[Help Wanted] "The First King" - FPS game. PRE-ALP

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:00 am

Hi, omaremad

They use that technique to produce normal maps. That details is not used in the low level mesh that is used in the final level.

And they have a "clip art" meshes collections (Created by their modelers) of mesh, for example zippers, pockets, details on shirts, pants, etc.

So when come the time to create 20-30 types of characters with different costumes, it take less "creative" time to produce the characters or objects. Bake time is mostly irrelevant, they care more about "creative time" because it's that they have to pay.

Suppose you have only to create 1 character and you don't have created any objects before, it could effectively take more time. But as you said, they are pro, and they prepared for the task.

omaremad · Post by **omaremad** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:28 am

Both techniques involve modelling details once then applying them manually, its jsut the technique you described adds more bake time and may artefact easily.

This is what i was talking about:
http://www.acetylenegames.com/artbymasa ... _games.jpg
mainly section 2 and 6

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:38 pm

Thanks for the links Omaremad! It was very instructive.

Perhaps their library is pre-rendered. They didn't specified it. They only said they had a library for object details. So perhaps they put this library in pre-rendered normal maps. It make sense.

Here the other links I found in the link you sent:
http://www.bencloward.com/resources.shtml
This one have lots of textures (including Normal maps), and he's written HLSL shaders.

http://www.poopinmymouth.com/tutorial/tutorial.htm
This one as lots of tutorial for character production in 3DS max (LOW level + High level, normal maps production in 3DS).

omaremad · Post by **omaremad** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:54 pm

Yep thats what most people do, is that they pre-render all the small details, so there must be a reason that the studio you are talking about are not pre-rendering their detail normal maps (beacuse they wrap the detail meshes onto the high poly mesh and bake?).

I got that picture from gameartists.net, its a great website.

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:42 pm

Hi, Just to give an update on the project.

We're going very near to get into the ALPHA state.

A new member joined the team and will be doing modeling and animation for the project

.

David Torres Rodríguez, from caurium.com will be helping us in the modeling task and will animate the characters.

Here is his first sketch for the warrior, he sent me for review:
http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_soldier_002notes.jpg

I'm still working on the camera rig, but will start shortly on modeling the base level, so we can have a reference placement for the final model. Theses will be "mockup" so we will have something to see and test untils the final models will be completed.

I'll keep you updated...

lostclimategames · Post by **lostclimategames** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:04 am

Who did that concept art? I ask because I will soon be hiring some concept artists and thats just the type of talent I'd be looking for.

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:01 am

It's David Torres Rodríguez, from caurium.com
You can PM him, is forum username is lostanimator

JP · Post by JP » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:06 am

Wow... If he can model that as well as he's drawn it then i reckon that should turn out pretty sweet!

lostanimator · Post by **lostanimator** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:20 pm

Hello everyone:

Thank you all for the comments, I would blush if I had blood in my veins.

I´ll try to get the models to their best, but I´m sure many of you can tip on issues I could do better, I´ll post progress samples, and welcome suggestions. Still don´t know if I´ll start from perimeter splines, or from a box, but I´ll try to keep you updated on the process.

http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_soldier_003.jpg

This one is more adapted to the reference, though I'm still concerned about the head (front view only doen´s help much on it´s volume definition). It also has the half tense position, which I think we´´l use for the modelling and rigging. Earlier I tried fully extended arms, but it seems to do better when you force the skin a little on each side while moving the shoulders.

The anatomy is adapted to some variations on human structure, but I think it looks believeable. By the way, I'm enjoying doing this...

lostanimator · Post by **lostanimator** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:02 pm

Here´s the head, a neighbour brought me some pics from his dog, which has a cool head for anatomycal references (thank´s to "Grande" and "Luna" for modelling):

http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_soldier_004.jpg

Ico · Post by **Ico** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:54 pm

Hm ... I'd say the first one (#3) is a little bit too cat/batlike and the later one (#4) is a little bit too doglike. Maybe some mix of both? Maybe you could even try to hit that egyptian jackal style from hieroglyphs and just adjust it a little bit to keep it natural.

christianclavet · Post by **christianclavet** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:19 pm

David, the number 4 is the one we're looking for. Congratulation. You got the look we're for. The only thing that is missing is the egyptian pants/robe from the reference. You completely got the right proportions. Could you sign your art? I want that you get the credit for what you do.

When you'll do the modeling, remember that the mouth will have to be animated. and I would put bones on the eyes to make it frown when attacking and mouth will open to show the teeths (enraged expression). And make the eyes a little bigger when it being attacked by the player (expressing fear). It's react more on instinct like a beast, we'll have to animate this that way.

Here is an example expression, that could have this "puppy" when attacking the player

These warriors will have spears and egyptian sticks.

We'll have to see with JP, if the AI engine could support about 20 warriors like that in the level.

On this sketch, it show a "static" look for the side view and it's ok. But the general expression on the face will be aggressive (you front look show exactly that)

It's ok that it's dog looking. It's a JACKAL headed warrior!

Here is the side sketches from David. It's very nice.
http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_soldier_005.jpg

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:51 am

just curious...did this kind of myth creature had so big arms and small legs ?

dlangdev · Post by **dlangdev** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:17 am

interesting, i have borrowed this book from our local community library titled "the book of the dead", something about a cult that wrote text for the dead, translated from egyptian writing, said to be from ani.

i could copy some of the images for reference if you need them. not sure if i'm violating any copyright there or not.

lostanimator · Post by **lostanimator** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:16 am

answer to vermeer:

You're wright, but Christian asked me for larger hands, and they will be at the viewer's height most time, I could push the proportions to a more balanced canon, but again sculpture is made to be seen from a certain view (perhaps we need a larger head if we want to see facial detail while playing, as it´ll be farther from "our" eyes), this is 3D, but we tend to accent certain parts depending on the purpose, or sometimes less reasonable reasons.

Anyway, thanks for the comment, about real egytptian representations of jackal men, or Anubis figures, they usually follow normal human proportions, sometimes slimer, but not monster like in any way. I had some other references, but again Chris asked to use the game pdf as a guide.

Please also allow some freedom for being a little freaky, we´re trying to put together a game!