Mr.fE - Army Of One - The Last [Archive]

Mr.fE

04-12-2009, 03:18 PM

Wow I've got a long weekend ahead so I guess I'm gonna work hard!

here is the idea I was thinking about:
this guy is using a king of tactical defensive prototype that creates a spherical barrier that blocks anything and can be overloaded to cause an explosion...

so he is something like a soldier who is still alive because he has this defensive weapon which can also cause big destruction...think of him in the middle of the battlefield protected by his dome of energy that suddenly explodes leaving the ashes of the enemies alone with him...

SnappedStrings

04-12-2009, 05:16 PM

Before you go any further. I would bring this to a halt right quick and throw down some concept sketches. Even if they're just little more than stick figures with speech balloons. even that much will give you a better idea of where you're going, and it even might help you come up with new ideas that you hadn't considered yet.

Also, some sketches will help the rest of us to critique and give advice.

I know it's tempting to just dive right in and swim. But everything is always better when there's concept! Good luck :-D

Mr.fE

05-12-2009, 10:12 AM

yeah you are right! I always do tons of sketches...
This time the main inspiration comes from Megaman/Rockman form the videogame...

I always wanted to model something alike... and I was also planning to use the Megaman world as the main concept for my upcoming 3d animation classes...

Here are some references...

I'll eventually stop as soon as the basic shape is done to sketch details and features before event thinking about sculpting! (for is my students see my very wrong workflow I can't imagine what mess they will do in their projects!!:) )

thanks again...really!

Mr.fE

05-12-2009, 10:17 AM

here's some modeling still going on...

xxxcubanxxx

05-12-2009, 09:13 PM

model is coming along nicely man, looking forward to more.

Mr.fE

09-12-2009, 10:12 AM

...too bad I didn't work a lot this weekend but still I made some improvements on my mesh...

I'm planning to finish the head shape and start sculpting this weekend!
(I hope!!)

...and by the way you all guys are doing a great job!!!!

Cordero

09-12-2009, 09:50 PM

I'm starting to feel what you are thinking about!

I like the size of him :)

Show us something soon ;)

Mr.fE

11-12-2009, 09:43 AM

Mr.fE

11-12-2009, 05:04 PM

grrr...

that is what kept me from spending my time on the challenge today:

a CUPCAKE!

oh god I hate them...:cry:

mr_lemon

11-12-2009, 07:15 PM

glad you like it!

got some time issues as always and I'm getting lost with the head but as I scheduled to start sculpting this weekend...I'LL DO IT!!

...xmas presents can wait...;D

ps.
..this is something that goes beyond this topic but:
do you guys have some links for useful tips on using displacement maps in maya/mentalray? I kinda feel ashamed but I never really managed to make them work properly...

the thing that usually goes wrong are the setting in image file of the disp slot,try this:

take your model,give a material and in the disp slot put your image file,go the the properties of the image you imported then under the "color balance" tab try to set Alpha Gain to 1 and alpha offset to -0.5,maybe it's too high as a value but keep in mind to use that formula as the alpha offset has to be always the half negative of the alpha gain. other example (i'm not so good at english so it's better to do some) are values like AG: 0.5 AO:-0.25 AG: 0.1 AO: -0.05. Also remember that the higher value you'll use for AG the more disp you'll have,if the detail are coarse add a MentalRayDisplacementApprox under approximation editor (window ----> rendering editor----> mentalray-----> approximation editor select your mesh in the dropdown under displacement and click create) Hope that those information will be useful for you.

BTW keep going with your model,love the cartoony exagerated proportion :D

xxxcubanxxx

12-12-2009, 03:46 AM

hope to see some updates this weekend, I'm loving the base mesh so far and looking forward to the sculpting. Now drop them cupcakes and pick up that tablet...:)

Mr.fE

12-12-2009, 07:12 AM

the cupcake is dead!

here we go again!!!!

to MR_LEMON: grazie (ance se in realtà era già quello che facevo...solo mi dava poca soddisfazione! - thanks! (even if I usually use those settings...but they didn't satisfy me that much!)

Mr.fE

12-12-2009, 10:05 AM

well here are some progress!

I've reached 5k tris so I guess I have room for more details...but for now I'm gonna lay those UVs out and start sculpting!

If you have suggestion for details please come along!!

ps. he's kinda bald right now so I'll probably add some hair...

Mr.fE

12-12-2009, 04:33 PM

ok I guess the model is pretty much done for me...

here are some views and a closeup of the face/mask...

those reactor things are fore generating the shield/forcefield, they are not part of the whole mesh for it might be possible to reorganize them or something...

after the sculpting I'll probably add some antennas to make the part of the armor more "junky"

this is gonna be UVs time so please please please give me feedback for a happy sculpting week!

melvinsqualor

12-12-2009, 04:47 PM

Digging the gas mask theme. starting to look really fun. Look forward to the sculpt.

Mr.fE

15-12-2009, 08:07 AM

yeah dome with the UVs and already on with the sculpting!

Gonna post updates soon!!

Good work you all folks!!

Tarik2d

15-12-2009, 09:38 PM

good idea, looking forward too seeing the detail :) is his face going to be a mask or skin?

Mr.fE

16-12-2009, 08:05 AM

good idea, looking forward too seeing the detail :) is his face going to be a mask or skin?

Mask and googles...then skin, tattoos maybe and those punk like hair...
he'll also be wearing rags on the body and just those armor parts...

...guess I'm gonna fire myself for a week or two...:hmm:

BUT I'M GONNA MAKE IT AS SHURE AS HELL!!

Tarik2d

16-12-2009, 01:18 PM

Sounds good, Arh you using zbrush or mudbox? It sounds exciting though :)

Mr.fE

16-12-2009, 02:33 PM

zBrush...even if I would like to try mudbox one day!

Mr.fE

16-12-2009, 04:52 PM

wow finally a moment of calm...

this is just a glimpse of my sculpting...don't panic...it's just the beginning!:drool:

anyway...I hope to have few more hours before the weekend since I'm starting to enjoying it (as usual!!)

before you ask: it is going to be some sort of "superherospandexoutfit" with naked shoulders and arms...

exigaen

16-12-2009, 05:07 PM

looking good, very insectiod with the gas mask and the thing on his back.

xxxcubanxxx

16-12-2009, 05:10 PM

Like where this is going, looking forward to whats coming. Keep it up man.

Mr.fE

17-12-2009, 08:41 AM

SPEREM! (in my language means let's hope so!)

guess I'll have an hour or two today so I'll be done with the body...

as I said... SPEREM

thanks for the support xxxcubanxxx!!!

VinsanityV20

18-12-2009, 02:23 AM

I like the Mega Man proportions:) Overall though, this guy is starting to remind me of those little Covenant dudes in Halo. I forget what they're called.

Anyway, may I suggest for you next time, after you do a rough, early basic model, you render it out from angles and then sketch over those renders to do your concept work? It's easier than starting from scratch, at least I think so personally. And doing multiple concepts always helps in the long run. Gets all your ideas down, y'know?

Mr.fE

18-12-2009, 09:10 AM

to Vinsanity:Thanks man for the suggestion! As I mentioned in another post I usually do a lot of sketching, really a lot...only this time, for no particular reason, I decided to "go with the flow". And sadly I never played Halo so I have no idea of what those Covenants are... (but I at least know a metal band and a morbid angel's album with that name!)

You'll see that I'll stick with the megaman style but more "hyperreal" and "baroque"...

Too soon to post updates but it's coming along quite good...;)

Mr.fE

18-12-2009, 10:36 AM

here some texture and normal test for the body...
straight out of maya viewport!

btw wich software will you guys choose for final render? a game engine or what?

Tank[NL]

18-12-2009, 11:41 AM

nah, i just use max. dont really have a lot of engines i know much about.
as far as i know, you can use max for stuff like GI. most modern game-engines got that aswell, so...

Mr.fE

18-12-2009, 12:57 PM

Ok so you actually go with a render engine like mental ray with just displacement and maybe ambient occlusion and a finalgather hdr secondary illumination or gi?

xxxcubanxxx

18-12-2009, 01:23 PM

last update is looking realy nice dude, I like the fleshy part. As for rendering I like mentalray it gives you a million options and it's pretty fast too. keep it up.

Mr.fE

19-12-2009, 04:43 PM

Thanks for the support!!

well here we have some steps forward...

xxxcubanxxx

19-12-2009, 04:59 PM

bad ass, the head is really gonna bring all this together, can't wait.

Mr.fE

20-12-2009, 07:37 AM

Thanks xxxcubanxxx !!!

I'm not entirely satisfied with the color of the hands...but guess what? I'm colorblind! I usually do all my characters in warmish orangelike colorscale for it's easier for me to manage different shaders in that way...but this time I went blue!

So If you have any suggestion about the coloring it will be something like a xmas present!

Tank[NL]

20-12-2009, 03:33 PM

hey man, looking good. to get back to the render-engine-thing...

you can use mentalray etc, but no displacementmaps. take a look at the brief to learn what you can and can not use.

gl

Mr.fE

20-12-2009, 03:44 PM

;757339']hey man, looking good. to get back to the render-engine-thing...

you can use mentalray etc, but no displacementmaps. take a look at the brief to learn what you can and can not use.

gl

I know thanks! no displacement going on here! (also because I never had a satisfying result with displacement so far...:hurt:)

any suggestion for the color of the hands? :D

Mr.fE

21-12-2009, 08:43 AM

few updates...I guess that if I'm lucky with my spare time I'll be done tomorrow so I can start rigging, posing and adding the base...

Mr.fE

22-12-2009, 08:55 AM

ok done with the mask and almost with props...

so far this is how my dude will look like!

I guess I'm gonna rig him and pose him in the afternoon...

Ihazard

22-12-2009, 08:58 AM

It looks nice so far :). Still not sure about the whole concept but I'll wait til you've finished as at the moment he looks like a cross between a Wrestler and a Halo Grunt xD

Mr.fE

22-12-2009, 11:33 AM

It looks nice so far :). Still not sure about the whole concept but I'll wait til you've finished as at the moment he looks like a cross between a Wrestler and a Halo Grunt xD

hahaha I better play Halo someday!

xxxcubanxxx

22-12-2009, 11:37 AM

Hehe love this guy, I don't remember from the concept, is he gonna have any weapons?

premium

22-12-2009, 12:24 PM

A fly. :> nevermind.
I like it, it looks a bit toony. ofcrs you need to do some color corections, cuz that blue color is burning my eyes.. ;(

Mr.fE

22-12-2009, 02:53 PM

Hehe love this guy, I don't remember from the concept, is he gonna have any weapons?

Thanks man! well he has an energy shield...a defense weapon instead of an offense one...you'll see the effect as soon as I do the basement (of course the effect will come in the same texture sheet as the character and goes along with the polycount)

Thanks again!

Mr.fE

22-12-2009, 02:56 PM

A fly. :> nevermind.
I like it, it looks a bit toony. ofcrs you need to do some color corections, cuz that blue color is burning my eyes.. ;(

hahaha! well we can say that color is part of the weaponry!!
...and since I'm colorblind I'm immune to that weapon...;P

spasiba! (is it in your language? I hope so...well thanks!)

Tarik2d

22-12-2009, 03:10 PM

I like it, looks like he could live in the bad lands. Just the blue again is my crit too. But overall good :)

Mr.fE

22-12-2009, 04:23 PM

I like it, looks like he could live in the bad lands. Just the blue again is my crit too. But overall good :)

ok let's be constructive on the blue issue...for it's something that can be easily changed in photoshop...

this is another quick version...keep in mind that the now cyan "lights" are the generators of the energy barrier so they have to glow...

I'm totally open minded for any suggestion!!

(btw my wife likes him in the blue outfit :o ...so your point must be strong :smug: )

Tarik2d

22-12-2009, 05:14 PM

With the blue all i meant was it was too strong of a colour in my opinion, perhaps some dirt and stuff on it

Mr.fE

23-12-2009, 08:08 AM

With the blue all i meant was it was too strong of a colour in my opinion, perhaps some dirt and stuff on it

ok for more dirt then!

thanks!!

premium

23-12-2009, 09:38 AM

spasiba! (is it in your language? I hope so...well thanks!)

Hehe, no it isn't. ;) it's in russian.

Mr.fE

24-12-2009, 08:29 AM

adding some dirt and cleaning the rigging...(hands have to be posed)

still miss the generators (that will be done today) ad the shield fx

I've also added a toon outline cuz my goal was to make it that way...hope it's ok!

Tarik2d

24-12-2009, 08:37 AM

Check your bad self... Looking cool, the dirt helps a lot i think on the cloths. Maybe try the black line a little thinner maybe just nit picking :)

xxxcubanxxx

24-12-2009, 12:13 PM

This totally reminds me of Borderlands which I love so...you get an A+ for this. LOL looking really cool dude.

Mr.fE

24-12-2009, 02:06 PM

thanks guys!

Mr.fE

24-12-2009, 04:12 PM

another pose...with the backpack complete...
I'm working on the energy fx but for now I'm done!!

Merry Xmas to you all guys!!

VinsanityV20

25-12-2009, 06:12 AM

That looks so badass man:) Such a cool entry with loads of style. I'm lovin' this guy, man:D

Oh, Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Happy Holidays bro! Glad to see you're in good shape for finishing this comp.

Mr.fE

27-12-2009, 07:40 AM

Wow i just survived three days of heavy food lifting!!! Time to go back to my dude! And maybe a day or two of hardcore snowboarding...

Mr.fE

02-01-2010, 07:32 AM

Hi folks!
first of all happy new year!

I'm so sorry to notice that some of you had dropped the ball...I was really hoping to see your stuff done!

I guess I'm done as well, for today in Italy is the first day of Sales and my wife has a shoes shop... sales+shoes+italy = armageddon!!
and this means that I have to help her since I'm going back to work only on monday...

here are my final images, I'm gonna post them here as well as in the final entry forum!

...that was fun and I still have a lot to learn!!

Thank you all for the support!!

To the next comp! (...next week?? :D )