Looking For 3d Modeler/graphics Guy


Tobs

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Hi there, I`m looking for a 3D artist/modeler.

The game I`m working on is one I`ve had in my head for about a year.
In short, it`s a bit of a cross between games like Zelda and Golden Sun. That is to say; exciting adventure gameplay with an interesting story, pretty locations and fun enemies. With a couple of little puzzles thrown in for luck.
I`ve already got a considerate amount of the engine and level editor down; enough to move around the world and travel to different levels.
Currently I`m adding interesting objects to the level editor, such as fire (maybe it can be doused with a water spell), movable objects (to make stepping stones/jumps), advanced triggers (that activate once conditions are met) and the like.
My plan was to create a `prologue` for release on the Pandora within about a month/2 of it coming out. I should have enough time to finish most of my level editor/file format within a month or two, and then have the game working on the pandora pretty soon. From then, it`s just a case of creating a small world (see below) with a few dungeons for the prologue.

My prologue idea at the moment goes something like this: (my stories are always pretty poor at a first draft, but this draft should allow some complexity and flexibility)
The main character is a captain`s apprentice onboard a ship chasing some pirates when a storm/fog catches them. The game starts with them having docked on an unknown isle, having broken a part of the ship. The player is sent on to land to find the nearest town, supplies and the like. Upon entering a nearby village, you find the villagers panicking about the local wildlife. The village elder tells the town that an evil being has arrived, and is corrupting the very core of the island; turning wild animals into cunning beasts. Dot dot dot.
Not the most original storyline ever, but it`s drifting slightly away from the typical "the world is going to explode into evil, are you a bad enough dude to stop it", and I have an interesting twist or two I could pull at some point.

So what do you think? Any modelers interested? There`s no set art style you need to stick to, so it`s pretty free.
As for things needed; I`ve got enough skills in Blender to model most of the environment (although my texturing ability lacks quite a bit) and simpler objects.
However it`s things like characters and enemies I can`t do. I`ve not done much thinking about how enemies will look, so this is also pretty free. Fancy making a giant slug that shoots smaller slugs that shoot goo at the player? Sure! That'll fit in somewhere.

As for me, I`ve been programming various things in C++ for quite a few years and am now doing a degree in Forensic Computing (so I`m in university and have quite a bit of time over the summer to work on this). So I`ve got more than enough time and experience to get at least something out by the end of the summer.
2 year old website`s at www.logicnot.smorth.co.uk . There`s an old game there which demonstrates horrible, monstrous memory/object management. Probably not worth mentioning.

So, long post. Shoot me a PM if you`re interested, or ask questions here. It`s all cool.

tldr: looking for artist for cool action/adventure game intended for release over the summer.

Tobs
 
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I'm interested in the game (Not modeling because I am working on some other projects right now)..For the record, is this 3d or 2d?
 
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I can do some easy stuff in sketchup if you like.

Btw for fire in game I would use 2 faces (no cube like fires IMO)

Edit:

Just 2 questions:

-Are you going to use Zelda: Phantom Hourglass like controls (with touchscreen) or dpad/stick controls
-Will it be seen in a 3d way or will it be a full 3d games?
 
Hey guys, thanks for showing an interest.
Yes the game will be fully 3D, with the camera set behind the character's head (3rd person). I plan to use the left nub for movement, and the right for camera/attacking (not 100% but I guess this depends how much work I put into doing a clever camera).
Touchscreen controls will probably be limited to the menu (I'll try and make it finger-friendly).
For fire I'm not sure what to use. I'll experiment with some particles+blending, and some shaders too.

What kind of things can you do in Sketchup? I used it quite a bit a while ago and found it a pain to export into games (it does crazy things with polygons).

Tobs
 
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Yeh sketchup is a pain to export when you dont own sketchup pro (sadly I dont have it , its just to expensive.

Too bad it isnt a 2D game. I really would a 2D zelda like game on the Pandora. Guess I need to learn C++ some more and make my own.
 
Wow, I once actually thought of something very much like this a while ago, too :p
(Aka a golden sun/zelda type of setup, but I didn't elaborate on it because of various obstacles)
But I guess that that's what everyone says about this kind of game.

This would most certainly be awesome. Now, I am most certainly not a professional modeler, but I could do something if I may. My specialty when it comes to modeling (aka the only thing I can do almost decently) is terrain and architecture (aka things that don't move) or mechanical things like gears and machines (that occasionally do move).

When you say modeling, I guess you mean that this game will indeed be 3D? 3D in which way? (EDIT: didn't read properly. Ignore this section)
"Alundra 2"-3D (if anyone knows that game - I almost don't any longer; aka a fully 3D world with 3D characters but still bird-view)
or "GS2"-3D (static/tiled terrain and pre-rendered sprite-based 3D but high fidelty?)

I could also do coding of course; I am more used to that kind of business.

What's your system looking like now? Do you have scripting support, external (3D?) 'tilesets'-support, plugin-support etc? Tell us more :p
 
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Arr, laddie, what a bout thee speak? I be hopin it is lovely piratey. Yee know me like tropical piratey placey. Arr, but if no piratey will bin speakin it be flat.

A bit more on topic: so anyone can make a little creature for your game, there is no need of making everything, just making one awesome boss or innovative creature is enough? I am an unreliable help, that MAYBE will make some thing that will take more time than half an hour.

XD
 
Hmm, sounds awesome. I can do some 3d, (I use blender, I assume that can be exported) and I could probably help you out some. My main focus right now is the Space RTS project, buy I don't think it will be too heavy on the 3d stuff, maybe 20-35 ship models, and if I have time I would LOVE to contribute to this project. My strong point is things like swords or boxes or set dressings, but with some practice I could probably bring myself up to standard on rigging character models.
Right now I'd just like to help bring awesome software to the pandora in any way I can.
Edit: I'm also pretty good at painting textures, maybe I could at least help you out some in that field.
 
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I've been interested in looking for something like this for a while.

I've got a wide array of vector modellers that I use, but none so many that I'm excessively fluent in. Been looking for a project I could tack onto, so as to have more of a reason to get back into it, as I haven't been doing as many renders as I'd of cared to.

I keep a gallery online, just for the sake of keeping it, it's here:

CODE
http://www.of-the-internet.com


They're all just random doodles, more or less, and they don't have time stamps, which is why some are better than others, as they were done when I was first learning it a few years back.
 
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I`m flattered that you guys have offered to help =]
I`m currently 50-50 over two ideas:
1) Wait and see if there`s anyone who wants to act as a kind of dedicated artist.
2) Publish a list of needed models and some related sketches to people who have offered to help, and see what they can come up with.
I`m tempted with doing point 2, but I`m worried about it turning out with an inconsistent art style.
What do you guys think? Had any experience here?
I don`t mean to be rude, but could you post samples of things you`ve done before? The glory about option 2 is that there will be simple and complex models to create, and these can be shared between skilled and beginners.

Currently model loading is done with .ply files exported from Blender, but I`m planning to get a model format that supports skeletal animation working. Whatever I do, I`ve done it a hundred times before, and I`ll work out an easy way to get models into the game.

Sorry dflemstr, it`s not that complex (I don`t think things need to be complex...). No scripting support and no plugins. Currently I'm planning a simple system of triggers to control the world. Fast enough to program and easy enough to get some result out of in the level editor.

Thanks all,

Tobs

Edit: That's some really nice art there Kaze! What programs have you used to make those?
 
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I typically used bryce, because I liked the render, and had fun with the geometries, even though it's less functional, and clunkier to interact with.

Things that had people in them, were exported from poser (depending on date of creation Poser 4 through Poser 7) and imported into Bryce as an .obj, and colored manually.

Now adays though, Bryce and poser interact more fluidly, and can Poser's pz3 files can be directly imported into Bryce, and back out again. I believe there are import export programs to get those existing files into Blender, of which I've only tinkered with blender for the sake of fluid dynamics.
 
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This sounds as a wonderful game idea, not the most original story but inspiring nevertheless. When I read it I saw it before my eyes, a ship docked on an island with a layer of fog slowly crawling around... Damn, I think I have to make some concept art :p

I would really want to help and maybe I will in the end. I'm studying Digital Arts and Entertainment, I can do models and do animations in 3DS Max and I have some skills in texturing and painting in Photoshop. The problem is that I have so much work for school that I never have time do do something else. Well maybe I will in the Easter Break next 2 weeks :D

Some of my work:

41963219wz0.jpg


concept2op2.jpg

concept1be6.jpg

These are quite old already, from mid 2007

and some 3D low poly modeling:

00270-3d-roadboard.jpg

00272-3d-roadboard.jpg


and a 360 turnaround from this roadboard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7spLYUGVn4
 
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Nice work above.

I can do some OST work for you. I'm still trying to figure out on how to use FL Studios, but I can do some music for you once I'm more in-tune with the software.

For that matter, if anyone needs OST work for their games [Preferably RPGs] let me know.
 
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I think what I`ll do is this; Over the weekend I`ll make a fairly simple online system for collaboration/communication and post onto it what I`ve done. I`ll post here that the system is working, and from there people can upload graphics if they want to.
Let me know what you think of this. Is anyone interested? Looking at beginners and experts alike (there will be simple assets like trees and pots as well as complicated enemies and the like), or just people who like to make levels/puzzles for games.

On the development side of things, I`ve just finished MD5 support, so yays for that. And from my understanding of GLES, it should be really easy to port once I get a pandora.

That`s some really cool stuff, Dragons_Slayer; it`d be great if you could contribute a little to this =]
Thanks all,

Tobs

Edit: de-'ed my post
 
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I'd be glad to help as best I can.

Primarily I'd just need a list of things that need to be created, and would just go through them one at a time. Will pm email address.

What is the end file structure that you're looking for? .max? .obj? And at what complexity level?

Zelda and Golden sun from the GBA were both 2d sprite games with rudimentary tricks to give it a 3d feel, especially in battle, does that mean you're looking for sprites, or actual 3d objects.

In my head, it looks like you're trying to make a world that'd be similar in design to crisis core.

Also, are you looking for cutscenes and dialogue?
 
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Hi, I'm interested in helping. I'm good modelling characters from sketches. If someone makes an skectch and Tobs like it, I'll try to model it. I use blender. Although I don't have much experience with low poly modelling, I'm already somewhat obsessed with lowering poly count and I've done several tests with normal maps.
 
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From little bits of Crisis Core gameplay, it does seem a bit similar. I`m wanting this to have a more free flowing combat though. And no enemies that randomly appear ^^

So for the first section of the game, the player`s ship has crashed on some rocks, so the player (being only the captain`s underling) has been sent to find the nearest town. Hence the first `level` is the player finding his way up a cliff, over some rocks and through some farmland towards a town. This I intend to be an easy tutorial task, starting off with some jumps and weak enemies.


So resource-wise:
A ship - A ship belonging to the King`s navy, large enough to fit quite a few sailors on board (but not huge either, maybe 20/30 metres long?). Since it`s part of the King`s navy, perhaps it should have flags, decoration (showing off the richness of the army?) a few smaller cannons etc. This`ll be a fairly large piece of scenery, I`d estimate ≤10,000 polys?

Some enemies - really not sure what kinds of beasts you`d get attacking you in a rocky cliff type area. Maybe small vermin like animals, or the classic rock-turtle? I just looked at the pokemon rock types for a little inspiration ^^ I`m thinking there will be a few of these on the screen at the same time, so as few polygons as possible. But maybe ~1000 tops?

Some misc. detail objects - Probably worth waiting until the level`s designed/modeled, so we know what little tidbits can/need to be added.

Characters - same here, I'd like to hold off on this until we've decided on a final group of characters


End file structure is something I`ll worry about; as long as I can open them with all the detail correct in Blender I can get them in the game. I don`t have other programs to test the end results.

Yeah this`ll be fully 3D, I`d kind of like to get a little bit of a "wow" from a few scenes as well.

How do we want to collaborate on this? I can`t use IRC until I move house in ~June, but most other chat programs are go. I`ve got MSN and GoogleChat/iChat/Jabber. I`m fine discussing things here too, but it`d be good to get talking on a more immediate level.
Email: Tobs.acp@gmail.com (tell me if you added me on Jabber, I don`t often go on, since very few people I know use it)

Ideas, suggestions and constructive abuse are welcome and encouraged!

Tobs

Edit: After reading Wertigon`s post; there's not much need to worry about polygon counts at the moment. We could divide it into something like:
100k for level
4-10k for the player (he`ll be the focus of attention, so he`s gotta look good!)
2-5k for each other humanoid character
≤75k for all the enemies visible combined
Then that should give us plenty of overhead of effects and without pushing the absolute limit (it won`t slow down when lots of enemies gather etc)
Seems like big numbers, but from what information we`ve got they seem okay...
 
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Just wanted to say that the Pandora can render around 14 MPolys/s, which would be around 230 000 polys to play around with (if you're aiming for the 60FPS limit which I'm assuming), and a decent enemy/player model would need around 2500 polys to look good. There's plenty of room to play around with, in any case. Don't underestimate the power of the Pandora Hardware and shaders. :)

As for helping, I'm much too tied up in projects on my own unfortunately, but I wish you good luck.
 
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Thanks Wertigon! I was really wondering what to put then. I don't distrust you at all, but where did you find that out? I have a feeling that source may be worth reading.
I`ll edit my post now.

Also I forgot to mention that I`m not sure how to do cut scenes/dialogue. I`m tempted to just let the writer point at the character who`s speaking and tell them what to say, and the engine will wait to press A to read more...

Tobs
 
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I got most of those numbers from a quick glance at Wikipedia[1]. Looking at the official sheet[2], it's probably true, however, the fact sheet lists 14M Poly/sec, and that's with a 200 MHz clock. The Pandora one is clocked at 110 MHz[3], meaning the number of polys will be lesser (unfortunately =(). By how much, I do not know, but I still think it'll be capable of 160-170 000 polys.

However, it also depends on if the drivers are up to par with it.If not we're talking maybe another 10-15% performance hit - which will go away over time, but still isn't exactly the best of news.

Still, not a bad performance. The only thing that can tell for sure is testing on a live one.

Oh yeah, and another advice; make the humans and monsters share approximately the same poly count. It gives a better all-round feel to the game that way. Better to make him stand out in style rather than poly count. Well, that's all from me!

CODE

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerVR#Series5_.28SGX.29
[2] http://www.imgtec.com/factsheets/powervr/POWERVR_SGX_Series5_IP_Core_Family_[2.3].pdf
[3] http://openpandora.ca/



Disclaimer: I am not one of the Pandora devs. You want real specifics, ask them. Anything above could be wrong. I take no responsibility for blown up computers/pandoras or Green Aliens landing on your front porch. Now get off my lawn!
 
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