Research Project "Endangered"

Chinese Medicine Store
I’ve blocked in some building placeholders for a street mockup and will consider whether to model the chinese medicine store, the street outside it, or both.

Taiji Maru 3
(to be added)

Zhang Lian (main character)
Here’s my character model development and associated feature items that I’ve built/created/modelled for Zhang. I’m also attaching her updated profile.

Additional backstory development for Zhang:
From years of research and experimentation with tiger bone products, Zhang has recently perfected a potent tonic which gives her super-human speed for a short period of time. She has told no one of her discovery, keeping her receipe a closely guarded secret. Although sourcing tiger products is getting more difficult due to rarity and the expense, Zhang can’t see herself stopping anytime soon. Zhang keeps a small supply of her tiger tonic in a medicine gourd which she consumes before a fight (much like Asterix).

Reference: Tiger bone article

Tomas Van Buren (main character)
Here’s my character model development and associated feature items that I’ve built/created/modelled for Van Buren. Here’s his updated profile as well.

ZBrush Tutorials
I will try and use this feature of ZB4 with Maya. ZBrush 3.5 didn’t have this feature as they were developing it for ZB4. Here’s a tute showing it working in ZB4 but for use in 3DS Max.

Modelling Techniques
The modelled heads below were variations created from the single male and female low poly base meshes on the left. After talking to Tanya and Scott Spencer, I’ve decided to use the same technique to quickly generate my 10 different characters that I will model (4 fully-modelled bodies, 6 half-body torso’s).

Nicholas Collings

Character Poses
Dynamic Figure Poses – “Being able to draw figures which get emotion across with their body is the most important thing” – David Finch.

Sketches of my characters in poses which convey emotion.
(to be completed after Interim presentation)

Gamepad Controller Usage
I want to use a gamepad controller to navigate through my game menu choices as this will simulate an actual “playstation” type game menu that I’m designing my game for. I used the youtube video below to install and operate a playstation 3 controller on my pc running windows xp.

Gameplay
Here is an example of a traditional fighting game interface with 2D characters and 2D environment. Fighting/combat is restricted to movement along a 2D plane.

Recent game mimicing the traditional “characters moving along a 2D plane” even though the environment and characters are 3D.

The latest version of Mortal Kombat (series no.9) reviewed at E3 (2010). The creator, Ed Boon has taken all the best parts of the previous 8 versions and incorporated them into an authentic, high quality, fast-paced masterpiece.

Character Selection Screens
Some examples

Character (In game) Bios