Mega man redux UDK level

[itsmadman]

Hi some of you may rember my work with the sonic level. From that level i have found a fascination with old school pixel art. in particular mega man. While strolling through Google i found a image that really represented the imagination that was early 90s gaming http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pbiFfrnopVI/ShGLx1p7TuI/AAAAAAAAABw/PyshZeCG1pE/s1600/Castle.jpg
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090329163257/megaman/images/4/4f/WilyCastle2.jpg
i feel that with games like call of duty we have gotten to a point were are graphics are so realistic that imagination is not really necessary. Not that i dont like call of duty its awesome, BUT I miss imagination in video games. As limitations go so does the need to be creative. so here is step one of what i am trying to create
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5343827324_d9d7483b6d_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5343218095_74e7684971_b.jpghttp://farm6.static.flickr.com/5002/5343215137_ce55fa27cb_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5343826362_e3baed86cc_b.jpg

[KennyTies]

Wow, this is awesome! I agree about games missing out on imagination as well. I will closely be watching the progress of this. Keep up the good work and as of right now I do not have any critiques.

[JaxisaRobot]

Amazing dude, I really love the Megaman titles and I think this is really shaping up to be something quite awesome! Keep going :)

[dolemite]

this is awesome! I've been thinking of what a next gen mega man would be like. Can't wait to see progress!

[Habboi]

Heh, you're right. I've honestly forgotten that levels can be imaginative. I need to try more abstract stuff at some point.

Looks really good so far but how will you texture it? Same style or updated in your own way?

[itsmadman]

Man u know what, the textures are really completely on me to make. I have all the freedom in the world. I was thinking something in the lines of star craft 2. There models are very low poly and they still fake allot of detail with textures. I may use the original colors but i wont be keeping it that simple. cause if i did i could finish this all tonight. Heres some sites with allot star craft 2 models that i will be pulling ideads from.
http://www.themmnetwork.com/2010/05/08/the-mystery-of-wily-castles-pipe/
http://starcraft.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25589
http://howtowinstarcraft2.com/tag/valkyries/
http://helios.mine.nu/stuff/md3/BarracksF.jpg
http://images.wikia.com/starcraft/images/e/e9/PlanetaryFortress_SC2_Rend1.jpg
http://images.wikia.com/starcraft/images/9/96/ShadowOps_SC2_Rend1.jpg

[n88tr]

the geometry looks to be overkill to me

[LateWhiteRabbit]

the geometry looks to be overkill to me

I've got to agree. I don't know if you intend to make Wiley's castle a playable level or just render it as a portfolio or showpiece in UDK, but I'm seeing a lot of wasted and excessive polygons.

The bone tops and the skull look particularly wasteful. You could optimize and cut out a lot of polygons and still retain the same look and shape. You'll get faster renders and it will be a lot easier to lay out your UVs.

Other than that, it's looking great. I love the idea of translating 8-bit environments to current gen specs and look.

[itsmadman]

All right guys heres an update. I have went back and reduced the poly counts of both the skull motif and the bones. It was my first time using reduce in Maya, its actually pretty effective. At this point i have worked a little on the lighting, I made normal maps for every thing in the level and spec maps. have not started on the diffuse maps for the models yet, i put colors on the different meshes for the sole purpose of feeling out the over all color of the level. i do mean to set back and put a bit of time in to painting the textures in a painterly style that still is very mechanical. thanxs for following my progress so far tell me what u think
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5425932248_033ee3556b_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5425329619_d267d33715_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5099/5425935184_2f3ebe735b_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5136/5425936624_0361aa78ce_b.jpg

[itsmadman]

:)

[jimmypopali]

lol greentooth.

Looking good, enjoying the updates

[itsmadman]

oh u spotted it huh, it will look better when i paint the textures. But i will keep it subtle

[itsmadman]

Alright guys heres the new update
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5456892208_0b4dd4c554_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5456891332_38b6a70b09_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5456281201_82e0e95bd0_b.jpg

[itsmadman]

oh right i mite want to call this done. unless u guys have some ideas. probably need to mess with the post process settings :)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5465746160_8def3b6d6f_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5465744364_8c024b1894_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5465742448_b75b3436d3_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5465141721_6b7830802e_b.jpg

[fearian]

I think you need to work on your specular maps and try and define materials a bit more - at the moment parts of it look like they have been inflated like a bouncy castle!

[gilesruscoe]

i kinda like it the way it is, its very cartoony so the "bouncy castle" actually strengthens the style (in my opinion), good work, nice to see something different!

[Orgoth02]

I would say that is it looking pretty good man. I would suggest pulling up some of the terrain around the base static mesh and changing out the sky box (everyone can recognize that as the unreal sky).

[itsmadman]

Oh yeah def change out the sky it was just a place holder really. any way its a bit too realistic for this level. but thanks, the style is going to be cartoony what ever i do but i could spend some more time on the post processing and also more effort on some of the spec maps. its not perfect just yet. Glad to see you guy like to see something different. I have been working on an article that i will be posting soon about how games have gotten a bit too realistic and representational. i will tell you guys when i finish it. I will probably also go over the trials and tribulations of taking a sprite and making in to 3D :)

[itsmadman]

alright just remember did not put up texture sheets for critique, got to start doing that. I do plane on making a lava material that will fill up allot of space below the castle
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5020/5480499597_04d11ddb65_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5175/5480499909_1548976e0c_b.jpg
this is a tillable texture that goes over the back ground hills
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5294/5481101276_fe0d5be2a7_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5292/5481101504_8429fa8dec_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5481095434_771fcf8042_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5481100938_4f9d257e05_b.jpg
i will put up the rest of the textures tonight