VinsanityV20 - Dominance War II

[VinsanityV20]

I hope this works...never had to make a thread before...

Sorry if I do anything wrong in that case:)

[BiG ToE-3DT]

looks like its working Vin, get, get, get, get busy.

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/Dominance-War-Robot-concept.jpg

Here's my concept for Dominance War II. Hope I can finish it on time, what with constant portfolio work (finishing up another character and starting a storyboard) and texture duties on Star Fox : Shadows of Lylat also taking up my time these days. I think it's safe to assume I'm sitting out the next low poly comp...:(

I don't know if he's gonna hover when I get around to polishing up the concept. Basically, I just wanted a robot composed of 3 guns...the rod sticking out of his back is a rifle barrel. His chest opens up and the thing swings around the bottom when he transforms into a cannon. Why make a transforming robot? Well, in addition to the "duh - it's cool factor", I'd like to also see if I can rig it correctly...

Plus, good news - after some experience on the aforementioned Freespace 2 mod, I now know how to make specular and glow maps! Whether I'll make them well is anyone's guess, but they'll be there on this guy - believe it!

[Lord Rancid]

I really like everything about the torso and head....I just wonder whether the hover pads could be a bit more impressive (size wise and design wise).... Reckon it'll be cool though...

[yoyomon]

Any plans for normals?

[VinsanityV20]

No plans for normals (I don't know how to model high res models, and lack the programs - like mudbox and Zbrush - to learn). Meanwhile, the design itself is getting a heavy redesign. I'm not modeling sh** 'till I'm happy with the 2D, and frankly, I whipped this up spur of the moment to get into the comp (damn thumbnail requirement). I'm not happy with it at all, but the concept - a hovering sentry droid-type thing that can transform into a cannon - will remain the same. Working on the redesign this weekend, but I am not good at inorganic drawing - 'specially with the good ole' awkward WACOM tablet...

Remember, I'm only doing this (3DTotal stuff in general) for practice.

Later that day

Okay - I have the redesign mostly completed. I HATE technical drawing, so my design's gotten a little more organic, but it's cool. It now looks like a mix of my previous idea, the updated robot from the Lost in Space movie, and one of those exo suits in the Matrix Revolutions. It's a cool idea, but it's kinda still in thumbnail form right now - I'll block it in from that in MAX, then photoshop up details before modeling. Complicated, but it's easier for me because it's a getaround for ALL THE FRICKING TECHNICAL DRAWINGS AND PERSPECTIVE!!!!

I'll try to scan it tonight.

[VinsanityV20]

I just started to model.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/Untitled-1-1.jpg

I've been having a REALLY bad week with Photoshop, my WACOM tablet, and my 2D skills in general. I have the idea for my robot finalized on paper, but lack a scanner to get it all digital. Meanwhile, I'll be damned if I'm gonna waste time WACOM-ing it. Practice is practice, but I'm not getting any better with my WACOM tablet at all. I fear I may have taken on too many duties recently. After this constest, I'm backing away from 3D Total for a good while:( I have two more models I need done for portfolio that are not...well, getting done. In addition to that, I need to keep up with texturing duties on Star Fox - we need experience on a mod team as a portfolio requirement as well. And my storyboard is slowly getting done, but I really wanna knock that off before my quarter off ends...


...and of course I'm worrying about not getting back to Pitt in time to schedule classes. I need to get my job back to start making money again. 2 ex-girlfriends have called me recently...ugh. Life is just piling it on this week :wall: AND ALL I WANNA DO IS MODEL!!!!!!!!

phew - glad I got that off my chest:) Back to work

[VinsanityV20]

Ok; forget that attempt too. I believe (knock on wood) that I've finally gotten over the hump. I wasn't really "feeling it" before, and while I haven't exactly gotten, I'm moving along slowly but surely (my portfolio takes precedence, always).

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/first.jpg

You can see the Lost In Space-style torso taking shape, but that's about it so far:)

Anyway; some personal reminders: from
http://www.dominancewar.com/2/readbrief/index.htm

Shadow:
- 6000 tris max. All weapons and detachable gear use the weapon's allocation of polygons (1000 max)
- 1 x 2048 Color, Reflection Map, Specular, Specular Color Map, Normal Map, Bump Map, Opacity(transparency) Map, Glow map, and finally, Glossiness map. Feel free to break this 2048 sheet into smaller sheets that add up to 2048 total. (example: 4x1024 = 2048)


Weapons and Gear:
- 1000 tris max.
- 1 x 1024 Color, Reflection Map, Specular, Specular Color Map, Normal Map, Bump Map, Opacity(transparency) Map, Glow map, and finally, Glossiness map. Feel free to break this 1024 sheet into smaller sheets that add up to 1024 total. (example: 4x512 = 1024)

- Create a small stand with unrestricted polygons and textures

- Your Winning Pose image "must" be posed on a stand/pedestal!!!

- Entries without a proper winning pose image will not be considered for any winning standings.

- Repeat: No winning pose... NO WIN!!!!

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/second.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/third.jpg

Almost done with my concept/base model! I have to admit, modeling by the seat of my pants (model sheet be damned) can be really fu**ing fun! My guy is totally starting to come together; everything's looking like...well, something:D I'm starting to figure out what's gonna need some texture work to stand out (the red eye, the glowing blue LED's on the hover pads...though they might become treads later on...)

Things are going smoothly here. Gonna have to work on some other stuff too though, and once the 20th rolls around, I'm gonna lose alot of time playing Sonic and the Secret Rings... Till then, I'm gonna scramble to get as much of this done as possible!

Note to self: Deadline:
- March 19th, 2007 -


Been checkin' out alot of other designs on Team 3DT here; gonna have to experiment with "grossing out" this design once the concept is blocked out...

Idea! A new base, or modify the hover..things. It should skitter about on Legs...like a spider! Kinda steam punky, but that's the idea! Also, many cables hanging off of it in places...and it should have "ribs" on the torso...

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/fourth.jpg

Ok, after taking a look at some other designs, and re-reading the 3Dtotal part of the story, I've decided to make some changes, though they're not all in at this point. Clearly though, the noticeable BIG one is already there...The alien spider legs!!! Looks very cool, and adds to that whole rigging-challenge I was going for. I've still to model his right claw hand, and I need to modify the torso to have bladed ribs... but still, progress is being made. And, I know it's a tad early, but I'm thinking of a black and red color scheme. The red just seems integral since his head's eye is gonna have that classic "HAL" piercing red laser light...

As of right now, I've not got anything else to do; Star Fox is doing nothing that I know of, and my 2D digital painting thing is also getting done, but not cutting into my time. That leaves this and my other model's (for a portfolio thing) face as my current projects...

This is coming along nicely. Oh! And remember what you learned from the Steampunk vs. Cyberpunk competition (Thanks to Big Toe 3DT):

VinsanityV20: when the rules say (1) 1024, I mean (1) 1024. Just messing with you. You can chop the 1024 into (4) 512's if you want. But going by what you said, you don't have to. While modeling, do whatever you need to do, then attach everything, so that it all selects as one. Do your unwrap, then collapse the stack. That saves the unwrap to the mesh. Now, in polly mode, select the parts you want seperate and click detach. This way you can have/use the (1) 1024 map, for everything.

[bRuDe]

I agree, tis commin along nicely ... I like the changes you've made.

[Klash120]

Go Vin, Go Vin GO! You're steampunk was aweosme, & I have no doubt this'll be aweosme too! We need more updates & progress!

[shadowbreeze]

where's stache, lol, this is developing nicely and the changes suit it well :dance:

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/fifth.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/fifthB.jpg

So I've added the "ribs" to his torso and put a claw in there. Plus, there's now a guy there for a size reference:D I know i need to now detail the shoulder and arm part right now, then he should be good and blocked in. Then the "fun" can be begin...I'll check the poly count, and play around with what kind of details to "carve in". That, and start thinking about how to UVW unwrap this thing...and rig him - MAN! I haven't even started to think about that stuff yet:)

Oh, I guess I should figure out his "class" now too. Hmmm...guess this guy is gonna be a specialist in the following fields: Defender, Search and Destroy, Demolition type droid. Clearly, that giant chaingun is not for a clean job:D Still gotta name this sentry droid...

Anyway, you can also see a new color scheme for this guy. I like it alot better. And while he only has two legs here, he'll definitely have all four in the final....

Must get back to watching "Conan the Destroyer" and continue work on other things now. I'll return to this guy later this week...

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/Untitled-1-2.jpg

Shoulder's done. Need to work,on the actual claws then detail the legs. Should see more updates regularly now...at least this week. I go back to Pitt in a few days so I've got to get all this packed up by then...

[Tank[NL]]

haha, YEAH! BLAM BLAM BLAM!!!

nice, big gattlings are good :D

nice work man :)

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/Untitled-1-3.jpg

Here's an update. With all 4 legs, and more alpha planes (there's only the one hanging under the base), the actual poly count comes closer to 4500, which is par for course for me. I can't really think of too many details that require geometry - I can't think that way (never had to), and it surely doesn't help that I'm making this up as I go. Still have to model a stand though, but yea, I'm up to the unwrapping stage:D This is quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of the job, because I'm actually getting to like texturing my models. And I can't wait to see this guy textured!!!

Update: Ugh - I rotated some pieces of the torso, like every piece of the leg, and that means it won't unwrap correctly. So I've got to flatten map EVERY thing here, rotate it or straighten it out manually (with the shift key held down and everything), and restitch pieces together before I can even actually unwrap it. This is taking longer than I ever wanted it to, and yet it is still something I will get done this week, though I'm moving my stuff back to Pitt this weekend, so I've got to pack up my computer soon...

[zerorhythm]

it seems like it's going pretty well. gj man!

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/sixth.jpg

The unwrap is done, the modeling is done and I'm onto Textures. It isn't pushing the poly limit in the least (at about 4500 tris), but what do you expect? I'm just a student whose got alot of portfolio to do!

This is the rough color key, though thanks to the PSD layers I can change them very easily:D

Also, if it weren't apparent before: I'm BACK!

[ThatDon]

I would suggest going back and using those extra 1500 tris and round off some of the parts.

[VinsanityV20]

I guess I could; thanks for the advice. Though, considering I'm not "in it to win it", and have some textures to work on, other models, my demo reel/website stuff, and storyboards (damn...it's depressing to actually list it off), I don't have the time to polish this off:( Still, AFTER the comp, I'll see if I can polish it up for portfolio.

Again, thanks for the advice!

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/seventh.jpg

I've begun to texture! The unwraps are pretty clean - I'm happy with 'em, definitely. However, I have to say that it's looking pretty Thor-esque here (Battletech fans, you know what I'm talking about) currently. Still, it'll go better once I put all the paneling on, that will be my "texture base" if you will.

And now that I'm back at Pitt, I'll have no problem bugging at least one of my teachers on how to properly rig this guy. I believe it's HD that I'm looking for; I was just gonna FK it for the purposes of posing it for this comp. Point is, it'll probably be a little gimped upon it's 3DT completion, so if you have advice as to my current status (textures and rigging, currently), that would be helpful.

I promise I'll polish up the geometry AND textures later though. PROMISE!

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/seventh-1.jpg

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/eighth.jpg

My texture's almost done. I've learned, for one, that if I'm gonna split up a texture evenly 4 ways, I should split up the geometry more evenly 4 ways as well (EVERYTHING under the torso is on one 512 map, hence it looks lower res than the upper stuff). I feel stupid...but I DID learn something, which is why I entered this contest anyway:D

Other than that, I still have to do some general polishing up of this baby, as well as work on that Alien symbiote material (the green on the torso, and the gross stuff around in general). I figured that this robot is composed of parts of several different robots (hence the radically different textures styles around...at least I hope they're radically different, save for the repeated use of the red colors), and assembled via the alien goop that found it.

Anyway, I'll probably finish the texture today, then collapse the stack and finalize the model (copying the legs and such)...maybe FK this baby up...

I've still to model a base as well, but I DO have 9 more days. Work be damned!!! I'm finishing this up!!!!!!!!

[BiG ToE-3DT]

why did you use a 512 for. If you split the 2048 map in 4, you get (4)1024 maps. Not sure if you want to start the texture over, or maybe stretch it to fit. Might loose more detail doing that. Soo, yeah. 1024, use it.

[VinsanityV20]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q164/vinsanityv20/finished.jpg

Yea...I reread the entry details today:( I'm a frickin' goon; I kept going by 3DTotal's low poly contest details, not...GCore or whoever sets up the Dominance War. I'm aware of my stupid mistake now, though I don't have enough time to redo anything. I need to finish this up and get back to my other 2 character models for my school portfolio and website and demo reel. AND I still have to model a base for this guy...

I'm sorry; this is about as good as it's gonna get. For what's it worth though, I like it alot. It's not perfect. I've learned things about unwrapping and texturing whilst doing him, but whatever - that's for my next models. It's too late for my Cerberus here...

[VinsanityV20]

Ok; it's March 15th, and I've submitted my final...submissions for the Dominance War. I must now return to Star Fox and school matters, though I hope I'm still able to work on the next low poly comp here at 3DTotal. Sorry for making a kinda rough-looking model (damn my not reading entry details till AFTER I do stuff!), but I'm proud of it and I hope it makes a damn fine soldier for Team 3DT. I'll definitely bring a better game next year - remember, I'm just a student here:) See you guys later!