WIP Greater Krayt Dragon

[Vulcan]

You might have heard of this badboy, you might have not.
If you didn't, I suggest you to take a seat since it will blow you away
 
Recently I've read that Blender enables GLM exporting of vehicles. Since I've heard good reviews about blender I'd like to give that program a try.
Basically, here's the idea!
 
A freaking Greater Krayt Dragon.
 
It's a beast from Tatooine. 100 meters long (tail included) and it's massive body is held up with his 10 legs.
They hunt for Sarlacs, those giant worm like creatures Luke was almost thrown in, and live mostly underground.
But if they do come above ground, you will notice.
 
Star Wars Wikia
 
In comparison to Jedi Academy, the Greater Krayt Dragon will be between 4 and 6 mutant rancors in size. The only level I know this boy can walk around in would be the swoop level, thus I'll release it with a handy huge arena.
 

 The result of a few hours modelling

To give you a perception of size:

 Those tuskens shit their pants, would you?

Ofcourse it still needs some more modelling work (A shitload), and I'll have to learn more about tags later on I guess, as every other jka model has them.
But that's a problem for later I guess

For now, Imagine running away for that thing. And uhh... sleep well?
I'll show my progress in this thread, and post any problems i'll bump into here.
For now it's gonna be an epic idea right?

Cheers,

~Vulc

[Archangel35757]

In addition to Blender...  3ds Max 5 (and up) and Softimage (and Softimage Mod Tool) also allow you to create new characters/creatures-- as well as their animations... these programs also work for the Humanoid character-- and making of new Humanoid animations.  Recently (thanks to @@Xycaleth) Maya has been added into the mix-- at least for compiling static characters against the existing Ghoul2 GLA animation file... using his new FBX->to->GLM standalone converter tool.

[minilogoguy18]

Be sure for future reference if you're looking for constructive criticism or advice on what can be improved post pictures with the model flat shaded showing a wireframe overlay.

 

Can't say anything about the model though as is until something like above is shown.

[Bek]

For model reference I would use the Krayt Dragon in KOTOR on the tantooine level 

[ZanderNao]

This is an impressive feat you're working on. Having the arena for something that large seems like a wise plan. Are you planning to have a scaled down version for a lesser dragon once you've made your primary objective?

I always loved the idea that these things eat sarlacs, lol.

Good luck on this!

[Omicron]

there is a Krayt dragon in Kotor, so you could use that for references. And am I right in saying @@eezstreet that JKG has a Krayt?

[Stoiss]

Yes JKG has a Krayt Dragon 

but if i remember it is missing anim for it

[Tempust85]

I did make some animations for it, whether or not they are still there in JKG is beyond me.

[Pande]

It has anims, they are just a bit derp without proper collision  Some are incomplete, only walk, run, and walkback are animated the rest are just stances including deaths.

 

[Archangel35757]

Hmmm... he looks a little too happy-- like he wants to play fetch .

[Circa]

I think the original poster meant for this thread to be a showcase for his model. Let's not stray away too far from that.

[Vulcan]

Thanks Circa
Well, I saw that model earlier yea, but it doesn't really look like the Krayt you see on the wiki page.

It does look like his the carrier of the skeleton you also see in the movies, but I like this design better

About the Kotor Krayt, you have Krayts and Krays. The Greater Krayt is a (waaaay) bigger subspecies of the Krayt. Compared to the usual Krayt you see in Kotor, he's a small baby.
 

As reference I use this concept art: 

 

And I try to stay as close to this one as possible. That's why the long tail looks a little too long, but if I animate it right and make it wiggle while pointed up it will look good I think

I get the idea of his tail pointed up from this window from a SW Comic, showing Dooku's Krayt

I'm slowly trying to refine the head, adding too much polygons haha. But it does help me build a good form in it, and later i'll just degrade the amount of polygons so JKA can handle it. Also, I'll build him in separate parts just like they did with the rancor since the maximum amount of polygons per mesh is 1000. I'm already past that and I haven't add any details yet. So separate legs, tail, head etc, while maintaining a good edgeflow an good details. 

Another thing that really inspired me was when I looked at the Rancor's animation; It has a loose skin animation on his neck if he eats someone. And i'd like to add such an animation aswell. Might increase the realism, aswell as making him appear clusmy while keeping his badass look. And as you might imagine, if that beast would be killed it would take a longer than normal time to fall down to earth, and once he touches the floor he'd tremble the surrounding earth. I can imagine his head falling down and bounce up a few times before he stops moving lol

Closeup of the head with wireframe overlay:

Overview of the whole model (rough version):

 

 

I'll probably edit the head a little more to appear more like Dooku's Krayt, and I'll later make the teeth asymmetrical also, to give him a more monsterly look. The lower jaw also needs some work done so it fits better on the upper jaw. And ofcourse, I'll add a tongue :>

Cheers!

 

[Asgarath83]

It has anims, they are just a bit derp without proper collision  Some are incomplete, only walk, run, and walkback are animated the rest are just stances including deaths.

 

O_________________________O

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

*Run away!

 

 

WOW! amazing! But a Krayt... Oh really, a Krayt dragon? i love kotor and i remember the krayt dragon with star forge map inside the cave of his lair... Have a nice work @@Vulcan , yu can make a wonderful enemy for JA... just a question: the NPC file HOW MANY Health point have? 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999?

[Lunarstars]

Nobody has made a doge meme yet? Because this pic looks like a happy puppy P:

[Vulcan]

I was thinking of multiplying the health of the mutant rancor by 10 @Asgarath83
It would be huge, so it would take you a long time to kill it on your own lol.

would make a nice challenge though

 

Anyway, here is my latest work.

 

I've added some feet, UVW'd the model and fired up Zbrush.

 

 

While working on the model I noticed that I either have to give him an angrier look, or add facial animations. And since it will be huge I think adding facial animations would be a better plan

Zbrush (you might want to take a seat):

 

This is how I like to build my textures. I think you see why haha. It's not finished yet as you might see. I still got the teeth, tongue, horns and inner mouth to do.
Coloring is a process I do later, and in the end I combine the displacement map with the color map to create a diffuse map we all know, in Photoshop.
Just for fun I colored the eyes  

Ideas and suggestions about the color are welcome at this point ^^
I'm doubting between red and yellow (with black spots, stripes etc.) Red might make him badass like dooku's, while yellow/brown would make him blend in with the environment more, thus add some realism.

Cheers, and thanks for the support!

[Almightygir]

two things to suggest here since you're zbrushing.

 

1. drop to the second subdivision level, use only the move brush, and use it to push/pull things around until you get a solid basis of form. keep doing this through the next two subdivisions as well. don't start sculpting like this for a while yet, because right now the result is quite blobby and unrefined. it takes a while to get this workflow into your head but once you do you'll see better, faster results.

2. convert the mesh to dynamesh if you insist on sculpting at high subdivision levels. right now your mesh is quite inconsistent in terms of polygon density. using dynamesh would help with this. another thing to consider would be creating a bunch of base shapes (ie: top of the skull, bottom jaw, tongue, neck, body etc.) all as different objects and having them as their own dynamesh sub-object. this will allow you to focus more easily on individual parts, which you can then merge together later as you get more refined.

 

that's the workflow i used for this (now very old) dragon model, it allowed me to reach levels of detail i couldn't have done with a single sub-tool:

 

 

[minilogoguy18]

F, I need to get ZBrush. D=

[Circa]

 

 

Holy detail Batman!

[Darth_Bothersome]

Sometimes I feel like the modelers around here have gotten too used to seeing 2003 levels of detail. Then sometimes they prove me wrong.

[minilogoguy18]

^The best modelers know how to NOT go bat shit crazy with detail in a game engine that can't handle it. Skilled modelers know how to work efficiently and create models that look more detailed than they are.

 

A lot of modelers here are capable of making high detailed models but there is no point in putting them in this game engine that wouldn't be able to run them.

[Asgarath83]

^The best modelers know how to NOT go bat shit crazy with detail in a game engine that can't handle it. Skilled modelers know how to work efficiently and create models that look more detailed than they are.

 

A lot of modelers here are capable of making high detailed models but there is no point in putting them in this game engine that wouldn't be able to run them.

For what i learn about 3d modelling... the secret are in high resolution bump mapping textures, materials and shadering, not only in the complexity of model vertexes. Yu know that JA cannot have a mesh with more of 1000 vertexes so the model cannot be complex other a certain level of LOD.

About color of Dragon Krayt: mmm, well, dragon need to take ambush in desert and confond itself with ambient, i suggest the color of tatooine: yu can make 3 skin for the dragon at second of the type of dragon:

Dragon Krayt of the Canyons : red \ brown textures with geometrica bumpmapping motive for mimethize on the rocks, .,.. image the face of a tusken rider group : walk in the canyon and they arrive at the end of the path... and they see a cave behind .

pity cave is the large mouth of the krayt: it's mimethic! XD

- Dragon Krayt of the Dune Sea: yellow colors, and a shader that confondo the skin reflects of lightsun with the natusal sand reflection of the sun light, that's dragon can look like a mirage, a vision of the hot weather also, the dragon can hide and buried his great mole into the sand and stay in letargic states for a long period... yu think a dune is really a dune??? yu wrong! It's a dragon Krayt LOOOOL!

- Dragon Krayt of the caverns: more smaller and with brown, green dark texture for mimetize into the rocks and the darkness of the cave. it's more like a loooong worm, like Shai'Hulud of dune, so have arts more smaller and move like a snake. well, it's a giant snake of the cavern.

mmmm, mutant_rancor has 6000 HP so your dragon has 60 000 HP... yes, it's a good challenge. But i fight with Kain and the Soul reaver, my soul reaver SAB file making a damage of saber X10 LOOOL the soul reaver it's tjhe more powerful blade never seen in a game: destroy a body, devour and consuming the souls! *_*

 

For that i have a little request: When you end the krayt dragon.... can i use the model for a monster of a temple of the ancient vampire? i am thinking to other elemental forges (like soul reaver2 and defiance game) and for the life forge i want to make a large amount of horrible and magical beast aligned to elements for be guardian of the temple. a Kray dragon as boss can be really a terrible challenge for Raziel

(*i Laugh imaging the face of Raziel seeing a Krayt dragon behind him XD )

[Botdra]

Christ on a bike.

That's amazing.

[hhunter6]

Good lord this looks amazing!!!  Can JA handle it?

[CrimsonStrife]

For what i learn about 3d modelling... the secret are in high resolution bump mapping textures, 

 

This is entirely true, and would be more so if these old engines could handle legitimate normal maps.  My understanding is that there are some ways to fake it, though never tried them.

And I wouldn't be too surprised if Eez or someone was working on a way to process normals.

[Circa]

I do hope people realize that this is the one we are discussing. Not Gir's or Pande's.

 

 

I was thinking of multiplying the health of the mutant rancor by 10 @Asgarath83
It would be huge, so it would take you a long time to kill it on your own lol.

would make a nice challenge though

 

Anyway, here is my latest work.

 

I've added some feet, UVW'd the model and fired up Zbrush.

 

 

While working on the model I noticed that I either have to give him an angrier look, or add facial animations. And since it will be huge I think adding facial animations would be a better plan

Zbrush (you might want to take a seat):

 

This is how I like to build my textures. I think you see why haha. It's not finished yet as you might see. I still got the teeth, tongue, horns and inner mouth to do.
Coloring is a process I do later, and in the end I combine the displacement map with the color map to create a diffuse map we all know, in Photoshop.
Just for fun I colored the eyes  

Ideas and suggestions about the color are welcome at this point ^^
I'm doubting between red and yellow (with black spots, stripes etc.) Red might make him badass like dooku's, while yellow/brown would make him blend in with the environment more, thus add some realism.

Cheers, and thanks for the support!