Sumea Modeller Challenge #8

Ok, we usually have 3 days to correct, make clearer, and refine the guidelines before they are set in stone, so let's have it.

Prizes will be announced closer to the finishing date.

quote:(yes, we're leaving this pretty open), *except futuristic*.
that sux?? get rid of thet part ...mortal knombat has futuristic characters?

i take that to mean sci-fi and space marines.

I have a question about the concept: can we have someone else sketch it for us, or does the whole comp have to be our own work?

Though a character must be bipedal are characters that use non-conventional stances allowed. For example, ape like stance where they are bipedal but walk on all 4. This stays within the human category but allows for a wider variety of conceptual ideas.

'required (model) : 6000 polygon (tris) maximum (one single mesh).'

So what if I want to create some geometry that clearly isn't part of the characters anatomy, like a big chunky pauldron, loose dangling belt, or even hair on seperate planes? Does this mean every part of the model must be attached vertex for vertex, or does the model just have to be one complete element (right-click "attach" :D)?........ or have I missed the point on something? Anyway, Just thought I'd double check before I go to work since I love characters that gear themselves up like crazy.

EDIT: and does 'Your character must be bi-pedal (two arms, two legs), human' mean no dog, goat, or lizard legs?

I reckon concept/concept sketches should be your own. The challenge tests your imagination as well as your modelling skills and while the concept art doesn't appear to be judged, the concept itself is (see judging criteria).

The character must be bi-pedal? Or the character must be human?

If it's just bi-pedal, then it's a lot more open. I assume the main rules would be - 2 legs, 2 arms, 1 head. Numbers of fingers/toes/eyes etc optional? Wings/tails/other animal body parts allowed?

quote:cannot be from any other games / films

Just to clarify, our concepts can't be based directly on or set in other games? Of course I can't steal characters directly from Street Fighter (etc), but can we base our original concepts in an existing game?

Also, I've had a quick hunt on Google and apart from the standard gi-wearing or shirtless dude I can't find anything on Exploding Fist/Fist II characters. Unless there's some interesting Fist II stuff I haven't seen this seems kinda pointless. Am I missing something here? I'm trying to get Fist II up on the Flashback page but my connection ain't happy today and it doesn't seem to be working.

/edit Oops, almost mised that bit - as the previous poster mentioned, does human mean humanoid or specifically human? No mutants or undead or anthropomorphic wierdness? No fantasy stuff? No 16th century steam-powered robots or ancient ninja golems?

OK....HI guys

Even though I am totally scared of all this normal mapping stuff...I'm in.

I think the brief sounds pretty good too Souri :)

as for the sci fi char part...I don't plan to do one, but...if it Mortal combat styles allowed... cyrax ect...were futuristic... might wanna clarify it a bit.

'required (texture) : one normal map, and one diffuse map (all textures are to be either 2 * 1024 x 1024 or 4 * 512 x 512)
optional (texture) : any other texture passes you want (specular, gloss, alpha, emmissive, translucence, reflection etc)'

so can i have 2 * 1024 x 1024 of diffuse, and 2 * 1024 x 1024 of normal, and so on? or is it 1 * 1024 x 1024 of diffuse and 1 * 1024 x 1024 of normal?

The questions I need clarification on were already asked, so just waiting on the answers.
BlackJack... GAME ON! :D

-caseyjones

quote:
Your character must be ? human

Would it be more accurate to say ?humanoid??

For example, genetic mutation/engineering on animals seems to be a recurring theme in combat fighting games, and the same with robots/cyborgs They are usually just variations on humans (they are humanoid), but they are based on animals or robots.

Virtually every fighting game has it?s share of non human characters, so I think we should consider allowing them in the challenge ? provided they are humanoid.

Or are we worried that people might just create variations of Ninja Turtles?

-Great challenge brief BTW :)

Maybe people should be able to do a futuristic/semi-futuristic humanoid if they can justify it in the context of an existing franchise. Eg - Tekken has some futuristic characters (the cyborgs Jack-5 and Bryan Fury) as does Mortal Kombat (Cyrax, Sektor, Jax with cybernetic arms, even Kano had some cyber stuff going on with his eye).

Wouldn't someone who choose 4 x 512x512 texture space be at a severe disadvantage compared to those who chose 2 x 1024x1024?

2 x 1024x1024 is equivalent to 8 x 512x512.

good spotting! typo me-thinks.

indeed. my calculator agrees

at least its finally started!

Does this challenge require milestones? ie do i need to show a concept or can i just get cracked into the modelling?

Thats what I thought too Troy :)

As for the whole humaniod thing, I would assume as long as it has two legs, two arms and one head it wouldnt really matter if it was a lizard, zombie looking thing so long as it FITS the THEME of the challange.

Ive already got my idea and am going to start concepting it soon. Wooo! :)

edit: I think its only fair that its your own concept as well. So no concept art by any other artist except yourself. Though you dont have to actually doing some concept art you could go straight into the modelling aspect.

no milestones go at your own pace. doesn't mean other wouldn't like to see a concept/s from you. Plus its good practice in doing a concept if you don't usally, what these challenges are about. [:)]

Can't wait, just read all the details and I'm drawing some concepts now, I have been so eager to start.

Hope to post my choice of character with the related concept art tonight(by which I mean tomorrow).

No milestones, but it's good form to show your progress. Criticism from the community helps no end.

sounds great and definately challenging.

rigging the model is optional, correct?

bi-pedal human I take to mean, literally, a human being.

If it were bi-pedal humanoid, I would take it to mean a humanoid creature (two arms, two legs) that walks predominantly on it's legs.

I'm fine with the comp being humans only, complain all you want about it limiting creativity, but I think that's rubbish. There's plenty of creativity to be had with just humans. And I've seen too many comps where the criteria has been so open that few of the entries resembled the theme they were supposed to be based upon in the first place (the polycout/cg chat "Generals" comp for instance - just how many of them could you actually identify as a war general?).

Whoops, the 2 * 1024 x 1024 texture sheet was a mistake, it's really 1 * 1024 x 1024.

No futuristic style - we had a futuristic theme last challenge, and so I'd rather we not repeat any of it for this challenge. No space age metal armour, robots, and all that. I haven't really followed Mortal Kombat since #2, so I didn't know about the characters after that (and frankly, when you think of Mortal Kombat, you don't generally think of futuristic characters).

Bi-pedal - ok, I should have just left it as human. So no monsters, no lizards, no creatures with one eye and two mouths etc. No double jointed limbs either. I know it sounds a bit restrictive, but the reason why I wanted this is so that we have at least some level of common ground for all the entries. There's still a tonne you can still do with these rules.

Concept idea must be your own, so you can't get someone else do come up with the idea for you. Your concept drawing is't required for the final submission, so the judges won't be judging on your concept drawing. You don't have to create something that is really "far out" and a totally original design - I mean, it could be a modern day character with a few design adjustments to make them looking a bit unique and aesthetic. A few of the characters in, say, Street Fighter 2 are pretty general looking characters (Zangief (wrestler), Guile (marine)). Although if you do take that path, I do suggest that you add something a bit more to sex up the design a bit (insignia's etc).

1 Question Souri, can my entry be undead or for example a pale vampire type - like the bloodrayne chick for example.

Yes I was going to ask the same thing, the whole "Human" guideline..seems like it could be open to alot of things.., like a Zombie, mutantthing that was previously human would be ok?.. hopefully:)..

hmm to add to the whole human only debate - there's lots of room for creativity with your basic human beat-em-up character. Most fighter characters have one "hero" element -- Something special about them that enables them to fight at the level they do... a special ability which usually has physical roots. That can either be transparent visually or visually obvious. Dhalsim is an obvious physical human oddity with stretchy limbs, but ryu doesn't have any physical difference to enable him to use the dark hadou. Likewise with mortal kombat, you have a flaming skulled ninja with a harpoon. Obvious. But sonja really doesn't look physically different from a 'normal' tight slacked blonde bimbo.

My assumption is that you can still "stretch" the rules within the domain of a human fighter like these examples. I'd say common sense dictates what's in those restrictions, but otherwise you're not limited to simply bare-chested muscle man who punches and says "hya!" a lot.

I don't think that anyone is actually complaining about the human restriction. I think it's safe to assume that most of us are simply looking for clarification - it's the same question I would have asked my art director if given this brief. I'll have to modify my concept but that's part of the job, I'm easy either way. [8D]

At this point I'm assuming that human is definitively homo sapiens, including no vampires, demon-possessed swordsmen, demigods, chainsaw zombies, undead ninja, genetic freaks, werewolves, etc. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Can I just reiterate the steampunk thing? I was going with kind of a 17th century inventor with a massive steam-powered arm - sci-fi but not really futuristic. Is this stretching the brief too far? If so it's cool, I just want to be clear before I start on my concept.

I too was considering a steampunk avenue but with the whole HUMAN ONLY - NO ROBOTS rule, now I'm having doubts. Though it would have just been more mechanical than robot but oh well.
Souri, you never got around to clarifying the questions about single mesh restrictions. Are single planes for hair allowed and/or are we able to use geometry that isn't actually welded vert for vert but very much apart of the model (sun glasses/piercings/buckles/straps/loose items)? Thanks.

-caseyjones

A few people have been asking me what about the texture space as well. I think it needs more clarification - for example.

1 x 1024 Diffuse OR 4 x 512
1 x 1024 Normal OR 4 x 512
1 x 1024 Specular OR 4 x 512
1 x 1024 Reflection OR 4 x 512
1 x 1024 Translucency OR 4 x 512

Would I be right or wrong in saying that I am allowed this much pixel real estate?

A steampunk robot is definitely not human, so I'm afraid that would be out. A guy with a steam-powered mechanical arm is certainly human, but I'm more concerned about the spirit of the futuristic restriction - technically it's not but some might take exception.

I'm pretty sure that's dead on for texture space, although any passes beyond normal and diffuse are not required (most of us are gonna do 'em anyway [:)]).