Ironmania MarkIII/IV WIP

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

Well, real life has been getting the way again as usual, BUT....

Modeling is back to 98% finished. I made a boo boo with the some double polys, and when I mirrored the Arms to fix it... I screwed up my UV Maps again. Sigh.

At any rate, I've started doing IK work on the Zman version.

Sadly... I've discovered that Zman's skeleton was no where near as cool as I remembered it being.

Essentially, I have to create an entirely new rig for both Zman and my AmazingArmorZ.

Still... it's getting there.

Bman666 · Forum Member Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Lost

Bummer on the minor issues your having,
but man thats looking amazing!
_________________
"The Earth is the cradle of the mind but one cannot remain in the cradle forever."
- - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, The Father of Rocketry

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

Thanks Bman. Check out the main gallery. I'm kind of putting the Zman version on the back burner since rigging isn't my strongest point... but the M3 version is looking GOOOOD!

In fact... I'm gunna need some beta testers real soon now!!!

I've also got an informal poll for you guys.

Materials... more of less?

I can squoze the Material list down to 5 zones, but it will make any color modification limited to the texture map. Or I can break the materials up so that each replusar on the hands and feet will be a separate material, as well as things like belt color, breif color... But that will make setting up your materials a bit more tedious.

I'm leaning toward more Material zone cause it offers more options, and I'm planning to include a set of MAT poses to change from the included options. That will insulate a lot of the effects.

pgtyner · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Ironmania MarkIII/IV WIP

Looked over at the main gallery.....It is looking GR8!!

I think the more material zones, and material poses does sound better because of being able to make more changes! 8-)

itisitex · Forum Member Joined: Sep 01, 2002 Posts: 174 Location: Tx

I think the that more material zones would allow for greater variety. I have to say i like your image for the challenge more than the iron man image.
I would love to beta test for you but i am not sure i am as qualified as some of the other animotioners

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

First test of Muscular2 morphs with some IBL goodness, and forced lens perspective for that extra comic musk.

I have a few dozen more morphs to load and I'll need some testers.

Now... for the tuff one.

I've put a ton of work into this. I *WAS* just going to release it as a freebie, but I just saw a bootleg RoboCop (Complete with OCP logo), and Terminator for sale at R'osity.

I'm thinking of submitting "Amazing Armor" as a product in the $15 range.

Of course all the beta-testers here at Animotions will get it for discount price of IMing me for the D/L link.

... and if R'osity refuses it, I'll still release if as freebie.

But right now I'm living even more hand to mouth than usually. Any cash would come in handy, and I can't help but be tempted to turn this b*tch out, maybe with a few discrete changes and no red an yellow Mat's.

Whaddya think? Should I sell out and maybe eat a meal that isn't Mac'Ncheeze. Or keep it ReeeAl, and hope some one likes my stuff enough to actually hire me before I die?

itisitex · Forum Member Joined: Sep 01, 2002 Posts: 174 Location: Tx

if you can get some money go for it just leave out the red and yellow mats or offer them as freebies

pgtyner · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:54 am Post subject: Re: Ironmania MarkIII/IV WIP

How's it coming along? The pics seem to be pretty good....if your selling it your timing isn't too bad with the movie coming out soon! :wink:

Bman666 · Forum Member Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Lost

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

The bad news. Yet another HD crash has taken me down for another couple of weeks. *Sigh*

I heard the signs of a drive having issues... but did I listen?

The good news... Yes. I actually did.

I didn't loose much in the way of 3D stuff. It was on a partition that was mostly unaffected AND that was 90% backed up to my FTP.

The bad news is that is took out my System partition, all my installed apps, and I think a tone of reference for the Movie version of Ironman I was planning.

The twist... I just fibished a decent paying gig for this week that let me eat some decent protein, AND get a brand spanking new 750GB SATA drive.

I've also come to a mapping decision. I'm reworking the Maps to all fin on one large image. The reason? Zbrush displacement and Normal maps.

It's only a matter of time before Poser or DazStudio take to supporting Normal mapping.

Specifically with Reslo, Normal Maps could add the details that would make it nearly impossible to tell the difference between him and a figure as dense as M3.

This will make Reslo a better product for anyone wishing to use him in a real time game environment, which at 2600 Polys, or >5500 Tris... he's got the potential to do. I think the Unreal 3 hero figures ar 6K tris.

The cool thing about forced downtime is forces you to stop and think about how you're going to do something.

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

Almost there!!! Almost ready for you guys to start beta testing.

I redid the "Ditkos" lines. They are part of the chest, but will separate geometry so they can be hidden... or morphed into "other things!"

Just a little CR2 hacking, and morph loading left.
I've decided the main Sensor will be a Prop as well as the Batteries. That way they won't bed with the rest of the figure.

I've also got a few other nice props on the way that will show the Stark nature of this guy. :wink:

Bman666 · Forum Member Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Lost

Well Ratteler!

I must say I am quite impressed thus far with your talents at modeling, hats off indeed to you good sir!

This is looking more awesome with each update!
Zbrush displacement and Normal maps. Heard of them but never used them nor Zbrush, but let us hope Daz and Poser catch up! maybe a plugin or a Python script.
_________________
"The Earth is the cradle of the mind but one cannot remain in the cradle forever."
- - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, The Father of Rocketry

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

Did you get yours?

No? Then you must not have IM'ed me through Animotions to get the D/L link to the Beta.

WELL!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!

pgtyner · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Ironmania MarkIII/IV WIP

Hey I tried the message system through Animotions.....not sure if it worked? I would like to test it for you! If that is a possibility..??....It looks Super Jammin!

You rock completely!

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 544 Location: NYC

Well, I never got your PM pgtyner. But I'm PM'ed you the link.

If anyone else is having problems... I'm not ignoring you. So far NO ONE who has asked to beta through Animotions has been turned down.

If you sent and PM and I DIDN'T respond... it's a glitch. Please try again, or post onto this thread.

Feedback from the "Beta" program will help me out with testing and improving this package... especially if you guys send me feedback on how it could be better, but ultimately, it's really an excuse for me to give it to you guys who supported me morally and creatively through it's creation.

It's been nine months since I started this in a hellish situation with only a 6 year old 512MB leftover computer that could barely run my programs on.

There has been more real life drama in that time than I can even care to think about. But thanks to the little ego boots you guys gave me, no matter how many HD's went down, or other glitches I faced, I kept working like a dog hanging onto a stick.

So please accept this little gift disguised as work... and thanks for that spot of light at the end of the tunnel even when I was too buried to actually move towards it.