Integrating 3D models with photography
Interested in integrating your 3D work with the real world? This might help
# 1 18-08-2009 , 05:46 AM
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Staff_Of_Magius (Need help)

Hi there,

Newbie here. I'm trying to make the staff of magius because I thought it was relatively easy. It seems to be harder than it looks!

The staff of magius is supposed to be a magical staf from the dragonlance universe. Visually, it is a smooth staff, the top of which is an orb clutched by dragon claws (or what it seems to be).

I've done a draft of what I think it should look like, but I'm bothered with the part where the gold dragon claws join the wooden staff. It just seems sudden.

Any suggestions on any parts of the image.

Thank you very much for your time.

- Darkover -

PS: Hey... there seems to be a double post on this even though I posted only once.... How do I delete the other post?

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Last edited by Darkover; 18-08-2009 at 06:26 AM.
# 2 19-08-2009 , 02:01 AM
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Maybe a band of silver or gold where the claws meet the staff?
Or maybe a band encrusted with gems?
Maybe some incandescence on the orb itself and some adjustments to lighting and shadows?

It's a good start - lots of possibilities.

# 3 19-08-2009 , 09:23 AM
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have a quick google images search for ideas i found a few and i think the reason its not right is that the claw part is so short let the silvery colour come further down the staff maybe to the bottom of the ridges underneath the claw? Hope that makes sense.

Basically just try and get a longer join between the claws and the wood as that seemed to be the main difference between yours and the pics i found.

T


- Big Tom
www.digitaltom.co.uk
# 4 19-08-2009 , 11:12 AM
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Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm actually trying to do a magical library in which this staff will be resting in. I really thought that I could just design without any reference but all my models of furniture and all just seems modern and not magical/medieval.

Oh well... have to get the references for ideas then.

I'll try to lengthen the gold parts and possibly get a band around the 'joint'.

I also need help making a realistic candleflame. I have no idea where to start.

# 5 20-08-2009 , 04:18 AM
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# 6 21-08-2009 , 09:53 AM
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Haha... this is going to sound silly, but I just can't figure out how to make a body soft. I've looked through all the menus one by one but can't find the command!:hug:

# 7 21-08-2009 , 01:49 PM
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I think what you are looking for is under- Dynamics menu set - Soft/Rigid Bodies - Create Soft Body (near the bottom of the drop down menu).

Hope that helps!

# 8 23-08-2009 , 09:45 AM
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Thanks for the tip!

# 9 24-08-2009 , 03:11 PM
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The staff looks like a nice start and i don't think you have a lot of experience in creating 3d (correct me if i am wrong), so maybe i could give you some pointers and refrain from critique user added image

I found that harsh transitions in a model in the geometry itself or in texturingaspects result in onrealistic renders.

The knob and the base of the staff are to harshly divided try to blend in thediverse materials i have included a roughpaintover which for one illustrate my bad drawing skills -yes even with a wacom-, but if you use a bit of imagination you will see that i tried painting it as if the staffbase is holding the crystal/gem or whatever you want to call it;
here is a link to an image of a species of tree that is very common here in the netherlands;
https://www.ontwerpeenerf.nl/images/lnh/knotboom9.jpg.
If you want to incorporate the white thing aswell make sure it comes back on another part of the staff asweel maybe at the bottom.

The last thing look at photoreference when creating stuff, if you are making a wizardstaff of wood, then the wizard is most likely to be found in some english or norwegion forrest talking to birds and stuff like that so his staff would be naturlike aswell , that has to get back in the model to set it apart from just another staff.

good luck

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# 10 24-08-2009 , 03:15 PM
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Oh i forgot make sure when making something that's supposed to be made of organic stuff to give it a bit of randomness, i used an erazerbrush with high falloff to give your staff some subtle shape and form.

What i usually do when in maya is press 5 and then 7 (make sure when you have lights in the scene that they are not visible or in a layer that's notvisible ), this way i check up on silhoutte i found during by indinan jones wip that textures and shading distort the way i and perhaps others to look at stuff when you strip that away you" ll see some raw facts and maybe even some stuff you need to tweak

# 11 24-08-2009 , 04:27 PM
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From wiki:

"The Staff is wooden and has a golden dragon's claw at the top. The claw clutches an orb which can only be destroyed by dragonfire, which is where the light emanates from when the spell is cast. The orb is also used in a war-spell that creates light so powerful it was able to blind Chaos."

***

Thanks a lot mastone. Yes you're right. I have absolutely no experience in 3D. Maya is my first try (which I'm enjoying immensely).

Based on pictures of this unique staff on the net as well as its lore and how it looks in the official movie Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the gold claws at the top are a must (precisely how I modeled). Also, the wooden staff base itself can't have too many adornments. It's supposed to be very smooth.

My problem is one of design. What do I include or change to make the transition from shiny dragonscale-like gold to smooth wood? Also, how do I make the 'smoothness' factor of the base stand out without making it look bland?

What is erazerbrush and how do I access it?

This is a unique staff, so the overall look cannot be changed from what I have made, but I can tweak little things or add minor details. It's the texture and the 'joint' that's problematic. I actually used real snake scales for the texture of the gold part, but it doesn't seem... scaly enough.

Thank you again for your time and feedback!

***

PS: If anyone is wondering why I'm so enthusiastic about this, it's because I love dragonlance and this staff is an absolute icon for artifacts of that series. The staff has a very rich history and is partially sentient.

# 12 24-08-2009 , 05:20 PM
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Okay kid i fudged something up in maya for you i just hope that maya ple can open an MA file, i will post a render of it after the minute has passed, beware when you press render i have upped some refraction settings and the resolution is 2 k .
It's just so you have another angle as to how approach the description i think that i made a glow a little strong and adding depth of field would greatly improve the image, but is just an example for how to possibly present a final render.

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File Type: ma forforum.ma (224.9 KB, 142 views)
# 13 24-08-2009 , 05:24 PM
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And to comment on your reply that you've moddeled just like in pictures;
Have you watched transformers yet? If i compare the movie optimus prime with the one i saw as a kid on tv they look totally different, but both are recognizable to the viewer as Optimus Prime.
What i am trying to tell you is that you have a little leeway here use some of your own imagination to make something.
Below a quick render which i edited a bit in photoshop to make it a bit more appaelling if it's your taste that is user added image

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# 14 24-08-2009 , 05:39 PM
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Originally posted by mastone
Okay kid i fudged something up in maya for you i just hope that maya ple can open an MA file, i will post a render of it after the minute has passed, beware when you press render i have upped some refraction settings and the resolution is 2 k .
It's just so you have another angle as to how approach the description i think that i made a glow a little strong and adding depth of field would greatly improve the image, but is just an example for how to possibly present a final render.

Thanks a lot! I really liked the photo you posted. Hmm... Just one thing though... I'm nearing 30... Unless you're in your sixties of course... Still thanks for the ideas.

Yeah. You're probably right. There's no need to follow exactly as they showed it in the movies.

EDIT: Oh dear... The PLE cannot open it. But the photo you posted still gave me a lot of ideas. I dare say that that's the best staff of magius I've seen yet on the web.


Last edited by Darkover; 24-08-2009 at 05:42 PM.
# 15 24-08-2009 , 07:18 PM
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"Just one thing though... I'm nearing 30"

- hahaha I am sorry i assumed that you were a kid because you were making a staff based on a comic or whatever dragonlance is, ah well if you are younger than 28 I can still call you kid LOL :p

"EDIT: Oh dear... The PLE cannot open it. But the photo you posted still gave me a lot of ideas. I dare say that that's the best staff of magius I've seen yet on the web."

I have included a obj in a zip file but the PLE won't be able to open that one either I'm affraid.

You could always download a 30 day trial of the new Maya,
or can either buy a license or get one through "other means", which i disapprove ofcourse.

Here's a servicepack voor maya 2009, I am not sure if this one can be activated for a trial period though but at least then you have the software already;

https://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet...linkID=9242259

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File Type: zip staff.zip (37.9 KB, 144 views)
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