Character Pack -- Normal Map Tests

#41 @Will Harrison
I'm very interested in character packs too...
Especially, in the one-hand-sword/two-hand-sword/axe/spear fighting bone animations, as well as bow/rifle animations.

And what about attaching robes/helmets to the models?

#42 @Frankie, nice concepts, thanks. The models will be available in different formats that I will determine people want. So far we have.... .ms3d, .obj, and of course .dts/.dsq. For style reference, I'm looking at the Final Fantasy series (8, 11, and 12).

@Kefan, Definitely!

@Alexander, hopefully the animations will include all these:
- one-handed sword attack (other hand holding shield)
- two-handed sword attack (no shield)
- axe attack
- spear attack
- mage's staff attack
- crossbow, rifle, or any ranged weapon attack

There will be 2 or 3 different animations for each attack.

I will save the traditional bow and arrow attack for another pack where there will be a female elven archer.

I'm going to make this first pack all-male and the next pack will be the female cast. I have a story setup too and each character has a background. Makes it more fun to make. :)

#43 Thanks, Will!

Very cool news. As for traditional bow, I would like to have it also with a male character. In fact, I would like to have every weapon type with both, female and male, as I need highly customized heroes. I think, if you make 2 packs with all the weapon types, 3-4 persons in each, I'll be your customer ;P as well as lots of others here.

BTW, dont forget the idea about attachable helmets and robs (with step/run textile animation). :)

Sincerely.

#44 Sounds cool, but don't forget to animate the bow string getting pulled back. ;-)

#45 It sounds great .... I love the ideas :)

#46 This sounds great Will. It's good that there will be animations supporting use of various weapons but for my game I plan to de-emphasise combat (heretical I know, but there you are). One thing I hate about the default characters with Torque is they all look stupid when they're not holding a weapon. Can we have some non-weapon poses too?

#47 @Zik, there will be two idle stance animations... one, combat-ready, and two, "normal mode" (no weapon). I will also make some variations to the idle animations. For example, when a character idles for a while, they look from side to side or appear more relaxed.


@Ole, thanks!

@Josh, Okay :)

@Alexander, The way that it will be setup is so that any animation can be adapted to any character, whether male or female. So if one character can use a weapon, any other character could also use it (if you want them to).

(About robes... eventually, I would like to code a physics-based cape that could be attached to the character's shoulders. So when they walk or run, the cape would flow dynamically behind them. Or even flutter in the wind while they stand.)

EDIT --

PS. I have a base model completed now (just the mesh). Now moving on to texturing.

#48 Will,

How do you connect animation to the mesh? I'm not an exp artist, but do catch things fast ;) If I will be changing a mesh, do I need to connect vertices to the bones manually , or you have another implementation?

As for the robes, you have a very interesting idea. I think, it may take time, as for now, I could be satisfied with just robe animation. You may create another pack for textile physics, I'll be your customer anyway ;)

Just to let you know: I would be very interested also in MAX4 or 3DS formats for models, if you can deliver them also.

Thank you.

#49 "How do you connect animation to the mesh?"

Vertices of the mesh are assigned or bound to their corresponding bones. For example, the vertices around the forearm are connected to the forearm bone, so that animations made with the forearm bone will affect those assigned vertices accordingly. This binding process will be done by me -- you don't have to do it manually.


Re Customisation of the Mesh

There are 3 primary methods to changing the mesh, if desired.

1.) Move the existing vertices of the original mesh in 3D space to redefine the shape as you like. The vertices are already assigned to their corresponding bones so that is all the changes you have to do. Now re-export the mesh to .dts format and it's ready to go.

2.) If you want to make some very significant changes to the mesh, like say you want the character to have a horn growing out of his forehead, then you would have to make those changes to the mesh and would invlolve adding new vertices. Those new vertices now have to be manually assigned to their corresponding bone... and finally, you would have to make changes to the texture map to include your horn. The rebinding process is not difficult in itself, but making the actual geometry changes to the mesh and then having to edit the texture map, would be, for a novice. However, there is an easier way...

3.) To continue the horn example, instead of deforming and adding new vertices into the original mesh, you can simply attach the horn to the head bone by script. This means you simply make the horn by itself and texture it separately and export it out and then write a line of script to make the attachment. The only drawback to this kind of attachment is that you will have an aliased seam where the base of the horn meets the forehead -- not that big a deal. For obviously separated components, like helmets, shoulder pads, armor, etc. this is an ideal method.


I will write tutorials that explain these 3 methods step-by-step in Photoshop and Milkshape.

For the physics-based robe/cape I will most likely provide that as a free resource in GG's Resource section.

Re Formats, I will include .3DS too, thanks for mentioning :)

#50 @ Will - I'm looking forward to this with great anticipation. I like the fact that you're using milkshape. Hope it doesn't turn out to be another "sorry, don't have time to finish this" project :-)

The other model that I would like to see (and I know it's a more ambitious one) is a horse mounted rider or better yet an animated horse that you can mount the other models to.

#51 Nice models.
what would the lic agreement be like for buying your models? Could i use them in all my project releases or just 1?

#52 @Jeff, I would like to make a "Creatures & Villains" pack eventually, following the same RPG/fantasy theme... and that's where I would include horses and other animals. About finishing, it will get done for sure, just have to make the textures now.... and work on the bone setup.


@Ace, you can use them as many times as you would like in any way that you want (except selling them by them selves). What I would expect is people will take them and change them up to suit their specific game and then sell their game. I think having this basic character setup will really accelerate the development of any RPG-type project.

#53 Would be inrested in D&D creatures . one-hand-sword/two-hand-sword/axe/spear fighting bone animations, as well as bow with code and script and dts code

#54 @Frankie Taylor : The "Sexy Female" listed as a conceptual art in your post is a 3D rendering of a model created by Max Shelekhov here.

#55 We'd love to see an animal pack with horses, deer, rabbits, eagles, etc. They'd add a lot of extra depth and atmosphere to a game by themselves (especially RPGs), but also make it possible for developers to build new custom creatures by using them as a base (even with simple custom textures on the same mesh, they could add incredible variety). Basic animations, etc. would also be needed.

#56 Will, I'll buy as many of these packs as you can make!

#57 I would be, interested in doing an AI pack , all we need is some models cuz sp_starter kit could easily be turned into a pack-age :).

25-40 bucks is a good price for any model thats animated and exported to torque, but now ya gotta think, if you sold a model for 25-40 bucks sure there will be a few people interested, say a few people add up to 10. 10x 40= 400.


Now say you sold it for 15 bucks, odds are you would sell alot more, lets say a lot more add up to 100 people buying the pack 100x 15= 1500.

make any sence? Volume is the key word here. Remember devs will be the only ones buying,

just thought id throw some numbers out at ya. :)

#58 @Will

Just an FYI for you, most of the animations and scripts that you intend to include are available for free to any TGE liscensee through Realm Wars. As such you might want to try to offer something fresh or new.

Also just to warn you, a lot of what you are speaking of I have already done for the next Realm Wars release. As such you and I might want to contact so that Realm Wars does not step on your toes.

@Pat

I noticed the exact same thing when I saw the image. Funny how small the internet is isn't it? ;)

@Frankie

I think a lot of people are confused whether or not you are using the actual 3D models in your game or if you are just using it as reference material. Either way though it would be a good idea to come clean with this before you and your team get the reputation of being "theives" or "hacks".

Logan

#59 @Pat & L Foster.

We are using the images for conceptual 'Art Style' and visual reference. So to clarify: those are images of someone elses work, not ours.

PS: If you click on the image properties you will see that they link to TurboSquid. hehe

#60 @Will

Thanks alot, excellent explanation! Very good point about attaching a helmet to a model.


I'm looking forward to get my hands dirty ;)