weekly modeling comp: Shield

Community Forums/Graphic Chat/weekly modeling comp: Shield

gellyware(Posted 2004) [#1]
This weeks competition is to model a shield usable by a warrior, or any other class that may be able to equip it. The shield can be any style of your choosing , from any time period. The model shall not exceed 500 polys and use a maximum texture of 512x512.


morduun(Posted 2004) [#2]
639 tris, so it's already disqualified, but hell, I finished it, so here's a 19th century Persian shield:



Get the model + texture here -- http://www.echthros.com/files/PersianShield.zip -- ms3d and b3d formats.

The texture's the same image I pulled from the web to use as a ref pic; I'm a lousy 2d artist, so if making your own 2d art was part of the requirement then I'm already disqualified. I'm sure someone could give better love to the texture for the back side of the shield and the straps, but as I didn't want to search all over for proper textures for them they'll just have to do.

[edit: Would be interested to hear from a proper 3D artist how they'd bring this mesh down to 500 tris -- I assume mainly it'd be a little less detail in the circumference of the shield disc and less detail in the rivetlike thingies?]




podperson(Posted 2004) [#3]
You could load that sucker into Max (or any other high end modeler) and run an optimize modifier over it and have it down to < 500 polygons in about 15 seconds (10 of which is waiting for Max to launch ;) ).

I think you should exaggerate the 3D detail more OR get rid of it and save polys.


Paul "Taiphoz"(Posted 2004) [#4]
Mine will be up soon. ;)


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#5]
Morduun, nice texture work. Only recommendation is you add some scatches on there.

Make it seem like its been through plenty of battles.


wizzlefish(Posted 2004) [#6]
very nice texture...make it bloodsplattered!


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#7]
I had my shield done in wings at 390 tris, then when I exported it to 3ds format. It turned into over 750. Why would eporting add triangles? And what could I do about it.
I tried optimizing it with lith but that did not do much.

Also I have a question about copyrights. Would a photo of a remanufactured shield just copied from a website be copyright infringement? I could probably ask permision but whould I have to?


big10p(Posted 2004) [#8]
I had my shield done in wings at 390 tris, then when I exported it to 3ds format. It turned into over 750. Why would eporting add triangles? And what could I do about it.
I tried optimizing it with lith but that did not do much.


Wings doesn't report tris, only polygons - i.e. your mesh is 390 polys, not tris. Exporting to 3DS format automatically triangulates the mesh.


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#9]
@ riverratt: I havent used wings, but it seems like maybe what you see in wings is not triangulated. If its using quadrangles, then upon export it is automatically triangulating your mesh. Since your model almost doubled in polys, it seems like this is the case.

as for copyrights... I dont know. Since your not using this in a commercial project, I dont see why it would be a problem??


morduun(Posted 2004) [#10]
Thanks for the advice all; tinkering with Ultimate Unwrap I've got it down to about 550 polies, so a little more editing and I think I'll have it.

@pod -- good call on the exaggeration, though I do quite like the somewhat subtler effects that the current geometry has with hardware lighting. I'll have a bit of a play with it.

@lucid -- many thanks, though I can hardly take credit for the texture itself ;) I'll run it through Texture Maker and see if I can't toss some battle scars in there.


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#11]
Ok I got handled. Here is shield. Only 304 triangles.

http://hometown.aol.com/djerrymcclure/index2.html


Nick Igoe(Posted 2004) [#12]
Had a lot of fun with this one so I may do another or tweek this a bit more.



total polycount 492


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#13]
@RiverRatt & Nick Igoe
looking good.

You should push yourselves with the texture by trying to make it look worn, used, older, etc. Unless this was just crafted by a metalsmith :P

Adding touches of realism really can push the textures over the top. Scratches, rust, dirt, blood, paint peeling, faded imagry, stuff like that really doesnt take that much longer but really makes the piece look a lot more believable and less CG generated.


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#14]
Hows this
http://hometown.aol.com/djerrymcclure/index2.html

492 triangles


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#15]
I really like the african shield :P
Where is the structure supporting the animal hide?


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#16]
The wireframe is there now along with my latest steal shield. This time I drew the texture by hand. It's 486
tris.
hometown.aol.com/djerrymcclure/index2.html


Nick Igoe(Posted 2004) [#17]
I agree I have to dirty it up a bit and put some battle damage on mine, I was also thinking if making the spikes a bit larger and getting rid of the brass coloured holders for them.Then again I could make another.


elseano(Posted 2004) [#18]
My entry:



Made in wings, textured made in photoshop. Did the unwrapping in wings for the first time, too :)

EDIT

I seem to have killed the thread. Oh well.


elseano(Posted 2004) [#19]
Seriously, what did I do? Why has this thread suddenly gone dead? :S


skn3(Posted 2004) [#20]
The theme for this week is a bit limited. There are only so many styles of shield, which doesn't leave much creative freedom, aside from the texture.

That might be why..


Picklesworth(Posted 2004) [#21]
How about a magic and totally unrealistic shield?


Agamer(Posted 2004) [#22]
yeh, I might have a go but I can not texture!


JoshK(Posted 2004) [#23]
I think Nick's is the best.


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#24]
Hey all.
Were are your entries?
Lets get on to the next topic.


REDi(Posted 2004) [#25]
IDEA...

If people are creating these models just for these threads, it would be great if people could donated them to the blitz comunity, maybe the site could even add a 3d models section to store them in.

What ya think?


elseano(Posted 2004) [#26]
Sounds like a really good idea :)


skn3(Posted 2004) [#27]
I agree that sounds like a great idea.


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#28]
This competition didnt have many entries, but the ones that were entered were nicely done.

@Nick Igoe, I liked your shield too, but I think it needs more hints of use. Right now it looks like CG. You show wood on the back, but what is the front? Steel? If your connecting two materials, you should show a connection like a rounded bolt head. If the front is wood too, you should show the same wood coming through to the front (making it seem like the front was painted). Also better than seeing the texture map would have been to show other views.. I can not see what the backside looks like.


I was torn between Morduun's and RiverRatt's shield.

@morduun, your shield is very nicely done. Your texture job came out very nice, however the issues I have with it is the texture on the back doesnt go well with the texture on the front. Seems the texture on the backside had a little less care, and Also I would have liked to see some kind of connection between the straps to the shield (I.e. welded, riveted)

The winner of this competition is RiverRatt.

The reasons for my choosing RiverRatt are:
1) Creative thinking (african shield)
2) Enthusiastic (created 3 shields)
3) Created a shield that is memorable (african shield) That will stick with me for a long time.

My favorite of all the shields is the African Shield by RiverRatt. I think the sytlistic look (texture and form) were a success and would be a memorable shield in a game. I think it has character and an inherent history. The connections were nice. Only thing I think could have been improved upon would be to show a structure of how that animal hide is actually held up, since the bamboo looking stick in the center definately wouldnt manage that.


RiverRatt(Posted 2004) [#29]
Lucid:
Thank you for your great feedback. I don,t know why people did not like this topic it provided me with some great texturing practice. As for the structure of the african shield; when the hide is still fresh they cut it and isert
the stick and then dry in such a way that it hardens therefore believe it or not it is self suported. Leather
if untreated is very hard and stiff there was another that was made from an eliphants ear!

So Do I get to pic the next topic now. Have air planes already bin done?


gellyware(Posted 2004) [#30]
You can pick the next topic :)

Spaceships have, but not Air Planes.

The spaceship contest was successful so maybe air planes will be too :p