Roman/Gladiator game-models

Highelf

Hey guys, still pretty new to this forum but I figured I might as well post my "main" project I'm doing at the moment.

I'm by no means an insane professional, so I figured posting here would get me some great tips&crits as I keep training myself, so please, by all means, crit as much as you like! Everything is appreciated.

I'm doing game art for a mod I wanna make (however I can't guarantee if it will ever be a playable mod - its mainly just training by making a set of models in a coherent subject/world) The mod is supposed to take place entirely in the colosseum, so only (realistic, no fancy fantasy) gladiator and roman stuff.


Anyway, enough words, time for pictures

Will Faucher

Looks like you are off to a good start. However I have a few things to say regarding the coliseum. Is it based off the real Coliseum in Rome? If so, then the problem is that yours is too perfectly oval. Look at the reference here:http://newmexicoindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/roman-coliseum-photo.jpg

Notice that the side is sort of sliced at an angle. It's not like that because it broke off with time. It was designed like that.

However, if this is your own design then that is fine, but perhaps putting in some more real coliseum elements to it? To give it a more romanesque feeling to it.

Keep it up!

Zwebbie

Have you done any research concerning colour, Highelf? All of the reconstructions I could find were indeed brightly white, but most reconstructions of Roman era buildings are flat out wrong; the ancients loved to paint something whenever they could and they had quite a gaudy taste in art. I have no idea what the Colosseum actually looked like, but I'd be surprised if it were actually as white as it's always depicted.

Oh, and it looks like you made the arches out of brick, but from what I can gather, the original structure is made from much larger stones; the brick ones are a later addition.

Edit: furthermore, the pilasters line up with the pillars on the real thing, which only makes sense.

Prophecies wrote: »

Notice that the side is sort of sliced at an angle. It's not like that because it broke off with time. It was designed like that.

Are you talking about the supports that were built in the 19th century?

Highelf

I did use a lot of reconstruction pictures for refs, but it's not like 1000,000% historically accurate or anything. I used the real thing as a base (mine has the same ammount of arches and whatnot) but I did take quite a bit of artistic liberty in colours and other designs.

I chose the whiteness simply because I love that attribute- I'm aware that similar to the greeks, they would have used a lot of psychidelic colours back then in their architecture. (which is, yes, overal very wronly depicted in illustrations and such, but it just looks silly :P)

As for the sliced off part, every reconstruction I saw had it full oval - so I figured it was added later on to depict the layers of the building or restored that way after the destruction it's been through in 217 (or whatever year it was. ).


I didn't know the stuff about the bricks though, I'll definately look into fixing that! Thanks

Nonetheless its still lacking a lot of things, like the main and sub gates, underground interiors and lots of props for both inside the buildings and in the arena.

Will Faucher

Hmmm after doing some extra research, I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing that out. Regarding the supports that is.

Highelf

'Llo people, here's another asset:



(top to bottom; wood, metal, bronze)


I actually changed my mind about the colosseum colours, by the way. Especially the inside is gonna be a lot more colourful and interesting - I'm going to use this as important reference

http://www.historicalhobbies.com/DOGS/main/images/Gladiators/Police_Verso.jpg

Take eg. the red pillars in the background - that colour will probably be quite widespread, at least, when looking from inside the arena.

Torrrtilla

Looks good so far. I feel like the could be some more texture detail on the metal sword, the edge being lighter, and I'm not sure if the wood sword would be that shiny given that they didn't have shellac back then. Cool stuff.

dansher

im not sure and i cant seem to find any pictures on Google but didn't the coliseum have cloth that could be pulled out to partially cover the roof?

Highelf

Yeah, it did, I still have to add that.


Torrrtilla:

The wood shader is indeed messed up on the spec, and I will touch up the metal parts a bit when I can.

My biggest problem in the swords was the bronze, since I haven't ever done bronze or similar before. I had a lot of trouble not making it look like (weird) wood. Dunno, I think it's still a bit saturated.

Harry

bronze is a fairly soft metal, ding it up a little and that should differentiate it from the wood a bit better


e: why do i have deja vu

Highelf

Hm, thats a very good idea, I will touch up the texture in a bit!

And I have no idea why you have a deja vu. :P Anyway, I'm working on the scutum at the moment, have the model and unwrap done. (Scutum is the typical roman shield, also used by myrmillo gladiators and the like)

After that I'll change the sword texture like I said, and work more on the colosseum model and texture.

Harry

scutum? i dont know if they were used by gladiators. IF they were, what markings will you give it?

Highelf

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/508231970_ac420398b8.jpg

It's this kind I mean, I'm not sure yet about the painted markings, but I'll probably do a load of variations anyway.

If you have any suggestions, please do, because I dont really know what to search for to find good examples of these patterns.

Torrrtilla

To get bronze to look like a metal, I would recommend adding yellow to the spec map.

Highelf

Thats a good idea, I'm gonna do that right now, thanks!

Here are the shields