[WIP] Soldiers of Gondor

Sabre

Upcoming knights replacement

I'm in a Lord of the Rings mood. So, I've set out to try and convert the knights team to the forces of Gondor. All items are based in some form on objects in the film, with some modification to get them to fit with current models. This is still in very early days, but the image should give you an idea of what I'm doing.


(click to enlarge)

The player skins are very basic at this point: in theory the end knight won't look too much like this one. My plan is to try and amalgamate the standard Gondor soldier (for the armour) with Pippin's Gondor uniform (for the mantle on top of the armour). Unfortunately I lack the modelling skills to do the helmet, so you'll just have to put up with the original. I'm planning on adapting the archer to as closely resemble Gondor's Rangers (ie Faramir) as best I can, although I've not started it yet. As you can see in the image, a shield will be included, along with banners and flags.

If I can make the berserker look good, I may do a Rohan version for the Vikings afterwards. As for the pirates, that's a different matter, they are too far removed from the Middle-earth legendarium to be easily converted to a Middle-earth race without substantial modelling.

Sword and Board

Berserker could make a good orc model, at least in my head anyway.
Your skin looks good, and it would be great to have more custom models/skins for this.

Banjo Boy

Looks good so far dude! Can't wait for this release.

Sommer62

pretty nice... make sure u make the Archers VERY VERY nice

Sabre

I've been working on the helmet, and I'm quite pleased with the results. I was using a reference photo of one of the helmets to produce the markings, and they've been normal mapped so they appear fully 3d in-game. You can also make out a slightly editted mantle and darkened leather scabbards and belts in the images as well. Now to do the rest of the armour.

Krogoth

Looking good!

Crazytalk

sexy

Teh_Sux

QUOTE(Crazytalk @ Jul 30 2008, 02:34 AM) »

sexy

Exactly.

Rapid-Fire

Best replacement yet.

LordTrilobite

Indeed, best HK replacemetn skin so far, most are just recolour or only change the emblem on his chest and shield.

CoolCookieCooks

I'd hit that



Nice to see people making normal maps on custom models for once, tis a rare thing in this day and age.

Sabre

Well, the normal maps are essential to this, as otherwise it looks flat and boring. The normal maps contribute substantially to its appearance in-game.

Anyway, I've been working on the rest of the armour, and have modified a few other bits. As far as my reference pictures go, this is as detailed as the armour gets. Adding more mouldings and effects to the armour would be just for the sake of adding them, and I don't want to overdo it. My focus on this skin is now primarily getting the mantle to look good (note that it doesn't look this dark in-game, you can see more detail on it in-game), based on the looks of the Citadel Guard. The lining on it comes straight from the cloak of the Citadel Guards. The helmet in any case is the most noticable of the lot in-game anyway, so I'm glad that's come out well. I've added the Gondorian wing onto the back of the helmet, as well as modifying the shoulder plates and adding a tree branch to the moulding (both front and back). In addition, a tree branch has been added to the bottom of the armour (not very noticable in-game, but part of the references) and slightly changed the vambrace to give a slight ridge in the middle.


(click to enlarge, note that JPEG compression has miffed quality somewhat, it looks better than this in reality. Besides, model viewers rarely convey the full effect that you get in-game.)

And then on to the archer. That's going to take some effort to create something similar to the Rangers of Gondor, but I believe I can do it.

Rapid-Fire

Very good.

PeWR

Impressive!

Colonel

i like vay niice.

Banjo Boy

Nice Update! Don't forget when you release please upload it on fpsbanana (http://forums.pvkii.com/index.php?showtopic=8094)

schatzmeister

You, Sir, are talented.

YeeHaa

Very nice ! Really liking the normal maps yeah
Keep on the good work

Sommer62

m8.. not for anything.. but stop writing what you are making just do it and do it fast cuz i want this .. and speicaly if you make a cool Gondor arher too keep it up

Janrok

QUOTE(Sommer62 @ Aug 1 2008, 09:18 PM) »

m8.. not for anything.. but stop writing what you are making just do it and do it fast cuz i want this .. and speicaly if you make a cool Gondor arher too keep it up

Shut up, he can write whatever he want. And try to use proper english.

About the model, its probably the best custom changes made to a Heavy Knight, looks awesome!

Banjo Boy

QUOTE(Hail Janrok @ Aug 2 2008, 02:11 PM) »

Shut up, he can write whatever he want. And try to use proper english.

Easy now.

Sommer62

first of all.. its was not a bad way i ment to write that.......... and second of all ye maybe my english is a bit out of range but you cant say ANY word on danish so stfu.... and get a life newby. banjo_boy... nice name btw..

Sommer62

sry ... i was going to write hail jarock.. or whatever hes name is

Colonel

I shalt use this in my adventures. Its always good to spice things up.

JEBUS

I've been waiting for this since pvki. Honestly I want to cry, this is amazing.

Keep up the good work, maybe just do a whole Lotr pack.

Sabre

Just a heads up. I've not been working on this for a while, mainly because I've had a new computer and am sorting it out, and in two days I get my exam results, so I won't get back to it for a little while. In an ideal world, expect something to come at late August/early September. I'll post a pic of how far I've got with the archer tomorrow, although its only the beginning of the edits with a basic recolour. Without remodelling to lengthen the tunic and without the leather armor I've got to put on him, he looks a bit more like Robin Hood than a Ranger of Gondor at the moment. Its early days with the skin though.

Rapid-Fire

Its all good Sabre, keep up the good work.

Sabre

Okay, here's how we're doing with the archer. I know its not the 13th anymore, but I've had other things going on that delayed this. Anyway, I've started trying the vest onto the model (which you wouldn't have seen if I had posted on the 13th), and I've personally got mixed feelings about how its going, I could use more skills with proper skinning than I have to make it how I really want. But hey, look yourself and make your own decision. Certainly the hardest aspect is trying to make it look like he's wearing three layers of clothing instead of one. Note that its deliberate that the leather tree goesn't actually go around the whole way, as that's how it is in the actual costume I'm following: a leather breast-piece on a cloth vest that's over the top of the tunic.


(Click to enlarge)

Its normal mapped to try to convey the feeling of different layers, it just about works and is most noticable on the straps I've added to the side. Note that the shoulders haven't really been touched yet, they've just been recoloured for the underlying tunic - the leather vest doesn't yet extend up there as it should do. Still lots of work to do.

I've also darkened the archer's weapons somewhat, as the light wood just looked wrong against the Ranger colours and they used darker wood in the films. They will be included in release. Arms have also been editted to add the chain mail to the forearm and to match the gloves on the player model.

In addition, I got a little bored and made Rohan shields, flags and banners for the Viking team, but they're for another time.

Sommer62

think you need other colors .. or well just a better green.. it just need something anyway.. its great nice job

Jervan

Bump. "What news from The Mark?"

Sabre

Not much news, I've been busy with other bits. I've been tweaking the vest somewhat, I've done the shoulders and am trying to simply make it look more like the reference material now.