10-14-2017, 10:40 PM
So some of you that regularly browse the models resource may have ran into my custom Sonic model which was modeled and blocked over the Wii model as a reference back in early 2015.
https://www.models-resource.com/custom_e...odel/9009/
![[Image: Kyp4IDL.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/Kyp4IDL.jpg)
Now the reason I'm posting is despite the positive feedback, this model is not at all representative of how well I can actually do. There's so much wrong with that model and I really can't stand looking at it.
First off, there were texture seems every time the UV map splits, and the textures, while high resolution overall, were honestly just not that great. I've been formally learning many more texturing techniques which would make this model look far better. Baked shading in the textures were also lazily done and were very noisy. Normal maps at the time were just a result of taking the diffuse textures and tossing them into a normal map generator and calling it a day. That is VERY bad practice and anyone that does that with untiled textures should be corrected. Now I have a very thorough understanding of normal maps and would immediately replace those, ESPECIALLY the normal maps on the gloves and shoes (doesn't even look like cloth). Overall, the materials and texturing in my model were just poorly set up and over-complicated for what they accomplished. If I were to update the model, I'd retexture the entire thing from scratch to make the textures high quality, efficient and compact, and simpler.
Second, the model itself was blocked at a VERY low poly count. Albeit it was much easier to rig at that small of a resolution, it did not translate well to the smoothed out version. I just slapped a subdivision modifier to get the smooth look. This again is very bad practice and should be corrected. The thing that bothers me the most is the hands in the model. They have a very sharp edge on the seem dividing the top and bottom of the hand and it just looks really funky. Updating the model this time around, I'd fix the bone weights so they'd originate from the high poly version ensuring that everything deforms smoothly, I'd remove unnecessarily high poly counts on surfaces that are relatively flat, I'd smooth out surfaces that should remain smooth (hands, back of shoes, mouth), and I'd completely replace that horrid mouth, janky eyelids, and shoes.
Finally are file formats. I've included an unnecessary amount of file formats and am going to omit everything except .dae and .fbx. I see no point in having all those obscure file formats in there, and regarding popular formats like .obj, a rigged model would be rather useless in that format. Regarding the blend format, I think it was unfair to not include the source blend file. This time around, I would include a blend file for the model that would include very useful things such as fully noded materials, inverse kinematics for much easier and faster animating, pose libraries for small things such as hand positions (fists, relaxed) and mouth positions (open, closed, smiling, letter pronunciations).
Now a few questions for all of you:
https://www.models-resource.com/custom_e...odel/9009/
Now the reason I'm posting is despite the positive feedback, this model is not at all representative of how well I can actually do. There's so much wrong with that model and I really can't stand looking at it.
First off, there were texture seems every time the UV map splits, and the textures, while high resolution overall, were honestly just not that great. I've been formally learning many more texturing techniques which would make this model look far better. Baked shading in the textures were also lazily done and were very noisy. Normal maps at the time were just a result of taking the diffuse textures and tossing them into a normal map generator and calling it a day. That is VERY bad practice and anyone that does that with untiled textures should be corrected. Now I have a very thorough understanding of normal maps and would immediately replace those, ESPECIALLY the normal maps on the gloves and shoes (doesn't even look like cloth). Overall, the materials and texturing in my model were just poorly set up and over-complicated for what they accomplished. If I were to update the model, I'd retexture the entire thing from scratch to make the textures high quality, efficient and compact, and simpler.
Second, the model itself was blocked at a VERY low poly count. Albeit it was much easier to rig at that small of a resolution, it did not translate well to the smoothed out version. I just slapped a subdivision modifier to get the smooth look. This again is very bad practice and should be corrected. The thing that bothers me the most is the hands in the model. They have a very sharp edge on the seem dividing the top and bottom of the hand and it just looks really funky. Updating the model this time around, I'd fix the bone weights so they'd originate from the high poly version ensuring that everything deforms smoothly, I'd remove unnecessarily high poly counts on surfaces that are relatively flat, I'd smooth out surfaces that should remain smooth (hands, back of shoes, mouth), and I'd completely replace that horrid mouth, janky eyelids, and shoes.
Finally are file formats. I've included an unnecessary amount of file formats and am going to omit everything except .dae and .fbx. I see no point in having all those obscure file formats in there, and regarding popular formats like .obj, a rigged model would be rather useless in that format. Regarding the blend format, I think it was unfair to not include the source blend file. This time around, I would include a blend file for the model that would include very useful things such as fully noded materials, inverse kinematics for much easier and faster animating, pose libraries for small things such as hand positions (fists, relaxed) and mouth positions (open, closed, smiling, letter pronunciations).
Now a few questions for all of you:
- Would you even care for an update? Even if you are content with the model, it can be worlds better and would help reflect on my current abilities. Reason I ask is because the current model would be gone and replaced. I'm not going to make a separate submission.
- Did you appreciate the texture and material complexity? Would you be in support of using multiple UV maps for lots of detail and use many masking textures, or would you rather have everything baked into a single UV map and set of textures for simplicity's sake?
- Would you want the mouth changed? Stylistically, I like the side orientated mouth, but I find the center mouth to be easier to work with for everyone. No need to worry about how which way the face is facing, plus it's easier to model. What kind of mouth would you want: center or side?
- What about the eyes? There are not that many resources that make animating UV maps that easy. Should we go back to rigging the pupil as a separate geometry, or keep it modern and textured onto the eyeball?
- Proportions; would you like to see the model proportioned more closely to the modern games (Unleashed, Generations, Lost World, etc), or leave the proportions as they are (Brawl, Black Knight, Secret Rings, etc.) or maybe something else?
- Any other advice? Great art comes from feedback. Not all the ideas can be mine. I encourage constructive criticism and other ideas even if it's really vague.