Update, took Konras's pointer and switched the curve in his forearm, it was immediately better, thanks mang! also detailed it up, still not sure if i'm crazy about it. If anyone wants to chime in with a paintover i would be super appreciative.
Thanks cagdasx44, that seemed to actually work. although only for the Nether Ward, the rest are lost in obscurity i guess. Cant even find them if you search for the names, only if you specifically look at my shop, that's kinda lame.
Oh well, moving on. Wanted to make some arms for Earth spirit as i like the idea of being able to completely replace them. Got the basic shapes blocked out, going to detail them with Chinese themed carvings, possibly trying to incorporate a horse. Still not sure if i'm going to make them Jade, or bronze/gold. It might be hard to make them gold and still suite him, what with the drastic color change.
Let me know what you think, thanks
np, btw just realised ı should have said private instead of secret; and public instead of visible
Alright, got the details to a point where i think there working. Any thoughts?
i dont know, design for arm alone is nice, but it is kinda clash for my personal taste when it attach to rocky-ish body design on earth spirit... it sounds like you put a Zaku arm on gundam torso.
Decided to just submit the arms as is. I played with some different ways of joining them to his body, but they all looked much more obvious then less. Give it a vote if you like it, thanks!
Thanks guys, yeah people seem to want a whole set with this theme, maybe ill try to come up with some more stuff for him. Def not for the spring event though.
I really don't like the theme behind these arms. Earth spirit is all about the organic hard surface shapes, not curved, smooth shapes. The detail will probably be lost from the game cam and isn't that interesting to begin with, it's noise for the sake of noise. So what you're left with is an uninteresting silhouette with noisy textures that doesn't match ES's style.
Alright, the Earthspirit arms have gotten hot and cold reactions, i'm moving on to some weapons for bloodseeker. Also starting on a concept for an EarthSpirit staff from JovaGrof. Ill have progress on that one shortly.
Update on my progress with JovaGrof's concept for an Earthspirit Staff. Also an update on my Bloodeeker blades. I'm looking to make a set with the bloodseeker weapons. If anyone thinks they have a good idea incorporating them, i'm totally open for collaboration. Send me a PM.
got the ES staff ingame, Concept by JovaGrof. I'm running into resolution problems, i think i may do as the default staff does and just mirror the front and back. The front and back aren't different enough and the blurriness is noticeable. Might try to layout the UV's a little better first.
Did a different version of the blades for Bloodseeker. Some people were saying it looked like the joint between blade and cuff looked a little weak. Tried to bulk it up with the new one on the left. I think even if i go with the old cuff Ill keep the new blade with the elbow hook. I also wouldn't be able to mirror the cuff texture with a buckle soo.. i dunno.
This Bloodseeker blade is so sick! Both the sculpt and the lowpoly look amazing! The only thing I'd suggest is to make the blade pop a bit more, maybe with a lighter color and higher metalness and rimlight on the masks.
Outstanding work so far! Also really liking the ES weapon, great stuff all around!
Cool idea man. Reminds me a little of Motenai's recent BH set and his approach to arm blades, but you did some really cool new shapes with the blades. Great stuff!
Thanks guys, im glad your feeling better about the idea. I wasn't sure either at first. Bulking up the joint was def a good idea, and the extra curve came out of playing around with that so that was a nice plus.
Just finished the thumbnail and a quick marketing image, I know Valve doesn't really use marketing shots for single items but i just felt like it. I am however indecisive on a name. I got a couple ideas
Hey man, I like your idea and think you can sell it much better. I feel like your sculpt was pretty good, I can't tell much about your textures... It looks like your shadows might be too dark, but could just be the render. I would suggest Marmoset Toolbag or Xoliul Shader in 3ds Max. Your render right now is too contrasted.
My main critique though is your thumbnail is not doing it justice whatsoever. Right now the thumbnail in general just looks like bloodseeker is slapped on a blood drip google image. I would scrap the blue border, and the blood drips are too uniform. The random black outline and blown out white spec on the fur/leather is creating unwanted contrast too which is why it looks slapped on. Your model needs to have consistent lighting with the background. Your thumbnail is the first thing people see and has a huge impact on your votes. Put more effort into it!
Calling this one done as well i think. just going to ask for JovaGrof's sign off. I did end up just mirroring the hole staff. The top and bottom weren't really different and the amount of texture resolution i could gain was a lot.
Thanks for the feedback Vextrakt. Thumbnails are definitely the part i have the hardest time with. Is this any better?
The render is significantly better without those nasty white highlights, though your thumbnail looks pretty much identical to one on the front page right now: http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/3316074889777370603/243DC91F4532983A395CB23700ACEF9CF349E1CC/. His is more appealing because his image has an established lighting direction with his highlights/shadows which give strong color contrast (contrast is good, solid black/white is not). You don't need to achieve these results straight out of the render btw - pretty much all promotional art in the entertainment industry is doctored up in photoshop or something.
Also got an awesome concept from multitud3. Started the blockout tonight, got it all exported and ready to go in Zbrush, for tomorrow The hood is just the basic shape ill start from scratch in zbrush, i find it easier with cloth that way.
Got some time today to sculpt out the lich set that multitud3 came up with. Still have to do some kind of chains/straps for his bracers. As well as some more detailing on the back of the skirt thing, and the frayed part at the bottom. Really excited to paint this. Was also having trouble with the cloth around his shoulders getting the type of fabric to read right, going to come back to it.
Wow... I saw the b/w concept and already though "damn thats nice" - then the color did it's magic, too.
But this sculpt, holy f*ck, this is by far the most badass lich I've ever seen.
Enough praise
I have questions
First - How did you make the runes on his back piece (the clean deeper forms)? I guess they weren't part of your base mesh.
Second - Are you streamin? =D
Trevor: Absolutely awesome work so far! Looks great. Can we see a front on view? From these shots it looks like the back pieces might be wider than the concept.
Thanks guys, sorry for the late reply, been really busy lately, i started a new job. Is it bad that all i want to do is work on dota stuff though! hah.
@PolarBear - I haven't tried streaming me working yet, i've streamed before while doing the Extra life gaming marathon, i should really try it sometime though. For the runes it's just making a mask in zbrush and using the inflate slider under the deformation subpallete. Then I rough up the edges with the usual trim dynamic and orbs crack brush.
Just finished all the bakes tonight, I like to get the lowpoly done and do the bakes before i start polypainting in zbrush, just in-case i need to make any highpoly changes.
This is just some quick block-out color with normal,AO,and an edge highlight bake. Transparency isn't on for the bottom skirt part or the ribbon hole and tears.
Thanks darbeenbo loved how your guys stuff turned out in Chivalry, i wish i could have stayed on that project, it turned out really great. Glad to see your doing dota items!
@Magno, yeah that was one thing i remarked on for the polypaint afterwards to. I've tried to get some of that back with a top down gradient on the back piece. It is supposed to be rock though so i don't want it being confused with ice.
Here's a pretty much final shot of it ingame with masks etc.
Wow, this came out great man. My only crit is the golden runes on the base of the blade - I feel like they should be attached over the mirror point instead of a thin line down the middle, but that might just be my preference. Looks great overall, cant wait to see the LP.
Thanks bounch! means a tonne coming from you. I had previously talked with Sayonara about the deco stuff on top of the blade and he pictured them like they are now. I initially made them how you described, i think it works either way though.
So here's a pretty much final shot of the blade, a first attempt at a thumbnail as well, trying to get better at these.
@TrevorJ This is turning out really nice, just needs some tweaks(mostly on the thumbnail) and it's ready to ship.:thumbup:
@bounchfx and Reyne: Good crits regarding the 'seam' at the top. It's all my fault! Not sure if it's super obvious in game or not but at this point it's probably not worth rebaking unless Trevor thinks it's detracting from the quality enough. It's his call
Thanks guys!, yeah Multitud3 did an awesome job on that loading screen. Just submitted my other collab with Sayanora. Legion commanders Eye of Castigation. Check it out as well, thanks.
Just submitted this guy for Elder Titan. little disappointed i had to cut off the beard, couldn't find a way to get the skinning to work with his face morphs for talking. oh well live and learn. Onto another set for Brewmaster, will have WIP shots soon.
Replies
np, btw just realised ı should have said private instead of secret; and public instead of visible
i dont know, design for arm alone is nice, but it is kinda clash for my personal taste when it attach to rocky-ish body design on earth spirit... it sounds like you put a Zaku arm on gundam torso.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=216257170&searchtext=
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120952&page=3&highlight=trevorj
Thoughts?
Outstanding work so far! Also really liking the ES weapon, great stuff all around!
Just finished the thumbnail and a quick marketing image, I know Valve doesn't really use marketing shots for single items but i just felt like it. I am however indecisive on a name. I got a couple ideas
Blood burden
Flayed ones shackles
Flayed shackle blades
Bindings of Blood
of course the tag line "Look ma no hands" came to me. Not really dota cannon though, hah
Any other idea for the name? or prefs
My main critique though is your thumbnail is not doing it justice whatsoever. Right now the thumbnail in general just looks like bloodseeker is slapped on a blood drip google image. I would scrap the blue border, and the blood drips are too uniform. The random black outline and blown out white spec on the fur/leather is creating unwanted contrast too which is why it looks slapped on. Your model needs to have consistent lighting with the background. Your thumbnail is the first thing people see and has a huge impact on your votes. Put more effort into it!
The render is significantly better without those nasty white highlights, though your thumbnail looks pretty much identical to one on the front page right now: http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/3316074889777370603/243DC91F4532983A395CB23700ACEF9CF349E1CC/. His is more appealing because his image has an established lighting direction with his highlights/shadows which give strong color contrast (contrast is good, solid black/white is not). You don't need to achieve these results straight out of the render btw - pretty much all promotional art in the entertainment industry is doctored up in photoshop or something.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=222934641&searchtext=
Also got an awesome concept from multitud3. Started the blockout tonight, got it all exported and ready to go in Zbrush, for tomorrow The hood is just the basic shape ill start from scratch in zbrush, i find it easier with cloth that way.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1996318#post1996318
But this sculpt, holy f*ck, this is by far the most badass lich I've ever seen.
Enough praise
I have questions
First - How did you make the runes on his back piece (the clean deeper forms)? I guess they weren't part of your base mesh.
Second - Are you streamin? =D
@PolarBear - I haven't tried streaming me working yet, i've streamed before while doing the Extra life gaming marathon, i should really try it sometime though. For the runes it's just making a mask in zbrush and using the inflate slider under the deformation subpallete. Then I rough up the edges with the usual trim dynamic and orbs crack brush.
Just finished all the bakes tonight, I like to get the lowpoly done and do the bakes before i start polypainting in zbrush, just in-case i need to make any highpoly changes.
This is just some quick block-out color with normal,AO,and an edge highlight bake. Transparency isn't on for the bottom skirt part or the ribbon hole and tears.
Thoughts?
anywho,
Polypaint done, baking down to do touch ups and color grading in PS.
@Magno, yeah that was one thing i remarked on for the polypaint afterwards to. I've tried to get some of that back with a top down gradient on the back piece. It is supposed to be rock though so i don't want it being confused with ice.
Here's a pretty much final shot of it ingame with masks etc.
Thoughts?
been busy chipping away at this LC sword of lunch. Concept by Sayanora
Can't wait to vote on dat lich.
So here's a pretty much final shot of the blade, a first attempt at a thumbnail as well, trying to get better at these.
It looks like a texture seam rather than a deliberate choice to me (even though I know it is not).
To me it is a fairly big negative on an otherwise very high quality piece of art.
@bounchfx and Reyne: Good crits regarding the 'seam' at the top. It's all my fault! Not sure if it's super obvious in game or not but at this point it's probably not worth rebaking unless Trevor thinks it's detracting from the quality enough. It's his call
http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=239575870
Super, super, super, super, super awesome!!!!!!!!!
That Lich.
He's the number one.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=239838875&searchtext=