texturing final work maps

Most of the work done after modeling the character is done in programs like Photoshop for creating the colors but lots of maps have to be made to make the character and clothing come to life.

Finishing touch

Looks like this will be the final image adjustment to the face its really close and I have to move on to the Keeper character, you can also see a little of the clothing that has been applied a full render is in the works.

Clothing

With most of the head done I am going to work on the body here is a low resolution render and the diffuse (color) map.

Final Head render

This is the texture map and lighting rig final results. With the head done I am going to concentrate on deepening the normal map textures. For the clothing, trenchcoat and probably add a few fine details to the face like hair.

Maps and lighted render

Maps are added to the model for the desired look. This is a typical mapping workflow.

After adding all this information plus four or more lights to the scene you get a render like this which is good for in game but will have to be tweaked more for a animation/cinematic.

Lighting and Rendering

With most of the face textured I decided to set up a lighting rig for the characters face first to see how the render would come out on it first. Lighting takes a lot of set up and test renders to get the right look two test renders show here low and higher lighting configurations. I will also add a Subsurface scattering to give the skin a more realistic look also I will try to add some (HDRI) high dynamic range information which should also add to the render. In looking at these two renders I think somewhere in between will work well.

Map and applying textures

The upper map is a revision of the previous one I normally create two or more diffuse(color) maps while working on the model. Also the in program shows what the normal map looks like when applied, a quick render is shown without normal mapping or any lights in the scene. I will provide maps on this post tomorrow as a revision.

Sculpting in Z-brush

Here is the Z-brush sculpt and its is a separate object however in game does have two different ideas with the head connected and the head disconnected. This is a great program you can sculpt in the computer I have done only one previous real sculpture. If you really see some great sculpting look up z-brush central. This is what we use to add to the low resolution mesh as shown in the previous posts called a normal map that gives it a bit more realism.

posing character

Modeling was done in max and uvd in roadkill and posing in Z-brush using the transpose tool re-imported into Max and refined for rendering purposes.

I like the way this matches the thumbnail originally drawn the textures still need to be tightened up. This character is separated into several groups head, hands and eyes, main body chest legs and boots and trench coat which requires 3 separate maps for cinematic animation however since this will go in game I also have a character that is welded only omitting the head per tutorials on exporting into the unreal engine.

Maps

Here is one of the first maps I created for the Detective character I will probably have about four or more maps to apply to the model.

Detective Benjamin Brown

Here is the ambient occlusion renders of the Detective character textures are the next thing on the agenda and hopefully won't take to much time there is also the matter of the Z-brush sculpt for adding as a normal map that's soon to come. Which came first the Texture or the sculpt?

In game vs In program

Normally computers do run off a wizzy wig type of format meaning what you see is what you get however there are times when lighting will make or break a render and the prop or character, case in point one render is from the system and the other is inside Max. Even though the map below looks like the in Max render the lighting output is sometimes not what you expect.

That's when lots of tweaking and test renders come in handy but there are wait times that really test your patience.

Also this prop has no normal mapping yet.

smg quick textures

This is the (SMG) sub machine gun, with the quick texture for in game originally this weapon was to be used soley from the FP view however I am going to place this inside the NPC Phantom soldier character and re-render for quick in game mock-ups.

Start screen graphic

Well after several mock ups I came up with what I think is an OK graphic for the start menu, the light from the keyhole would move from right to left in a loop and I would put a sequencing brightness pass over all the letters with emphasis on the key at the end. I will continue to work on this idea perhaps with a background of brick wall and sky environment, as well as a ground plane to accompany the START, CONTINUE and EXIT type letter icons for the screen.

The letters seen where modeled in 3Ds max for future animation manipulation rendered under several different formats with several lights mr omni lights and multiple photometrics including spots. This is the final result.

Keeper sculpt via Z-brush

Here is the proposed final sculpt for the Keeper character, it looks OK and given the time constraints I have to push other assets of the game proposal as well as the textures for this character. This sculpt will be made into the normal map as well as other supporting maps like specular etc...

Keeper Model

Continued scuplting on the Keeper Model

Keeper Primary sculpt

The keeper character now in Z-Brush will be sculpted and I will generate a normal map with Z-mapper. The model has been UVd of course and the textures will be the next step, hopefully I can have this done before the end of the week.