Character Modelling Guidelines

Project for GameDev.net's Four Elements VI Contest
September 27th, 2007 to April 3rd, 2008
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paradoxnj
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Character Modelling Guidelines

Post by paradoxnj » Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:20 pm

Ok. Here are some guidelines for modelling characters for use in the GDNET 4E6 Contest Entry:
  • No less than 2000, no more than 5000 polys for character models.
  • 1 Ogre Material is desired for performance reasons.
  • Models should look realistic. I am aiming for a Final Fantasy 8 character style at minimum.
  • Normal maps are encouraged
The list will grow as we continue. Ogre supports the following modelling programs:
  • Blender - Search the Ogre Wiki for the Mesh Exporter Script for Blender
  • Milkshape - Get the Milkshape Exporter from the Ogre Wiki
  • 3DS Max- Ogre Wiki again
  • Maya - There is a Maya exporter for Ogre somewhere
EDIT History:
10-25-2007 - Added Juutis' suggestion about realism.
Last edited by paradoxnj on Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Juutis
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Post by Juutis » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:22 am

What style are we going for? Like as realistic as possible... or a little cartoonish? It ain't gonna look good if there's a photorealistic human riding a My Little Pony.
1 Ogre Material is desired for performance reasons.
I tried to search the Ogre site for some info but it didn't help much. Does '1 material' mean that the model can have only one diffuse texture, and nothing else? Or can we add normal maps and other textures?
Pain is only psychological.

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Post by paradoxnj » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:42 pm

An Ogre Material can be a combination of textures with shaders. Think of a Quake 3 Shader file or a DirectX Effect file. Check out the Ogre Wiki Entry. A material can contain one or more passes. Each indiviual material must contain at least one pass.

I added your suggested standard in the list above. Models should be realistic, but not ultra-realistic. I'm aiming for a Final Fantasy 8 look.

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Juutis
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Post by Juutis » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:09 pm

Great. I'll start modeling myself as soon as I can. :)
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scott
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Post by scott » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:52 pm

without an editor that can apply these things from a milkshape model its a little pointelss for me so until these effects and everything can be put on using RF 2 im not gona b any good.
*GD*

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Post by DaveC » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:13 am

I made a quick little sketch for a possible character, but seeing as how you mentioned Final Fantasy I quickly got some Anime influence in it, BUT since i only draw American stuff, it ended up coming out like crap lol.
(don't expect much from me, I tend to work myself up with these things haha)

SO yeah, i probably wont make this, just posting it as an idea for whoever wants it.
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paradoxnj
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Post by paradoxnj » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:13 pm

Actually...it's not that bad. It's better than anything I can do. :) It might look different in 3D. Can you model and animate it? Just a walk animation for now. There is a bunch of free motion capture data floating around the net somewhere.

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Post by federico » Sun Nov 04, 2007 12:18 am

I suggest you to steal the skeleton and the motion from a game like HL2 or FarCry. I know it's not strictly legal though

1) the theft isn't visible. Before the distribution of the game you can encrypt somehow the model
2) you can create a model with a 20$ app like milkshape good as a commercial one but, as a matter of fact, you cannot animate it at the same level
3) you're not going to sell the game

If you need horses take a look at Dark Messiah. The models and animations can be easily grabbed using the HL2 mod tools... the game has some great melee and sword fighting animations.

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Post by zany_001 » Mon Nov 05, 2007 3:23 am

i might do sum modelling once ive done the first basic bunnies for stealth bunnies.
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Post by darksmaster923 » Mon Nov 05, 2007 4:03 am

zany_001 wrote:i might do sum modelling once ive done the first basic bunnies for stealth bunnies.
oooooo ur making the magical stealth bunnies of doom???? yayyyyyyyyy
Herp derp.

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Post by zany_001 » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:30 pm

yah, ive finished a real basic model which the body took about 5 mins, but suks, for you to use for testing.ill animate it this satday.if i can.yeah.
Once I was sad, and I stopped being sad and was awesome instead.
True story.

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paradoxnj
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Post by paradoxnj » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:52 am

Thanks Zany!! :)

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Post by ericssin » Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:44 pm

well I'll do my best, starting now...

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Post by zany_001 » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:24 am

np paradoxnj. and can ui use weight mapping?or wtever you call it here.
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Post by vrageprogrammer » Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:25 pm

Can I help?
I'm good at modelling!
It was not Possible to determine the dimensions of the image....

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