Megaman X Machinima Project

[DameonLG]

So I'm a student of animation and game design in the second semester of my second year, and we've been working a lot more on our portfolio and demo reel content, as such I've decided to combine my passion and one of my loves.

Animation and Megaman. Specifically Megaman X.

I've played every main Megaman game, every Megaman X game (Short of X7 and X8 due not having a PS2 for a time) and most of the Battle Network games.

I'm sure we all know about the huge disappointments we've seen from Capcom's treatment of anything related to the Blue Bomber lately. The two cancelled Megaman titles and the only thing we've seen for the 25th Anniversary was a sponsorship of a fan game.

With that in mind I've decided that I'd want to do a project where I'd do the entire process. I'd write a script, story board it, create 3D assets and scenes, rig the models, and animate them.

This leads me to what I'm looking for. People who have or can pull some of the models from the PS2 games of X7, X8, Command Mission and, to a lesser extent, Maverick Hunter X and possibly Powered Up.

I'd be using them strictly as reference models and textures, wanting to touch them all up and keep them at a higher res then the in game ones.

Short of that I'd love if someone could show me how to rip these myself. I do know a few people have already begun since I came across the Zero, X, Axl and Met models in .OBJ format on this forum.

I've actually attached the Vile model I started working on a few hours ago to show people what I'm aiming for. Although it's a low res prototype.

If anyone is interested please let me know and I'll tell you exactly what I'm looking for and in what priority. Any help is greatly appreciated and will be credited!

[DameonLG]

Update on the model. Higher rez, better t-pose.

[Previous]

Dropping in to say that Model Projects is the correct section for this thread (both for model ripping and custom model projects).

However,

This leads me to what I'm looking for. People who have or can pull some of the models from the PS2 games of X7, X8, Command Mission and, to a lesser extent, Maverick Hunter X and possibly Powered Up.

You do not meet the requirements to make requests. Since this thread isn't purely asking for things, though, I'll leave it at this verbal statement.

[DameonLG]

Dropping in to say that Model Projects is the correct section for this thread (both for model ripping and custom model projects).

However,

This leads me to what I'm looking for. People who have or can pull some of the models from the PS2 games of X7, X8, Command Mission and, to a lesser extent, Maverick Hunter X and possibly Powered Up.

You do not meet the requirements to make requests. Since this thread isn't purely asking for things, though, I'll leave it at this verbal statement.

Good to know, thanks. I'll just use it as a project update thread in the mean time then.

[DameonLG]

Update on the model!

[DameonLG]

Further model update.

[Dazz]

Looking good so far! I'm curious though as to what sort of scenery you're looking to place the model into; are you going for a realism scenery, or cartoon-ish? The textures are very plain, is all. And you've also changed the design on his helmet...

[DameonLG]

I'm using the design on his helmet as seen in Maverick Hunter X, which was a V as opposed to the maverick symbol.

There aren't any textures on him, actually. It's 100% architectural materials, which is actually easier on rendering, as such the fact that there's nothing to reflect in his materials and it's a single spot light means that it looks very, very bland. Once I can actually put him in a scene you'll see some reflection of what he's dealing with and more complicated shadows and lighting.

The scenes he'll be in are probably going to be similar to the ones from X7, X8, Command Mission, MH:X and that vein. So it'll be reasonably detailed, but not exactly PS3 quality. You'll probably see nothing more complicated than Kattelox Island from MvC 3/

[DameonLG]

Range of motion test (Yes I realize I cropped the hands off but it's 1 AM and I can't be bothered to fix it in photoshop and reupload it.)

http://levigratton.deviantart.com/art/Vi...1361599411

[Previous]

It's really odd how everything moves like jello. Especially the metal parts shouldn't change their shape as they're supposedly solid objects.

[Garamonde]

I don't see them changing shape, it's more that they're bending funny because when you move a model's parts in a 3D program, they move, bend and stretch all squishy-like. so since he was just moving the bones around, I think it is supposed to do that. there isn't really any way to make it not do that afaik since you can't really set set something to be a "solid" object or make it not elasticy. I guess.
however there is one nitpick I have -- the ends of his feet shouldn't have bones, as Reploids don't have "toes" to move.

[Previous]

While I'm not familiar with models, I'm pretty sure that should be possible in some way, probably with proper weighting or vertex groups etc.

[DameonLG]

No, I agree with Previous. It's joint placement, but more so it's the actual way I built the model.

If I'm going to make it so that the shin armor, boot, etc is an entire solid mass I need to go back and redo the joint placements, as well as extend some of the limbs into the arms.

I'm trying to rig the robot like a human, but the humans use a lot more skin stretch with their weight painting.

*Edit* To clarify, I need to make his armor move like a suit of armor on a knight would where he has it. The black parts are meant to me flexible and stretchy, but the purple armored portions are not.

[Garamonde]

uh... okay. it may not look right but whatever you want to do I guess.

[DameonLG]

Well I was looking at all of the rendered cut scenes from the X games and I couldn't really find any where the armored pieces moved beyond hinge rotations, you know?

It's kind of hard to find a solid walk cycle with the in game models. If I look at the walk cycle from Vile's intro in Maverick Hunter X there doesn't look to be any stretching, but it's hard to get that from a cartoon.

Although when I look at in game physics with Command Mission (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PLV9fDu5E4) I do see that X's arm does have some waver to it beyond what you'd get from a solid piece of metal.

Either way, I think having a full body suit under the armor would allow me a lot more freedom with my animations. I realize that after a certain point my rig's leg skin starts to twist up because the cod piece is trying to stay stationary while the thigh is trying to rotate.