larolaro - try baking down a highpoly of some helmet rope to a single quad thats a long strip. Save its UV's.
Then, instead of outright modeling each rope just use splines then convert it to 1 flat rope, rather than 3 or 4 sided splines. That'll give them some depth AND use a normal map, while maintaining your triangle budget. Then just map the strips to the baked out rope from the original UV's.
Great! Thanks for the suggestion adam, that way i wont have to mess around with a stupid uv on the helmet, i only have to do a single strip of normal mapped rope in the texture.
Bah, nothing works, its either too high a polycount or looks awful.
So, the solution?
Lets just leave it at painted camo for now, it still satisfies what i wanted for theme. I've already spent a day on just the netting and the integrity of the theme really doesn't rest on it. Now i can move on with the banner pack
looks nice, but very subtle- don't think I'd notice it without standing right infront of him- ie, in spawn before being released. I'd be tempted to bump the contrast a little
Does the polycount really matter that much? The Camera Beard has about 4000 alpha'd tris, if I remember correctly. I just think it'd be a shame to drop the netting; what you have now is just the regular helmet with unnecessary detail.
Thank you for the suggestions everyone, i'll see what i can do.
Zwebbie - Well im not sure how much the polycount matters but i know im not going to blow it away the on some netting and scrim (1200+ tris). I respect valves guideline and im not going to take risks on a whim. I'm not really sure where the unnecessary detail is, everything is justified on the helmet.
Benvil - Yeah i might try an insignia or something, however i feel my helmet is quite a bit different from the original helmet.
Maybe you can do an alternative version then?
I mean do a model that uses as much tris as you'd need, but keep the simpler version so you have a backup just in case.
Although now that you mention it, it already does look pretty badass on its own :O
Just an idea but did you try use sort of halfpipe solution for the netting with some bumpmapping on it? That way the netting will still stick out and the polycount won't go that high.
Thank you for the suggestions everyone, i'll see what i can do.
Zwebbie - Well im not sure how much the polycount matters but i know im not going to blow it away the on some netting and scrim (1200+ tris). I respect valves guideline and im not going to take risks on a whim. I'm not really sure where the unnecessary detail is, everything is justified on the helmet.
Benvil - Yeah i might try an insignia or something, however i feel my helmet is quite a bit different from the original helmet.
try to add a big ace of spade on the right, and kill-count marks from the other
sutyi - I've tried it already, even with low poly planes its about 700+ tris just for the netting and even then it looks quite bad, it doesn't hold the silhouette well at all because of the all the edges flat parallel with the silhouette.
I think you should give the netting a try with actual geometry. As people have said, there are community hats that are around 2K tris but got into the game because they're awesome. I think the netting will put this into the awesome category,
well he said he wants to stick as close to the limit as possible which considering this is a contest and not just a standard community entry, i think is a smart move. the helmet is already loads better looking then the standard one, i want to see the pack now!
Norron - I've already tried that as i said earlier "Modelling the netting is out of the question to be honest as each string is around 150-300 tri's and there's 18 strings = 2700-5400 tri's." and that is JUST the netting nothing else.
Norron - I've already tried that as i said earlier "Modelling the netting is out of the question to be honest as each string is around 150-300 tri's and there's 18 strings = 2700-5400 tri's." and that is JUST the netting nothing else.
Ouch, I see your point. In that case the camo texturing will probably work fine.
Good compromise, but I think the camo fallback took a hit on the helmets character. Where the knife has damage and story, the helmet is just.. a well made helmet with a camo pattern.
Another pass on the helmet - kill notches or more general wear 'n tear - would get this up to the level of the knife.
Good compromise, but I think the camo fallback took a hit on the helmets character. Where the knife has damage and story, the helmet is just.. a well made helmet with a camo pattern.
Another pass on the helmet - kill notches or more general wear 'n tear - would get this up to the level of the knife.
I totally agree. I know bullet hole was mentioned earlier. If anything grunge it up a bit with some large brush strokes. I needs a little somethin-somethin. Did anyone mention some alpha for the netting?
Your knife looks great!
Camo looks stretched and low-res from the sides.
I think that without it it' s better; just try to CUSTOMIZE IT like soldier would do ( some write " BORN TO GIBS " or a fun advice written behind the helmet for the one who follows you, kill-marks and scratches, pins (Tf2 one was a good idea ), cracks, bullets fixed on it, sandglasses )
I think that an Hat has to be particular and recognizable, this one, even if totally awesome, looks too much like retail one from afar
I think you should still add something to significantly differ the silouette from the original helmet - even stuff like dents and holes from far off wouldn't differentiate them
Maybe going with your survival theme he could have first aid kits/flares etc taped to the sides or secured with a cloth band (this might be too similar to soldier's stash though) and be wearing a strip of cloth under the helmet covering his neck - kinda like a second hat he wears to protect the back of his neck... couldn't find a ref but while looking I found this
Surely the limit for the soldiers hat has to be slightly higher... Removing the default helmet shaves quite a few tris off the soldiers poly count anyway.
It looks good but I worry about the silhouette and uniqueness of the helmet. Why not add a band with ammo/buttons/grass/a rocket sticking out of it? Just something to make it more notable in silhouette.
Im not really feeling the camo pattern to be honest. I feel like its clashing with the rest of the soldiers design. I know Im being picky, but I think your helmet could be made even better.
If you dont mind I did a little paint over here in what I think would help.
All I did was:
-add the star; a focal point which I think the helmet is badly needing with all that empty space.
-Added some of those painterly strokes to the base of the helmet so it doesnt appear so flat. and made the strap slightly lighter
-and the cigarette. Just a little extra something if you choose. Could even be a nice beefy cigar too which I think would fit the theme perfectly.
edit, or even add some kill notches like Adam suggested. It can work if you do it a little more subtly than me. Both work better than the camo pattern I think
Mjeh... the painted on things makes its purpose as "camo" less apparent, and I think the cigarettes should stay exclusive to the Spy.
I would enjoy something that made it stand out a little more, but I would like this thing to keep within his survival theme.
Either that, or leave it the way it is now.
Yeah I agree, I think the camo looks good as it is and fits better with the survival theme than the painted star and notches. When the backpack is done, it will bring the theme together and is going to look awesome
I honestly think it looks fine the way it is now. I think he's found a good balance of the camouflage while keeping the hat fairly simple like all (or most) of the other hats in TF2. Sure the camouflage clashes a bit with the standard uniform, but so do half of the other hats in TF2.
Replies
Modelling the netting is out of the question to be honest as each string would be around 150-300 tri's and there's about 18 strings = 2700-5400 tri's.
My only options are painting it in which you guys don't seem to like
So i'll give a normal map a go.
Then, instead of outright modeling each rope just use splines then convert it to 1 flat rope, rather than 3 or 4 sided splines. That'll give them some depth AND use a normal map, while maintaining your triangle budget. Then just map the strips to the baked out rope from the original UV's.
I hope that makes sense
EDIT: Just in case..
So, the solution?
Lets just leave it at painted camo for now, it still satisfies what i wanted for theme. I've already spent a day on just the netting and the integrity of the theme really doesn't rest on it. Now i can move on with the banner pack
ps, love the whole pack
rooster - Thanks man, i've bumped the contrast a bit.
Maybe make a white Ace of Spades logo on the side of it?
Its a bit.. ordenary now.
Zwebbie - Well im not sure how much the polycount matters but i know im not going to blow it away the on some netting and scrim (1200+ tris). I respect valves guideline and im not going to take risks on a whim. I'm not really sure where the unnecessary detail is, everything is justified on the helmet.
Benvil - Yeah i might try an insignia or something, however i feel my helmet is quite a bit different from the original helmet.
I mean do a model that uses as much tris as you'd need, but keep the simpler version so you have a backup just in case.
Although now that you mention it, it already does look pretty badass on its own :O
try to add a big ace of spade on the right, and kill-count marks from the other
Norron - I've already tried that as i said earlier "Modelling the netting is out of the question to be honest as each string is around 150-300 tri's and there's 18 strings = 2700-5400 tri's." and that is JUST the netting nothing else.
Ouch, I see your point. In that case the camo texturing will probably work fine.
Another pass on the helmet - kill notches or more general wear 'n tear - would get this up to the level of the knife.
I totally agree. I know bullet hole was mentioned earlier. If anything grunge it up a bit with some large brush strokes. I needs a little somethin-somethin. Did anyone mention some alpha for the netting?
Your knife looks great!
I think that without it it' s better; just try to CUSTOMIZE IT like soldier would do ( some write " BORN TO GIBS " or a fun advice written behind the helmet for the one who follows you, kill-marks and scratches, pins (Tf2 one was a good idea ), cracks, bullets fixed on it, sandglasses )
I think that an Hat has to be particular and recognizable, this one, even if totally awesome, looks too much like retail one from afar
Maybe going with your survival theme he could have first aid kits/flares etc taped to the sides or secured with a cloth band (this might be too similar to soldier's stash though) and be wearing a strip of cloth under the helmet covering his neck - kinda like a second hat he wears to protect the back of his neck... couldn't find a ref but while looking I found this
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/M60_machine_gun_DA-ST-84-04992.jpg
which is another (far fetched lol) idea
Here's an update on the helmet, I think i managed to remedy this with the texture. Well hopefully, You guys are a tough bunch
If you dont mind I did a little paint over here in what I think would help.
All I did was:
-add the star; a focal point which I think the helmet is badly needing with all that empty space.
-Added some of those painterly strokes to the base of the helmet so it doesnt appear so flat. and made the strap slightly lighter
-and the cigarette. Just a little extra something if you choose. Could even be a nice beefy cigar too which I think would fit the theme perfectly.
edit, or even add some kill notches like Adam suggested. It can work if you do it a little more subtly than me. Both work better than the camo pattern I think
Doesn't the the "Survival" theme that well.
Personally I like it, and the star adds a nice touch. Still needs a bit of something though to really stick it in the TF2 world...
I would enjoy something that made it stand out a little more, but I would like this thing to keep within his survival theme.
Either that, or leave it the way it is now.
add a few bullet dings and holes = perfect
Ok, after 3 pages of grilling from you guys i think i'll just drop the helmet and come up with something else.
RIP Camo Helmet.