3D Realtime Character [WIP]

[Art1977]

For which Engine - XNA and M3G Application
Current Polycount -
Max Polycount - 10.000 for XNA, 1000 for M3G
Texture Size - 1024 or 2048 for XNA and 512 for M3G
Description of background information on piece - Realtime Character for my diploma thesis
Where are you looking to receive criticism - Especially Modelling and Edgeloops
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Forword:
At the moment i´am writting my diploma thesis about Realtime Character Development with an implementation in XNA and M3G for Java. I have less experience in Character building and this should change with this project. I hope some poeple of you could help me with this.

My concept is based on the appleseed characters, because i´am not a skilled painter or drawer. The main aspect here is the modelling of the character, so it would be well animated and has less polycount.

Concept:

Image Planes:


I blocked the basic structre of the model. It would be very helpful, if you could help me with the edgeloops of the model.
Especially for the loops on the front of the hips down the foot. At the back of the Character down the foot. And the Loops at the back from the arms to the back.

At the moment the parts for the upper body, lower body, Head, armorplate and boots are seperated.

Insert Wireframe










Best regards and thanks for your hopefully help.

[Tiros]

Well, I'm really no good with character still.. but I'd say the top of his head is a bit flat and boxy

Cheers!

[AlexanderSmith]

Conceptual seems too feminine. Model looks overall, very good, but the forearms are too short.

[Art1977]

Small Update of the arms, the back and the backside

Could need some help with the loops at these regions and the biceps and triceps.

[laughing_bun]

i like the design, but you should model in a more dynamic pose. you have all kinds of little proportion issues that are hard to spot because of the static pose. The way you drew the original concept honestly is almost a good modeling sheet pose. Its hard to model at wierd angles but remember you can instance of geometry and rotate it and work on it that way.

[Art1977]

I should mention, that this is my first complete char. The proportions are not my main problem. My main problem is, where the edgeloops should be on the arm and the back.

It has not to be 100% anatomical correct. Its just for a implementation in a xna application. The main goal is that the mesh is animatetable.

[fabiodan]

There's not much theory to that -- If you haven't much experience with bones and stuff make some tests on a cylinder just to see how many edge loops you need to make it bend while keeping the shape.
The main priority of having a mesh animateable is to have more edge loops only on the outside of places where the mesh bends. Because when you move an elbow bone, for instance, the edge loops that are going to be exposed are the ones in the outside. in the inside you only make one or three edge loops.

[Art1977]

Thx for your reply. I have some experience with bones and stuff. I made some deformationstest today and in some poses it is very difficult to reach the deformation with the skin weights.

[Art1977]

I have to stop modelling at this point and go over to UVing and to Zbrush because lack of time.

I made some deformation tests and the main problem area is at the moment between thigh and hip.

Any suggestions before i go further:

[virtualpsycho]

there is no need for the excessive polygons in the areas shown in image, i hope this helps.