Nice work.
Do you know about smooth and hard normals? You can probably play around with them if you do not want to smooth the entire model. I like the added helmet and sword.

cheers joed8349 :)

I know about soften/hard normals but am keeping it all hard till its finished (the face doesnt look too hot when softened for some reason).
Adding the armour means he needs a different body and legs (ankle and wrist armour would pullth clothing in) so I might end up with two models with interchangable bits.

comming along nicely.
Are you planning to rig him and animate after the comp

hello there...
i kinda have a problem viewing your images, it just doesnt show up =(
is it me? i looked it up on where you're hosting them but i cant even view the site...
really would like to see you work =)
cheers!

antiant - cheers :)
Hopefully I can learn how to rig and animate him. I've only glanced at the basics in those areas and it looks quite complicated :eek: - still its a good learning experience

spekkio - sometimes my host goes up and down a bit. Naturally they say to tell them when it does but I'm often fast asleep then. Try again today and (hopefully) you'll see the pics :)

I've got two models now, one as the basic samurai and an armoured version (just needs remapping)

Not really much to show as I'm still learning UV mapping. Here's the two basic maps without any detail (just blocked in so I know what goes where).

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/samurai_1.jpg

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/samurai_2.jpg

you only have to put a texture on half?!!!! Thats brilliant. Then just duplicate. I guess unless its asymetrical. You just saved me a doody load of time by displaying this. Looking good even if its just basic so far.

badtertle - yeah I saw it in Mr Mckinley's uv mapping video (on his website) and tried to duplicate it. I'm going to use the same head map on my other model and then choose whichever is the best. I'm glad it's gonna save you some time, its saved me loads too :)

p.s, Is there any tips on laying the uv's out in a certain way on the images above? I'm guessing that you just decide the importance of how detailed certain areas should be and then resize everything accordingly? I've got a sword and sheath to add to use some space up.

p.p.s, Is there any way of unsewing an edge once its been done? Thats why the blue leg texture is a little all over... ;)

nice uvs.
Show us the model with texture.
You know what.
Your model could make a good character for warcraft 3 (one of the game I`m deeply into at the time).

nice model :) finally, the pics are loaded hehe :D yea i agree with stormgetto, you could make him for warcraft 3 =D it'd be cool...can't wait to see him textured

Stormgetto - cheers :) its a good feeling to have them (almost) all mapped out :)
Are there any sites with info on how to get the models into warcraft 3? (maybe as a side project after this challenge if I can animate him ;)).

spekkio - thanks and glad you can see the pics now :)
think I'm going to spend some time researching some ideas for the full on textures, maybe with japanese symbols around the collar, cuffs and down the front but its just an idea at the moment.

Here's some quick views around the model. I've been playing with softening certain areas but some (like the hand and bottoms) seem to leave dark patches. The face was the same but I realised that it just needed a few more polys adding to smooth it out better.
Currently at 1620 with some spare around the eyeball. I've purposely left some more around the mouth for animating simple manga style expressions. Plenty for the sword/scabbard and a (robotic?) dragon steed... ;)

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._texture1a.jpg
http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._texture1b.jpg
http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._texture1c.jpg
http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._texture1d.jpg
http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._texture1f.jpg

This is really shaping up.

And a robotic dragon steed? Cool!

Keep rockin' t1ck135!

and you too swankymonkey :)

maybe we could have a duel between our models ;)

quick update on a non detailed texture I was playing with today
might do a couple more and pick the best of the bunch to add extra detail to.

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa...ure_test1a.jpg

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa...ure_test1b.jpg

Here's a sample of sketches for the dragon steed I was playing about with earlier today. Started working one up a bit which might be used as the basis for the model.
Have been thinking about whether to do it robotic (inset sketch) but am not sure yet:

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._concept1a.jpg

http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._concept1b.jpg

1st one is playing about with weights/major muscle positions for the stance of the dragon. Looked at bird leg bone/muscle structures for ideas.
2nd is basic outline blocked in.
3rd is with example samurai.
http://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa..._concept1c.jpg