Chaplin Grimaldus

[Quasimofo]

Hi everyone :) .

This is my first post ever on ZBrushCentral. I only started using this amazing program about 3 weeks ago and I'd like to show what I've done so far just to get some feedback.

I am currently working on a Black Templar Dawn of War mod, for any Warhammer 40k fans out there. Although DOW doesn't support normal mapping I thought this particular character would be great for my first attempt at ZBrush and creating a normal map, plus the resulting texture should still look good in-game even without the normal map.

It's still a WIP. The backpack needs to be textured and he needs to be rigged up and thrown into a cool pose, but please, tell me what you think so far.

Grimaldus_Nearly_Metalic.JPG
(This is a screenshot straight out of 3D Studio Max viewport with Ben Mathis' normal/specular shader applied)

Here is a Games Workshop concept of Grimaldus which I believe was drawn by Mark Gibbons.

chaplain_concept.jpg

[Psionic]

Sweet work, nice to see some 40k stuff being done with Zbrush!!

I hope to do some myself when I buy it in a few days (cant wait to get started)

Did you UV map him or us AUV/GUVtiles??

[Quasimofo]

Thanks Psionic :)

I created a low poly model (5008 triangles) in 3DS Max and unwrapped it before importing into ZBrush.

grimalduswip20na.jpeg

Grimaldus_Colour_UV.jpg

Grimaldus_Normal_UV.jpg

Actual texture sizes are 1024.

[andreseloy]

Congratulations for this workflow!

Can you explain in details each step? In whih step and how you paint your map?
Thanks in advance
Andreseloy

[Psionic]

If I can make one small crit - most space marine models I see online seem to base the proportions on the models/miniatures with the larger head/helmet moreso than the concepts/artwork seen in white dwarf etc...

its more a personal preference I suppose ;) but I think it makes the marines look so much taller/meaner/bulkier when the head is quite small...and with the shoulder pauldrons up a little a little higher to semi-protect the head ;)

[Quasimofo]

Hey thanks for the replies guys.

Andreseloy, I'd be happy to explain the steps I took in the creation of this guy. But I'm gonna hold out until I've completed him first. Did you want me to explain the entire processes, as in first modelling in 3DS Max, unwrapping, importing into ZBrush, adding detail exporting out of ZBrush and importing the high poly model into max and then using it to create a normal map (Haven't researched how to make normal maps in ZBrush as of yet), and finally texturing?

The most detailed explanation I can give you will be on my texturing as I have maintained all my layers and can therefore give you screen shots of the steps I took. For now I can tell you that I started with the BLUE channel (this is the channel which stores the depth in a normal map) to paint my texture. This channel gives an instant outline of the models form.

1.jpg

I then changed the levels of this image (Ctrk + L) to 0/128 (from 0/255) and adjusted the brightness/contrast

2.jpg

Using this as an overlay I added layers underneath it for each piece of the UV (ie a layer for his head, front torso, back torso, cape, weapon etc.) and painted in lighting (using dodge/burn tool in Photoshop) Note: I painted the head and skull first without this layer technique...this is not the way to go about texturing so I decided to be more organised and keep everything in well labelled layers

3.jpg

I had the Blue channel overlay on the whole time as this provides some of the ligthing.

4.jpg

I then took the GREEN channel of the normal map and added it as an overlay over some of layers as I thought it added a cool effect. I kept some of the lighting layers above this if it created an undesired effect.

5.jpg

Above all these layers I added a Colour Layer.

8.jpg
6.jpg

And finally an overlays to add imperfections (scratches on the paint etc.) and the writing is white text boxes with black writing set to Multiply and kept in a layer just above the lighting layer of whatever piece they apply to.

7.jpg

And that is it so far, sill have a bit more to add to this texture though so I'll keep you posted. Also in reality I painted one piece at a time, I'd make the lighting layer then add colour straight after rather than waiting to colour it all at the end.

PS:

Psionic, DOW models are actually modelled in parts, almost everything is detached on this guys SO I can quickly and easily make any proportion changes, I made this based on your suggestion tell me what you think.

Higher-smaller.jpg

[andreseloy]

Thanks very much you are very kind!:tu:

Andreseloy

[Psionic]

Thanks for the rundown of yout technique, looks like a cool way to work!!

and I like the new proportions!! ;)

[Quasimofo]

Finished colour map and added specular :)

Glow.jpg (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:zb_insimg%28%2731671%27,%27Glow.jpg%27,1,0%29 )

Back_Glow.jpg (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:zb_insimg%28%2731672%27,%27Back_Glow.jpg%27,1 ,0%29)
See more images of the model here:

http://com4.runboard.com/bblacktemplarsmod.funits.t6|offset=30 (http://com4.runboard.com/bblacktemplarsmod.funits.t6%7Coffset=30)

[Quasimofo]

GrimElectric.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:zb_insimg('31770','GrimElectric.jpg',1,0))

[rtwolfenstein@hotmail.com]

The work you did too prepare the model to be used in a video game is really well done!
While im speaking to someone who can do this kind of stuff (I am part of a mapping team for Unreal Tournament so its kind of the same) how do you use the unwrap modifier? Is it the same thing to manually reposition the vertex, and use the render to texture functionnality "Automatic Flatten UVs"?
Also, around how many polygons should a character model average?

Thanks for your reply.

[Quasimofo]

Hey Wolfenstien, sorry about the lateness of my reply been quite busy.

Ummm, difficult to explain the UVunwrapper, basically you use the "select face" tool within the modifier. You unwrap one piece at a time, with and arm I'd look at it front front view and select all the polygons then hit "planar map" I would then do this for the back and in the "edit" area stitch these together. Then I use a max scrpit called "uvhelp" which eliminates stretching of the texture. I'm not sure what the technique of repositioning the vertex and rendering to texture is.

A normal Space Marine in Dawn of War has been quoted to be ~2000 triangles, hero units were allowed a lot more. Grimaldus is 4914 triangles.

[Entomogant]

Hey, looks pretty good!
WH40k is great! DOw not so much (bad gameplay) but your Chaplain is great!