Weapon models missing normalmaps and materials
kaadmy opened this issue · 32 comments
Just a couple things that stood out while tweaking model alignment in third/first person.
- Lightning gun has a lower resolution skin than most other weapons
- Lightning gun doesn't appear to have a normal map, seems very flat
- Grenade launcher has tiny specular highlights, hardness has to be tuned down a bit
- Rocket launcher has tiny specular highlights, hardness has to be tuned down a bit
- Hand grenades need a new model and texture, with a small red material pulse.
- Shotgun needs more bumpiness
- Hyperblaster needs more bumpiness
- Adrenaline doesn't have a normal or material file
- CTF flags don't use tintmaps yet
- CTF flags don't have normalmaps (Not noticeable ingame, this is find as-is)
- Ironically, the LG is one of the best looking weapons in the game in my opinion :)
- Agreed that the 'nade could be rounder, and could use a normalmap, maybe even a material.
@Panjoo What do you think of @Buzzard-Bait redoing the GL? It's always been an outlier in terms of its shape. It's been difficult to scale correctly in relation to the other weapons. It takes up a lot of the screen when active, etc. He is shopping his resume around and could use a new portfolio piece..
I think there are questionable design choices in all weapons (but not too bad) so I never had the feeling that the GL didn't fit in with the rest. Okay it is wider than the other stuff, but it is also instantly recognizable and looks like it could actually hold and launch a couple of those round pineapples.
It does kinda stink that I already put a buttload of hours into that model making it error free and especially redoing and enhancing all the skins. And will more weapons follow?
That said, if he thinks he can make something better and deliver a complete weapon: model, skin, glow and normalmap without my help then he can go ahead and try it of course.
But to be honest I don't think I'd be willing to -if needed- finetune or tweak something that is also ment for his portfolio. So, I have some mixed feelings about this Jay, but if you think it will benefit quetoo then I won't stand in the way and I'm kinda curious what he'll come up with.
I see what you mean. There are some things that hold true for mapmaking as well as modeling. It's easy and tempting to get lost in the details, so watch out for that until you're certain that you're going to keep them.
Also don't hesitate to delete or thow away big chunks of the model if you feel you get a "writer's block".
I've had this happen so many times when building maps. Then I design a map area that looks great and promising in itself, but no matter what I do it just will not connect with the rest of the map structure. It's almost like I'm trying to force a piece of puzzle in that's not even from the same puzzle.
But at the same time I really want to keep and use that area. So if I don't make the right decision at that point it will probably break the map, instead of make it. If I decide to "Frankenstein" the cool area into the map then people who see and play it will most likely sense that something is not right, even though they can't put their finger on it.
So the wisest thing would probably be to cut that area out and save it for another project. It sucks to delete work but I've learned to look at it as a sacrifice that was needed to get back on the right track. Sometimes you really need to make something in 3D first, just so you can see that it's not what you want.
And doodle stuff on paper as much as you can, not only when you get stuck but also to get to know your own design. I hope that makes sense, it does to me:)
I love seeing this kind of back and forth here :)
still tweaking the view alignment but where it is there the grenade looks as if it comes out from the right area. glows green in the port holes on that side piece. not sure if thats the best way to go honestly but am open for any opinions. Old GL was 918 tris this one is 1,082. Little more but it should be within acceptable terms i believe. the shotgun is a bit closer to the same tricount at 1,027.
forgot to add that. guess that would help as well lol
Maybe move the GL down and back very slightly, right now it's pretty big in the view.
Now that's starting to look like something, the blender render is sweet.
Although from the side the profile reminded me of an old cannon, a vacuumcleaner and a vintage blow dryer:) Not that that's bad or anything because I think it's actually a funny design.
I do think the ammo-clip-wheel-thing(?) deserves more attention, texture-wise at least. I would probably have painted 6 or 8 rounds in it or added more complex shapes.
I searched for some round shapes and here I took the upper example and scribbled it over your image. Just an idea though, I haven't really studied the model yet.
I'd just mess around and experiment some more with the round ammo clip until you find the right shape and go from there.
@Buzzard-Bait BTW your email has antivirus stuff in it...
yes iv seen... lol
got some free time finally! went with about 99% of panjoo's suggestion as i just like the shape of the center better this way.
The weapon looks very good this way, I like how you actually extruded the gear-shape inward.
Only thing that doesn't look super yet is the glow_skin as it's too sharp and strong. I would suggest using softer blurred dots and maybe even decrease their opacity to make the lights more subtle. Same with the circle.
I think that would work, just add a black layer underneath and lower opacity after blurring.
But best would probably be to also make the circle less thick, easier to just do it again I guess.
(I'm offline for now, TTYL)
CC @ptrvrhvn here's @Buzzard-Bait 's GL, if you wouldn't mind getting 'er into git :)
@Buzzard-Bait GL is now in -- thank you for this!
@kaadmy @Buzzard-Bait How do we feel about a new hand grenade model that's more round and with a red pulse via material? I'm basically thinking of the thermal detonator from Star Wars:
If the glow is green, that sort of ties it together with the weapon / ammo icon that we have for it..
Gotta be honest for a second, I have two issues with the current grenade launcher.
One of my pet peeves in scifi design is the urge to put leds in all kinds of places where they really don't make any practical sense. On the nade launcher it's alright, but still enough to trigger me :P
- The leds on the nade launcher I dislike the green color of the lights at the moment, it stands out too much. Yellow/orange/brown might be better?
- The greebly bits on the barrel side feel pasted-on, they don't add that much either, I would just keep it flat honestly. It's not like you can see them very well in first person either.
Apart from that I really like it :)
I also really like Pan's old model, it looks great in third person and very original. The shape communicates it's function well, it looks a bit unnatural in first person though. I think we should recycle it if we ever add a weapon with a similar function.
I hear you. The green LEDs were added because the icon for the GL / grenades is also green, and we have several other weapons in the yellow / orange family (all bullet weapons). So, a nod towards green to make sense of the color coding that existed in the game seemed right.
The old model was actually done by TRaK, and then improved by Pan, if memory serves me well. And agreed that it was a cool and unique weapon that we could potentially repurpose someday. Like a mine weapon, or something.