First go at a gun: The holy boltgun

mr gelmir

Heya all, this is my first thread on this forum.

I've been modelling in 3DsMax for about 1 year and a half now and thought it was time to tackle something every modeller trying to get in the game-industry should be able to make: a gun. But not any gun, as a 40k fanatic I've chosen to pick the cornerstone of the space marine's equipment: the holy boltgun (cfr.Thread title) So after looking up some ref online and digging through my collection of 40k artwork, I started modelling. About 2 evenings later, I've almost got the entire high-poly model done. Only some details and nit-picks are left. (and the winged skull down the side) After that The next step will be making a low-poly model by recycling the high-poly, then comes unwrapping, normal baking and finally texturing.
Below are two viewport grabs of my current model.




And here's the wireframe (turbosmooth w isoline display checked)

Any comments and/or criticism are welcome.

Sirdelita

You have some nice shapes here, but it's difficult to crit without any reference images. POST EM!

mr gelmir

Here you go:
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/e/ee/Bolter_-_Astartes_MK_Vb.jpg
http://www.bitzbox.co.uk/images/space_marine_boltgun_1_large.jpg (I also used a real life version of this one)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultramarinesthemovie/4795769851/lightbox/

and some other random pictures
http://dicemonkey.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/warhammer1.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NkHGlMpVtMI/TDHUdDPMGiI/AAAAAAAAE5Q/O97FtbBSxGM/s1600/warhammer_art.jpg

thanks!

Illusive

looks really nice. i'm no baking expert but i think a few of your edges might be a tad sharp for your normal map. i think if you soften them a little you'll be much happier with the results. other then that though great job

mr gelmir

Little update, I've worked a bit on the ornament.
Here's the wing, with turbosmooth on (ignore the skull)

And then a viewport grab with the wire of the skull. Now I know, I hadn't thought it out well enough before I started, but do you guys have any advice on the flow or other stuff? Or should I rather start all over from scratch?


As always, comments are very welcome.

mr gelmir

any comments on the skulls? All feedback is welcome...

zakhar2

On the skull you have a lot of pinching which is mostly due to the uneven poly distribution and shady topology. Also, i feel that the jaw area is really making the rest of it seem worse that it is.

mr gelmir

thanks, I will give it a second go this week-end.
Any hints on how I should start off for a better result?

yodude87

zbrush sculpt subd lvl 2, export as obj, and lower the polycount (and eventually correct the topology ass you need). :P one of the many ways.

mr gelmir

thanks for the hint, but I'd rather not use any other software than 3DsMax ATM, no time to learn other stuff. I'll remember that for later

mr gelmir

Here's an update, better late than never...

What Ive got done now is the lowpoly Boltgun. It all adds up to just under 4000 poly's, so I might adds some more detail at places since I'm aiming at max 5000 poly's. But don't forget that I also need to add two more buttons and the ornament... speaking of which, I've finished the skull. Not that happy about it, but since it is my first try... I might replace it with another winged emblem or a plaque of some sorts.

I mainly need your opinion now on how I could improve my lowpoly model. I know I might have to add some detail to the rear and top area as it is meant to be used in a 1st person environment. Also any other way of criticism is welcomed.






so all that remains is unwrapping, baking and texturing. Currently working on the unwrap, tomorrow baking starts and for everything else, we'll see!

marr

Nice work...I did this last week....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=t7ENobuS7a8

Quickly mock up in Max and detailed in Zbrush and then I'll baking back down....Zbrush can make it easier to get some character into your model, especially with your skull, but depends on what you're using it for....

mr gelmir

cool model, could you give me some more constructive feedback on mine please? I'm currently only working in 3Ds max, so Zbrush isn't an option =(

LRoy

Hey bud. It looks like a solid blockout. You have the main shapes in but I would really go in and try to add detail if you want to push it.

In this something like this post http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1469125&postcount=10901 You can see the big solid shapes and the little areas of detail that make it awesome.

Der Hollander

Honestly, everything but the skull is working for me. I would look at an anatomical drawing of a skull, model it front and sideways, then plop it halfway into the gun.

It doesn't need to be exactly precise, but you're missing the forms that are the hallmarks of the human skull.

mr gelmir

@LRoy : thanks for the advice. I was already aware of the lacking detail, but most of it will be added trough the normal map. I will surely put some textures, bolts and rivets in there.

@Der Hollander: You are right, my proportions are fairly off. This was because I tried to mimick the typical 40k skull, but it didn't work out right I guess... back to zip again it is then =D

marr

give putting the skull into the normal maps in 2D and not on the geometry, I think it needs to look more stamped, as if it were forged in metal....Do you have Photoshop or something similar. I think the rest of it looks fine.

mr gelmir

so, this is where I'm at ATM, I'm practically done with the normals, the only thing left is adding surface damage and bumped texture in there. The skull has been done in a stylistic way, so no correct proportions.
I'll start texturing in a day or two, so stay tuned!


As always, comments and criticism are very welcome!

mr gelmir

And here is a wireframe render, counting in at just below 4000 poly's


Comments and Criticism are still welcome

mystichobo

Looks pretty good

Is it intended to be a first person weapon? if so, what does it look like from that view?

Also, you could probably cut quite a few tris on all your symmetry seams (on the handle and magazine, also have a few ngons on the front where it's inset)

Cheese_Shinobi

Looks solid and well modeled of the concept! (I´m a former 40k player so this gun is imprinted in my mind forever)
Show us some textures next!

mr gelmir

@Mystichobo: This gun is indeed inteded to be put in a first person perspective, Ill post a FP view later. The symmetry seams are necessary for shared texture space, and the ngons on the front aren't ngons, the barrel, lazer targetter and clip are just shoved in. Still, thanks for the remarks and feedback!

@Cheese_Shinobi: thanks, and have patience, the texture will come this weekend!

mr gelmir

And here we are with some texture work. It'll go down in two passes. ATM I'm at pass one; making the materials. Currently done are the main body, ironsights thing and barrel.
Second pass will be battle damage and the likes

And just for the hell of it another wireframe


What are your thoughts and/or comments? They will be appreciated so much =D

mr gelmir

mr gelmir

Now nearly done with the texture work. Only thing left are minor details and a gloss map. I made the barrel a little less weathered.


Comments and Criticism are very welcome =D

mr gelmir

Now I'm at a point where I can call it done =D

thanks for everyone who gave me feedback, it's very much appreciated.


Below are the two final renders I made.



Any remarks are still welcome, as I hope to put this in my portfolio one day.

highest regards, mr Gelmir

Stromberg90

Just wondering what is this rendered inn?

Cheese_Shinobi

I think you should work a lot more on the texture, it does not feel finnished to me. The scratches on the red part look to gentle and smoothed, and your specular needs to be upped a few levels. Also, that bullet looks too small to fit into the bolter, or is it just perspective screwing up?
Keep at it, wanna see you nail this!

mr gelmir

@Stromberg90: this is rendered with the Xoliul-shader plugin for max
@Cheese_Shinobi: Thanks for the remarks, I will keep them in mind. Sadly I won't work on this model for a while... When I will touch this up to put in my portfolio I'll try to fix it!

Stromberg90

Reason I asked is because it looks very flat at the moment, like it was a scanline render with the default light.
Agree with everything Cheese_Shinobi said, what I would do is delete the texture and do it over again when you get back to it, and apply everything you have learned in the mean time.
Often it's hard to start over again on something, but more often that not it really works out, cause you get a fresh start without trying to fix your previous attempt.
Texturing is a lot about logic trying to make sense of what happens with a model and how that affects the texture.


Here is a few thing that would be smart to look at.
Brief Considerations About Materials
Creating a Next-Gen Video Game Hot Rod: the Complete Workflow by Laurens Corijn
The Top Ten Tips of Texturing
Hard Surface Texture Painting by Stefan Morrell
Texturing Tutorial by racer445
Polycount Wiki

Keep on working

mr gelmir

Many thanks! I've bookmarked all of those links for further reference =D