[WIP] Rock/Crab Robot

[gilesruscoe]

Decided to start another project to get the year off to a good start. Wanting to do something scifi, but sick of the sight of shiny LED's and exosuits from my last character, i think this will probably end up as a steampunky themed thing, or atleast more fantasy looking, big nuts and bolts and pistons instead of fibre optic cables ect.

This is what i've got so far, did a quick sketch so i'm not completely making it up as i go along, but i'l certainly be adding extra stuff that helps it's design along the way.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabconcept.jpg

Will probably be doing more little sketches like this as i implement more stuff.

Here's the start of the leg highpoly, will make all the mechanical stuff first before i go zbrushing the stone pieces ontop.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crableg.jpg

Any suggestions/crits would be great :)

[MGrecke]

I think some claws coming out would be cool also, since its a crab.
Maybe some eyes also, or some spines like a mohawk on the back with fuel or something coming out of it!

[gilesruscoe]

I liked the idea of the spines on the back, so i went ahead and made this little flip over exhaust pipe type thing, again, the brown cube will be the rock surface.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabexhaust%20copy.JPG
Will need to make changes to the way it comes out, to prevent the rock clipping into itself. probably going to add some pistons in there to push it up before it spins around.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabexhaust.gif

Will be adding claws and some kind of head later too :)
Thanks for the suggestions!

[gilesruscoe]

Double post :/ just thought i'd add in this too. I'll be animating the highpoly as i go to help out with designing functional parts;
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabtransform.gif

[Jambokk]

Ok, this is totally boss. Watching with great interest.

[ladyknowles]

This is great, can't stop looking! Can't wait for more.

[gilesruscoe]

Thanks for the comments both!

Last update for today, just a block in of the shell from zbrush. Seems some shape changes are needed around the leg sockets to allow them to move better/be more visable.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabtestshell.jpg

The exhausts look really small with the shell on, will probably add more or make them bigger.
Tommorow i'l get some kind of head design going and put start on the claws...hopefully..

[McGreed]

When you do something like animating stuff and rigging, its always a good idea to block it out and then rig it, to see how the parts work. I had a little project where I rigged some kind of spider bot, and I just made the highpoly of the legs and then the body, and THEN I rigged it and discovered that the parts didn't quite work as they should, at least not properly.

So it's better to get something working first, to make sure it actually works, so you don't have to redo a lot of work, or even have to throw it out. Plus, its really fun to see it work right away, and then get a cool look later on. :)

[Lazerus Reborn]

Double post :/ just thought i'd add in this too. I'll be animating the highpoly as i go to help out with designing functional parts;
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabtransform.gif

Brill work mate

[gilesruscoe]

@Lazerus, thanks alot man!
@Mcgreed, Yea it probably is best to do a block out first, the problem was that i didn't have an idea to block out at first, i've just been making it up as i go along. But I've gone and done a quick sketch now, so i'l start blocking in stuff tommorow.

A few people said that the design should be wider aswell, so i've taken that into consideration with this design.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabsketch2.jpg

[McGreed]

Hehe, yeah I know what you mean, I tend to just jump into it as well, skipping the whole planing, sketching part. Not good, trying to get some new habits for that.

[Computron]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14324914/crabtransform.gif

what are you using to record to .GIF?

[gilesruscoe]

Just making a .avi playblast from maya then importing the video into photoshop as an image sequence, then saving for web.

[Jessica Dinh]

Whoa dude. This is nice. Didn't know you could animate too!! Damn! Great mechanics.

The sketch is cute too, btw x]