Games Character Development
polycounter lvl 10
Hello!!
I'm fairly new to polycount so I hope I'm posting in the right place!
I thought it would be great to try and get some feedback on a current project I'm working on -
I'm trying to develop my skills as a character artist, and so I'm working on a project that allows me to try out the entire character creation process (concept, modelling, rigging, and animating,) though this is my first attempt at a more realistic character.
I'm currently working on the character's textures, though this is still in the very early stages... Though I'm struggling a bit to find a decent way to create low-poly hair, does anyone have any advice? I've tried using opacity maps though they're not quite hitting the spot!!
Any feedback would be really appreciated!!
Thanks
I'm fairly new to polycount so I hope I'm posting in the right place!
I thought it would be great to try and get some feedback on a current project I'm working on -
I'm trying to develop my skills as a character artist, and so I'm working on a project that allows me to try out the entire character creation process (concept, modelling, rigging, and animating,) though this is my first attempt at a more realistic character.
I'm currently working on the character's textures, though this is still in the very early stages... Though I'm struggling a bit to find a decent way to create low-poly hair, does anyone have any advice? I've tried using opacity maps though they're not quite hitting the spot!!
Any feedback would be really appreciated!!
Thanks
Replies
I had intended to make her longer than most (almost bayonetta style) though I can see how it might look odd! I'm trying to find a happy medium between exagerrated and realistic features (with height and eye size) though you never know if you've pulled it off until you get feedback!
I'll take out a few edge loops around her mid section and see if this softens the look of the extra height, will hopefully be enough! Will also thicken the neck up too.
Glad to hear you like the textures so far, I just hope I can pull the rest of them off!
As for hair. You could probably use planes with alphas and then maybe 2 or 3 chunks of geometry for bigger clumps of hair. Just a suggestion anyway - keep it up, looks great.
Thank you!
This sounds like a good idea for the hair, as just alpha maps seemed to make the hair look a little too soft and floaty.. (though this could just be something I'm doing wrong!)
Although I think you're missing a few of those extra little pieces at the back of her hair, where it joins the neck. (visible in the side view)
Like you have in your concept's side view. If that was intentional, no worries.
Otherwise awesome progress ^^
Haha, I hadn't noticed that - Now that's all I can see, too! I've widened her mouth a bit, (in pic below) though I don't think I'll ever stop seeing that resemblance!
Thank you - I think you were right about the back of the hair, I've added a few extra alphas and extended the base hair texture so hopefully this softens the connection a bit - is this what you meant?
The model is looking really nice.
This is just an update of my progress with texturing for any feedback as I go... Only working on diffuse textures at the moment though struggling to hide some of the seams!
I'm curious if you've thought about the consequences of facing the hands backwards if you ever want to rig the character. Correct me if I'm wrong but won't that produce constant deformation on the forearm even in the idle? I'd understand if the palm of the hands faced forward but not backwards. Anywho, it's just a thought and I hope that this isn't too out of topic!
Will get this sorted today
Does anyone have any tips on creating Spec maps that will help give the appearance of more realistic skin? Not done this before so any advice would be really helpful!
Thanks
Just finished texturing now - took longer than I expected! I've relaxed the hands more and also created the spec maps. Any feedback or crits would be greatly appreciated!
From her sickle to the gun and her clothing makes her kinda feel like some sort of hunter, or person who lives off the land, but then she has the horns and satyr ears and it kinda makes me wonder if she hunts humans, or if she hunts other demons or if she IS a demon?
I think your model execution is pretty darn good, but I think you could get more about the character out in her design.
Or maybe I'm a crazy person.
I think you're right that the character direction is perhaps a little vague - though at least everything you've noticed is about right.
I had it in my mind that she was an outcast because of her horns and ears, (almost like Ico) and so has to live in wastelands to survive, picking up random bits of armour and weapons as she goes... though this is about as far as I took her backstory.
I'm hoping that once she is rigged I can get more of her character out in her pose, but we shall see!
Thanks for your feedback
Just looking into creating a HDRI map for reflections in the metallic parts of the model, does anyone have any advice for getting this to look right in 3ds max?
Here are the most recent renders:
Regarding the reflections - I think you'd be able to get that in a reflection map (a picture of what you want reflected). and then reflection mask map (to paint in the areas that u want reflecting). Similar to Valley's Witchblade entry in last years comicon challenge.
Just a suggestion anyway (I also dont know much about HDRI lighting ^^).
keep it up. looks great!
Caldria - I think this was pretty much spot on, worked pretty well for me!
Just on to rigging her now, will post up another render once I can get her posed.
Thanks for everyone's comments, they've all helped me out a lot!
Just finished the body rig and thought I'd upload a pose render for any feedback/crits.
Thanks!
Edit: Updated pose render
Regarding the render, maybe use a different coloured background? The white hurts my eyes, but also makes your character appear a lot darker than I assume she's supposed to be. With the current pose, your gun and arm kind of get lost. Perhaps you should change it so that the they're visible in the silhouette, or change your lighting to make the depth more apparent.
Haha, thanks Xaltar - I'm glad to hear that!!
I've finished the body and facial rig now and trying to decide what kind of pose to go for for her final render.
I've completed a few test renders and would love to hear anyone's thoughts on them, or if anyone has any suggestions for other poses that might work better...?
Also, will have a background in the final image, but just been trying to focus on poses that show the character model well, so sorry for all the bland white!
Thank you!!
Going from what you've said and from other comments I will probably end up using pose 3 for a turntable animation and pose 5 for the render, hope it turns out alright!
Thanks again
It's been a while, but I finally put together the final render, 3D turntable and a short animated lip-sync.
I'm still hoping to come back to the action pose render - I just didn't have time to create a cool enough environment for that pose! Hope the standard does the job for now
Thanks for all the feedback along the way, though there's always room for improvement so if anyone has any suggestions/crits please let me know!
Turntable: [ame="
Short Animation: [ame="