[mjn.mixael]

Calling all modellers!

The current and greatest need for several of my projects is character models. My progress has been slow, but steady on the Marine. It's becoming quite clear, that if I have to do this myself, it's going to take an unusually long time.

I NEED help. Straight up.

Now you may be thinking... "I've never made characters before.." or "I'm not a good enough modeller for that.." Well, the news for you is that I bet you'd surprise yourself. If you have experience working in 3D, then chances are you can grasp character modelling pretty simply. The good news is that you DO NOT need to worry about rigging or anything else of that matter. I've got that taken care of. Also, for the human characters, I have a dummy you can start with and you would essentially just be clothing a dummy!

The goal of this is to finish with a set of characters that the whole community can use. I'll use them for my mainhalls as well. I'm going for quality here. We've already seen the incredible talent around the community, so I know it's possible.

Without further ado.. the list.

Unclaimed | Taken | Modelled & Textured | Rigged & Ready

Shivan
Vasudan Pilot
Marine
Officer
Pilot
Scientist
Engineer

Honestly, I fully expect this thread to fall into oblivion as I struggle to keep going... but here's hoping!

EDIT: The other option is to set up some sort of donation so that I can pay either my own studio or some freelance designer to make a few. While I do all this for fun.. the other guys in my studio are less enthusiastic about it all.

EDIT2: Donation poll added by Goober5000, for information-gathering purposes

EDIT3: Donation button added by Sandwich and Goober5000.  Go donate!

EDIT4: Donation goal reached!  But please, keep donating.

[jr2]

* jr2 has nothing to offer, so jr2 pats mjn.mixael on the back and congratulates him on a swell job so far.

Keep it up, mate!   

[Goober5000]

You forgot Miss Vasuda Prime 2332.

What?  Scroll needs a nearly-nekkid Vasudan so we can have it wear a ceremonial robe!

[rscaper1070]

So where is this dummy you speak of? And when we create clothes do we have to keep the puffy style of the originals?

[Goober5000]

I am inspired to add a poll.   I'm hoping this is something that people can get behind.  If you've seen mjn.mixael do great things with existing assets, think how much he'll be able to do with finished character models!  We could see Hall Fight in hi-res!

[mjn.mixael]

So where is this dummy you speak of? And when we create clothes do we have to keep the puffy style of the originals?

I'll hand it out to people who want to help out. And no, you don't need to keep the puffy style of the originals.

[Black Wolf]

The scientist is pretty generic, right? Surely there must be downloadable Lab coats and safety glasses you could add on to your dummy?

Personally, I'd love to help, but I tried and failed to model FS type clothing when I was doing head anis - it's not something I do well.

[mjn.mixael]

I've been working on this bad boy for a long time. I started with an old model Styxx had lying around and graciously allowed me to use. I've been tweaking and changing and reforming to fit it to my human model and then to make it look better. I'm in the final stages for the Marine. Just need to add details like the eyepiece and some stuff to the belt, etc. Textures, rigs, and it'll be ready for animation.

So... who's gonna help with a different model?

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[CommanderDJ]

That stacked shoulder armour looks pretty badass. The model really stays true to the FS style. As always, excellent work. I wish I had something to offer in terms of modelling, but I've never modelled anything before. So in the meantime I'll post encouraging words.

[Asteroth]

Isn't it supposed to be ... better? Don't get me wrong, it looks good, but it looks about the same quality as the originals.

[Kolgena]

It's not textured yet, so I'd wait until we get that layer of detail before passing judgment.

Just from the mesh though, I must say that you've done a great job keeping natural proportions and avoiding uncanny valley.

[mjn.mixael]

Isn't it supposed to be ... better? Don't get me wrong, it looks good, but it looks about the same quality as the originals.

I'm gonna go ahead and tell you to take off the nostalgia glasses...

The original models are not good... go watch the briefing cutscene again. He looks like a puppet. Someone already asked in this thread, but they are all kinda poofy and feel like they stuff their clothes before going out on the job.

[Asteroth]

Isn't it supposed to be ... better? Don't get me wrong, it looks good, but it looks about the same quality as the originals.

I'm gonna go ahead and tell you to take off the nostalgia glasses...

The original models are not good... go watch the briefing cutscene again. He looks like a puppet. Someone already asked in this thread, but they are all kinda poofy and feel like they stuff their clothes before going out on the job.

If am going to nostalgia it sure as hell won't be about the models, I've had errors which have forced me into playing without the MVPs, and I really can't see how I was able to play without them. I'm not saying it was good, perhaps it will be more in the animation, or the textures as Kolgena said, but that picture doesn't actually look any better than what was already there. Particularly the shin guards, forearm guards, and shoes.

[mjn.mixael]

Isn't it supposed to be ... better? Don't get me wrong, it looks good, but it looks about the same quality as the originals.

I'm gonna go ahead and tell you to take off the nostalgia glasses...

The original models are not good... go watch the briefing cutscene again. He looks like a puppet. Someone already asked in this thread, but they are all kinda poofy and feel like they stuff their clothes before going out on the job.

If am going to nostalgia it sure as hell won't be about the models, I've had errors which have forced me into playing without the MVPs, and I really can't see how I was able to play without them. I'm not saying it was good, perhaps it will be more in the animation, or the textures as Kolgena said, but that picture doesn't actually look any better than what was already there. Particularly the shin guards, forearm guards, and shoes.

hmmm, may YOU should model the marine and show me how it's done.

[Goober5000]

All right, who are the jokers who voted for Snuffleupagus?   You cheapskates can be bothered to vote, but can't be bothered to spare even $1?

I'm otherwise very encouraged by the results of the poll.  So far, we're 2/3rds of the way toward commissioning the Vasudan model!

I will see about setting up a dedicated model fund.  Sandwich can probably help with that.

[mjn.mixael]

A HUGE thank you the Peterv for the jump start on the officer mesh!



[attachment deleted by ninja]

[peterv]

A HUGE thank you to Mjn.Mixael for he's FANTASTIC work!

[Rga_Noris]

Yes, he IS fantastic work!

[Galemp]

I don't suppose you have a cloth dynamics system on your rendering rig, do you Mike?

[lostllama]

If it's of any help, I know that Krallis is or was working on FreeSpace character meshes for his Unreal 3(?) mod (he displayed some pics of a marine - not sure if he's done any other models), and dragonsniper seems to still be working on his FreeSpace: Assualt Force mod. Maybe it would be worth contacting them for assistance?

According to his profile Krallis last posted about his progress last October and was last active on 29 Dec.