Liberator Fantasy Weapon

Proxzee · Jul 2008

Mesh:

Textured:

I'm just starting my low poly modeling portfolio. Any tips and critiques would be extremely helpful (both about the model and about working as a game modeler and landing jobs)

Also does anyone know the current most commonly used kinds of texture maps?

Kawe · Jul 2008

I can't really tell how this weapon works. It got a handle at the bottom as well as two more handles at the top. Looks like a drill (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann style). Also a spiky drill at the bottom that's smaller.

Not sure what type of game this will be in. It might be apparent how it works depending on how a character holds it. But as it is now I don't really understand. Do you smack someone like with an axe or do you like.. drill people to death by using the upper handles? Maybe both? A little confusing though.

Otherwise it looks kind of decent.

Is that turn key thing done with an alpha? You may want to reconsider that. If I recall correctly textures using RGBA take a lot more space compressed than a straight forward RGB texture. I might be wrong but someone told me it could differ up to twice as much (Not my words!).

If we want to get more technicaly I think it is about DXT1 vs DXT5. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3TC

I assume this depends on game engine. But I think any major game engine uses DXT1/DXT5.

Now I'm not saying it is bad or anything. Maybe that thing will be seen a lot and is totally worth it.. I think it adds quite a bit. Just something to be aware of.

Proxzee · Jul 2008

The handles on the top are actually exhaust pipes, its got three different sized exhaust pipes. The entire thing is motorized. As for the key, I see it used in WoW and wanted to save polys. This was a weapon I designed with WoW in mind. Thanks for the info Kawe!

edit:
Ok that DXT stuff went over my head. But from what I could gather it does take up more space. Is there another way to do it? Should I just model the key?

Kawe · Jul 2008

Exhaust pipes! That makes sense. Maybe add some painted "holes" on the sides? Mayb even alpha holes since you are already using an alpha. Cause it really looks like handles right now.

Yeah, doubled size of a 128 texture isn't really much to scream at unless you're working on something for the DS (I think...) but then you'd have to cut those polys down even more. Heh.

As for cutting polys.. Im not good with making really lowpoly things at all. But at the base of the exhaust pipes I think you can cut that edge loop that goes around there without anyone ever noticing anything.

Proxzee · Jul 2008

The edge loop is actually a texture, its not modeled. There are holes in some of the exhaust pipes...but the texture is too dark.

edit: I have some questions

1. What's a good way to present untextured models and wireframes?
2. Is there a way to render in No Lights mode in Maya?
3. What file format are textures usually saved as in game?

J Randall · Jul 2008

maybe to show that they are exhaust pipes, add some polys and alpha in some exhaust?

Steve Schulze · Jul 2008

My main problem with it at this point is that the handle looks pretty flimsy and seems like it would bend and/or break as soon as you started whacking things with the head. Beefing it up considerably would make the weapon more believable, I think.

Liberator Fantasy Weapon

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