oh I wish I was good at modelling as I wouldn't be sat doing web programming as a day job

cheers for the comments Joopson, mmoore5553 and THX1138
It was fairly easy to get blocked in with the samurai body as a base and the sketches I had. Starting from scratch would have been harder (and there are some unresolved areas in the head you can't see)

I still need to finish the other models for the challenge though

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
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Not much time to do things recently and I'm still learning about rigging (how many ways to do similar things??)

Here's a rig setup based on a few tutorials but I still need to finish it off and stop the mesh deforming in mad ways.
I also started modelling some detail into the metallic dragon's feet to generate some normal maps but dont think I can get it all completed in time.

Other people's models are really starting to shine now

https://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/rig_1a.gif

https://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/sa...emodelling.jpg

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

Hey T1ck135! Cool lookin' rig ... but looking at rigging is like looking at Chinese calligraphy to me ... looks beautiful, but I don't understand a thing! Ha ... well almost like that.

The foot is lookin' smart. I'd love to see your model normal mapped. Keep on truckin'!

Dave

Cheers Dave To be honest I dont really know much about rigging. At the minute its like voodoo crossed with UFOs

I'm just moving onto learning painting weights as the rear of the leg deforms really badly. Dont think I'll get the models completed up to a decent level for the competition end but its been a fun ride so far.

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

good progress man.
great job on uv texturing and it seems you have been able to keep the poly count quite low as well. nice.

cheers utpal its a big learning curve getting this far! It'd be good to see a game model calvin or hobbes if you ever get the time

Anybody know why mirroring painted weights doesnt work? I've got a smooth bound skin and have been painting one side. When I try and mirror it nothing happens

Anyways here's a quick walking pose from the left (as the right is still not properly painted and his left arm wont bend well)

https://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/pose1a.jpg

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

and a quick example pose of the two models together

https://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/pose1b.jpg

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

tick135=my favorite:attn:

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Environment Artist @ Plastic Piranha
www.joopson.com

Finially, the warrior on the dragon!

thanks Joopson & THX1138

final todo's (with limited time)
1) Dragon - finish texturing horns and bits on his tail, have a try at creating a slightly mottled scale effect for some areas. Play with contrast/highlights (especially on his toes). Add a rig??.
2) Samurai - add bones for his hands (only up to wrist so far). Add backbone rig controls. Re-paint the mesh weights for when he's sat on the dragon.

would likes (but not likely till after the competition):
1) Dragon - finish normal mapping the metallic version, add specular map and any other maps that are needed. Increase contrast.
2) Baddie character (finished modelling it) - texture and rig.
3) Samurai - create some facial expressions (blendshapes?)
4) Create an example game background.
5) All - animate some basic movement patterns as if in game.

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

hope you have time to do all these things, awesome model and texture :bow: :bow:

Very good! The pair togheter looks very nice. I don't remember to have problems with mirror skin weights. It's just decide the correct plane of simetry and check or not the box for x mirror. Before inserting IK handles though, you must verify if all your joints are 0 0 0 in rotation. If not, modify>freeze transformations will force them to go to a neutral rotation.

cheers clericuzzi I need to push on and get the textures finished now

thanks for the info jramauri
I've tried playing with the mirror settings but to no avail. If its related to not freezing the transformations then that could be the problem. While learning I cant remember if they were frozen or not
Things are deforming a little better now though, and I might have some time to play tonight

---

Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

tidied the geometry around the horns slightly today
here's a quick play with a pose and a software render with raytracing on (I have no idea if it helps)

https://www.flash-fx.net/images/3D/samurai/pose2c.jpg

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Examples of bTraffic - a traffic animation tool for Maya
bFlocking - a tool for Maya 8.5+ to generate flocking and swarming behaviours
Jan/Feb Challenge 2007 Entry and W.I.P
May/Jun Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Mar/Apr Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Jan/Feb Challenge 2006 Entry and W.I.P
Nov/Dec Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Sep/Oct Challenge 2005 Entry and W.I.P
Jul/Aug Challenge 2005 Entry
www.flash-fx.net

Nice work