Character: Fred (Cartoony)

[Talos]

cute :)

do u plan on texturing it?

[Akkalis]

Yes, I do plan on texturing him, although on texturing him with what I can get directly out of Maya. I don't intend to do any mapping is what I mean.

And egads, I just noticed how straight his arms are. Too straight to even IK properly if I understand correctly.

I also appologize for the formatting, I didn't realize it would wrap my words based on thread width!:thumbsdow

[Talos]

whoa! never noticed :P haha ya don't know much about maya im a xsi man my self... but it looks awesome can't wait till hes done and all rigged up. :bounce:

[Stimpy]

your character is looking nice so far, but i would try to change him a little bit..

because a one eyed character with green skin, a red t-shirt and blue pants is quite well known.

link (http://www.4x4pride.org/RobsHome/Videos/Alien/BlitWizbok.JPG)

so maybe try to alter your character a bit so it doesnt look like you were inspired by him

[Akkalis]

Hrm, you are right Stimpy, and the design might actually be inspired by that (as I said, a classmate did the design). I'll definately think of changing the colors scheme. But do you recommend actually changing the design on a modelling level as well?

[Stimpy]

play around with the colors first, or give him some accessories or whatever. that might be enough to make him look different.

be your first picture instantly reminded me of the alien song, which i think you should (and obviously want) to avoid.

[Akkalis]

Okay, here is a minor update to the mesh of the character. I think this will probably, pending a few minor tweaks and perhaps suggestions, be the final character mesh. However, that doesn't include his rocketpack which is to be modeled soon I hope.

Stimpy: I haven't played around with the colors at all yet. And yes, I want to avoid it looking like its a copy, but if it resembles it a little, I am not going to fret over it too much. Looking at the origional design, with the rocketpack, do you think that might be enough accessories to distance it? With a color change as well?

http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~mhledwards/davinci/FredModelSheet02.jpg

http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~mhledwards/davinci/FredWire02.jpg

[Akkalis]

Okay, I think I've finished the model itself pending suggestions/critiques and I've moved onto blendshapes.

I have the lipsync blends done right now only, critiques please?

Model:
http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~mhledwards/davinci/FredModelSheet03.jpg

Blends:
http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~mhledwards/davinci/FredBlends01.jpg

Although no one has asked, its all done in Maya 4.5, with polys. Photoshop has been used for some small textures.

[Tylak]

nice blend sheet! :thumbsup:

[aenema]

heh, this is the first time ive ever seen a blend sheet, those lipsyncs look great

[Akkalis]

Its also the first time I have seen a blend sheet. I dunno, I've had problems with proper lipsync blends in the past, wanted advice, so it seemed a good idea to throw them all into one image. :)

Can anyone see anything really wrong with them? I had a bit of trouble with this character in particular cause he really don't have lips.

[JFrench]

Nothing wrong with them except the fact that they are sort of bland and minimalistic. They should all be exagerated more. Also make sure to do TONS of shapes for the eyelid and eyebrow/forehead area. Since he has one big eye, you can show a lot of emotion with that area. You also need to have emotive blendshapes too, not just letters. Smiles, frowns, grins, jaw side to side, open, forward, back, lip curls, on and on. You get the idea. He's just quite plain.
And among other problems with the model, the main thing you should fix before doing many more blendshapes, is give him more spans around his elbows, knees, neck, waist, and pelvis. He is obviously not a game character so don't be afraid to use more geometry where you need it. Places that will be doing a lot of deforming.

[Akkalis]

JFrench: These are just the lipsync blends, I do intend to do action/emotion blends as well. But are you saying the lipsync shapes themselves are too bland, or are too bland in the absence of the other (yet to be created) blends?
As for the spans around the knees/elbows, how much do you recommend? I have cut in more since my last post of a wire (at current joint area is three spans, unsmoothed ofcourse) and when I did a few quick deform tests they appeared to work okay with three.

[JFrench]

The letters themselves are pretty bland. Always push things a little too far. It turns out for the better every time! Actually distort more of his face than just his lips for these shapes too. Maybe you will be adding this later and you can just combine them, but he should have his cheecks actually compress and expand for certain letters, etc.
I would suggest at least 5 spans on every joint...just what I like to go by.

[mage111]

the model itself looks so simple and cute, you know like them carnival dolls you win from ring toss cute and simple? :p

really good though i think its a great design. and to the comment about the look of him being already well known... i think the models personality sets it apart already. just my thoughts

btw, wheres the punk rawk clothes? :p

and the rocket should have "peace, not war" on it ;-)

i really like this model, well done

[Akkalis]

Thanks for th compliments Mage111.

JFrench: Okay, I'll try and push them a little more as you said, adding some more cheek/jaw deformations. Now, as for the spans thing. I've heard five before as well, so I don't see no reason not to do it. But one question on their placement? Should it be even like this: | | | | | or more like this: | | | | |?

I'll get another update done as soon as possible, but with school it might be a day or two.

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