lightning gun mutator

[Zofo]

Well I kind of understand  

[Zeus]

Well I kind of understand  

[azurescorch]

Well I kind of understand  

Well this is a very long introduction to it :p http://www.game-artist.net/forums/vbart ... ticleid=16

Only difference is I'm not using 3D-max for the modeling but unfortunately I'll have to import my mesh into it (or maya) just to export it to unreal!  

[ekay]

All I know is UV mapping is the most complicated thing evar, nobody likes doing it, and hardly anyone knows how to do it.
But yet it's the most crucial step between 3D modelling and 2D texturing.

[azurescorch]

All I know is UV mapping is the most complicated thing evar, nobody likes doing it, and hardly anyone knows how to do it.
But yet it's the most crucial step between 3D modelling and 2D texturing.

Ya kidding me right? UV mapping ain't that bad! My least favorite aspects of 3D related things is applying a mesh to a bone-rig (plus making it self-intersecting-free) and animation.

Then again I haven't used programs outside of my main one in years, and it's got some wicked UV-unwrap tools.

[ekay]

Ok, I 'spose rigging is up there in terms of hardness. But mostly, 3D designers know how to rig.

2D designers tend not to know how to UV map, and they are the ones that get the 3D models shipped to. Only a handful of 3D designers know how to UV, so it's kinda the void in between the two roles with the least amount of people who know/willing to do it. Hence the most tricky part of the equation.

Need some moar 2.5D designers to bridge the gap  

[azurescorch]

Ok, I 'spose rigging is up there in terms of hardness. But mostly, 3D designers know how to rig.

2D designers tend not to know how to UV map, and they are the ones that get the 3D models shipped to. Only a handful of 3D designers know how to UV, so it's kinda the void in between the two roles with the least amount of people who know/willing to do it. Hence the most tricky part of the equation.

Need some moar 2.5D designers to bridge the gap  

:dance:

My problems come once the mesh and textures are all done, getting it working in game is where I utterly fail.  Truth be told I don't know why it's taken me so long to start on something like this  :think: , the reason I even bought unreal3 was to play with the engine and make mods.

[azurescorch]

Feed back time!
Is there anything you'd like to see changed before I move on to UVmapping and textures?
I've gone about modeling a different way to what I stated.. While Baking details works well with organic things I don't think it works quite as well with mechanical.

The model is currently around 2500 faces/polygons (I could still optimize it a bit more though). Looking at how Epic did their 1st person perspective models, I could delete half the mesh (which the player would never see anyway). So this gives room for some extra details and smoothness.
I'll work on a lower-poly version for 3rd person view and pickups later.

[ekay]

Nice, is that a straight 1:1?

I think it needs to be longer. Remember when you first saw the UT3 shock rifle and you though "Jeez, that's looong", I think the LG needs to be as long, or at least feel as long.

I think the front would look better if it had more segments. Currently it has one big metal plate wrapped around the top, with the lightning guts underneath. I think open it up a bit more, split the plate up into several more segments, with more seems and gaps you can see inside through.

The handle (butt?) seems a bit chunky and small, doesn't feel like a big burly UT3 guy can fit his hand inside the grip. Make it longer at the back, and open up the grip, so it's not enclosed.

This might be a random idea, and it might be better to explain if I just drew it in paint, but anyway.
The scope, from what I remember, you look at the screen for the scope. Which indicates to me that there should be a camera on the front end of the gun. So playing with that idea, you could put a small bump at the front with a small lens on it, but it'll just look like a normal scope. To make things interesting, how about putting 2 bumps on it with 2 lenses? Seems a bit bizarre, but why not.
And depending how you place them, you could give the gun a lot of character, because from the front it would like like a cute little face, with two eyes, big long nose and a mouth that shoots Lazors! at you.

That makes sense right?

[azurescorch]

A straight 1:1?  

[Zofo]

Looking good so far, I am quite looking forward to this  

[azurescorch]

Looking good so far, I am quite looking forward to this  

Thanks

I've done a few changes since and some more are to follow. Going to be bugging Ekay for for criticism every step of the way~

   Guess I should reinstalled 3D studio Max so I can import it once done *vomit*

[Zeus]

its nearly two years m8 any updates?