[New Faction] Nights Watch (GoT) [WIP]

[Kinrove]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to create a Nights Watch faction. I've been experimenting since this Saturday and here is the first model I've done (517 triangles).
This is going to be the worker of my faction.

I'm going to use the tech faction as an exemple. I intend to replace each character.
Current state of Nights Watch can be found here:
https://github.com/Geo86/nightwatch


He already has a walk animation, idle and another for building.
In the meantime I've added a crow logo on the model as well.

The only issue I have is that I find the texture of the model ingame less sharp.

[tomreyn]

Nice, keep up the good work!

Have you set texture quality to "high" in options? Which hardware, operating system and drivers are you using? Can you show an in-game screenshot?

[-Archmage-]

Awesome, I'm a fellow GoT fan. 

You can go a good bit higher with the tricount, that's actually a bit under what the 2005 models have.

[Kinrove]

Nice, keep up the good work!

Have you set texture quality to "high" in options? Which hardware, operating system and drivers are you using? Can you show an in-game screenshot?

Yes, everything is setted as high quality in the game, the computer which I do my tests is under Windows 10 (AMD FX(tm)-8350 8 core processor /10Go ram, Radeon R9 200 3Go).
In another topic Archmage told me that Glest uses vertex lighting, that's probably because of that my textures looks not much detailed.

My model appears quite dark because of that.

Awesome, I'm a fellow GoT fan. 

You can go a good bit higher with the tricount, that's actually a bit under what the 2005 models have.

It's going to take time, but I'm very motivated at the moment, I'm going to update to redo this model and I'll try to be around 900 to 1000 triangles in order to get more details.

[Kinrove]

Ok, in the meantime I have done some tests to see the direction I should take for the graphics. I finally decided to use pictures for the faces instead of handpainted texture as I did at first.

I have done some of the animations (mining, walking and walking with tools, idling and building).
Unfortunately the ingame screenshot looks very dark, more than in game.

I have the feeling that my  old screen is awfully calibrated as well.

Here some screenshots within Blender.

.

I should create a tech tree, as already told, i'm going to use the techtree of the tech.
Ideally I should replace each existing character of this techtree by a type of character of the Night's Watch.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome, if you have any idea share it please! 

[kagu]

Awesome. Looking forward to this.

Too bad they know nothing 

[jammyjamjamman]

Models so far look awesome! They have a good level of detailing and good textures. Looking at the images, it looks like the animations will be very good too.

I should create a tech tree, as already told, i'm going to use the techtree of the tech.

Sounds like a good idea. it might be worth copying files from the megapack techtree to use as a template.
When creating a techtree, you might also want to consider adding a link to techs from megapack. You can see how this is done by looking at the magitech techtree files.

[Kinrove]

Sounds like a good idea. it might be worth copying files from the megapack techtree to use as a template.

What I did, is I created a folder 'gameofthrones' within the 'megaglest/techs' folder.
This one is located 'C:\Users\Geo\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\techs'.

I read somewhere that was the way to do deal with it.

One question, for one of my animations, I have two textures, one for the character and another one for the accessories (bag loaded with rocks or gold).

When I do my export with the glest exporter, I select both models (bag + character), they all have a texture applied within Blender, these ones are included within my unit folder and i still have one texture for both models in game (the one of the character).

Is there any way to solve it ? I've seen original models using two textures, I guess this is possible then!

[jammyjamjamman]

What I did, is I created a folder 'gameofthrones' within the 'megaglest/techs' folder.
This one is located 'C:\Users\Geo\AppData\Roaming\megaglest\techs'.

I read somewhere that was the way to do deal with it.

One question, for one of my animations, I have two textures, one for the character and another one for the accessories (bag loaded with rocks or gold).

When I do my export with the glest exporter, I select both models (bag + character), they all have a texture applied within Blender, these ones are included within my unit folder and i still have one texture for both models in game (the one of the character).

Is there any way to solve it ? I've seen original models using two textures, I guess this is possible then!

Yes it is indeed possible to have more than 1 texture per g3d model. Things to check:

• Check that each model in blender has its own material (in the materials tab).
• For a given model check its material has the correct texture linked (by selecting the model, and clicking on the textures tab).
• Make sure there's no more than 1 texture per material.
• Under the textures tab, check the mapping is set to UV.
• Check in the UV/Image editor that the correct textures are mapped to the models.

[Kinrove]

Hello,

I've just checked all the points and that still doesn't work.
Anything else that could explain this ?

thank you for your help.

[jammyjamjamman]

Hello,

I've just checked all the points and that still doesn't work.
Anything else that could explain this ?

thank you for your help.

Hmm I'm not really sure what's wrong in that case... I think texture linking in the g3d exporter can be a bit buggy too.
Would it be possible to share the blender model? Contact me in a private message here or on IRC and I can check it out .

[Kinrove]

It's now solved, thanks Jammy, I had two materials applied on each model, that was the reason of the issue I had.

Thank you Jammy 

[Kinrove]

Here is the castle ! I was inspired by one of the 14 castles along the wall. The one called "Shadow tower".



I still need to texture the barrels in front.

[andy_5995]

Oh cool! I love that it's so tall!

Let me know when you're ready to test.

[Kinrove]

Oh cool! I love that it's so tall!

Let me know when you're ready to test.

Yes I'll, It's not for now...  It's going to take quite a lot of time.
In the meantime I have finished the barracks.

Next step is to replace the units that can be produced by the barracks with some nights watch units.
I still have to think about the different kind of units and their names.

Here is an ingame screen with the barracks and the castle + worker in action :



I don't know why but most of the screenshots I take in game are really really dark... Buildings are hardly visible, it seems linked to the distance.

Last but not least the model within Blender :



Finally, I still have to add the team color to the units and the barracks.
If you have any idea, feel free to tell me, I appreciate your help.

See you later.

[titi]

Wow this really looks good. But why you want to keep the original tech techtree in all details ? A bit variation is always fun and results in better gameplay. So if possible please change the techtree a bit, I strongly vote for it.

I don't know if you use it already, but you can use so called "faction links": https://docs.megaglest.org/XML/Faction#link  and https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?topic=7955.msg79785#msg79785

[Kinrove]

Why you want to keep the original tech techtree in all details ? A bit variation is always fun and results in better gameplay. So if possible please change the techtree a bit, I strongly vote for it.

I don't know if you use it already, but you can use so called "faction links": https://docs.megaglest.org/XML/Faction#link  and https://forum.megaglest.org/index.php?topic=7955.msg79785#msg79785

No, I haven't used it yet.

My idea is to use the tech techtree because that way I'm sure to have a faction well balanced as It's an orginal faction from the game.
(At least that was my first thought).

It's also because I would like to focus on modeling, texturing and animating mostly  as I don't have a lot of free time...

Ideally, that would be better to create an entire new faction, I agree.
That's more freedom in the creation process and more fun with the gameplay If It's well done.

If some people want to support the project by bringing their contribution and propose a custom techtree I would be happy.
If not, I'll maybe adapt this later, but at the moment that's not the point I want to focus on.

Thank you for you comment, It encourages me to keep going.

[Kinrove]

A little update,

I've started to work on the texture of the first battle unit this evening. It's 996 triangles, the texture is 512x512.


upload pic

I'll try to finish it as soon as possible.

[jammyjamjamman]

This is looking fantastic! I'm hyped!

[-Archmage-]

I can show you some advanced rigging techniques(makes animating way more fun and easy) and how to properly animate cloth for this engine. Let me know if you'd like my help.
It looks like you've got modeling and texturing down pretty well.

[Kinrove]

I can show you some advanced rigging techniques(makes animating way more fun and easy) and how to properly animate cloth for this engine. Let me know if you'd like my help.
It looks like you've got modeling and texturing down pretty well.

If I'm interested ? The answer is obvious Archmage, YES ! 
I'll show you what I've done so far for the worker, (rigging and animation).

It's a simple setup with IK for the legs, no more, the animations aren't that bad but they could be improved for sure.
The best would be to be able to grab an existing animation and to apply it on another model, I guess that's possible but I don't know yet how.

I finished the texturing of that unit (swordman), so that might be the right time to proceed.

So when you have time, when possible for you, let me know !!! 

[titi]

Some hints/links you might like:

As licenses are always a problem, here a list of really free textures ( public domain ! ) texture/picture collections.
http://www.burningwell.org/gallery2/v/textures/
https://duion.com/art/texture-photos
Not really texture related but has all kind of stuff:
https://pixabay.com/

Best place for Sounds I know ( warning several different licenses there, don't use non commercial stuff ):
https://freesound.org/

About backup and shared work: Most of us use github. A possible structure can look like this: https://github.com/titiger/barillion . The folder "source" is meant for those files needed to build the things with a free structure. The techtree folder is what you need in the game....

[Carl the Great]

Looking forward to this modification.

One suggestion which is long-standing: the Tech swordsman is the only left-handed warrior, can you try to correct this to the usual right-hander?

[Kinrove]

@Titi : Thank you for sharing some ressources. These might become handy! Also, I've thought about something you told me some days ago (the techtree that should me modified to get more fun).
I've worked a little bit on it lately, in the coming days, I'll probably post a possible techtree I have in mind with some ideas, to get the opinion of everyone and see if what I have in mind is possible. I agree that's going to be more fun.

Last thing, I've just taken some time to reorganize my files and setup a github repository. That can be found here : https://github.com/Geo86/nightwatch.

@Carl the Great : I take your demand into account, at the moment the sword is in the left hand but I'm goint to adapt it, I had never paid attention to that detail until I read you yesterday !

Cheers everyone & good weekend !

[KIRCHATAAA]

Honestly, It is looking amazing the theeme is really good please dont give up on it I am already hyped for beta and if there is one, please give me a link