WIPs - "Sirren" AKA Stefano's Characters Dump

[Sirren]

EDIT: formerly the (refused) Yety proposal.
I think it's better to keep all my work in the graphic compartement in one thread, instead of littering other people's ones with my models and animations (in the future, as I write).
If anyone in the crew decides that a given character is needed, wants to comment or anything else this is the right place to do it.

Original post:

Hello everybody.
I had this idea for a yety like creature.
I used this project to refine my ability in building/rigging shoulders, so if you don't like the concept please feel free to refuse it.
Kind of creature: mutant
Size: absolutely not taller than an everage human
Brain smarts: to be decided
Mantle: yes. Completely covered in short to medium fur. Colour will probably be white with darker tips. Generally speacking the back should be somewhat darker than the front. This creature should have a beard and probably head hair which should be recognizable as human.
Tail: no way!
Head: huge head with human facial features. Probably tan/dark leathery skin. I want the face to be recognized as human, expecially at game resolution. I feel that a human/non-human mix should have some impact on the player.

Feet are still a WIP. UV/texturing to be started. Rigging is temporary and only used to stress-test the model joints.
Any comments are welcome

[shrew81]

dunno mate, I was told no ghastly mutated beasts. I read in the wiki of cliches not to do and that was one of them. (stopped my work on an oversized wolf, and that's when I started on environment work )

[maximinus]

I think it actually looks quite good.

However, I think we are at least trying for some realism in the rules and mechanics dept, so we should try to maintain it in the gfx fields as well

[Sirren]

Ok then. I'll shelf it.
This means we'll need normal animals though.
Let me see:
Wolfs/Dogs (one per type?)
Wildboars?
Foxes?
Raindeers?
Just to  know. I'm preatty weak on the design compartement and I almost ran out of concept arts, even if I know there's a bunch more here, apart from JustinOperable's.
See you

[maximinus]

Wolf / Dog and most of all Reindeer! Inspiration can be found at google images

[Sirren]

I actually prepared myself in advance  Got a book on how draw wild animals and their fur, plus found a couple of sites with pictures/short movies for animation reference.
What about the following:
Wildboars
Bears
Mooses (are they american?)
Cows
Horses
Any other domesticated animals?

[maximinus]

if you can get any wild animal rigged and animated (yes, I know thats the hard part) I'd be impressed. Either a wolf or a dog to start with, they would seem to be the most logical.

[Sirren]

I got a look at a couple of training kits about animal animation and I must say I'm scared..
Well,  a couple of months ago in a small bookshop in Turin I found a couple of booklets about Muybridge's studies about human and animal motion (first released in 1886), paper printed and cd included. Oddly enough a deer walk/gallop animations won't be a problem.. It's the rest of the animations that worries me. When dealing with human motion you get plenty of reference. You can use mocap files as mere reference too. Animal motion is another matter. I know of a couple of reference cds.. I'll see.
Rigging isn't a real problem: XSI has a built in quadruped rig which is refined enough to be used for movie-fit animations.
This is a kind of rig I'm already familiar with. I'm using the bipedal version to animate for Fallout:BG&E.
I'm NOT saying it will be easy, though: it will be a challange.
Wish me skill. Luck tends to run out quickly. (If somebody gets the reference please let me know. We're talking about videogames, anyway ).

[zenbitz]

I think it would be cool to have a fake Yeti in a story.
Like, it turned out to be a polar bear, or white gorillia escaped from the Stockholm zoo or something.

[Sirren]

That's a good idea, but I'd go for the polar bear. The gorilla isn't viable, not after 20 years in the snow.

I'm working on a raindeer. After two failed attempts the third one is coming nicely. I'll post something when my model's ready.

[maximinus]

I'm working on a raindeer. After two failed attempts the third one is coming nicely. I'll post something when my model's ready.

Are you looking at animating it as well? (I know, I'm never happy )

[Sirren]

Right there on the spot? I might be able to put put something together. Don't expect anything before tomorrow in the morning though. I'm still to finish the creature legs.. And my lighting setup isn't ready

[maximinus]

It's harsh, but in an ideal world, we want:

Walking animation
Standing still animation (shaking head, or the cold air breathing effect)

And we'd need these in 45 degree angle increments for the full 360 degrees (if that makes sense).

Of course, it's not an ideal world, so I'll take what you can offer, and be thankful for all of it 

[Sirren]

Don't worry, I applied for a character modeller/animator position. That's way I'm here
I'll put something together and upload it ASAP. Probably you'll have to live with the shadows I'll manage to arrange.. For a placeholder it'll do.

[maximinus]

I can live with whatever you've got to offer. After all, you have to live with my code