[Dragon]

Ragingloli's Typhon is very good and does feel like a Typhon.
It's the Esarai's Typhon that doesn't.

[Thaeris]

Personally, TrashMan, I like your Demon model. It might need more details in certain areas, but in general it stays true to form. I'd need to take a look at the actual model in comparison to the original model (in my program) to make a more detailed analysis, but making sure the plating is properly aligned, then adding a few more details here and there would go a long way.

In general, the aesthetic the model conveys fits in well with both FS1 and FS2 Shivan ships.

[Snail]

Alright people, calm down or the thread gets locked.

[bobbtmann]

I've noticed that texturing seems to make even really good models appear to be less.. good. Somehow suggesting detail through maps blocks out the actual detail of the model.

In the case of your model I especially like the "head" of your Demon, Trashman. It has some nice lines in it, though they could be accentuated a bit more. I think the biggest problem with your Demon is that the overall shape is too similar to the original Demon. Adding detail won't solve the problem, obviously. Little details will do nothing to the shape, and the texture will just negate them anyways. I feel the best solution would be to modify the entire shape, so that it's set apart from the original. Do more of what you did on the "head", just do it all over ship.

Of course, the newest Cain and Hatsheput seem to be exceptions to the idea that textures detract from the geometry. If anything, they've got too much detail, to the detriment of the model. They feel distinctly "michelin man"-ish. Like they were inflated with air. A blow-up Cain, if you will.

[Kolgena]

I can barely tell where the extra polies went in the body. I also think you need to imagine some details in there. Do something creative with the plate overlaps, put probably not as quiltwork insane as Hades' paint sketchup looks like. Also, an AO bake would help a ton with adding some depth if we're going to stick with tiling that grey texture over most of everything. Thematically, that kinda makes sense as it'll look related to the Ravana.

[Droid803]

Now, the question is - what makes the demon, a demon?
Should it retain some harder, more agressive edges OR should it be curved and smoothed?
Should it's armor be greebled up to whazoo OR should it look liek one massive, monolithic chunk?

Answer these questions and we'll get some idea as to how we want to take the Demon if you don't like this on. Especially if you want to give it more "artistic liberty"...

***** and scream about adding your beloved "artistic liberty" as you want...

The rear arch and the head of this model look pretty good, its just the main body that seems to be missing something, but I don't think that the armor greebles should be modelled in, the normal maps for the texture do that job pretty well.
The neck is also a place where there's some room for creativity.

Yeah, so I think this one's on kinda the right track, just not really done yet.

Decide on how it should look first, then talk about how we get there. Throwing around vague terms like adding creative liberty is useless, and meaningless.

[Snail]

Now, the question is - what makes the demon, a demon?
Should it retain some harder, more agressive edges OR should it be curved and smoothed?
Should it's armor be greebled up to whazoo OR should it look liek one massive, monolithic chunk?

Answer these questions and we'll get some idea as to how we want to take the Demon if you don't like this on. Especially if you want to give it more "artistic liberty"...

***** and scream about adding your beloved "artistic liberty" as you want...

Well that's for the modeller to decide. People can give feedback while the model progresses, which is how it worked with the Hat and Cain.

[Droid803]

So who is the modeller?
Doesn't look like TrashMan wants to keep working on it (or has time to).

[Snail]

So who is the modeller?
Doesn't look like TrashMan wants to keep working on it (or has time to).

Whoever decides to take it up.

[Zacam]

This model has the basis for promise. I can approve of the fact that it retains much about the original, it gives a good basic starting point at the very least.

As for maps vs mesh, Texturing can be handled many different ways. Some methods will convey detail, others will obscure it.

In the end, it come down to the fact that there are very few people that work on FreeSpace models of any sort (by comparison of TCs or other mods) that virtually any thing can be an improvement, even this model. If tetxtured better than the existing model, while it may not make for the same uberfication as the Hatshepsut, it will at least give us something more optimized and usable that what we currently have.

And at the end of the day, the important question isn't "does it have moar greebles than the last one" but "is it usable and at least aesthetically meaningful enough to warrant its use".

Without knowing anything about it's geometry as I haven't opened it, aside from needing some more refinements in the texturing space, I call the mesh itself a good start and I look forward to seeing how it progresses, with full credits if/when it goes in.

[TrashMan]

So who is the modeller?
Doesn't look like TrashMan wants to keep working on it (or has time to).

I'd probably re-do the central body if I were to start it up again. Maybe make the rear with a different method.
Remember, this is an older model, so it's not quite my best work.

And thing with textures is..what kind of texture it is? Some just don't work well for conveying detail. Some just don't look good at all. The reason I quit making the demon when I first tried was because texturing the rear with the stock texture proved impossible. It was horribly streched and looked...fugly. 

[X3N0-Life-Form]

If you(or anyone else) do work on it again, I think it would be a good thing to add some details on the missile launchers.

[peterv]

Wait a bit people, this is under the patronage of the highest powers of the FSU 

[Droid803]

And thing with textures is..what kind of texture it is? Some just don't work well for conveying detail. Some just don't look good at all. The reason I quit making the demon when I first tried was because texturing the rear with the stock texture proved impossible. It was horribly streched and looked...fugly. 

I'd think it'd be best to do a full (or at the very very very least partial like the Ravana's) UVmap of the whole thing then paint on it using the retail textures as a base. That way you can add detail to the texture where needed.

Attempting to work with just the stock tiles are kinda an excercise in futility.

[MatthTheGeek]

inb4tilingsucks

[Black Wolf]

Is it just me, or is there a lot of yelling about an abandoned model that so far nobody - Trashman included - has suggested they will pick up and carry through to the final stages? Maybe wait until someone actually plans to use this before you dogpile it?

[peterv]

As said before, this model is under the patronage of the highest powers of the FSU . It's not abandoned anymore and you'll see improvements to it soon.

[TrashMan]

I'd think it'd be best to do a full (or at the very very very least partial like the Ravana's) UVmap of the whole thing then paint on it using the retail textures as a base. That way you can add detail to the texture where needed.

Attempting to work with just the stock tiles are kinda an excercise in futility.

It will need a custom texture....trust me on that.