Alien Model
by Roger Bacon · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 11/04/2004 (1:15 pm) · 37 replies
Hello!
Im just trying to get used to Torque's Art pipeline, and this is the fist model ive exported using the Maya2DTS plugin. seems to work very well so far, but this is static so i'll have to see how it handles complex anims :)
I dont really know how to use torque yet, so this is a screengrab from the -show utility. hope you like it.
any warhammer 40k fans will be able to identify this as a Tyranid Hive Tyrant :)
Im just trying to get used to Torque's Art pipeline, and this is the fist model ive exported using the Maya2DTS plugin. seems to work very well so far, but this is static so i'll have to see how it handles complex anims :)
I dont really know how to use torque yet, so this is a screengrab from the -show utility. hope you like it.
any warhammer 40k fans will be able to identify this as a Tyranid Hive Tyrant :)
About the author
#2
11/04/2004 (2:45 pm)
Hehe just checked out your website and I can tell your a big warhammer40k fan :) I must say i like your skaven model the best (always been a fantasy junkie :P)
#3
Very nice modelling... what is the poly count on this guy? Could you post an image of the mesh?
You should be able to get away with just about any animation scheme you like, Torque does fully support custom skeletons. Of course you'll have to make all his movement animation by hand.
Edit: Spelling
11/04/2004 (3:12 pm)
Hooray for skaven. The art on your website is awesome.Very nice modelling... what is the poly count on this guy? Could you post an image of the mesh?
You should be able to get away with just about any animation scheme you like, Torque does fully support custom skeletons. Of course you'll have to make all his movement animation by hand.
Edit: Spelling
#4
11/04/2004 (4:43 pm)
Wow Roger, very cool. :D
#5
Alex: heres a pic of mesh. 3172 tri's for this guy.
i'll test animation out tonight as its already animated. it was made for an Xbox 40k FPS that never saw the light of day. :(
ideally i'd like to get it stomping across the landscape but i'll have to learn a bit more about implementing in torque first.
cheers,
-Rog
11/05/2004 (12:03 am)
Thanks chaps :)Alex: heres a pic of mesh. 3172 tri's for this guy.
i'll test animation out tonight as its already animated. it was made for an Xbox 40k FPS that never saw the light of day. :(
ideally i'd like to get it stomping across the landscape but i'll have to learn a bit more about implementing in torque first.
cheers,
-Rog
#6
May have to take a look at this Torque engine myself.
11/05/2004 (8:32 am)
Cool work Rog me old china ;)May have to take a look at this Torque engine myself.
#8
11/05/2004 (1:06 pm)
@Roger: Thanks for posting the wireframe, looks very clean. If you run into any snags getting your animations in, post here and I'll do my best to help you out.
#9
11/05/2004 (8:50 pm)
Nice stuff! what website do you speak of Alex?
#10
11/05/2004 (8:53 pm)
Nice work.. very clean model.
#11
11/08/2004 (10:03 am)
@Eric: Roger Bacon's website (linked in his profile) www.roger-bacon.co.uk 
#12
11/10/2004 (4:01 pm)
Purely pro modell. Congrats, nice work.
#13
11/11/2004 (5:14 am)
Yeah , thats a smooth model . it would be mind boggling if you rendered that in TSE !
#14
You didn't have any trouble getting that model into torque? The exporter would always crash on me on models greater than 2000 tris (granted that was 2 years ago)
11/11/2004 (6:46 am)
Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen you around! It's probably because I've been out of the scene so long though.You didn't have any trouble getting that model into torque? The exporter would always crash on me on models greater than 2000 tris (granted that was 2 years ago)
#15
i havent been part of any skinning scene for years now, i just do the daily grind making games for a living (that are unfulfilling and usually badly managed)
but I still like to dabble making games for myself. or artwork at least, the coding is a bit of a struggle. :)
yep the model went in fine, no problems whatsoever. im expecting a few hurdles with anims but animation is always awkward somehow, thats the nature of it. :D
im thinking of doing some content packs for torque once i get the art pipeline sorted. Im not good enough at coding to make my own game (unless its -really- simple) so i either have to find a coder to help me, or just release artwork.
if anyone has any suggestions for content that they'd like to see, feel free to email me at gamecat666@hotmail.com
11/11/2004 (7:00 am)
Hey there Justin, recognised the nickname in your profile email. that takes me back a fair few years :)i havent been part of any skinning scene for years now, i just do the daily grind making games for a living (that are unfulfilling and usually badly managed)
but I still like to dabble making games for myself. or artwork at least, the coding is a bit of a struggle. :)
yep the model went in fine, no problems whatsoever. im expecting a few hurdles with anims but animation is always awkward somehow, thats the nature of it. :D
im thinking of doing some content packs for torque once i get the art pipeline sorted. Im not good enough at coding to make my own game (unless its -really- simple) so i either have to find a coder to help me, or just release artwork.
if anyone has any suggestions for content that they'd like to see, feel free to email me at gamecat666@hotmail.com
#16
content packs by you, now that sounds awesome.
11/11/2004 (7:20 am)
Wow, forgot how old that info is... ysgalon.com has been down for a while, all info updated now (thanks!)content packs by you, now that sounds awesome.
#17
11/12/2004 (5:56 am)
Lovely piece. I'd add a bit more contrast as shadows on details seem to be a bit "milky" but otherwise then that it's just perfect.
#18
im assuming you need to buy the lighting pack to get them to cast shadows on the terrain.. :-(
the box corner behind them is a test export from a custom level editor from a now defunct company called 'pyornrachzarck' (might have misspelt that). the only problem with that is that it doesnt export lights, but im looking at using the radiosity version of map2dif and just using textures as lights. (it always looks more accurate if something is emmiting light in the first place) :)
still no luck exporting anims yet. maya chokes and dies when i try to export the animated alien as a DTS, and the marine was rigged in MAX with physique originally so will probably need rereigged with Skin to work properly...
both these models were made with other engines in mind though, so i might have more luck with a new model.
11/13/2004 (1:13 pm)
Heres a small update. figured out the mission editor and got some statics in.im assuming you need to buy the lighting pack to get them to cast shadows on the terrain.. :-(
the box corner behind them is a test export from a custom level editor from a now defunct company called 'pyornrachzarck' (might have misspelt that). the only problem with that is that it doesnt export lights, but im looking at using the radiosity version of map2dif and just using textures as lights. (it always looks more accurate if something is emmiting light in the first place) :)
still no luck exporting anims yet. maya chokes and dies when i try to export the animated alien as a DTS, and the marine was rigged in MAX with physique originally so will probably need rereigged with Skin to work properly...
both these models were made with other engines in mind though, so i might have more luck with a new model.
#19
Find and open up your prefs.cs file, and look for:
$pref::shadows = "2";
You probably have a 0 there. There are quite a few internal $pref settings for performance tweaking, you may want to search the forums/resources for various techniques.
I very much hope someone is able to help you out with getting that sucker's anims exported...can't wait to see him swinging! (I'm a dev, not an artist unfortunately).
11/13/2004 (2:43 pm)
Actually, shadows are innate in TGE to some degree, you probably just have them turned off.Find and open up your prefs.cs file, and look for:
$pref::shadows = "2";
You probably have a 0 there. There are quite a few internal $pref settings for performance tweaking, you may want to search the forums/resources for various techniques.
I very much hope someone is able to help you out with getting that sucker's anims exported...can't wait to see him swinging! (I'm a dev, not an artist unfortunately).
#20
i had thought maybe is was because my 'statue' characters didnt have a collision mesh, but the trees do and still no shadows.
oh, just looked at the synapse lighting pack addon. :
The light objects also allow static DTS objects to cast shadows onto interiors and terrain, visually integrating them into levels and preventing them from looking out of place.
doh.. looks like you do have to buy extras to get that. seems odd that it was ommited from TGE in the first place. :-/
11/14/2004 (12:44 am)
Hi stephen, i looked in my prefs and i seem to have shadows already set to 2. the animated models like the ork do seem to cast shadows, also objects that are dif's cast too. the only things that dont cast seem to be static dts's which is fairly odd, as it means the trees look a bit strange with no shadow.i had thought maybe is was because my 'statue' characters didnt have a collision mesh, but the trees do and still no shadows.
oh, just looked at the synapse lighting pack addon. :
The light objects also allow static DTS objects to cast shadows onto interiors and terrain, visually integrating them into levels and preventing them from looking out of place.
doh.. looks like you do have to buy extras to get that. seems odd that it was ommited from TGE in the first place. :-/
Torque Owner AndrewOsborne
the only thing that puts me off is his teeth almost look like he has a really cheesy smile hehe but i like the texturework and overall shape looks strong
gw :)