New fan art... well, kinda

[ziritrion]

One of my favourite videogames is Quake 3 Arena, a game on which you choose a character, grab some kind of projectile-throwing weapon and pretty much kill everyone else who is on the screen. It's simple and it's lots of fun. It's pretty old too, but I still keep playing it. One of the things that the game allows you to do (if you have the skills) is to create your own characters, as well as weapons, new maps, and you can even modify the whole game to make it a completely new game (called a modification or "mod"). Nowadays, most games allow you to do that, but Q3A is still the easiest game to make new stuff for. Lots of people make new character models, which you can find online on places like http://www.polycount.com. Usually, these models are either self-creations by their artists or models inspired by movies, comic-books, other videogames, cartoons, or whatever. And, since I love Usagi Yojimbo, I really wanted to play with an Usagi model. However, I've always dreaded using very complex 3D programs like 3D Studio, because they're pretty hard to use (or I'm too dumb to use them) and I never had the time to learn to use them (or I was/am too lazy to learn). And then, last week, I discovered this wonderful program called MilkShape, which allows you to easily model in 3D and create models for specific videogames. So, after some testing, I started to model my very own Usagi Yojimbo model! . So far, I've only got the head and a half of the torax. Here's an image:



Here's a link for a full screenshot (size: 138 kB).

I pretty much model looking at the UY comics and trying to figure out the proportions. I also have one background UY image on the PC (not shown in the picture) which helps me to place the vertex (plural?) on the right places. However, I can't figure out where those hair locks (whiskers?) on both sides of the head should be. I just placed them on a parallel line to Usagi's would-be eyes. But in the comic book, whenever there's a side shot of Usagi, the "whiskers" seem to be closer to the head's back and placed on a 45 degree line from the eye line. Are the whiskers right or wrong on the model? Can anyone help me out? If you see anything wrong with it, please let me know.

Yes, I know the ears suck, I'll try to fix them . It took me a whole week to do this (I started modelling Monday) and I still have to finish the whole model, animate it, draw a skin for it (I'll seek help for this, I just can't draw), and port it to the game, so expect at least a month before it's finished . As soon as I finish it, I'll put it online so anyone can download and play with it, as long as Mr. Sakai agrees with it . And if I get better at modelling, I'll probably improve the model and port it to other games like Unreal Tournament 2003.

[takematsu]

helps me to place the vertex (plural?) on the right places

Vertices.

Yes, I am showing off. I also realize a LOT of people on this forum don't have English as a first language, and they're all doing WAY better than I would in a second language.

[ziritrion]

Quote:
helps me to place the vertex (plural?) on the right places


Vertices.

Oops, I beg your pardon . Irregular word derivatives are always a pain in any language . Luckily, English doesn't have many . I wouldn't like being a non-European and having to learn languages like French or Spanish. I've heard that Finnish is way harder though...

BTW, I finished the hakama! I only need to make a foot, duplicate the model and mirror it to make the whole body (I'm making just one half, since both sides are almost the same), and adding details like the swords (which I haven't figured out yet how I'm gonna place them on the model). I'm having lots of trouble with the coxis, but I think I'll solve them in 2 or 3 days .

[Qion]

You're making just one half? Pretty sneaky. But remember about the scar over the left eye.

[ziritrion]

Actually, the scar doesn't have to be in the model, it's just a black line on the head texture, so don't worry, I won't forget . I do one half and then mirror it to the other side, afterwards I add details like the daisho, etc...

So, I just finished the foot (HARDEST. THING. EVER!!) and mirrored the whole thing! The model is almost done! I still have to work on the hips, though, and add the swords. However, I've noticed that the model has too many polygons (right now it has about 1000), so I'll have to make a simplified version so it will run on slower computers .

[Gamefreak]

i like that, i hope u can play as him. id like to see usagi use his katana to slice-up most of the other players

[Qion]

Well, the problem's that they would also have to have an Usagi skin downloaded to actually see him. And of course forget about the sword weapon; that would need a special mod, and some messing with the animations...

[ziritrion]

# QUICK UPDATE #

So far, I have the whole body (head, torso, legs) and I only need to add the arms and the swords. Then I have to skin it and animate it. I know I should have had it ready for October, but I changed my graphics card around that time and MilkShape just won't work anymore, which really puzzles me. I can't update the program because I don't have internet access at home (I was supposed to have it since November, but Spanish telcos have the worst customer care in the planet and it looks like I won't have it until January. My roommates and I are planning to sue, but I'm afraid that won't help ). I also need to format my hard disk 'cause my PC is beginning to behave not as good as I wanted to.

Oh yeah, I also have final exams in January, which means that these holidays are gonna be joyfully filled with hours of study . In February I have a break though, so I'll get back to work .