Sagiten - The Heron of Heaven
This is my first real Next-Gen game ready character. I am a HUGE Transformer fan and I created this original fan-fic piece based off of a character named Dr. Fujiyama, the creator of the NIGHTBIRD. Samurai were typically fishermen, so I found it fitting to base the his Astro-Unit name off of the Heron. Sagiten refers to "The Heron of Heaven" who are incredibly intelligent strategists who know how to draw in and trap their prey.Total working time is approx. 6 months for 1 total concept, 1 character, 1 vehicle, and 3 weapons. This includes Modeling, Texturing, Technical Directing, Animation, ActorX Export/Unreal3Ed Import, and Unreal3 Script. The Character is customizable in the respect that the 'men ornaments' and 'haidate' can be deleted to diversify rank, enabling the creation of 3 total characters. Once the skin textures are replaced, a plethora of diversity is enabled. Dr. Fujiyama does not transform, however, the Motorcycle does. The Root-Mode is design off of 2 snowmobiles named the Hyanide and Ba'al with all-terrain capabilities. In it's Alt-Mode, the Energo Bike attaches itself to the back of the strength enhancing Sagiten armor of the Doc. This backpack also enacts as a Jetpack-Hanglider. The center section of the entire jetpack that attaches to the back of the character is based off of the actual pack used in The Transformers episodes "Dinobot Island Pt. 1 and 2. (Just making sure I'm getting all the right people the right credit).
The Sagiten general was awarded 3 swords from the United Earth Defense Government; A Masamune, Sousetsu- Creation, and Kaimetsu- Destruction. Each sword has customizable features including the Same, Fuchi, Tsuba, and the Katana/Wakizashi Blade itself. The Fuchi of the SouKai duo are engraved as well. The Masamune was based off of a combination of these actual historical Masamunes:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.nosyu-token.jp/deco/masamune/masamune.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.nosyu-token.jp/deco/masamune/masamune.htm%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
http://www.sekiryu.co.jp/fukkoku/e-02.htm
http://filmswords.com/highlander/masamuneart.htm (The Hamon was based on the last image)
The Unreal3 screen shots are print-screens from within the Unreal3 editor. The only thing I did was place the character inside of the Torlan/Vehicles map. The map, lighting, and the environment was all created by Epic Games.
This is my organized breakdown:
Polycounts:
SK_CH_Sagiten_DrFujiyama_All:
5,414
SK_CH_Sagiten_DrFujiyama_Head:
635
SK_CH_Sagiten_DrFujiyama_Upper:
2,870
SK_CH_Sagiten_DrFujiyama_Lower:
1,722
SK_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_All:
15,632
SK_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_Chasis:
7,932
ST_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_Jetpack:
1,810
SK_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_Wheel/TrackAssem:
1,856 Each (2 Total)
ST_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_Wheel:
344 Each (8 Total)
SK_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_Track:
480 Each (2 Total)
ST_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_BoosterPack:
255 Each (2 Total)
ST_VH_Sagiten_EnergoBike_WheelGuards:
417 Each (4 Total)
SK_WP_SWD_KTN_Masamune
2,332
ST_WP_SWD_KTN_TSU_Masamune
632
ST_WP_SWD_KTN_SAM_Masamune
1,220
ST_WP_SWD_KTN_FCH_Masamune
96
ST_WP_SWD_KTN_NGS_Masamune
384
SK_WP_SWD_SYA_Masamune
454
SK_WP_SWD_WKZ_SouKai (Souetsu/Kaimetsu)
1,127 Each (2 Total)
ST_WP_SWD_WKZ_TSU_SouKai
255
ST_WP_SWD_WKZ_SAM_SouKai
631
ST_WP_SWD_WKZ_FCH_SouKai
56
ST_WP_SWD_WKZ_NGS_SouKai
185
SK_WP_SWD_SYA_SouKai
392
Textures:
Character: (Diffuse, SpecularWt, SpecularColor, Normal, AO, EmissiveMask, DamageMask)
T_CH_Sagiten_Head
T_CH_Sagiten_Upper
T_CH_Sagiten_Lower
T_CH_Sagiten_LowerHaidate
T_CH_Sagiten_Head_DMG
T_CH_Sagiten_Upper_DMG
T_CH_Sagiten_Lower_DMG
T_CH_Sagiten_LowerHaidate_DMG
Vehicle (Diffuse, SpecularWt, SpecularColor, Normal, AO, Fresnel, EmissiveMask)
T_VH_Sagiten_Main
T_VH_Sagiten_Feathers
T_VH_Sagiten_JetPack
T_VH_Sagiten_BoosterPack
T_VH_Sagiten_WheelGuards
T_VH_Sagiten_Track
T_VH_Sagiten_Wheel
Weapons (Diffuse, SpecularWt, SpecularColor, Normal, AO, Fresnel, EmissiveMask, DamageMask)
T_WP_SWD_KTN_Kaimetsu
T_WP_SWD_WKZ_Sousetsu
T_WP_SWD_WKZ_Masamune
T_WP_SWD_SYA_SouKaiMune
Everything saw Z-Brush, even if it was only for a mesh-smooth normal map export. The Shading Netowrks from Unreal3 are all handwritten. I learned the Material Kismet system and had a TON of fun with it. I setup my characters textures just like the Unreal3 Goliath Tank. In other words, it is setup that when you fire upon the character, damage will occur specifically where you are firing, not damaging the rest of the character in the mean-time. I must admit that I borrowed 3 textures for the burn-out damage overlay; VH_All.Materials.T_VH_All_Axon_Damage_D, VH_All.Materials.T_VH_All_Axon_Damage_N, and VH_All.Materials.T_VH_All_Axon_Detail_N. I do not have the ability to export those 3 textures out of Unreal, so I don't really know what they are in order to re-create them. However, I did compensate by creating an entire damage set for the character on my own. I did not create custom damage textures for the vehicle itself. I used Unreal's preset, but the shader network is still handwritten.
The character itelf is coded and broken down further into minor entities as well; Head_Helmet, Head_Visor, Head_Mask, Upper_Torso, Upper_Arms, Upper_Shoulders, Upper_ShoulderR, Upper_ShoulderL, Lower_Thighs, Lower_Boots, Lower_Haidate. It was much easier to assemble everything in the environment inside of UnrealEd by entities rather than parts, so thats why I didn't include them into the polycount list. This character can use all of the Unreal3 animations, however, I am currently preparing to export my own custom set. I've done this numerous times in UT2004s UnrealEd2. I get hung up on the faction coding section... In case anyone is curious, I have 1 entire model dedicated to each kind of bone structure; 3D Max Biped Bone Names, Maya bone names, and Maya bone names broken down by entity.
Special Thanks:
Yuji - for having the patiencefor teaching me Japanese and basing this entire character off of you.
Ron - for always giving me an honest opinion and pushing my art further
Demp - for being such a badass mentor and really showing me how to unleash my talent
Ty - allowing me to ask you 'what do you think' all day
Buckshot - Showing me how to make Transformers stuff applicable to humans.
Rich- for lending me your Motion Sickness....
R3d - for always, always, ALWAYS giving me the straight answer, even if the truth hurts. BOOYAH FOO I GOT THIS.
JSter - now maybe we can go to Epic?
And a very special thanks to Mr. Alessandro Baldasseroni. You can imagine what it meant to me for you to critique my work. Thank you again for posting your Hellgate tutorial online.
