Model a Game Character

podperson

podperson

0
Model a Game Character

C3D 5.1 is coming out sometime soon with improved animation tools, so now might be a good time to create some game characters (so you have something to try the improved animation tools on).

Any game targeting the iPhone will need to aim for sub 10k triangle counts (for everything) which means probably under 1k triangles for a character (fewer if you want more figures on-screen). You may also want to consider skeleton complexity, since this is actually a factor for iPhone games.

If you're trying for a "next-gen" game, the sky is really the limit (10k+ meshes are certainly not out of the question). Current generation games seem to aim for 3-5k meshes.
 
podperson said:
C3D 5.1 is coming out sometime soon with improved animation tools, so now might be a good time to create some game characters (so you have something to try the improved animation tools on).

Any game targeting the iPhone will need to aim for sub 10k triangle counts (for everything) which means probably under 1k triangles for a character (fewer if you want more figures on-screen). You may also want to consider skeleton complexity, since this is actually a factor for iPhone games.

If you're trying for a "next-gen" game, the sky is really the limit (10k+ meshes are certainly not out of the question). Current generation games seem to aim for 3-5k meshes.
Click to expand...

New animation tools, 5.1 sometime soon? Nice. Cool contest idea, may give it a try if I get more time.
 
I'm questioning how much of a role cheetah can play in next-gen character construction. The typical workflow is:

1. Rough out the base mesh

2. Displacement sculpt

3. Retopo and unwrap

4. Bake the high mesh to the low mesh (normals, and even diffuse etc, depends on the tools used) (xnormal, modo, maya, max, 3D-Coat)

5. Refine textures

6. Rig and animate

I guess 1 and 6 can be one in cheetah. Unfortunately, nextgen characters involve a multi-app, multi-stage pipeline.

If Martin would give us GoZ support, and normal maps, we'd be a step or 2 closer.

For me it's a juggling act between silo, zbrush, 3d-coat, photoshop, and maya.

Modo is really the only package that gives you a one-stop shop for nextgen character creation (sans CA). It has an OK sculpting and painting engine for quick stuff, and GoZ for quick zbrushing + really awesome baking, retopo and all that jazz.

I do, however, think cheetah could be used for next-gen level construction without too much additional effort from Martin.

I wish he would hire a few more programmers, and shoot for the $400-$500 price point, because that segment is wide-open. Pod is going to mention lightwave, but lightwaves price has skyrocketed too, not to mention in the middle of a total rewrite. Where cheetah sits right now, his direct competitor is blender, and blender is free. I can't pretend to have done any market research, but I think cheetah is in a really awkward stage.

We go from silo and cheetah at $150 to $1000 for modo and C4D. There is a lot of wiggle room there to staff up, ramp up, and raise the price to compensate. I think silo is proving that the $150 3d hobbyist market cannot sustain a company in the long run.

I may have gone a little off topic.
 
nervouschimp said:
There is a lot of wiggle room there to staff up, ramp up, and raise the price to compensate.
Click to expand...

I dont play the sharemarket but I would be willing to buy shares to enable this to happen(if I had the right amount of cash) :) somehow I dont think Martin would like that however, unless investors were silent partners

Back on topic, a character comp could be good, Im a shocking animator but would give it a go.
AC
 
Put this little guy together this morning. Poly is just over 13k. Will rig it and animate this weekend. What he'll end up doing though I don't know. Probably just rolling around or something.
 

Attachments

  • Robot.jpg
    Robot.jpg
    120.6 KB · Views: 1,875
TankJon said:
Put this little guy together this morning. Poly is just over 13k. Will rig it and animate this weekend. What he'll end up doing though I don't know. Probably just rolling around or something.
Click to expand...

utterly wonderful character.

i imagine those driving around in a giant maze (only heads to be seen from distance, very funny when you imagine the dipping moves when starting, stopping or turnaround) looking for some hidden item that has to be brought to another place, of course the one having it will be chased by all the others and once fallen on the ground, it's rather difficult to get up again ...
 
I hope I have time to finish my robot. I only have the motor so far... :)
 

Attachments

  • robot reactor.jpg
    robot reactor.jpg
    44.3 KB · Views: 1,607
archie said:
utterly wonderful character.

i imagine those driving around in a giant maze (only heads to be seen from distance, very funny when you imagine the dipping moves when starting, stopping or turnaround) looking for some hidden item that has to be brought to another place, of course the one having it will be chased by all the others and once fallen on the ground, it's rather difficult to get up again ...
Click to expand...

Thats a brilliant idea. I hadn't really given any thought to any kind of "level" design but the maze idea sounds great :)

Maybe this is the kick up the rear I need to learn to use Unity :D
 
I like the robot, but I'd probably remodel it to save some polygons and also make some of the cute details (like the LED eyes) show up better at smaller sizes.
 
TankJon said:
Put this little guy together this morning. Poly is just over 13k. Will rig it and animate this weekend. What he'll end up doing though I don't know. Probably just rolling around or something.
Click to expand...

Nice robot design.:icon_thumbup: His cylindrical hands appear perfect for bringing over cold refreshments from a refrigerator. ;)
 
I was excited when I saw a new contest up and started working right away, I went with making a Robot for the iPhone and after a while it really started taking shape. I really liked it, in fact, I liked it so much that A whole game idea was created around this Robot. So now he has been shipped off to unity3D where he will become the star of a brand new 3 game series for the iPhone!

All in all, I still never got to post anything in the contest. =P

-Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top