My fantasy character - crtis good, es verdad?

[Darksun]

Hello all, been working on an evil fantasy character over the past month or so. (well, texturing etc.. started a long time ago) It's based on character from a pen & paper RPG my brother made for my friends & I. It started in about 3rd grade but we played through college & it evolved etc..

Anyways, it's the head evil guy that is threatening the fantasy world. He's a human mage that who is evil & corrupted etc.. Kind of, "high evil", supposed to look refined, not too ornate or crazy though.

Texture: 1-1024x1024
Model: 3350 Tris

So i'm trying to make it better, crits es good.
So, working on texture:

concept (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/MY%20Art/Kaylon_m.jpg)
wires1 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k8.jpg) wires2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k7.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k1.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k3.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k6.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k5.jpg

[poopinmymouth]

All the individual parts look nice, but it's like you made them in a vacuum. There really needs to be more interaction between the areas of material. At the very least, shadows on the skin from the fabric, and shadows on the fabric from the armor. But some color interaction would also be good.

That said, the shading is nice, I like the hands especially.

http://www.mr-chompers.com/images/poop.gif (http://www.poopinmymouth.com)

[Darksun]

I think I see what you mean. Are you talking about the the fabric sections looking "separate" or not looking unified? (example: the sleeve/chest)

About the shading, I didn't know how much shadow I should put into the texture. I'm pretty sure this will never have a normal map, but should I basically add in most of the shadows? ie: from armor, around neck, under hair, on wrists etc..?

[butt_sahib]

but should I basically add in most of the shadows? etc..?

im going to go with....definately! :)

anyways,
Excellent job. Love the model aswell as a texture.WOudl definately want to look at some other stuff u worked on. ANy portfolio?

:thumb:

[QuikBE]

the face looks great, what size maps are you using?

[Darksun]

@QuikBE
Oh yeah, durh: :inocent:
texture: 1-1024x1024
model: 3350 Tris

@butt_sahib
You can see what little I have here (http://www.darksungames.com/portfolio/portfolio.htm)

[Darksun]

Shadows & such...
I don't know if I really like the silver on the armor, I feel the gold makes more sense visually, and helps to balance the slight blue in the cloth & in the stone in the armor.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k11.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k10.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k9.jpg

[poopinmymouth]

Much better, it's already looking 3x more unified.

http://www.mr-chompers.com/images/poop.gif (http://www.poopinmymouth.com)

[Parnell]

Global Bake that dude!
Coming along nicely...don't be afraid to paint more into the face. Actually, that being said I'd knock the contrast up a bit over all.

B

[Darksun]

Global Bake that dude!
I don't know what that means!:flag:
You're talking about baking the shadows etc onto the texture to help get a unified light & dark? I'd love to but I can't :( . I don't have the tools to do that.. I'm using Silo and apparently it can make normal maps but I can't occlusion bake (I think that's the right term??) Is there a free program I can dl that can do that for me?
btw; your Leon character is my desktop right now. :D

[Marcus Dublin]

If you have a few bucks to spare I would recommend getting Faogen: http://www.rusteddreams.net/faogen.html, it's pretty inexpensive and a handy ambient occlusion generator.:thumb:

[Parnell]

Ya I usually use a script called ELight or a Max's Skylight (although it's slower to render out). Since you are using Silo I'd suggest Faogen as well.
B

[Darksun]

hmmm.. That looks pretty cool, but $70 is a bit much just for ao generation..
I'm tight on money as it is, but even if I wasn't I don't know if I'd go for that. I mean if it could also do fully lit scene renders.. I dunno. Silo is a great modeling program and it was only $109. Maybe I just don't know how useful ao is or what the market is generally like for it.

While we're on the subject, I have Silo & PS so I can model & paint. I also made the mistake of buying Gamespace a while back. Dear God that was a bad move. But It's about the only thing I have to rig & render with. Should I just try to get my hands on 3DS? or is there a program that rigs & renders that is good? (honestly I'd prefer that because I love how Silo models)

Thanks for the link Marcus, I appreciate you guys helpin me out.

[Vahl]

Xnormal does it too and is free

I'd add more straps and stuff to attach the plates to the cloth/wrap them around the body, that would IMO make more sense, nice texture tho

[butt_sahib]

How have you found silo in doing game art with and without in addition to normal mapping?

[Darksun]

@Vahl
hehe, my buddy suggested that a few hours ago.. I said that the character would never let utilitarian/ugly things like that show. He'd be more concerned with it looking nice & being impressive (since the armor is supposed to be made out of a stone that is literally evil and intelligent, yet he can control it)
But if it is visually standing out to people then maybe I should put some straps in. I have plenty of room for buckle textures.
if xnormal does ao, then i'm all set! w00t! thanks!

@butt_sahib
I love Silo.(although it has quite a few UV issues..) I have yet to normal map anything, but I love it for "low" poly stuff. I'm going to try to do a normal mapped version of one of the Frank Frazetta's women in the future, so I'll probably post here.

[Ramseus]

Even just a belt type thing for the waist armor would be good, it looks odd just floating there.

[Darksun]

I finally made the front drape thing visible & textured it.
Removed the shadows for now (gonna work with an ao map) need help with the color on the drape.. boots in progress..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k12.jpg

[Darksun]

Das boots! :doh:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/boot2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/boot1.jpg

[Japhir]

really nice! i like the drape and the boots are cool too! although it looks a bit like a shoe with a leg thingie attached to it. that might be so because the ankles are a bit thick.

[Ged]

this is shaping up really well. The only thing I think might be worth considering is having a few really strong colours used very spareingly because at the moment nearly all of this character looks quite desaturated. An idea might be to take a screenshot of your character and place it next to a screenshot of another game model you like in a similar style and see how they compare in terms of colour values? might give you some ideas of where some stronger colour might be useful? I dont know, just an idea. Oh or you could just have a really good strong specular colour map? huh? that might work :D

[Darksun]

Started with occlusion & made the shadows on the model to help it pop.. helps quite a bit. Prolly have to add some straps for the armor & detail on back, huh? .. just when I thought I was getting to done.. :(

As for more color I'll have to think about that.. Hard to conceive of this character with lots of color.. though the years my mind has always seen him as shades of black/grey/brown.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k13.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k14.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k15.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k16.jpg

[BuroKun]

he needs something on his back, or a belt or some kind.

[bitmap]

yeah.. something to strap his metal plates together.

[Ged]

As for more color I'll have to think about that.. Hard to conceive of this character with lots of color.. though the years my mind has always seen him as shades of black/grey/brown.



No not lots of colour, just a few touches to make him pop and not seem so flat. :)

[Thunder Bunny]

I really like what you've got man. Although I do wish you had more of that gold and black fanicy armor on him. Like elbow pads or bracers... I also kind of think there should be something going over the lower back where the back become the butt. Maybe a belt there or something to connect the hip guards. That's about it. I know it's really late in the game to suggest concept idea, but maybe that could help you in the future. Great work man. Oh yeah how did you replicate that "dead" eye effect...

[onelung]

looking good man. I agree, about the belt, and possibly some sort of connector for the shoulder pads as well, something that crosses the chest, will help tie it into the outfit more. Also with the size of his head and feet, his hands appear small and stubby. Also try using a soft gradient of dark blue or black running up from his belt line, this will help make his chest feel like it's lit more/ more pronounced and strong.

[Darksun]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, this really helps :D

I think the consensus is straps & belt are needed, heh.
@Ged - I'm gonna see what I can do about the color. might just punch up the current colors, or sneak in some highlights.

@onelung - This guy isn't really using the armor as protection as he's a user of magic, so it's all visual for him.

@Thunder Bunny - For the eye, I just painted an eye in grayscale, added the normal veins & used photos for some color noise:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/eye.jpg

[EVIL]

Its not the most creative model (very SouL ish) but I like. Couple of things that could pimp this character up dramatically are to pay more attention to skin folds. they aren't that sharp. And use more color in your colors. I hope that made sense haha :D your textures are at the moment so flat and boring with hardly any color depth. Thats why textures that are painted like real paint (mixing colors) look allot more alive (especially skin) then those that are painted around a base color by adding a dark color and a light color for the light and dark transitions.

Hope this helps and good luck with it!

[Darksun]

Its not the most creative model (very SouL ish) but I likeWas going for more of a Guild Wars/Me feel (Kekai Kotaki (http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/xia/artist_kekai.html)) Soul is?

Couple of things that could pimp this character up dramatically are to pay more attention to skin folds. they aren't that sharp.
they aren't that sharp... in my model or real life? I was really happy with the creases on the face.. oh well :flag:

And use more color in your colors. I hope that made sense haha :D your textures are at the moment so flat and boring with hardly any color depth.
This is the whole problem I've been having with this kind of character. Lots of color doesn't make sense for what I want to portray and what he's supposed to be, but color generally helps things to pop. (although I really like monochromatic & earthy styles as well).

Thats why textures that are painted like real paint (mixing colors) look allot more alive (especially skin) then those that are painted around a base color by adding a dark color and a light color for the light and dark transitions.
Actually, thats how I painted the skin, using reds & blues & yellows to build it up. I went over the color thing before, but I still don't feel like I have a satisfactory solution to: more color/dark evil/earthy

[Darksun]

straps & seams.. no transparency yet.. gonna do that & spec and move onto the next model.. Anyone know of a good spec-map tutorial?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k17.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k18.jpg

[butt_sahib]

excellent work :D
I see that you went on to do the straps. Looks mighty fine now. :) Have you checked it with other colours? (its setaling the limelight from the metallic shoulderpads)
Also, i agree with onelung...elongate the hands/fingers abit-abit stubby.
I think thatll make a huge difference :)

Also i understand your issue with the colours. But see, the thing is, youve been looking at thsi for a whole while lot, and you cant really back off and see what could be improved.From whati gather,most of these guys mean "colour depth" rather than colour.

(To Evil: YOu should zoom on in, this texture has lots of varying colurs from yellows,blues,purples,greys etc. The absence of strong red/yellow and the slightness of the colurs are understandable.)

DOnt get me wrong, its an A grade model with beautiful texturing. and tahts exactly everyone wants it to improve.
Solution? I guessed a paintover would help.
Im certainly nto ANY good with texturing/modelling but i guessthis might heko JUST a bit.I hope you dont mind :)
As you can see, i stayed within your colourpallette and went around giving "depth" to the model. Even though i think ishould have lightened some parts up even more

[obi-one]

great character, and nice improvement since the beginning.

I like the texture work.

[funkdelic]

srry I didnt read all the post, but I would like to help with some suggestio, please ignore that if it was already said ok? :)

well, I think the character looks really nice, theres just a few things that bother me..

first one is the hair, well i think someone already said but, never knows hehe, you could put some more work on the hair wires paint, and insert some alpha map, here´s a good tutorial, take a look =]
http://www.paultosca.com/varga_hair.html

the hand looks small to me, I dont know if it is only me, but its strange, if you want to do a test, just rescale the hands to see if fits better the character

and last but no least, you could add some kind of scar on his face, to give more personality to the character, I read that its a paper rpg character, and you probably got his appereance all on your mind, but improvements are aways welcome right ?? :)

the textures are looking really cool, nice job man!

well again, sorry if someone else already told all of this things, but its a really cool character and I would like to give my 2 cents =]
cheers man, and keep it up


cya

[Darksun]

excellent work :D
I see that you went on to do the straps. Looks mighty fine now. :) Have you checked it with other colours? (its setaling the limelight from the metallic shoulderpads)
Also, i agree with onelung...elongate the hands/fingers abit-abit stubby.
I think thatll make a huge difference :)
Yeah I need to work on the strap colors & I totally forgot about the hands.. I think (since my hands are big & fingers are long) I tend to make my characters the same. So when I try to compensate for that I go overboard.

first one is the hair, well i think someone already said but, never knows hehe, you could put some more work on the hair wires paint, and insert some alpha map, here´s a good tutorial, take a look =]
http://www.paultosca.com/varga_hair.html
Thanks for the link, though I'm not sure what you mean by wires paint?
I haven't made my alpha map yet, but I really need the hair on this character to stay clean & strait. Any kind of messy, tossed look is completely out of character. The scar would also be the same. He would use magic to hide/heal that kind of blemish.

punched up the face shading a twinge, dumbed down straps & leangthend fingers.. Anyone have anything on spec maps?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k19.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/darksungames/Garbage/k20.jpg

[Thunder Bunny]

Hot man, the straps are helping out alot. I think the hand could be slightly longer/bigger but not too much. And I think he needs some kind of chest orinamentl/ cloth drapping across the chest. Other then that, I can't think of anything else other then an animation of this guy beatting the crap out of the Jerico squad, lol...

[BuroKun]

I think people are thinking the hand looks weird because it kind of looks like it would belong to a fat person. I would say try and scaling out the ends of the fingers so that the entire finger is the same diameter.

[hobodactyl]

Don't really have any time to crit, but I've been watching your progress and it's coming along very nicely. Keep it up!