Competition #14 - Niklas Elling

Niklas Elling · 04-07-2008, 10:34 AM

Dung Beetle Demolitions Expert
The concept is based on the nature of dung beetles rolling large balls of dung (which often are much larger than themselves) long distances. While reading "demolitions" as one of the example classes in the competition description I came up with the idea of instead of rolling dung, the beetle would roll explosives into the battle to break down barricades or destroy buildings or similar. It is not intended to be a suicide thing even though I find it unlikely that the beetle will be able to get away in time. I will try to give it a quite realistic style with quite desaturated textures as well as some sculpting in zbrush. The explosives has to be something which is of a similar shape and size as the dung balls so the swedish hand grenade spränghandgranat 56 was chosen because of it's round shape (I happen to be swedish as well).

I want to point out that this is in no way a mimic or copying of mac5er's concept although it is very similar none of us did copy the other. We both came up with the concepts independently of each other. I guess great minds just think alike.

Here are my inspiration images

As well as the modelled grenade. it is 332 tris, 668 left for the bug!

Thanks for looking by.

SeanPerna · 04-07-2008, 10:37 AM

ok, that is funny!

Pearson · 04-07-2008, 12:33 PM

This is a great concept!

I think that it might work a little better if you didn't hold the grenade design so tightly to the human version. There are grenades that are almost perfectly spherical, and if you shrink the trigger mechanism to match the beetle's scale, it could be rolled in any direction. I think that would match the dung beetle a bit better, but you would lose some of the humor, too.

Looking forward to seeing the beetle.

Niklas Elling · 04-07-2008, 12:49 PM

Thank you.

I will look at some spherical designs but as you noted there is a certain comical effect from the current one since it is so obviously not adapted to the bug. I find the clash between a realistic style of modelling and texturing and the not very practical weaponry (especially since you have about 3 seconds to throw the grenade (or run, in this case) after releasing the safety mechanism) quite appealing. I hope others will like it too.

I will start modelling the bug soon which I believe will be a bit harder than the quite simple grenade. After that it is time for zbrush and my first try at normalmaps.

Niklas Elling · 04-07-2008, 11:54 PM

I have now started modelling the beetle. I'm somewhat happy with the form but will try to improve it further. However, my attempts at modelling the legs have all been disasters so any ideas in regards to that are welcome.

Niklas Elling · 05-07-2008, 02:56 AM

I'm almost finished with the low-poly modelling. Still have some triangles left though and will spend them on improving the head, antennas and possibly make the shell a bit rounder.

Here is the beetle and grenade together. This is not the final pose and the legs will be repositioned to fit the pose better. The relative sizes may also be changed. Probably sizing down the beetle.

How bad are triangle-polygons for exporting to zbrush? I've heard its best to have quads but my model consists of loads of tris and it would be quite hard to make them quads and still stay within the budget. If someone knows about this it would be nice to hear since I will be starting the high-poly soon.

chris89 · 05-07-2008, 04:49 AM

well when you subdivide your model with smoothing on, then it will create some bumps at the tris, a bit worse than max i think.

Addi · 05-07-2008, 05:42 AM

you could try adding a mesh smooth ontop of the model before you export to zbrush. Might give you better results that Zbrushes Subdividing..

_Gr9yFox_ · 06-07-2008, 07:00 AM

I haven't been to this forum in more than 7 months and let me tell you this is the most ingenious idea I have seen around here today. I wish I had it first!

Niklas Elling · 07-07-2008, 04:59 AM

Thanks for the info about the smoothing. I'd say it worked pretty fine.

Here is the start of the high poly. I have only zbrushed the head yet and I am still at a low subdivision but I'm really looking forward to this though I struggle with the zbrush interface.

04-07-2008, 10:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
Niklas Elling New Member 13 - 1	Competition #14 - Niklas Elling Dung Beetle Demolitions Expert The concept is based on the nature of dung beetles rolling large balls of dung (which often are much larger than themselves) long distances. While reading "demolitions" as one of the example classes in the competition description I came up with the idea of instead of rolling dung, the beetle would roll explosives into the battle to break down barricades or destroy buildings or similar. It is not intended to be a suicide thing even though I find it unlikely that the beetle will be able to get away in time. I will try to give it a quite realistic style with quite desaturated textures as well as some sculpting in zbrush. The explosives has to be something which is of a similar shape and size as the dung balls so the swedish hand grenade spränghandgranat 56 was chosen because of it's round shape (I happen to be swedish as well). I want to point out that this is in no way a mimic or copying of mac5er's concept although it is very similar none of us did copy the other. We both came up with the concepts independently of each other. I guess great minds just think alike. Here are my inspiration images As well as the modelled grenade. it is 332 tris, 668 left for the bug! Thanks for looking by.

05-07-2008, 05:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
Addi Amateur Artist 431 - 284	you could try adding a mesh smooth ontop of the model before you export to zbrush. Might give you better results that Zbrushes Subdividing.. __________________ My Portfolio

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04-07-2008, 10:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
SeanPerna New Member 20 - 1	ok, that is funny!

04-07-2008, 12:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pearson New Member 64 - 18	This is a great concept! I think that it might work a little better if you didn't hold the grenade design so tightly to the human version. There are grenades that are almost perfectly spherical, and if you shrink the trigger mechanism to match the beetle's scale, it could be rolled in any direction. I think that would match the dung beetle a bit better, but you would lose some of the humor, too. Looking forward to seeing the beetle.

04-07-2008, 12:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
Niklas Elling New Member 13 - 1	Thank you. I will look at some spherical designs but as you noted there is a certain comical effect from the current one since it is so obviously not adapted to the bug. I find the clash between a realistic style of modelling and texturing and the not very practical weaponry (especially since you have about 3 seconds to throw the grenade (or run, in this case) after releasing the safety mechanism) quite appealing. I hope others will like it too. I will start modelling the bug soon which I believe will be a bit harder than the quite simple grenade. After that it is time for zbrush and my first try at normalmaps.

04-07-2008, 11:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Niklas Elling New Member 13 - 1	I have now started modelling the beetle. I'm somewhat happy with the form but will try to improve it further. However, my attempts at modelling the legs have all been disasters so any ideas in regards to that are welcome.

05-07-2008, 02:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
Niklas Elling New Member 13 - 1	I'm almost finished with the low-poly modelling. Still have some triangles left though and will spend them on improving the head, antennas and possibly make the shell a bit rounder. Here is the beetle and grenade together. This is not the final pose and the legs will be repositioned to fit the pose better. The relative sizes may also be changed. Probably sizing down the beetle. How bad are triangle-polygons for exporting to zbrush? I've heard its best to have quads but my model consists of loads of tris and it would be quite hard to make them quads and still stay within the budget. If someone knows about this it would be nice to hear since I will be starting the high-poly soon.

06-07-2008, 07:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
_Gr9yFox_ New Member 8 - 0	I haven't been to this forum in more than 7 months and let me tell you this is the most ingenious idea I have seen around here today. I wish I had it first!

07-07-2008, 04:59 AM	#10 (permalink)
Niklas Elling New Member 13 - 1	Thanks for the info about the smoothing. I'd say it worked pretty fine. Here is the start of the high poly. I have only zbrushed the head yet and I am still at a low subdivision but I'm really looking forward to this though I struggle with the zbrush interface.