. gun barrels mostly get brush strokes that are perpendicular to the barrel direction).
The stroke layers have a high opacity. I find that having at least a couple of visible brush strokes at angles that aren't regular help the look a lot. If a variation colour looks off I either redo the layer or play with the its opacity/colour balance.
The highlight layers start low opacity and get stronger as I sharpen an edge, but I probably spend most of my time tweaking the highlights since they're most variable as they get based on where an edge is and what type of item it's on. This also influences the wear patterns. Often my first attempt at highlights gets scrapped entirely.
Oh and a note on Gimp brushes in general - edit the spacing to 1 (lowest) otherwise you'll get jagged lines as you paint with them.
Also congrats to the guys whose stuff got in!
Manuca, any chance of getting the version with the red eye as an optional replacement mod download :P?
Congrats to those who made it in.
Any suggestions before I submit it?
new grip for the clever girl, and a little something extra for all the bronies
http://www.teamfortress.com/contribute/tips.php
"Try to keep hats under 800 polygons"
so 15060 tris for a hat is too much.
Yay, for needing more custom anims.
Unfortunately they still have not put the ''borg'' version yet, one that all of you guys helped me to develop. When I met this forum I had already sent the ''mad eye'' version.
But valve said that they Will add the ''dead eye'' version as a "Style'' in the future
Awesome sauce.
Clipping fixed, right lets see what it looks like in firstp-
Dammit.
Anybody know how to fix this?
Yeah I know, lol. That was a photoshop typo, but I figured people would figure that out, doesn't look like 15,000 does it?
It's 1560.
But yeah, that contribute site really has little bearing on reality. Many of the hats in model viewer are well over 1,000, quite a few up around 2,500. It also says 'artstyle blah blah', but things like the pimp hat (70's), the cat-n-the-hat (90's rave hat), ze goggle (80's ghostbusters), head squids (futurama), etc... basically override that. Pink as Hell Paint...
But as far as submission goes too, I gave them every single file, layer PS file, qc, everything.
I'm just wondering if there is some reason my models are 'sub-par', or don't fit anymore than any of fore mentioned hats don't fit.
Maybe some people like them, just nobody at Valve?
I was trying to be patient but 6 months on I'd like some word/reason. I know Valve had spoke about making it a more open process and they get tons of submissions so it's not that big of a deal. Would just be nice to know, help to improve, etc..
I've also seen quite a few models other people made that are generally well liked on the forums that have yet to make it.
As for weapons, they generally have an item they want, and look for a model that fits and looks good.
I based it off the defaults, I not sure about it yet.
Could I get a side view of that weapon? Like, straight on from the side.
Looks like such a knobhead.
Best shot I could get. Model viewer was being a bitch.
Guys, what do you think?
I like the sight but I think your original barrel had a more interesting and better silhouette. it definitely set it apart from the original SMG. Now it just looks kind of funky.
I think the shell is too sharp, but seems like crabs are like that mostly. Maybe flatten the top a bit. An yes, make the claw(s) jiggle.
@Norron: Problem was that nearly everyone else was saying that it looked unatrual and not itimidating enough, it was unique, but it also looked like the bullet was more likely to explode in the barrel or misfire.
Besides having a bigger barrel could provides more opputiunities for stats (slowdown, more damage ect).
I think you should just make the body jiggle, but have the bottoms of the legs fixed.
So when you turn left he would sway right. It would be like he's just hanging on for dear life.
My workflows Modo-Blender(edge splitting)-milkshape(rigging and exporting)-TF2 if thats any help.
I love it!! But body looks like UFO from 80's movies :P
just breaks the mood somewhat but over all its one of the best hats here >:3
I just worked on the shape a little, and I added a cig_smoke particle on the end of it and here is what it looks like...
So, not extremely great, in the item testing it automatically takes out all the white and puts in a painting color (depending on the team,) so thats why the texture doesnt look like the hlmv screenshot.
Also, do you think this would be a paint-able crab? Or do you think I should tell Valve to leave it like the hlmv screenshot?
I did work on the body a little more, and here's what I got.
Sniper will become worse than the pyro for hiding round corners, but I love it.
Only constructive criticism I can think of is that maybe adding another colour of metal in there might look good.
I don't have the time to modify it or work more on it, so, it's finished. I'm on some others stuff now
May i suggest an Elephant gun instead
also EM' i think someone made your hat for the spy already i think gamebanana has it
also update on my skin it doesn't feel quite right to me i need opinions ao is set to multiply etc.