Development Stage 1

I have begun to model the main torso of my Unreal Character. This has brought some interesting things to light.

A) I really enjoy modelling my own designed items.

B) My blueprints are as wonky as a three legged donkey.

C) Modelling makes me really happy. I have found that the time passes so quickly but I am happy as Larry.

I am really enjoying this module. I really love the process of researching an idea, creating designs and then seeing it become something of form. I can understand why people buy those figurines a little more now.

I just hope that it continues to be as fun and exciting all the way through. I can already see areas that I want to develop and change and I think that there will be some interesting challenges to conquer.

Face to Face

I find it very scary modelling my own face. It is a little like the wax work sculptures. It is me, but it looks like a dead version of me.

I have really enjoyed making this model and even though I am not completed yet, really like the outcome. I need to neaten areas up and make the facial definitions clearer, but for a first attempt, I think it isn't half bad. I must admit, my tutor helped considerably with the ears. I spent a long time chasing triangles around until he pointed out a solution I could not see.

I have also started to colour my blue print. I just wanted to get an idea of what colour scheme I might choose.

Modelling and Refinements

I ventured into college on Friday seeking a progression report. Talking to Dean we resolved some areas of the characters design that would have had issues when it came to modelling.

Looking at the legs there would have been an issue when they bent. There were also areas that Dean did not like, and I was not too happy with them either.

I plan on developing the side view a little more and incorporate the slats from the shoulder into the leg panel. I am also unsure about the arm spikes as they are a little too mcu like the batman suite.

I began modelling the face in Max. We are all modelling our own faces so had to get photographs of the front and the side. These we then put into Max on two sides of a box set to 14x14 which is as close as damn it to UT3 Scale.

For a start, I knew my nose was big, but how often do you look at a profile of your own face. It is very weird...............................................................................

Big Red Button

Well it is in fact probably more like a little red button, but the theory is the same. I have not posted anything for a while, mainly because I have been unhappy with the characters development. Looking back over the development sheets I realised that I had lost something from the initial designs. I decided that I was going to re develop the design. I have used the main design features from my development but slimmed the design down. It fits the UT3 skeleton without being huge.

To get to this stage I found that I had to do a lot more drawing. I have sheets of scribbles and frustration but I am pleased with the result so the madness was worth it.

These two sheets I found were the most helpful. Being able to draw arms and legs quickly without thinking about the whole too much enabled me to get my ideas down and develop then to work with the final character.

I am at a stage at the moment where I am happy with the developed character so I want to create a coloured image, but I am under no illusion that this design will change as I build it in 3D Studio Max. I will keep it as close as I can to the design but I am sure I will continue to develop the model until the deadline.

Filtering Out the Faf

From the few images I chose off the the second generation development sheets, I developed my ideas and tried to progress onto the first larger design. I wanted to take something more substantial into college so that I could develop the character and get feedback.

I am really pleased with some aspects of this design but it is too narrow and does not give off that bounty hunter feel, it seems to be a bit more like someone into extreme sports.

Dean my tutor suggested something more along the lines of this, with a lot more amour and chunkier backpack and legs. It fits more with the Unreal 3 engine and design.

As we are importing our character into the UT3 engine we will be using the skeletons that they use for their characters. As such I decided that I wanted to see what scale they used. I got an export of one of UT3's characters in 3D Max. Straight away you can see that it is extremely chunky. Also my design would not fit the skeleton so I am now going to use that as my base for the character and develop the armour to fit that structure.

Working over a print out I am starting to develop the armour and thinking about how it will all fit together on the joints. I have found when drawing that the arms feel too short on the skeleton and the hands seem far too big. I think this is Unreal exaggerating areas to give a bulky feel.

I am having trouble with the shoulder pads on the design. I want something that will enhance the silhouette but I also want it to be there for a reason. Maybe an emblem, or an area to show trophies of captured bounties?

I am pleased with this design. I like the chunky shoulder pads but I think they come down too low over the upper arm. I wan to see if I can develop the shoulder pads and stomach armour.

I feel I am getting closer and closer. I am definitely feeling better about the design. I think that the arms will be different in armour styles as I want the backpack to come over the right shoulder and pipes to sun down the arm. I think that a little more research may help me resolve how the armour ill work on the arms.

I need to have my blueprints finished for Monday of next week ready to commence modelling. As such I have given it a lot of time today but I am unsure with the design still.

These are the further development images that I have been working on. I asked my fiancée to look over them and chose a couple that she thought had a striking or interesting silhouette and she selected the jacketed character, the robotic armed character and the middle character with the more medieval armour on the next sheet.

I have circled a couple of areas that I think could have some potential. I quite like the idea of having an open faced helmet as I feel that the suit should be able to travel safely in a vacuum and I think it could add to the recognition factor.

Whilst researching for the development part of this project, I collected many images. These next three are very close to where I think I will be heading in my development.

In my initial development thumbnails, one character chosen by a few people as interesting was wearing a full length cloak/Jacket. I really like the mixture of future armour and monk style robs in this Jedi character from the Old Republic. I am not sure if we will be learning how to deal with fabric in this module but if I can I would really like to try.

For the weapon I mentioned that I was thinking of a soul catcher. Seeing this image gave me the idea that capsules could be used and stored on the characters back, making it an area of interest and linking into the level. As the player will be seeing the back most, it needs to be interesting.

Finally this amazing image from the Star Craft II website was something that I found early on that started the idea of a soul capturing weapon on the bounty hunter. Maybe the gauntlet can harvest the souls and transport them directly to the backpack. Either way this is a brilliant image and just makes me want to improve.................................

Silhouettes

Here are the silhouettes of my rabble. I have circled around the characters that I stood out to me. There are aspects on many that I like and I will no doubt try to incorporate them into the design but for this process I am going to take the ones circled and develop them further

I am not sure about the history of my bounty hunter yet, which could change the design so I will have to think about that as well. I think I am going to follow the stereotypical route of a male character who has a shady background. I am also unsure whether or not to have him as a full humanoid or alien influences.