WIP-Female RoboCop- Auto .40
I am currently working on a new character, a female version of RoboCop. This project is going to be focused on coming up with a character whose design reflects the myhtos in which the character is based; as well as show the ability to fully flesh out new ideas based on an existing IP. I'll do an actual writeup of her soon when I get the basic design down; but for a quick project while I write her story (whom I'm calling RoboCop Z for now), I'm updating the classic Auto-9 to something a bit more modern.
The Glock is the standard firearm for police now, and since it's the only true machine pistol made now, I figure it was fitting. It's a combination of a few different Glocks, so for the rest of you guns nuts out there, I know some stuff is different :P The frame is a compact so it should fit her body size a bit better. I've just starting roughing out the highpoly in Max. Sub-D. I've spent a little over 2 hours on it. Any critiques are welcome!!
The Glock is the standard firearm for police now, and since it's the only true machine pistol made now, I figure it was fitting. It's a combination of a few different Glocks, so for the rest of you guns nuts out there, I know some stuff is different :P The frame is a compact so it should fit her body size a bit better. I've just starting roughing out the highpoly in Max. Sub-D. I've spent a little over 2 hours on it. Any critiques are welcome!!
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It may be because of the length getting to me (or the grip being too fat), but even after covering a part of it it still looked weird.
That's all I have for now since you said it's only 2 hours in. Are you going to add that top fin part on the slide from the old design onto this one? It will break up that straight flat part at the top and help making it look a bit more interesting.
Good luck!
I'll say first up that I've previously considered how I'd approach a project so difficult as updating such a classic design, and first of all I think you've made a good call in going with a gender swap. This will in many ways sidestep some of the inevitable griping or comparisons that will be made, simply because a lot of people find it hard when you mess with an icon.
I was initially resistant to the replacement of Robo's classic extended Beretta with a Glock, but your explanation makes sense.
And the more I think about it, the more I think the difference in thinking and manufacture of the two weapons might very well provide a kind of key, an angle on the whole presentation of this project. (btw I like the nonchalant disclosure of an 18c sitting on your desk.)
To wit, Glock was really a huge departure in thinking for what a handgun could/should be like. Materials especially. If you think about what really made Rob Bottin & co.'s Robocop design so interesting is that it's essentially grafting car concepts and styling onto a person. Robocop is like a sculpture, in many ways more abstract/mechanical than a person, along with the clear callbacks to classic robot designs all the way back to Metropolis.
So using your changeover of the Auto-9 to a Glock, I think you've got an interesting angle on the whole project. The Beretta was a very old school kind of weapon design, just as Robocop's styling is very tied to car styling. I would carry over the material
Additionally it's hard not to tie socio/technological parallels in any attempt to reconsider a modern Robocop. Detroit is in even worse shape than before, and I think it's worth pondering the associations and how that's changed--or hasn't really changed, in terms of the car industry 20 years later. Now nothing so literal as Robocop Z being like I dunno, styled like a Prius (please don't do this), but I do think in terms of materials and manufacture, the Glock or even the Magpul model is interesting to consider.
I would not go with the obvious route of making Robocop Z carry SWAT-style or even the current tacticool operator type accoutrements. Again, consider that the original Robocop design succeeds largely by transposing vehicle design elements onto a person. For Robocop Z, I'd look for a similar "hook" to frame your approach. Military vehicles or something? Not sure. If you're not strong on concepting I would consider trying a style board of vehicles or really anything that carries the elements of style you're shooting for.
Additionally, thoughts on the gun: I think it'd be cool if you played with sophisticated or highly modified features that correspond to a weapon designed solely for use by a cyborg? I'm thinking of like a palm biometric or even simply electronic/electric ignition system (so no one other than Robo Z can fire the gun), or in some ways eschewing/modifying traditional control features for it being such a special one-off weapon. Does a cyborg need slide serrations? Or might they be shaped differently, corresponding with grooved pads on her fingers?
Anyhow, good luck and keep the thread well updated, I'm very curious to see this shape up.
I've been a longtime reader of the forums, but I've been under NDA for 3 years, and am just really looking to push myself farther than what has been allowed at my job. Thank you Gauss for such a warm welcome, as well as good advice to ponder on! I thought about the cybernetic interface for the pistol; but I am leaning against it for two reasons; one, she was designed as a combat platform, so I didn't want to include anything that would be "one off"; so in other words, the gun is a tool, and she should be able to use any tool, she shouldn't have an advantage with any weapon; so it's sort of like NATO rounds for guns, she can use anything :P. Secondly, and this is something I will address after the pictures with regards to some of your other comments, I want her to retain a human arm. The ability to use a weapon like others do, even the tactile sensation, is something she cherishes.
So, the pictures. I've gotten the slide done, and a few neighboring pieces, gunna start working on the barrel and chamber next. Any critiques are very welcome!!
And a closeup to show how the detail holds up at scale...
Well, I guess I'll write another post to go over the character since this seems rather long, but I wanted to ask sub-d-ers out there if my wire frame looks sloppy. Does it really matter how it looks, or is it frowned upon to have the n-gons so visible (like towards the front of the slide and in the middle of the slide)?
I just get jealous looking at some of you guys' high poly work, I just wanna learn as much more as I can!!
I think you've done a great job with the all-important details on the back of the slide, and the overall look of the gun. I haven't handled a Glock in some time but because of the materials it has a little softness to it that metal guns don't, and I think you've captured that.
Yeah to avoid n-gons and triangles wherever possible is important, but i know after working alongside EQ's lazy ass in person and from what other very high quality sub-d modelers say, the proof is in the pudding. The final say is always the look of the final output, period. So don't sweat the little stuff that doesn't show up as an obnoxious smoothing error or something, you won't get thrown out of the club once you post the hipoly wires and they see the n-gons.
(oh please I hope we don't get thrown out of the club I just paid my membership fees)
I feel like I'm posting too many pictures...
Anyway yeah this does present something of an issue doesn't it