(WIP) Death Knight model, and an anim. question

[Kanaru]

(WIP) Death Knight model, and an animation question

Started it from scratch, just felt like sharing it before I complete it. Right now I'm pretty close to being finished with the textures, afterward animation and I'll be set.

However, I'm using 3ds max 9, and I'm wondering if I can do animation by movement of vertices (or the use of bones) rather than moving entire objects, as mine is one entire object not multiple (except the shoulderpads and the runeblade). I also don't see how I can do mouth animations otherwise...

Any help would be great.



Also, is 512x512 a good size for the texture?

 

[Dionesiist]

You can't really make wc3 models in Max 9, you'd need 5 to be able to use art tools and all that. But I'm not really an expert in these matters, maybe TDR could kick in. About the texture size, you might want to resize it to 256*256, and to preserve the overall aspect, add a sharpen filter afterwards. The model and texture are looking pretty sweet, hope you manage to finish. Cheers.
EDIT: About mouth animation, most wc3 models use a separate model for portrait which has a modelled mouth and more polies.

 

[Kanaru]

You can't really make wc3 models in Max 9, you'd need 5 to be able to use art tools and all that. But I'm not really an expert in these matters, maybe TDR could kick in.

Sadly, I have 3ds max 5, but it doesn't work with Vista due to C-Dilla. Autodesk themselves have said that it will never work, and they aren't going to update it... And I'm not going to get XP just for 3ds max 5 either.

About the texture size, you might want to resize it to 256*256, and to preserve the overall aspect, add a sharpen filter afterwards. The model and texture are looking pretty sweet, hope you manage to finish. Cheers.

I'll resize the texture when I finish then.

Thanks.

EDIT: About mouth animation, most wc3 models use a separate model for portrait which has a modelled mouth and more polies.

Is it still possible to animate the model with bones though (that is, having it work in WC3)? I prefer it much more over moving separate meshes around.


EDIT: I think I found an exporter that works with 3ds max 9, it's 'Dex Exporter (v 0.186m).

EDIT: Almost forgot, what's a good poly count, because it's at 1390 polys right now. Not sure if that's a good amount or not, but I doubt it's going to climb much higher since I'm pretty much set on the modeling.

 

[Dionesiist]

I can't really help you with rigging the model, I've little to no experience myself. Sorry.
Well, if I recall, polycounts went somehow like so: 500 polies for cannon fodder units (eg. footman), 1000 for big units (eg. Abomination) and up to 1500 for heroes. So you're doing pretty well on the polies right now.

 

[Kanaru]

I can't really help you with rigging the model, I've little to no experience myself. Sorry.
Well, if I recall, polycounts went somehow like so: 500 polies for cannon fodder units (eg. footman), 1000 for big units (eg. Abomination) and up to 1500 for heroes. So you're doing pretty well on the polies right now.

Ok cool, thanks again.




I still have an unanswered question though, and I'll repeat: Is it possible I can do the animation by moving vertices rather than entire meshes? An alternative would be using bones, which would actually be better. I'm not going to begin animation until it's answered.

Here's an update, finished the texturing.

EDIT: So I feel like I shouldn't have done this because I don't think it's working right, but I took a look at Magos' Modeling Tutorial [http://world-editor-tutorials.thehelper.net/magos.php#model3], and I saw the whole thing on bones and skin and so forth.

Well I tried it, but I have one mesh for my Death Knight's body, except the weapon. So I attached multiple bones to the mesh using the Skin modifier, and I just made a stand animation to see if it works.

So I did, I opened up 'Dex Exporter script, but it makes a very small .mdl file that completely ignores the meshes and the bones, meaning all it contains is a name I put in, the animation range I put in, and a camera.

 

[Kanaru]

It's been a couple days, and I haven't been able to get anything done... I really need some help. =(

'Dex Exporter doesn't seem to recognize meshes that aren't COMPLETELY covered by a skin... There really better be a way around this or I don't see this model being finished...

 

[Kanaru]

I'd rather the model not go to complete waste, so if anyone wants the .max, PM me. I can't promise I'll see your message right away, I'm not a very active poster.

 

[Hawkwing]

If a moderator counts this as a necropost I ask that no punishments are given. He has good reasons to necropost, and hopefully we can get this over with quickly and not turn this into an all-out revival.

 

[BlinkBoy]

I'd rather the model not go to complete waste, so if anyone wants the .max, PM me. I can't promise I'll see your message right away, I'm not a very active poster.

I don't count this as a necro post, since I was in vacations while this topic is running.

About Your Problem: to export with Dex, your meshes MUST BE Editable Mesh, and you must Select everything so the Exporter detects everything.

 

[Kanaru]

I don't count this as a necro post, since I was in vacations while this topic is running.

About Your Problem: to export with Dex, your meshes MUST BE Editable Mesh, and you must Select everything so the Exporter detects everything.

Okay, thank you very much, I'll make sure I do that when I get around to it.

EDIT: Holy crap, it's working! Thanks again; just need to do more animations and this is ready for use.

 

[wugiboy]

your model fits perfectly with wc3 style
but your skin is too detailed for wc3

good work nonetheless dude

 

[Avex]

Is this where you got the idea from?

Also, your DK (right arm) is holding the sword backwards.

 

[Gyrosphinx]

Sweet... really like it. the skin on the runeblade is just lovely.

 

[Kanaru]

Is this where you got the idea from?


Also, your DK (right arm) is holding the sword backwards.

Actually no, it is not, although that would have been cool to make... I might do that next if I feel like it. It was actually inspired by http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/images/samwise/WarCraft_Samwise015b.jpg Otherwise, I might try making Arthas. Or maybe just a Dwarf.

Anyway, it might take a while before I finish, there's something terrible I did with the shoulderpads (animation-wise), so I need to do a bit more... Nonetheless, I look forward to releasing it.

 

[Infinitynexus]

Nice one, just 2 questions:

Why rush the shoulderwrap that much? It looks horribly stretched.

Can we see the texture?

 

[Avex]

Actually no, it is not, although that would have been cool to make... I might do that next if I feel like it. It was actually inspired by http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/images/samwise/WarCraft_Samwise015b.jpg Otherwise, I might try making Arthas. Or maybe just a Dwarf.

Anyway, it might take a while before I finish, there's something terrible I did with the shoulderpads (animation-wise), so I need to do a bit more... Nonetheless, I look forward to releasing it.

I suggest using the Felguard animations if you were to make that DK picture.

But yeah you may want to consider the backwards hand, it looks kinda wierd.

 

[rober artua]

Amazing work m8 if you made it from scratch How u did those textures ? Did you just painted them ? How much polys do you have there ?

By the way if you have divided your hard drive on separate directories then it is possible to install Windows XP in different directory and U will have two systems on ur PC . Before starting ur work u will be asked which system to run choose Xp if u are gonna make animations Tha is all . I had used to have two OS before . It is ok .

 

[thesteelshark]

looks good, only thing i would say to do is make arms and hands a little bigger

 

[Kanaru]

Amazing work m8 if you made it from scratch How u did those textures ? Did you just painted them ? How much polys do you have there ?

By the way if you have divided your hard drive on separate directories then it is possible to install Windows XP in different directory and U will have two systems on ur PC . Before starting ur work u will be asked which system to run choose Xp if u are gonna make animations Tha is all . I had used to have two OS before . It is ok .

Yup, I made it from scratch. The textures were just painted in Photoshop. The model's poly count is about 1400.

As for an update, I have discovered I am a really bad animator, and I really have to timeframe as to when I will finish... /sigh

I also have more things to worry about than working on this model, so if anyone wants to animate this please send me a PM. I'll reply as soon as I see it.

 

[Avex]

Why dont you use preset animations?

 

[GnoobSauce]

Ya, try using felguard anims. Would be smooth and take less time...

 

[LiOneSS]

mmm. I think that that texture could be a wow rip. Unwrap please?

 

[Dionesiist]

Nope, it's below WoW quality.

 

[LiOneSS]

I am almost sure i saw this on a wotlk beta site. i demand to see the texture!

 

[Kwaliti]

As far as I can see, this definitely isn't a WoW texture.

Compare this to that and you'll see the huge difference in quality.

 

[Kanaru]

Why dont you use preset animations?

Because I don't know how.

To everyone ignorantly saying my texture is from WoW, no, I'm an artist and if you want to see my DeviantArt page because you don't believe me: Kanaru92 on deviantART

And here's the texture:

 

[Dionesiist]

Rather Wasteful UV, you don't actually need two parts for the sword.

 

[Kanaru]

Rather Wasteful UV, you don't actually need two parts for the sword.

I know it is, and I also know I could have halved the UV on the body texture and put it over itself, and to be honest, I don't really know why I didn't.

EDIT: And that is also partly why I didn't want to show it.

 

[LiOneSS]

I added you to my dA watch. You're awesome.

 

[TDR]

I see good potential. Keep on rocking dude.

 

[Devine]

somehow ... his chest looks a bit flat ... judging from the screenshots you gave.
how about giving us a .mdx so we can view it?