Duke Nukem 3D Modelling Project part 4

[NightFright]

@alandog: Nice work!
Remember that I will need 6 skins for #1317 from you:
- pal0 (this one) + pal10 (red)
- XXX Full & Lite versions for each palette (PM me with links, don't post here)
Otherwise, really well done! (Face still looks a bit blurry, though.)

@escapist:
I noticed a slight clipping glitch with the hand on the dancing pole. Is this fixable?

BTW, for all who wanna test babes in Mapster32, you can use this test map I have made by myself. It contains the Duke model, all babes, all enemies (regulars & bosses) plus all XXX contents (screens, posters) for easy and fast checkup. Maphacks for the slime babes are also included.
Don't try to play this, though. You will be dead within seconds!

[alandog]

Originally Posted by NightFright

@alandog: Nice work!
Remember that I will need 6 skins for #1317 from you:
- pal0 (this one) + pal10 (red)
- XXX Full & Lite versions for each palette (PM me with links, don't post here)
Otherwise, really well done! (Face still looks a bit blurry, though.)

she is blurry because I worked on a natively 512x512 resolution... next version will be 1024x1024, then resized to 512x512, and with all the palette done... although you have to wait some days, i'm really busy now

and thanks for the custom map, I was really tired to load the level all the time!!

[NightFright]

Yes, I thought it would come in handy. #1317 is hard to check in E1L3 through Mapster because the sprite is up in the alcove, difficult to get a proper view of in the editor. And it's also useful for seeing which babes are still left to do.

[escapist]

Originally Posted by NightFright

@escapist:
It would also be nice if you could improve your model for #1390 (FIREVASE), if you don't mind. Especially the fire shape and the vase texture.

...this?

[NightFright]

Yeah, that looks really weird. Like painted paper or so. But at least, you improved the vase texture.

[alandog]

why don't use the fire of the flaming barrel on E1L2? the one near the sex shop I mean...

[escapist]

Originally Posted by alandog

why don't use the fire of the flaming barrel on E1L2? ...

....hmmm. nah! i think the flame is too thin for the vase
and i don't exactly get the animation.

Originally Posted by NightFright

Yeah, that looks really weird. Like painted paper or so ...

would it help if i just made the flames more transparent?

[Mr.Fibbles]

making the flames more transparent will make it look more natural.

[alandog]

yes, the transparence will be surely helpful... maybe add some sparks above the flame (like the ones on the flaming barrel) will help made it more "dynamic"

[NightFright]

You can make the flame in the vase larger (just look how large it is in original sprite). Otherwise, good approach.

[escapist]

HERE is the last version of the firevase #1390

I have added "sparks" as suggested and added transparence.
Can't do more than this because the colors become dull and loose brilliance making it less fiery looking.
'hope this finally works.

[NightFright]

Well, that's definitely an improvement, I'd say.

[Hendricks266]

Here's my progress on the muzzleflashes:



This is what they appear like in a test level, with maphacked “notmd”s behind them. The skins are modified versions of the lava. It's too bad that the fourth one from the left will never be seen normally.

This is the only thing I've been able to do in the HUD: (this was taken before the one above)



I fixed up the models' z and angle, squished them sideways, and actually added UV mapping:



I used LithUnwrap, which made the shape for me. I tried to make use of the extra space on the right, but it ended up looking artifacty. Besides, it tessellates:



Here's the DEFs, and a download.

model "test/2541-2543_cgunmflash.md3" {
   scale 30 shade 0

   skin { pal 0 file "test/2541_cgun_2614_sgun_mflash.png" }
   frame { name "idle" tile 2541 alphablending 1 }

   hud { tile 2451 xadd 0 yadd 0 zadd 0 angadd 0 }
}

model "test/2541-2543_cgunmflash.md3" {
   scale 26 shade 1

   skin { pal 0 file "test/2542_cgun_mflash.png" }
   frame { name "idle" tile 2542 alphablending 1 }

   hud { tile 2542 xadd 0 yadd 0 zadd 0 angadd 0 }
}

model "test/2541-2543_cgunmflash.md3" {
   scale 22 shade 2

   skin { pal 0 file "test/2543_cgun_mflash.png" }
   frame { name "idle" tile 2543 alphablending 1 }

   hud { tile 2543 xadd 0 yadd 0 zadd 0 angadd 0 }
}

model "test/2614-2615_sgunmflash.md3" {
   scale 26 shade 0

   skin { pal 0 file "test/2541_cgun_2614_sgun_mflash.png" }
   frame { name "idle" tile 2614 alphablending 1 }

   hud { tile 2614 xadd 0 yadd 0 zadd 0 angadd 0 }
}

model "test/2614-2615_sgunmflash.md3" {
   scale 18 shade 1

   skin { pal 0 file "test/2615_sgun_mflash.png" }
   frame { name "idle" tile 2615 alphablending 1 }

   hud { tile 2615 xadd 0 yadd 0 zadd 0 angadd 0 }
}

mflashesv3.7z

[Plagman]

Reduce the scale?

[NightFright]

Yeah, that's what I suggest, too. A pistol doesn't need to cause a nuclear explosion. But otherwise, it's nice work. Doing those muzzle flashes is a difficult task, for it's hard to choose the right shape, color and placement. They could be brighter, but I am sure you noticed that by yourself already.

[PimpUigi]

The sprite muzzle flashes still look a whole lot better though.
I think it's going to take a ton of work to make it so new ones outdo the old ones.

[DeeperThought]

Hi-res sprite muzzle flashes would be fine, and much easier to produce than models. The advantages of a model are that it can be seen from different angles and it can be given animation. Since these muzzleflashes are only for the hud and have no animation, it is completely pointless for them to be models. Or am I missing something?

[Commando Nukem]

Originally Posted by DeeperThought

Hi-res sprite muzzle flashes would be fine, and much easier to produce than models. The advantages of a model are that it can be seen from different angles and it can be given animation. Since these muzzleflashes are only for the hud and have no animation, it is completely pointless for them to be models. Or am I missing something?

That's exactly right. It would definately be more prudent just to make high res sprites based on real-deal muzzle flashes, and just use photoshop to adjust colorisation to match the originals.

[alandog]

In general, I think that all the explosions must be kept as sprites, but the muzzleflashes produced by Hendricks266 could be reworked as fireplace...

[NightFright]

I think you are right. It will be very hard to create convincing flash models. The best method would be particle explosions, but you don't have enough tiles to animate them properly. Highres sprites seems to be the only option.

[escapist]

'just keepin this thread alive with a little eye candy



Payten Hanediere as the Cheerleader #3450 (FEM9)

[The Commander]

I think someone has had to much Botox.

[alandog]

the hell escapist!! too much texture to do for me!!

...just joking, I'm glad someone manage this one and all the models are really similar, so it wouldn't be a great problem to texture, apart their face.
atm I'm reworking the stripper face texture, because she still was to innocent for her role, but probably I would resume the visage and blond hair for this one...

[Hendricks266]

Originally Posted by escapist

'just keepin this thread alive with a little eye candy



Payten Hanediere as the Cheerleader #3450 (FEM9)

The face could use a little work... less blurry, correctly aligned.

The pom-pom has a good structure, but I think it might benefit from more cross-sections.

Could you post the skin, and possibly your DEFs? I might improve the hair and pop-pom a little bit.

[DeeperThought]

Having that real person's face pasted onto that model looks really cheap, scary and wrong imo.

[NightFright]

I have to agree with DT on this one. Stealing faces of celebrities is politically incorrect and does not match with our contents policies. I wouldn't like to see such kind of things in our HRP, at least not if it's done in such an obvious way. However, I am sure you meant to use this only as a placeholder, so as long as you are not really serious about this being the final version, it's a nice WIP effort.

[Hendricks266]

What about Gillian Anderson as a hooker? Or was the the face constructed to resemble her, not look exactly like her?

[DeeperThought]

Originally Posted by Hendricks266

What about Gillian Anderson as a hooker? Or was the the face constructed to resemble her, not look exactly like her?

Would you mind posting the original sprite along with a screenshot of the model for that one?

[NightFright]

Well, I must say I didn't see GA in the hooker until I was told she was supposed to look like her. I think it's OK the way it was done.

[Altered Reality]

Originally Posted by escapist

'just keepin this thread alive with a little eye candy



Payten Hanediere as the Cheerleader #3450 (FEM9)

The eyes are too stretched on the sides and the color of the face does not correspond to the color of the body.

[HellFire]

Well, why you need to change his face anyway? Just keep the same from the babe dancer ...

[alandog]

but it's supposed to be just a placeholder, no? it's just to have an idea on the model...

however, I know I haven't show much lately, since I'm busy 12 hours a day, but I'm really working on texturing these models, and now I'd like to finish them... I've plenty of template and materials to manage, and I have had much test on photoshop layers, etc... now I can try something more serious.
since I'd really like to contribute the project, I show you a new stile I could try to adopt for the #1317... I have still to manage the skin color, and improve the general "feeling", maybe the lips are not well integrated but it's only an alpha...

and, Hendricks266, if you want to help on pom-pom and hair, I would be grate, since these are the parts I'm less able to manage...

[escapist]

Originally Posted by HellFire

Well, why you need to change his face anyway? Just keep the same from the babe dancer ...

aw c'mon guys! Save the cheerleader, save the world?!

i KNEW she would give you guys a big ERE....i mean.....REAction

Originally Posted by DeeperThought

Having that real person's face pasted onto that model looks really cheap, scary and wrong imo.

Originally Posted by Hendricks266

What about Gillian Anderson as a hooker?

And don't forget Hellbound's Babes with Rhona Mitra (from Underworld, and the original Lara Croft)

Originally Posted by NightFright

Stealing faces of celebrities is politically incorrect and does not match with our contents policies.

O.K...'just thought it would be fun.
('Kinda like those references in Duke3d to other movies/video games )
and yeah, it's only a WIP/placeholder.

Originally Posted by Hendricks266

The face could use a little work...Could you post the skin, and possibly your DEFs? I might improve the hair and pop-pom a little bit.

I appreciate the help but fact is, with this model,when animated, the face is hardly even seen. It's almost fully covered by her hair! Animating the hair is THE real b*tch.
...This will probably take a while

anyways, now we're all here, let's par-teyyy!

[ilovefoxes]

Often Duke doesn't have to save the cheerleader to save the world, he most of times kill cheerleaders for no reason!!

If you look the cheerleader and the dancing cave are exact the same sprite and animation except for the clothing. You does noticed that when making the model, doesn't?

[chicken]

Maybe this can help with the face.
It's a Poser-render again...

[alandog]

this is a beta of the asian stripper... since I didn't have much time, I have simply pasted her face on the old stripper, that's why you can notice the different skin tones... I'm more interested on her face for now.

escapist, I have noticed some problem on the face alignment, especially when in movement... look at the nose and the lips: on the texture they are correctly aligned (maybe the lips can be be managed by me, but not the nose...)

[NightFright]

Really neat and... Asian! *LOL* She might look a bit happier, though. Most babes (except for the slime babes, of course) are smiling at least a bit.

[escapist]

Originally Posted by ilovefoxes

If you look the cheerleader and the dancing cave are exact the same sprite and animation except for the clothing. You does noticed that when making the model, doesn't?

yes, i am aware of that. If you are suggesting to simply modify the existing cavedancer, then i would need TeaMaster's source files.
If I'm not mistaken, T.Master is planning to RE-DO that thing completely anyways.

Besides, I'm thinking of discontinuing my attempt on this one because the hair is simply impossible to model!

Originally Posted by chicken

Maybe this can help with the face.
It's a Poser-render again...

That's a good suggestion, Chicken, (and I do have Poser )
But my real problem is 1.) getting the skin tones to match, and 2) making the face more cartoon-y. Any quick tips?

[chicken]

Uhm... quick tips is a good question...
How about you insert the face so it matches the model and then send me a pshop-file of the texture. I've done quite a lot of adjusting and colourcorrecting for the xxx-pack and it worked.
Yeah, PM me a download link and i'll take a look, this is what i can offer you.

[NightFright]

Originally Posted by escapist

Besides, I'm thinking of discontinuing my attempt on this one because the hair is simply impossible to model!

Rule #1: Never give up, never surrender. I am sure you will find a way. And you know how messy hair can get, just look at the slime babes (especially #603 and #1323). Best solution is often to keep it simple.

Besides, I am putting #563-566 (WATERFOUNTAIN) back onto the to-do list. This transparency bug with the water part of the model is too obvious to ignore. Whoever did this, I would be grateful if he could fix it.