Warhammer 40k Eldar - WiP

[BadSpleen]

Bit more modelling done, current poly count is just over 3k, enjoy

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/6236/eldarwip1yr.th.jpg (http://img67.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eldarwip1yr.jpg)




Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting (http://imageshack.us/)

Chilli x

[enz]

Model's looking good

-I'm a Space Marine fan myself :p

[ElFuego]

Looks good so far :)

Some questions first (I'm a newbie to game modeling so I need to get some facts straight :)

1. Are you planning to use normal maps in WH40K eldar (cool character choice btw)?
1.1. If you are, there are some polys that doesn't add that much for the silhouette (I'v understood and learned thru my limited experience that with normal maps silhouette matters the most. For example the chest are can be done using much less polys and I would emphazise those areas a bit more (now the chest/stomach area is a bit too plain from the side view and those polys are waisted because they do not add anthing to silhouette.

2. If you are making this a lowpoly without normalmaps? I succest that make it really low poly because all the detail (sixpack etc.) will be painted via textures and once again the silhouette is quite important.

Otherwise it's nice work and looking forward to see more (I'm a huge Warhammer fan so this should be cool)

I understood from your previous post - about wireframe renders - that you wanted to see bump and wire over your character at the same time? (I'm sorry for my bad english but I hope you understood what I mean =)

Some additional info that might be usefull.
If you ever want to use normal maps -> max 7 and 8 can display normal maps in realtime via direct X 9 shaders. I highly recommend Ben Clowards pages (It was a life saver for me :) and also Ben Mathis really fantastic PDF about normal map workflow.

www.poopinmymouth.com/process/normal_workflow/normal_workflow.pdf

If you are not using normal maps then sorry about this 'flood'

[BadSpleen]

Cheers for your words, just one question before I can make a definate reply, but what do you mean by silouette ? I have an idea but wanted to be sure.

Eldar rule...

Chilli xx

[ElFuego]

by 'silhouette' I mean the outlines of the character. I usually do the high resolution model first (the one that is projected on top of the lowpoly model) and after that model the lowpoly 'inside' that highpoly model. That way I can see the silhouette of the highpoly and can adjust the polys of the lowrez characters accurately.

Normal maps can create illusion of highdetail geometry but they do not add anything to the silhouette. That's why it's important to make the lowpoly geometry match the outerlines of highpoly model. Details that doesn't show in characters silhouette do not need any geometry but details that show up in silhouette need that extra polys in lowpoly model. for example your characters abs do not need that much polys (in other words the 'centervalley' between the abbs is unnecessary).

Eldar sure rule :) Old Slan forever!

[BadSpleen]

Ah I see what you mean. You have any links to tutorials that may show some techniques ?

Chilli

[BadSpleen]

http://www.poopinmymouth.com/tutorial/normal_workflow.htm


here's a good one

[ElFuego]

If you look my second last post you might find that link on the bottom of the message :)

But hoping to see some new stuff soon! :)

[BadSpleen]

well I've decided after viewing many internet tutorials and opinions, I'm gonna make the high poly version first, then make a low poly model within the cage.

Will upload new modelling pics later

Chilli x

[BadSpleen]

I'm tired now. This is my high res cage so far, 2 iterations on the mesh smooth to get that super smooth eldar look, is a bit much but is only gonna be used to render out a normal map so the more polys the merrier I sa.



http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/1949/eldarwip5wm.th.jpg (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eldarwip5wm.jpg)

[ElFuego]

Looks really good! I think you'll get a fine normal map out of that! :)

Don't get tired yet! usually I get tired after generating normalmap and then I need a week pause before I start to texture the thingy :) with my last model I started texturing right away and it was a bad idea. I succest that if you feel tired of doing this start modeling weapon or something for this fella or go camping for a weekend :)

do you have any concept/reference image for this eldar? If so it's also very therapeutic to start modifying it fith tiny details and such. Add some scars, computeroutlets that you can minimodel to give your normalmap a extrapush. And start planning things that you will generate in photoshop via nvidia normalmap plugin. It's always better to plan and lay in the bed than do actual modeling when you'r fed up with the model.

- Artoo

Edit: yeah it's better to do the highpoly first. I'v done maybe 5 models otherway around and the results were baaad. You are on the right track! :)

[BadSpleen]

Cheers for the compliments, I feel the extra push to continue !

When I said I was tired, I meant physically, it was late night here !

After this model is done I'm gonna create a disp map or possibly a super high poly model in ZBrush to add cracks and battle wear etc. I may even do some basic texturing in ZBrush, but I prefer using photoshop as much as possible in texture creation. The reason I use ZBrush at times is because of the ease of adding cracks and alpha maps to bumps. All is going ahead well though, I have some reference images from the Eldar Codex (Warhammer 40K talk) and I'm gonna be adding some details from images in there.

Onwards !!!

Chilli x

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.