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TF2 - Polypack - Bitza

Update Log:
6/04 - Finished modeling the SCS, now onto texturing it.
6/02 - WIP on the SCS. The model is nearly complete.
6/01 - Introduction of the Sonic Chine Saw
5/30 - Work for the ID on the 'w' model.



keeping this short and sweet, and all of the main news will be update here in this post, that said, I introduce the:
~Sci-Fi Theme~
class: Medic

- Improbability Drive (I.D.) -
Replaces the Medigun.

---NOTE--- This is an older image, and the ID has changed since then, but this is the best reference I have of it uploaded for now.
?action=view&current=6_2_SCS_WIP.jpg5_28_ID_Solid_Colored.jpg
-Current WIP State-
0.3 - Adding w model into TF2 as a replacement for the medigun.
0.2 - Texture-painting and UV mapping.
0.1 - Initial WIP release and modeling.

Images:
World model mid-texturing.
Wireframe [with old inner-supports]
Solid [with old inner-supports]



-Further Details-

Here are some early renditions of the I.D. It's subject to slight changes as I finish it up through the exporting process.

The two crown-like objects will rotate in opposite directions when healing someone, and be stationary when not healing anyone.

The orb in the middle will glow the team's color. Ideally it will change from a dull grey to a very shiny glow as the ubercharge grows, but I will see what's possible with the given coding of the weapon.

When the I.D. is healing, the crowns will open apart and rotate, and when the player isn't healing the crowns will close, encasing the sphere-nucleus inside. That's why the w (world) model is shown closed, because obviously as the medic has been killed, he can't heal anyone.

This is much more of a texture and animation mod than a true model redo, which is fine and dandy as I see it! If it's nifty and cool, what's the difference? Besides, the kritzkreig model was clearly a very similar job, only no new animations, just a new end-cap.

- Item #2 (Pending) -
Possible Star Trek reference

- Sonic Chine Saw -
Replaces the Ubersaw.
6_4_SCS_Solid_Side.jpg

-Current WIP State-
0.3 Completely modeled, onto texturing.
0.2 80% modeled out, just need to add the tape and the battery.
0.1 Sketched out, name decided.

Images:

Untextured Top View
An idea of what the first person view will be like
WIP of the saw, roughly 80% modeled
Sketch of initial idea
Possible silhouette

-Further Details-

This will be a complete re-model, and will have a neon light running through it (the bumpy part just before the blade in the un-textured pictures). The Sonic Screwdriver will be taped down via electrical tape.

I've decided to use the newest version of the Sonic Screwdriver, as it was most visually interesting, and the toy's sold with an interchangeable RED and BLU light, so what more could I ask for?!

(fyi: Chine (can) mean the spinal cord, more usually of an animal)

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Thank you for reading this through! If anything, I hope to get these working models on FPS Banana for all to use! :thumbup:

Replies

  • Bitzah
    I started working on the 'w' (world) model for the ID, since that one's the simplest in terms of everything! It's basically a static prop.

    I really only changed the end cap of the medigun, albeit significantly, so it was easy to mod the existing w model to get it how I want it. With that bit done and attached it began time for the texturing portion. It's going well, and I would have more done, but I celebrated my puppy's big first birthday today instead.

    The texture has some obvious clean up and work to be done. I originally wanted the "crowns" to be a color other than grey, but leaving it grey allows it to fit in with the rest of the model very well easily, as I want it to be obviously metal as well. The tip I wanted white or an off-white (possibly and probably team-color based). Perhaps too much apeture science influence, but a good sterile white always seems to be present in sci-fi gadgets anyway. That and even-spaced font labeling said devices.

    Here's a quick snapshot of where I'm at with the texturing:
    Link to photo
  • Ravidge
    Best of luck, personally I'm not too sure how far you can go with a sci-fi theme, it feels really out of place in a typical TF2 setting I'd say. How do you plan to counter this?
  • Khthon
    I like it but maybe you could add something else to it to give it length when not healing akin to the normal medigun? Perhaps a "power unit" or somesuch.
  • Bitzah
    Ravidge wrote: »
    Best of luck, personally I'm not too sure how far you can go with a sci-fi theme, it feels really out of place in a typical TF2 setting I'd say. How do you plan to counter this?

    Yes, I considered that. I believe I can counter it by adding a home-made sense to it all. For the ubersaw replacement, I plan on using tape to hold things together partly.
    To explain the medigun... I figured if the engineer can have teleports, and the whole team can play on an officially endorsed map called koth_nucleus, I can have a nuclear sphere-like object in my medigun.

    All in all, it won't be that sci-fi looking, just ideas from the sci-fi genre.

    Though partly why I like the theme is it'll be quite challenging to pull it off!
    Khthon wrote:
    I like it but maybe you could add something else to it to give it length when not healing akin to the normal medigun? Perhaps a "power unit" or somesuch.

    Maybe, but I like the idea of it expanding and collapsing when healing or not healing. If that animation renders it too sci-fi to fit in the game's setting, then I might add something so it permanently stays extended.

    Thanks for the replies!
  • chickenman
    it looks good. but i'm pretty sure that the name is copyrighted ;)
  • Bitzah
    chickenman wrote: »
    it looks good. but i'm pretty sure that the name is copyrighted ;)

    Bah, you think so? I might just have to call it the ID then.. or maybe the Impossibility Drive. xD

    Either way, just ended another bit of working on the textures. I believe they're done for the world model, but I'll need to see this in-game to really tell. Seeing models full-bright in Blender can be misleading. Namely the bubbly-bit at the end.. it really looks out of place compared to the rest of the model. Maybe I'll tone-down the off-color and make it more grey. Seeing it in-game will tell all. If it's really out of place I'll change it, though the view model with the orb may make it fit better. I really can't tell at this point. I do like how the crown-bits stick out (color-wise) from the connection to the medigun. They'll be spinning about most of the time, and I don't want them to look like it's too permanent of a connection

    New photo-graph!

    Fixed photo-graph (I noticed a few off things in that last photo, and fixed em up real quick!

    Thank you everyone for the feedback so far! It's greatly appreciated!
  • chickenman
    Wait. Did you come up with the name Improbability Drive on your own?

    Because that's the same name as the warp-drive in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

    Which of course is copyrighted.
  • Bitzah
    chickenman wrote: »
    Wait. Did you come up with the name Improbability Drive on your own?

    Because that's the same name as the warp-drive in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

    Which of course is copyrighted.

    Yes, I did take the name from that warp-drive in that book.

    My question is: is that name truly copyrighted? Of course, naming a book, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" would probably infringe upon copyrights, but would the name of that warp-drive be copyrighted? I don't believe using that name would cause copyright issues, especially for something that isn't a warp-drive itself. I could be mistaken though, I'm no copyrights expert.

    I think I can fairly argue that I'm using this in a parody sense, and not as a source to make money or redistribute work that was created by that author. Using copyrighted works as a parody, commentary, or through educational means is completely legal. It's illegal for me to copy the book, distribute it for free, or make derivatives of it, like a movie. I believe what I'm doing is quite legal.

    In fact, some more research shows that names, titles, and more aren't copyrighted, even if the work is.
    American Bar Association (a key legal, and very trustworthy of its facts).

    So, unless you can prove to me that it is indeed illegal to use that name, I shall do so. Thank you for the concern though! It's better to know about this now, than get finished and find out it is protected by copyrights.
  • chickenman
    Well what I think is you should try to be a little more original and/or sly with your referencing. But if you want to keep I.D. that's fine too. :D Just trying to help.
  • Khthon
    Unprobabability Drive ("Me fail English? That's unpossible!" - Ralph Wiggum)
  • Bitzah
    chickenman wrote: »
    Well what I think is you should try to be a little more original and/or sly with your referencing. But if you want to keep I.D. that's fine too. :D Just trying to help.

    Ah okay. I will admit I have a fault for giving names to most anything, but trust me, it's gotten better.

    I do kind of like the clear reference to the book (or even the movie for that matter), but I'd like to hear what more people think as well, and I'll consider changing it to be more obscure.

    I do apologize for responding rather harshly about your copyright post. I got really excited. I sincerely greatly appreciate your feedback! It really helps me stay motivated in this competition, even though many better modelers are competing right alongside me. Thank you very much for your time and support! :)
    Khthon wrote:
    Unprobabability Drive ("Me fail English? That's unpossible!" - Ralph Wiggum)
    lols. That is all. :thumbup:

    Thanks for your support too!


    Now with that said and done, I introduce my second idea:

    the Sonic Chine Saw!

    It's hard to find a true replacement for a saw, that's also more original. Since I wanted to add in the Sonic screwdriver somehow, I knew I'd have to replace the ubersaw, since the strange workings of the Sonic Screwdriver could provide an answer for how killing transfers to power, or whatever Valve may chose to decide what it does if it wins and gets its own abilities! With the ubersaw in mind, I tried to place the SS (Sonic screwdriver) near the tip where it could have contact with blood or skin to draw power.

    Also keeping in mind, that it's only the year 1968, so fancy sci-fi stuff we take for granted (like really tiny batteries, and complex circuits) were just beginning to be discovered. Luckily, however TF2 isn't in our universe, and neon and LEDs were invented a good number of years before 1968!

    I finally decided I'd strap on the SS with tape (probably electrical), and crudely bolt the battery to give it that home-made feel TF2 tends to bring with most of its weapons. Add in some neon to line the blade for l334 effects, and I think I have myself a winner! The saw is generally shorter than the ubersaw, and the bonesaw, but a kind of unique shape. It's almost like a giant scalpel blade, one that's used with a Bard-Parker handle.

    Sketch
    Silhouette
    Let me know what you think of the new weapon!
  • chickenman
    Bitzah wrote: »

    I do kind of like the clear reference to the book (or even the movie for that matter)

    Actually, radio show first, then television show. :P, then book then movie. :D
  • Khthon
    What's that part between the blade and the screwdriver part?

    You could make it look a bit more like a power drill and still fit the theme.

    screwdriver-with-screw-holder.jpg
    istockphoto_3193790-vintage-power-drill-on-white.jpg
    67millerfallsdrill.jpg
  • Bitzah
    chickenman wrote: »
    Actually, radio show first, then television show. :P, then book then movie. :D

    And here I thought I was ahead of the game by reading the book. x3
    A TV show sounds like it'd be pretty interesting! I'll have to find that somewhere.
    Khthon wrote:
    What's that part between the blade and the screwdriver part?

    You could make it look a bit more like a power drill and still fit the theme.

    [Assortment of images]

    That's a battery to power the neon lights and the S.S!

    Possibly, though it still needs to function as a saw, as we're not supposed to make completely new weapons, so getting a power drill + a saw + the sonic screwdriver. I think my current idea will be most simple to incorporate everything, but thanks for the ideas!

    With that said: Ta-da!
    6_2_SCS_WIP.jpg

    I give thee, the SCS!! which is partly done.
    It's missing the battery in the middle, and I just started the tape, but I got a lot done on my day off! So I'm pleased, but my puppy isn't so happy. :poly141:

    Anzvay, it's about as long as the ubersaw now, but the big handle gives the impression that it's small. The bump you see running along the blade, but just before the blade, is the neon light that will be team-oriented. I happen to quite like neon lights, despite how cheesy they can be, but who said a sci-fi theme wasn't gonna be cheesy anywhoo?
    The tip of the SS bit will also be team colored, and will glow like it should!

    Let me know what you think of the current rendition, all questions and comments are welcome!

    P.S.
    I used The very left version in this photo of the S.S. Which I believe is the newest one.
  • Khthon
    Looks good, should be distinctive from 1st person and silhouette so I don't see any problems.

    Is it just me or does the blade seem kind of chunky, like it couldn't slice anything? If you add saw teeth it might make it look more dangerous.
  • Bitzah
    Khthon wrote: »
    Looks good, should be distinctive from 1st person and silhouette so I don't see any problems.

    Is it just me or does the blade seem kind of chunky, like it couldn't slice anything? If you add saw teeth it might make it look more dangerous.

    I'll think about it! I took a look at the ubersaw's blade, and even then mine has a fine-point, while the ubersaw is honestly kinda blunt along its edge.
  • Thomas Truong
    I'm liking the look, it's very "alien" and streamline to the very blocky and mechanical world of TF2.

    critique01.jpg
    I'm worried about the faces down here on the handle. I don't know if you want to adjust the Smoothing Groups of the edges here or just change the topology around. A good texture might just hide it too.
  • Bitzah
    I'm liking the look, it's very "alien" and streamline to the very blocky and mechanical world of TF2.

    critique01.jpg
    I'm worried about the faces down here on the handle. I don't know if you want to adjust the Smoothing Groups of the edges here or just change the topology around. A good texture might just hide it too.

    I'll take a look at that part... Sometimes blender does very funky things if you try to automate too much. Thanks for noting that! Also, thanks for the positive feedback! :)
  • Bitzah
    Finished the model! There's a few smoothing/shading issues clearly present in these pictures, but we'll see what happens in-game.

    The UV mapping is also complete, so I'll be onto the texturing stage now! Woohoo!
    6_4_SCS_Solid_Side.jpg
    6_4_SCS_Solid_Top.jpg
    6_4_SCS_Solid_Front.jpg
    6_4_SCS_Solid_3D.jpg

    Lemme know what you think! :thumbup: or :thumbdown:
  • Khthon
    :thumbup:

    But it seems to be missing a certain something
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