GLADE Team Project: Dark Magic

[gameboy]

great to hear it archmage, keep it up.

[-Archmage-]

How do you tell how many polygons a model has?

[gameboy]

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[img]http://www.digitalhermit.com/linux/ray_tracing/blender/images/blender_main.jpg[/img]on top most tab to the right, it will be shown as Fa:x(the number of faces).

[-Archmage-]

Modman, do you mind if I make the metal wheel more......dangerous looking?

EDIT// Nevermind
Will provide download link for the Devil Machine before I go to bed tonight. I'm not going to post a picture cause I can't get it to show a part of the model.
I have done a lot of it, the spikes on the wooden part are still needed, but I'm not going to try cause I'll ruin them.

[-Archmage-]

I'm sorry, I sat down at the computer, but forgot what I was there for, so I went to bed.

[Omega]

I may possibly help out if I can't get military back (my friend is not answering his phone, been calling for three days, must be away). I hope I will, but my philosophy for life is prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Of course, its too early to say for sure, and I have some thoughts in mind to scoop up FPM, and finish what the GAE team didn't. Of course, we can't truly finish until transport units are made...

*Hey, I got blender up and running, W00T!*

[-Archmage-]

I'm sorry about military.
If you want to help out you can model this. Hope you get military back.

Sorcery Runes:

The Sorcery Runes consists of one large, central rune stone (in this case a boulder shaped piece of stone with runes carved/chalked on it), with spikes coming out of its sides and the ground immediately surrounding it.  When modeling, keep in mind that it needs to fit in 3-4 tiles, preferably 3.  For producing/researching, the Sorcery Runes’ spikes slide in and out of the rune stone and ground.

[modman]

Great!  I'm really happy progress is started again.  July is a month of vacations, but I'm hoping in the future we will get even more people working.

MadElf had a virus, so she will be back the 16th of August.

Archmage101, feel free to model the Devil Machine any way you want; I can help you with the concept once I have a starting point.

Omega, you're pretty good at modeling, so the Sorcery Runes shouldn't take that long for you.  I would like the building to only cover four tiles (because I already have a bunch of big buildings), so size value two, if you would.  The most complex part will be the texture for the runes, and even that shouldn't take that long.

[Mark]

Wait, Archmage 101, did you just repost my sorcery runes post?  ???
If you did its fine but i was just wondering .

[-Archmage-]

Mark: Yes, but I rearranged it.

Modman, I'll post what I have finished so far, so that someone can finish it. Because I'm not very good at modeling, and I wouldn't do a very good job.
I'll upload as soon as I can.

[-Archmage-]

Well if Omega wants to have a go at finishing up my model after he does Sorcery Runes...well Omega go ahead.

Here it is: Devil_Machine

[John.d.h]

The world of computers has officially conspired against my modeling abilities, since my laptop's keyboards (both the built-in one and the plug-in one I bought) are screwed up, the computers at school won't let me log in anymore for some reason, and the library ones won't run Blender from my flash drive, so I'll see if I can get another USB keyboard and get back into the swing of things.  Of course, all of that is on top of not having internet at home.  Just another minor setback, I guess.

[-Archmage-]

On my model there are two main things that need to be finished

The size and the spikes.

[Omega]

I got nothing better to do. I guess by runes you mean just those weird intricate designs that could be ancient lettering, etc? Sort of like what you see in that movie 'atlantis'?

I'll probably get started tomorrow, it's late...

So, 2x2 model, based on above pic. Looks simple enough. I really impressed myself with a texture the other day. I needed to make a old parchment look in color (no wrinkles) and man did I ever do a good job. By using varying shades of partial transparent clouds, it looked VERY natural! No pic, my internet is going choppy...

[Omega]

All right, I've done the modeling, and just need to do some finishing touches to the texture. In fact, the texture just needs the runes. I wanted to show you guys how its looking. What do you think? Should the spikes at the base be thinner, or are they good? Any other opinions? Modman?

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[img]http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9468/36707666.jpg[/img](It'll look better with the runes)

NOTE FOR IMPROVEMENTS: I textured this using a formula I call 'Symmetrical Texturing'. This means that the back and front are both maped to the same part of the texture, meaning I only have to change one to affect the other. The result is easier texturing, better accuracy, and of course, perfect symmetry. This means you cannot tell me to have the front and back different, or the sides different, or even the spikes. If I want to change a spike, it affects ALL spikes.

In other news, I need some information. What should the build and die animations look like? Also, does this unit produce or upgrade anything? I can think of a good 'magical' way to animate, similar to how the summoner summons (the particle things). It might look really good, but of course, it's up to you.

[John.d.h]

All right, I've done the modeling, and just need to do some finishing touches to the texture. In fact, the texture just needs the runes. I wanted to show you guys how its looking. What do you think? Should the spikes at the base be thinner, or are they good? Any other opinions? Modman?

I don't know about everybody else, but I think it would look better if it were darker.  Not sure about the spikes, but you can take a look at my Oblivion Portal (with MadElf's texture) and Blood Fountain for some ideas.

In other news, I need some information. What should the build and die animations look like? Also, does this unit produce or upgrade anything? I can think of a good 'magical' way to animate, similar to how the summoner summons (the particle things). It might look really good, but of course, it's up to you.

This building researches Dark Sorcery (no idea what that does) and produces the Sorceress.  I think the animation you're talking about is about the same as what I did for the Portal.  You can take a look at how it's done here:
http://files.filefront.com/portal+actionblend/;13900368;/fileinfo.html
I'm sure you can do it with a lot fewer frames, and I plan on doing just that, but you can get an idea of how it's done and how it might look.

[-Archmage-]

Nice model Omega.

I think the build animation should just be the entire model rising up from underground
And for a die animation the main rock should crumble and the spikes sink into the ground.

But that's just what I think so......wait for Modman's approval.

[Mark]

I think that the original idea of spikes sliding into the ground for producing.  Also, for destroyed, the spikes and the rock could be knocked over.  For construction, it could have no spikes and the rock could have no top.  Also, what i mean by runes is the kind that the viking used, but for operational purposes the ones from the animation "Atlantis" would be fine. 

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[img]http://www.badalijewelry.com/images4/rune05015.jpg[/img]

[modman]

I would have to agree with John, it would look better if it were darker.

I like Archmage101's (AKA Seth's) ideas of the animations.  But on a more general note, we definitely need build and die animations, or at least statics.

And Omega, given your history for data security, I would upload what you have ASAP.

[Omega]

I'm done the original model, and I finished before I was able to read any of your posts I'm afraid, so the 'ruins' are whismical nonsense. However, to me, some of them are a bit of a tribute. Lets take a look at some pics, shall we?

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[img]http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/5250/50203335.jpg[/img]
Close up of Runes:

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[img]http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5240/srdesigns.jpg[/img]
I think I can try to make it darker, if you still want it to be.

I have a copy of the TGA without the runes, so if you guys don't like mine, you can add your own, just ask for it. I haven't converted yet (goody, now I must download that) but should have it done soon. I'll finish before I upload.

@modman, fortunately, I think my data security will be fine now, since I've learned my lesson, which is 'don't screw with linux, or you'll get burnt'!

So there will be four models:
-Still: you saw this one, just a still, non-animated model
-Build: I'll give you two choices, either rising up from the ground, starting with the stone rising, then the spikes coming around it, then the spikes jut out from the stone OR a static model which has the spikes on the ground, and a mound of stone in the center. Before you choose which you want, please note that an animated build means that the build has to be VERY fast, resulting in quick buildings. You cannot take too long, because if the building is stopped building, the build animation is screwed up, and looks bad.
-Die: Main stone falls over, and spikes in circle fall into the earth.
-Produce/Upgrade: Spikes slowly retract into earth, then jut out in a loop.

Comments? Commentaires ? Anmerkungen? Comentários? ¿Comentarios? Комментарии? (Impressive, huh)

[ElimiNator]

I think it looks good but you should have the letters black or looking like they are carved in, not green.

[modman]

Yes, the green letters threw me a little off guard.  I think that there is an effect on a program I have that makes text seem carved in.

Anyways, please upload what you have, because I'd personally like a crack at making some runes myself.  But they will spell out a message.  I used the tool below; I think it's really cool!

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/write_in_runes.html

Anyways, as a not an build anims, you should have played Gameboy's Elves.  A lot of the buildings had build animations, and I did not find any problems.  But your ideas for animations are fine.  As an alternate to a build animation, you could just make a static without the spikes and the runes... (but of course I prefer an animation)

[-Archmage-]

May I suggest that the runes have a glow or something at least.
I personally think the green letters is awesome, the color just need to be more subtle.

Without a little color, how would you be able to read the runes at Glest camera level, especially when we want the stone darker. Besides I thought it was "Sorcery Runes", they should look 'magicy' or 'dark magicy', I mean theres nothing magic or evil about carvings in a rock. Lets see, you want to darken the rock and then darken certain spots too make it look 'carved in'. Seriously it's going to be hard to see in Glest.   

[modman]

I don't have the model.  How would I modify it if I don't have it?

[-Archmage-]

Well, that's the plan isn't it.