Modeling/Texturing: How does one reach the elite level like top modders on Nexus?

[Ethreon]

Arrimus3D

3ds max tutorial available on autodesk website (full course i think)

any Max version manual, whether digital or physical

[ehtyeci]

I don't know how your current workflow is, but the general idea is to model using concepts and reference images. You usually can't model something entirely freestyle or make design decisions on-the-fly. Maybe someone can, but it cannot be considered typical.

You need minimum a front view T-pose reference image with your design to effectively model. I suggest importing the mesh of either a vault suit or the body itself, so you can get the right proportions from the get go. You can then save a screenshot of the orthographic front view, and start drawing your ideas. Use mash-ups or whatever to get your ideas into a concrete reference. Whatever you do, you need a finished concept / reference before you model.

If you google concept images for, let's say armor, you'll see that a good portion of the results are images of character in their T-poses, aka arms elevated. This is the default pose modelers work with for 99% of clothing assets in general.

[jkruse05]

 

I don't know how your current workflow is, but the general idea is to model using concepts and reference images. You usually can't model something entirely freestyle or make design decisions on-the-fly. Maybe someone can, but it cannot be considered typical.

You need minimum a front view T-pose reference image with your design to effectively model. I suggest importing the mesh of either a vault suit or the body itself, so you can get the right proportions from the get go. You can then save a screenshot of the orthographic front view, and start drawing your ideas. Use mash-ups or whatever to get your ideas into a concrete reference. Whatever you do, you need a finished concept / reference before you model.

If you google concept images for, let's say armor, you'll see that a good portion of the results are images of character in their T-poses, aka arms elevated. This is the default pose modelers work with for 99% of clothing assets in general.

 

This is good advice, I always import something similar to what I want to make so I get the proportions correct and the right parts in the right place.

 

For UV mapping, don't expect to get it right the first time, and don't expect the automatic unwrapping tools to get it perfect. You will have to adjust things manually. Overlap UV Islands as much as possible, but make sure any part that you want to have a unique texture is alone on the layout. Mirroring sections of your mesh will make things much easier. UV mapping is the part I hate the most, but if you want to make something it has to happen.

[fftfan]

Arrimus3D

3ds max tutorial available on autodesk website (full course i think)

any Max version manual, whether digital or physical

Great thank you! I will check it out!

 

 

IN blender the most important part of UV mapping is the set up. you can show Blender how to break down a model into sections by isolating those sections with seams. then you can essentially export the pattern to paint your texture on. when the texture is finished you attach it to materials, uv unwrap and the sections appear exactly where you want them on the texture.

 

okay sorry I know thats a little off topic.

 

Good luck, hope to see how you progress over time.

 

I tried a bunch of different seam arrangements but couldn't make sense out of what the results were. All I'd wanted to do was try a couple of different UV map ideas to see what would work better for texturing, the idea is I'd want to make the UV map something to allow the texturing process to be more logical vs free-hand painting. I did buy current mouse after finding out about from competitive FPS friends since I figure free hand-painting may not be avoidable and I think this could help.

 

Not off topic IMO, this process may very well turn out to be the same in 3DS. I've looked around in 3DS and it seems at least basically the same although there's stuff like "smart unwrap" and a few others. I'm hoping it works better/more straightforward than Blender.

 

 

I don't know how your current workflow is, but the general idea is to model using concepts and reference images. You usually can't model something entirely freestyle or make design decisions on-the-fly. Maybe someone can, but it cannot be considered typical.

 

You need minimum a front view T-pose reference image with your design to effectively model. I suggest importing the mesh of either a vault suit or the body itself, so you can get the right proportions from the get go. You can then save a screenshot of the orthographic front view, and start drawing your ideas. Use mash-ups or whatever to get your ideas into a concrete reference. Whatever you do, you need a finished concept / reference before you model.

 

If you google concept images for, let's say armor, you'll see that a good portion of the results are images of character in their T-poses, aka arms elevated. This is the default pose modelers work with for 99% of clothing assets in general.

 

So I should import vault suit, take screen shots from couple angles then draw ontop of the image?

 

I used an image on google images of T2 judgement armor. I only stuck with that one for the most part because he made the style a little bit different and I liked it. I viewed T2 Judgement as being "somewhat different" in Oblivion and this fit the bill.

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/82/1e/21821e1397483b70989a0b2edf648fe5.jpg

 

 

 

This is good advice, I always import something similar to what I want to make so I get the proportions correct and the right parts in the right place.

 

For UV mapping, don't expect to get it right the first time, and don't expect the automatic unwrapping tools to get it perfect. You will have to adjust things manually. Overlap UV Islands as much as possible, but make sure any part that you want to have a unique texture is alone on the layout. Mirroring sections of your mesh will make things much easier. UV mapping is the part I hate the most, but if you want to make something it has to happen.

 

My plan was to mirror on X axis like the outfit would be symmetrical. Usually Wow outfits are always 100% symmetrical. I kind of guessed without any direct reference in Blender but did import body later and adjusted shoulder to that, it went okay without too much effort. Using Scale or Scale on axis didn't cause distortions. Maybe I was lucky?

 

My thing with UV mapping is I'm a logic minded person so I feel a need to see how it gets the results from the seam arrangements so I can use those as "rules" to control how it will be output.

 

I wanted to experiment with different UV map layouts to see what may work best for a logical person to do texturing. For example what would be the most simple is something like having regions divided by color but that would cause visual distortions on the model if different segments are using the same are but have different physical dimensions, it won't be a 1:1 match.

Edited December 3, 2017 by fftfan

[jkruse05]

You want the scale of everything to be roughly equal. This can vary a bit for weapons, certain parts will be seen more and will be closer to the camera, like iron sights. For outfits, though, try to keep things the same scale and try really hard to avoid seams unless there is actually going to be a seam in the mesh. Dividing by color sounds nice, but it's better for the model overall to focus on avoiding distortion and highly noticeable mirroring. It's best to mirror along a seam that won't be noticed to much, or to have an extra mesh overlapping on one side (like a pauldron) to make it less obvious. Of course, some outfits just ARE symmetrical, so then it's not a big deal.

[Ethreon]

OK, pause there a bit. Y'all giving him tips for making guns and armours but we don't know what level he is exactly.

[fftfan]

You want the scale of everything to be roughly equal. This can vary a bit for weapons, certain parts will be seen more and will be closer to the camera, like iron sights. For outfits, though, try to keep things the same scale and try really hard to avoid seams unless there is actually going to be a seam in the mesh. Dividing by color sounds nice, but it's better for the model overall to focus on avoiding distortion and highly noticeable mirroring. It's best to mirror along a seam that won't be noticed to much, or to have an extra mesh overlapping on one side (like a pauldron) to make it less obvious. Of course, some outfits just ARE symmetrical, so then it's not a big deal.

Will keep this in mind. I think I will try armour first as I have edited armours before for personal use.

 

OK, pause there a bit. Y'all giving him tips for making guns and armours but we don't know what level he is exactly.

OK. I will now try remaking the shoulder plate in 3DS Max, might switch to Maya as I'm a bit more comfortable there but most advise to use Max so going to try that.

 

EDIT: Is it still cool to do an idea if someone else is/was/I don't really know doing it? found pics of a WIP by JohnSkyrim on Nexus from 2016 and I think an earlier version of his that he posted in 2015. But we are now December 2017, I've just looked on his Nexus Profile and it has not yet been released. Is it fair game to do it?

I think my interpretation is a bit different from how he did it. Though torso I am not 100% on how it'd look.

Edited December 7, 2017 by fftfan

[fftfan]

Deciding to just go ahead with it, johnskyrim's image posts are from April 2016, like a year and a half ago so I will guess he is not going to release it anymore. Either way I would like to give this somewhat of a different look, like I ideally want it to be a bit more of a heavy armor sort of look kind of like a Souls character, that's talking lofty goal territory because Souls series has amazing art(IMO Dark Souls 3 along with Overwatch are probably the best art styles of 2016 games) but if it got there I would release it. If it gets completed I will look into trying to make a Children of Atom version to try and get this kind of lore friendly or maybe even an Atom Power Armor but I think at that point that's probably going into super-difficult territory.

 

Just went as quickly as possible to have something to show right now.

 

Hopefully with some feedback I can get on the right track ASAP so I can start making stuff!

 

 

 

Won't let me use Imgur or . png format so made it a jpg.

 

Where I am going next is to study Arrimus3D's videos and try using what he teaches directly, as well as anything from feedback. Will post again when I get farther

Edited December 7, 2017 by fftfan