Wolfire Games Forums

Whoo

The head, the arms, the hands, the torso, the back, the crotch, the ass, the legs and the feet are all pretty bad. Now, the reason why they're bad isn't because you can't model, but because you don't really know how a human body works, how it looks, and which parts it's made from.



You don't have the time to learn it for this project, because it's hard. It might be worthwhile to start practicing it immediately, though, so that you'll be ready for your 50th project sometime in the future.
http://www.posemaniacs.com/thirtysecond


So, if you can't do a human yet, what can you do? Well, you actually don't know ANYTHING well enough to model it... without reference. So first, find a really good reference image of what you want to do. Since a human body is hard even with reference, look for a robot or a cartoony character with humanoidish shape, instead. You can probably model something pretty good, as long as you have a good reference. How do you know if something is a good reference? A good modeling reference is called "model sheet".

There's a problem with model sheets. They're not accurate. The professional stuff gets very close, but even they are only accurate from the views that have been actually drawn. Even if you have front, top and side profiles perfect, the character might look bad from the over-the-shoulder view common in games. So, while you're modeling, remember to go into perspective (numpad 5) and just rotate the view around your model, and LOOK at it. "Is this right? Does this look good? Does this look awesome?"

I like that shit damn good.
I mean, just look at that head detail shit. Nice for a WIP shit for your shit game. But yeah the ears do look like shit
Endoperez is right too, I mean, wtf with the feet? Also you seem not to know how the human body looks like. (Neither do I but meh) That's why the character looks weird, odd. Maybe it wouldn't matter if it was some sort of weird ass shit species for your shit game.

Retarded Username wrote: Also you seem not to know how the human body looks like. (Neither do I but meh) That's why the character looks weird, odd. Maybe it wouldn't matter if it was some sort of weird ass shit species for your shit game.

Unfortunately, it does matter. Why? I'm pretty sure you (or anyone else willing to try it) won't be able to name any monster that isn't based on existing creature or creatures.

The most "alien" creatures will be something like the Headcrab, with insect/crablike legs and insect/crablike mouthparts, but a body shape similar to the human cranium. It wouldn't work if the jaws and the legs didn't look like something you had seen before, or if the body would be, say, a cube.

Endoperez wrote:

Retarded Username wrote: Also you seem not to know how the human body looks like. (Neither do I but meh) That's why the character looks weird, odd. Maybe it wouldn't matter if it was some sort of weird ass shit species for your shit game.

Unfortunately, it does matter. Why? I'm pretty sure you (or anyone else willing to try it) won't be able to name any monster that isn't based on existing creature or creatures.

The most "alien" creatures will be something like the Headcrab, with insect/crablike legs and insect/crablike mouthparts, but a body shape similar to the human cranium. It wouldn't work if the jaws and the legs didn't look like something you had seen before, or if the body would be, say, a cube.

Well... "Some sort of weird species" could be the "navi" from Avatar. They are similar to humans, but a bit distorted. That's what I meant.
You are right on that one, most alien creatures (or at least 98%) are based on real life creatures.

Retarded Username wrote:Well... "Some sort of weird species" could be the "navi" from Avatar. They are similar to humans, but a bit distorted. That's what I meant.
You are right on that one, most alien creatures (or at least 98%) are based on real life creatures.

Making na'vi is pretty much like making a human. Going for a stylized, cartoony style and leaving out the details can work, but even there it's quite clear if details were left out because of style, or because the creator didn't know about them.

My biggest critique is the overall shape of the body from the side -- the front and back look pretty solid, but from the side view he looks very flat. There are a lot of important curves on the side profile, like the spine, the rib cage, and so on. Did a quick image search and found a pretty good demonstration:

Woah, WOAH! David replied to your thread!
Damn... Hello David!

David wrote:My biggest critique is the overall shape of the body from the side -- the front and back look pretty solid, but from the side view he looks very flat. There are a lot of important curves on the side profile, like the spine, the rib cage, and so on. Did a quick image search and found a pretty good demonstration:

That's pretty useful, I'll save it

Endoperez wrote: Making na'vi is pretty much like making a human. Going for a stylized, cartoony style and leaving out the details can work, but even there it's quite clear if details were left out because of style, or because the creator didn't know about them.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17187 so... How did I do on stylized?

I like how these images have the written notes mirrored Leonardo-esque.
I'm not sure whether those legs are a bit too crooked though, but it certainly does show the contrast accurately.

Though I'd much like to, after you've had some practice, of course, urge you to try some biologically-thought-through creativity in the creation of a new species. I've seen too little of that sort of thing, and it's about time people stopped being so speciesist. Galactic political correctness whahey!
...or not.

...David replied to my thread...


...In the randomness forum...


I feel so special. Thanks David!


This specific character is supposed to be human, but the game is set in the future, so there will(hopefully) be some sort of interplanetary travel and a few alien species, but that is way off in the future plans for this game. First I want to have a guy walk around nicely(the current capsule system of movement sucks, even though it's first person). But when I do add aliens, I would like to think very creatively and not base it off earth stuff, but that is pretty hard, considering that is all I know, and even if I do make something unique, it should still make sense, and I don't know enough about biology or aerodynamics so...


Endo, that's some pretty useful stuff, and some good advice. I think it's mostly off around the crotch, feet, shoulders, and, like David(!) said, the side view. But this model doesn't need to be perfect, so with a little work and a lot of references, it can be ok. And yeah, I've already rotated around my model a few times in perspective, that's why I posted here asking for help!


Thanks for all the help! I might post back later with improvements if it still feels off.

EDIT: if anyone is interested, I, by chance, stumbled upon the original reference image that David posted. Here:

adwuga is one sexy motherfucker

Looks like someone fell into a pit of tar which solidified around him and when the CSI unit came around the chief inspector said, "Make a model of it slaves!" and so his personal Oompa Loompas made a plastic cast out of it and gave it to the inspector who said "K thanks guize"

By the way, I wonder how super cool David feels being treated like a celebrity wherever he posts something

lol

Fuck that and use makehuman

Freshbite wrote:You are gonna love this next part ...

Good thing adwuga hasn't seen that post.

That, my friend, is only a matter of time...