NiGHTS Character

fflawpunk

Up until now I've only done some basic environment props; this is my first attempt at a character. I'm following Ben Mathis' low poly character tutorial for the basic steps (please point me to more tutorials for character beginners if you know of good ones). I'll be rigging it and everything as if to use it in an engine, cause I want to feel out that entire process.

Current progress:


P.S. I was sure I found a thread on presenting WIP models / wireframe renders, but now I've lost it. Sorry if the above is ugly.

PolyHertz

Check this guys work out, he's done several Nights models:
http://kichigai.deviantart.com/

Nights head is basically a sphere with a second sphere inside it that represents both the eyes (Same goes for sonic). The purple jester cap should be done separate of that, at least initially.

Topologically speaking theirs a few ways you could go about the head. If your looking to make it air tight and fully animateable then repologizing over a dense sphere for the eye lid, mouth, and the rest of the face might be the way to go. On the other hand if that's not important to you the heads features (eyes/mouth) could be painted in on the sphere and the upper 'lashes' added as floating geo.

willy-wilson

Man i remember playing that on the sega saturn.

fflawpunk

@PolyHertz: Thanks, great ref material and head modelling tips. If this does make it into a game it'll be one where it takes up very little screen space (think super smash bros) so I'll be going real simple with it. Floating geo for eyelashes might be nice, though.

@willy-wilson: Just played it for the first time a few days ago, myself. Really liked the game's visual style and thought NiGHTS would make a simple enough character model.

Head so far:

fflawpunk

The body parts are all "sewn together" now. Does topology come into play when the character doesn't have muscle structure to speak of? I'm vaguely aiming for flowing edge loops around each surface just cause I hear that's the way to keep it clean.

Update:

SouthpawSid

this takes me back to my Dreamcast days!