Okay, Virt, I can change up the shape of the Koopa heads easily (from what I can see, it's the cheeks and the front beak that are the offenders here), but changing the shading for virtually every single part to what you have in mind is actually impossible by myself. With that said, I have an idea that could work.
This is how I picture the shading in my mind. For now on, I'll end up mapping my plan for the highlights and shading before I actually get to the shading part. That way, you guys can change it a little, so I wouldn't end up doing a lot of work only to end up having to do a lot of it over again some time later (which is something I was taking measures to avoid doing in the first place).
If that doesn't work, then I may as well go with my other plan, which is to do a sort of pre-rendered thing with Maya to handle the shading.
This is how I picture the shading in my mind. For now on, I'll end up mapping my plan for the highlights and shading before I actually get to the shading part. That way, you guys can change it a little, so I wouldn't end up doing a lot of work only to end up having to do a lot of it over again some time later (which is something I was taking measures to avoid doing in the first place).
If that doesn't work, then I may as well go with my other plan, which is to do a sort of pre-rendered thing with Maya to handle the shading.