Low-poly challenge thread, everyone welcomed

[Zlatovous]

Hello,

we put this thread together with Perversonality, to have a separate place for our mini challenges, so everyone else can join too.

So what is going on? This challenges will be quite short compared to threedy ones - each challenge will last maximum one week, then moving onto next topic. Topics will be quite simple, yet, I hope, interesting. Since there is already a character challenge every month, we will be mainly focusing on props or some basic characters. This challenge thread is mainly for practice. So if you are greenhorn, be welcomed as well as if you are a pro industry wanderer. All you need is an effort to actually be able finishing the models in time.

So, no more talking, let it roll!

[Zlatovous]

Topic: Drones

Details: Drones were originally pilotless airplanes, but today it's any vehicle without pilot sitting inside. It can be driven by remote control (think of tactical scout drones used in Iraq these days) or equipped with AI, thus controlling itself (think of R2 - D2). It can be multifunctional or with one spec (scout, assault, defensive, utility, you name it). It can be fyling, on wheels, tracks, swimming, as you wish. Can be sci-fi, fantasy, stylized, existing, everything, just everything, there are no restrictions

Restrictions: Really, there are none. Well...

Tris, textures, etc:
maximum limit of 1000 tris
1024x1024 - any maps, diffuse, spec, normal, AO, glow, what you want.

Dead line:
28 of February, midnight

I guess there is no need to make special thread for our challenge, so just post all ref, wips, finals, etc. to our own threads and then just link for finals here (hope you don't mind perversonality. If so, I can move the whole challenge into my thread)

[Zlatovous]

And here is something to start up.

Finished hi-poly (both packed and unpacked) and starting of the low-poly version. I am actually sitting at 192 tris, with leg having 46 tris (my budget for each limb is 200 top, so I am doing quite well). Going to post finished low-poly before going to bed

[Perversonality]

I'll probably mostly be posting in my own thread and saving this one for the major updates so this doesn't get flooded with small updates! Here's where I am right now with my second idea. It's exactly 1000 tris

[dhin]

Zlat you totally need to add a Deceptacon or Autobot symbol to yours.

[dhin]

Oh-kay here is my rough pass on the mesh.

[Zlatovous]

Whoo, we are sticky now!

Perversonality: I like the curves, fresh design. Can't wait to see it textured

dhin: Maybe I will :-) Fine idea

I like your drone, it has a lot of personality thanks to the monitor-face. Hope you can preserve that in your low-poly version :-)

My low-poly version is done entirely, going for unwrapping and some minor texturing today (I will not have much time today, will get home late tonight)

[Zlatovous]

Finally unwrapped my drone. Took me quite long, but I think it was worth it. Goin g to library now, will continue with texturing once I return.

Hope to see updates soon from you guys :-) Work week is at the end, a lot of time ahead

[Zlatovous]

So, update. I spent like four hours unwrapping, setting projection modifier, matching low-poly to hi-poly, test baking, redoing, test baking... Uah, I was almost insane and still the normals didn't came out as well as I wanted. But devil take it, I am not returning back to fix it. Will fix it in photoshop when I wake up.

I putted up some very rough textures, just to see how it works. And it works pretty well :-) This stage is very early, so don't worry, it will change later tommorow

Only diffuse and normal map

[Perversonality]

Looking good guys. I'll be working on mine today though I've got the mother of all hangovers! Expect updates

[Perversonality]

Started texturing, though there's still a long way to go...



Currently I'm using diffuse, normal, spec and a self-illumination/glow map which means that I can't get the same effect in Marmoset as I can't find a way to use glow maps, so the image is a capture from the Max viewport with two omnis which are slightly behind the model

[Zlatovous]

Nice start on the textures. Are you going for little retro feeling or it just look it this way right now? Looking forward for next updates and wish you luck with the hangover :-)

Here is my update. Fixed most of the normal maps and dirtied the main barrel. Will finish it before this day ends.

[Perversonality]

Looking good! Does that capture have the normal map applied as it looks a little flat to me right now?

I'm definitely going for a retro look with this one. I was going to steam punk it, but the shape wasn't ideal for lots of metal and bolts so this seemed like the most appropriate compromise

[Perversonality]

Thinking I'm about done on this one, though there's still some tweaking I might do to make it more interesting

[Zlatovous]

Your drone came out really nice, it's very stylish. Just curious, what is its purpose?

When you are done, could you please show also textures sheet? I forgot to mention it in the original post

And as far as the normal maps on my drone are concerned... They are there and working very well on certain areas (gaps between wooden plates, metal parts of the leg), but it's almost invisible at the metal part holding wooden plates together. Will try to look onto that. I hope AO will help also