Hey all, I'm starting a new long term project. One that I've been wanting to do for a while. This is where the progress for multiple characters will exist...over a long period.
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Vertical Slice
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The Brief
A series of characters created to show the different archetypes in a fictional game. Scaling all the way from ambient creature to hero to end boss, the goal is to create a complete set of characters that you would encounter, or the character assets that you would need to reach a vertical slice milestone for a game.
The Deliverables
5 characters created to current generation hardware (XboxOne, PS4):
Hero Character (High range budget)
End Boss (High range budget)
NPC (Mid range budget)
Enemy (Mid range budget)
Ambient Creature (Low range budget)
The Goals
-Create a set of art assets that shows consistent artistic and creative direction.
-Create assets that could be delivered to other departments, such as design, to illustrate a vertical slice milestone.
-Challenge myself to improve my process and to learn new tools and techniques.
-Create material that could be educational to others.
-Actually finish something for once
Soft Deadline
This seems foolish as things will always get in the way and, based on my last personal project that I took to completion, I was almost a year over the original deadline. That being said, I'm hoping to have this as an ongoing project and complete the majority by March 1st, 2015.
Why?
I've been doing this for a long time, and as the years go on I feel like I'm either falling behind or need to contribute to something bigger that is my own, not just a stand alone character with no context. I also really want to get back to my roots as a game developer, and think about a massive world with gameplay details that influence character design. We all sat around as kids sketching and thinking of crazy shit, I want to get back to that feeling, I want to create something that is unfiltered and truly my own project.
The actual idea (below) is something that I've kicked around in my head for years now, but just never took action, and I think now is a good time to make a solid effort at seeing this come to life. If I fail, at least I tried, and if I succeed even better. But consider this a living document for the projects progress.
Would also be really interested if others have the same desire, and start up their own long running challenge. But, of course, that's not needed or expected
My Theme:
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JUAN HELSING
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1940s / 50s: A special agent is dropped into Mexico to battle Nazis that have unlocked the power of the undead deep within an Aztec temple.
Influenced by games like Castlevania and Darkwatch for mood. Metal Slug and Final Fight for gameplay mechanics. The end goal is to create assets that would successfully fill out a classic beat em up within a gothic setting.
Will develop details as time goes on, but the characters I am thinking of so far are:
Hero Juan Helsing (think Machete...)
End Boss Dracula / Nosferatu / Naziferatu (big evil enemy)
NPC Lolita (character you save from sacrificial altars)
Enemy Repeatable soldiers cursed with vampirism
Ambient Creature Thinking gargoyle, bats, hounds...something like that.
![jh_01.jpg](http://www.gavimage.com/JuanHelsing/jh_01.jpg)
Thanks for viewing, and stay tuned. Now...to actually get to work!
Replies
Really looking forward to this
looking forward to seeing it come together
Will be awesome to see how you tackle a reasonably big project with a variety of characters.
Dis gonna be good
Just getting started on the Hero, really just puttering at this stage, but I think I like the direction it's going. For anyone that has followed my personal projects before, you know I usually like to work organically because it keeps me interested and the freedom to just change things as I wish in the moment gives me better results. So, things will mostly likely change as I go along and, as I do go along, tend to figure things (body type, more personality, outfit, etc.) out in the process. Like it all builds up together.
Different takes on hairstyles:
Some work in progress shots. I know it's not much, and I'm going to try getting better captures as I go along:
Thanks,
Gav
This is going to be a grand epic mega super fantasy final.
Giv'r
~t
good luck!
Busy week and preparing for a trip sort of got in the way this week, but I've been plugging away this afternoon. Hoping to have a bigger update later, but wanted to post where I'm at so far. Trying to channel my inner Bisley / Shiflett Bros. fur muscles and stuff.
Gav
Messing with proportions, boots taken from another project...but better illustrates the chunky footwear I'm thinking of.
Gav
Looking awesome so far!
Gav
I'm thinking like some weird homage to Catholic padre garb.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=100+bullets+brother+lono&safe=off&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8aIWVNH5N4ndaLmdgeAE&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1920&bih=936