Flange Type mace (Need crits + Help)

[HaVoK-G2]

Hello, I have made a Flange type mace for a mod that me and my friend are trying to make for half-life 2. Its 412 Polys and I need to learn how to make a decent skin for it. I have the skin in my mind as a dark grey steel material with worn parts, for instance along each blade edge of the mace I want it to have a lighter scratched metallic look like its freshly scraped metal as if its been used alot, And has seen better days. Also I think a worn, dark brown/worn medium color brown handle wrap would look nice.

I need help skinning it, ive searched for tutorials on weapon skinning, metal, grunge maps and the sort, but couldent find any that I could apply to the mace. If any of you would be so kind as to share your experience with me in skinning, I would appreciate it alot! Also Crit the model, I know its low poly for Half Life 2.. but its a simple weapon and I dont know what more I could do to it since thats what the real weapon looks like! But if any of you have any good ideas, blurt em out im willing to try anything to further my skill in the modeling and skinning fields. :cool:

-Thanks

Here are the renders for the mace, Side (http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0703/HaVoK-G2/flangemace01.jpg) Top (http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0703/HaVoK-G2/flangemace03.jpg) and Wireframe (http://www.photobucket.com/albums/0703/HaVoK-G2/Flangemace02wire.jpg)

By the way, yes its uvw mapped :P

[HaVoK-G2]

No one can help me? :(

[Goj]

I'd say the model looks great.

Depending what program your using, there are different ways to unwrap. Some programs can automaticly unwrap. What I usually do is let Max unwrap it for me then just edit the map it gives me.

What program are you using?

[HaVoK-G2]

Im using 3ds Max 5.1, and ive already hand uvw mapped it (uvw unwrap), Im not new to modeling/uvwmapping :P

I just need help skinning it as I described. Thanks!

Hrrm im sorry, Or do you use "Texture" here. :P

[Fixor]

Hi!

The model looks very nice and well optimized.

Here are some tricks that come to me:
- To avoid pixel distortion, I use a checker map when I unfold my UVs. (see attachement)
- I try to keep the same pixel size on all the object, but sometime some areas need more defifnition for texture details.
- I optimize the Uvs by having the less different parts as possible (sewing Uvs) and superposing all that is symetrical (mirroring), or have the same texture pattern.
- To unfold the UVs for un-organic models, I often select a group of faces and then apply the UVWMap that fits the best (planar, cylindircal,...), and then select another group, etc.... And finally I sew the areas that could be put together.
- When all the Uvs are unfold, and have the same pixel ratio, I arrange everything in a square, and try to use the more pixel that I can in this square. i place the big parts of UV first, and after I put the small one in the holes
- For the coloring, i first draw the guides with a 3DPaint (I use Maya), and keep that in a layer in Photoshop. I also export the wireframe on another photoshop layer.
- I draw all the details as if the object was clean, and after I add noise and dirt, and Highlights, etc... The darker areas come in concave corners, and the lighter one on convex cornes.

Hope it can help you :)

- FX

[Fixor]

Here's the checker map...

- FX

[HaVoK-G2]

Thanks, but I usually use my own checker map, or maxs default one :) I just need to know how to effectively make a steel look, and leather look for the skin, and then make the steel maybe look a bit worn etc.. :P

[Fixor]

Oh yes, here is one...

Worn Metal (http://www.secondreality.ch/tutorials/materials/wornmetal/wornmetal.html)

I'll check to find others

- FX

[Johny]

i use to skin alot in metal i would help ya but i aynt got much time :(

[Goj]

Oh, sorry. To me skinning has 2 parts, The UVW and the texturin.

Here is a great thing hat helped me out. 3D Buzz (http://www.3dbuzz.com) Sign up and go to the unreal and then creating a gun for unreal tournement (original, not 2003) and look for texturing. They have a guy texture a gun in photoshop and its really easy to follow.

I'll look for some others too.

[HaVoK-G2]

Thanks alot everyone :)