Concept sketches
by James · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 12/21/2005 (6:48 pm) · 43 replies
Well I've finally start working on my prototype and have started sketching up concepts for it.
The "game" is a simulation of the life and times of our early ancestors during the last Ice Age. I'm still working on a title for it since "Tribes" is already taken ;)
Here's an early sketch for one of the characters:
Concept for the title screen:
I'll be working up a plan shortly and hope to have a basic working prototype with basic assets mid January all being well. I'll be posting more design work as I go and welcome any and all feedback. Costumes are taking the time right now as new information is replacing the traditional rough hide draping the body look.
Cheers!
The "game" is a simulation of the life and times of our early ancestors during the last Ice Age. I'm still working on a title for it since "Tribes" is already taken ;)
Here's an early sketch for one of the characters:
Concept for the title screen:
I'll be working up a plan shortly and hope to have a basic working prototype with basic assets mid January all being well. I'll be posting more design work as I go and welcome any and all feedback. Costumes are taking the time right now as new information is replacing the traditional rough hide draping the body look.
Cheers!
#22
Not as far along as I'd hoped, got a bit sidetracked this last week but should be back on track now. Sorry Todd, no axe/spear yet but soon :)
Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement - it means a lot :)
Cheers!
01/16/2006 (8:46 pm)
Just a quick update. I've started working on the texture map and here's the roughed in beginnings.Not as far along as I'd hoped, got a bit sidetracked this last week but should be back on track now. Sorry Todd, no axe/spear yet but soon :)
Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement - it means a lot :)
Cheers!
#25
01/18/2006 (4:06 pm)
Nice model! It is cool to watch people progress through the stages of their designs - and helpful for newcomers so that they can understand the process.
#26
Good job!
-Keith
01/21/2006 (6:53 am)
Wow, that looks really good. I especially like your concept drawings; that's some real talent there. Drawing/modeling people is still my weak point.Good job!
-Keith
#27
His "bangs" gave me trouble as I couldn't get the alpha channel to read properly so instead of stragily hair, he has a brown cap. I think I know what I did wrong and will fiddle with it later. I'm generally pleased with the texture map but I think I could have laid out the UVs better. Practice will make perfect... well, make it better anyway :)
The rigging was a challenge and I know it's not the best but it does work and I hope to get some basic animations down between now and Monday. The final post will show the character in game.
What a learning experience. It's been fun and the support here on the forums brilliant.
I'll be updating my plan over the weekend so until then - Cheers!
:)
Sorry Todd, still no axe ;)
01/25/2006 (8:15 pm)
Well, here he is, ready to animate and incorporate into my mission map.His "bangs" gave me trouble as I couldn't get the alpha channel to read properly so instead of stragily hair, he has a brown cap. I think I know what I did wrong and will fiddle with it later. I'm generally pleased with the texture map but I think I could have laid out the UVs better. Practice will make perfect... well, make it better anyway :)
The rigging was a challenge and I know it's not the best but it does work and I hope to get some basic animations down between now and Monday. The final post will show the character in game.
What a learning experience. It's been fun and the support here on the forums brilliant.
I'll be updating my plan over the weekend so until then - Cheers!
:)
Sorry Todd, still no axe ;)
#28
01/25/2006 (8:35 pm)
Very nice. Good to see you progressing along.:) I actually need to get something started myself.
#29
01/25/2006 (9:16 pm)
Looking good! Great work. You have got me itching to work on my character tonight, but I gotta get my homework done...
#30
01/25/2006 (11:32 pm)
Very nice! Now you need a pack of wolves to chase his butt around ...at least until he finds an axe and spear.
#31
Todd - you're right. I was planning on working on his mate or perhaps a mammoth but the idea of doing a wolf or perhaps a Sabre-tooth is kinda of appealling :) - spear first though ;)
Cheers!
01/27/2006 (4:47 am)
Thanks all for the comments.Todd - you're right. I was planning on working on his mate or perhaps a mammoth but the idea of doing a wolf or perhaps a Sabre-tooth is kinda of appealling :) - spear first though ;)
Cheers!
#32
01/27/2006 (9:11 am)
YAY. This is a great post. It's realy cool to see a character go from concept to textured and rigged. You are obviously a good artist. nice work.
#33
01/27/2006 (12:39 pm)
Nice!
#34
Todd, he has a spear now... it doesn't have a finished texture map yet but at least he's armed now :)
There is a problem with the bones for his "skirt" not exporting (hence the collision there) although the exporter shows that it has. Not sure what's causing that.
The next image is of his face which shows how the engine is shading the geometry, making it look rather muddy.
Do I up the "glow" here to brighten him up? I know it has to do with the number of polys and how sharpe the edges are, so I'll keep that in mind for the next model. Plus work on making him look more "wild" and not so trim ;)
Well, almost done this first test model. If I have time I'll post a blogg this weekend and talk about next steps.
That wolf is starting to sound like a good idea Todd ;)
Cheers!
edit spelling
01/28/2006 (9:10 am)
Here's an in-game shot. Todd, he has a spear now... it doesn't have a finished texture map yet but at least he's armed now :)
There is a problem with the bones for his "skirt" not exporting (hence the collision there) although the exporter shows that it has. Not sure what's causing that.
The next image is of his face which shows how the engine is shading the geometry, making it look rather muddy.
Do I up the "glow" here to brighten him up? I know it has to do with the number of polys and how sharpe the edges are, so I'll keep that in mind for the next model. Plus work on making him look more "wild" and not so trim ;)
Well, almost done this first test model. If I have time I'll post a blogg this weekend and talk about next steps.
That wolf is starting to sound like a good idea Todd ;)
Cheers!
edit spelling
#35
Woo Hoo! he has a spear ..."Mortal Combat"!!!
Its hard to see tell from the screen shots, but the face looks ok to me. What smoothing angle do you have set for the face geometry in LightWave? Actually there may be some fixed control of that with in TGE, not sure there.
If by "glow" you meant the "Luminosity" setting in LW, don't do that, it may look of in day light, but any time the character "should be shaded or on the dark, the face with op out unnaturally.
I would not worry about trying to make him look more wild, unless that is the direction you are going to take the overall style. I would first, think long and hard, and come up with an overall visual style for the project. Figure out some basic elements of it tht need to go together and then make your sketches, followed by your test models.
From a design stand point, think of the look of the whole game, like you would a single painting or picture. You come up with the subject matter, work up some rough sketches to figure out the composition, followed by deciding a color pallet, etc.
Those things all equate very closely to what you need to do. For example, you don't want just any old blue sky in the game, you want to pic a blue that fits within the color pallet you have chosen for your art style.
And extreme example. You have a solid character developed. He has a certain level of color saturation, a certain amount of cartoony style, but not too much. You would not want to go and stick wolves in the game that had perfectly photo realistic textures, even though they would look great on their own, they would not fit the look you have for the character. Know what I mean?
Any way, you probably know all this stuff, but figured it was worth mentioning just in case.
01/28/2006 (10:25 am)
James, Good Job! It looking really strong.Woo Hoo! he has a spear ..."Mortal Combat"!!!
Its hard to see tell from the screen shots, but the face looks ok to me. What smoothing angle do you have set for the face geometry in LightWave? Actually there may be some fixed control of that with in TGE, not sure there.
If by "glow" you meant the "Luminosity" setting in LW, don't do that, it may look of in day light, but any time the character "should be shaded or on the dark, the face with op out unnaturally.
I would not worry about trying to make him look more wild, unless that is the direction you are going to take the overall style. I would first, think long and hard, and come up with an overall visual style for the project. Figure out some basic elements of it tht need to go together and then make your sketches, followed by your test models.
From a design stand point, think of the look of the whole game, like you would a single painting or picture. You come up with the subject matter, work up some rough sketches to figure out the composition, followed by deciding a color pallet, etc.
Those things all equate very closely to what you need to do. For example, you don't want just any old blue sky in the game, you want to pic a blue that fits within the color pallet you have chosen for your art style.
And extreme example. You have a solid character developed. He has a certain level of color saturation, a certain amount of cartoony style, but not too much. You would not want to go and stick wolves in the game that had perfectly photo realistic textures, even though they would look great on their own, they would not fit the look you have for the character. Know what I mean?
Any way, you probably know all this stuff, but figured it was worth mentioning just in case.
#36
Mind you, I"m tempted now to make a few Ice Age RTS units for this environment kit that's coming out... ;)
Cheers Mate!
01/28/2006 (12:14 pm)
Good advice Todd - thanks - it's always welcome as one can get caught up in the details and miss the bigger picture. The style is something that has been on my mind a lot as I've come to the end of this phase. Sitting down and working up an overall look and feel is what Feburary will most likely be about.Mind you, I"m tempted now to make a few Ice Age RTS units for this environment kit that's coming out... ;)
Cheers Mate!
#37
03/02/2006 (10:14 am)
Wow, another lightwave user.... Rare breed we are around here. 
#38
03/03/2006 (8:43 pm)
Awesome stuff James. I love it!
#39
03/03/2006 (9:56 pm)
I tried Lightwave, but I can't get the hang of it. I'm trying to get used to Blender aswell. 
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