Corto

I gave it a thought, I haven't discarded it yet. I have to finish several things before I can start another one, but I would like to make a fantastic creature and this could be it.

I know it's a awful lot of work. I wouldn't take on such a task nowadays, not alone at least.My advice would be to wait and see what the coders come up with, graphic wise. And then resume the task of remaking the textures. What I mean is, perhaps the whole game library could be steadily be brought up to a modern warfare level of quality. I would happily take on the task of coordinating a group of modelers to remake player and npc models if that happens.

I hope you are not too far ahead with the progress because of what I have to tell you. What size are the original textures? 2k by 2k seems rather overkill for the amount of detail you are putting into those textures. Part of the purpose of remaking textures is being able to make them sharper without introducing jagged lines or artifacts into the picture, but the most important thing is to re imagine the original texture with more detail given the fact you have more texture space to work on. Your general idea is good, using a texture overlay to add grit, dirt and scratches is a really good idea, but besides that, there's not much improvement over the original textures. I suggest you use more drop shadows, inner shadows, be careful with the angle of the light when using bevels. Also, you can combine the blending mode of the dirt layer with the "Blend if" option under the Blending Options of the layer. As one of the texture artists for the Dark Forces mod, what I did is try to imagine what I could put in the textures that the lower resolution wouldn't allow the original artists to do. That includes not only small detail like cracks of scratches, but also new geometry, better lighting, etc. Now, this is a staggering task, so I would also suggest you start by redrawing those textures that will allow you to put more detail into them: panels, doors, grates, things that are not flat in nature, etc. I will gladly help you out with photoshop techniques over Google Hangout if you need assistance.

The laws exist to enfasize a very simple concept.

Intellectual property.

 

You see, you shouldn't require a law to tell you that using assets that aren't yours is unethical, i.e. it's lacking in the glorious field of moral principles.

Everything else is common sense.

This is the best answer and interpretation of the subject. We shouldn't be discussing if it's legal or not, the spirit of it is that we can't redistribute, for a fee or for free, stuff that we didn't make ourselves. Let's not navigate on the grey zone here.

I'm the modeling guy, Minilogo is the animations guy. Welcome.

I said it's pain, not him. Now leave it alone damn it! Hahaha.

Of course, you should always try everything you can. But believe me, although the transition to another program is a pain, it completely worth it.

Try this http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=5582319&linkID=9241177. If that doesn't work, get someone to port your models to Sofimage Mod Tool and use Mod Tool 7.5. You don't need third party plugins to export to dotxsi, you can create custom parameter sets for each object so carcass can build the proper shader files and the polygon modeling tools are still unmatched by 3dsmax or Maya. Another huge plus is Minilogo's advanced rig and expertise if you happen to need to do new animations.

Just upload it, no need to ask permission. It is actually a favor to keep the mod alive.

I thought about some real criticism I could make. Based on your modeling skills, which I can tell by what you have already done, I think you could easily model some more detail into the model. More accurate claws, the teeth actually coming out from outside the lips and not from inside the mouth, the lateral line needs some extrusion and folding not just a hard edge. Again, you can stick with what you accomplished right now, but if you were able to get that far you can take it a step further. I will gladly do a draw over to explain more graphically what I mean.

Omicron, what's Dave Turner's current email address?

The demo which has the first 6 levels. This was the final version which had got released.

I know, I was part of the core team . I'm going to ask around for the source files, at least to archive them.

What exactly are you uploading? The demo or the source files?

Well... here goes the "keep it under the radar" idea. I know that all the assets and source files have been transferred from the original team to a new one who didn't get much done about it. I don't even know if I can get my hands on it, but even if I did I would have to play a very high level, managing, counseling type of role.

Much respect goes to your model Corto, It is the best out there of the fett. and very cleverly made, It's kind of an honour to hear from you. May I ask, if you choose to improve on your mesh and make a re-release, can you possibly included the flamethrower and jetpack tags found on the default jasp model, aswell as included a separate grouping system for skinners to be able to turn off the jet rocket separately as-well as the wrist rocket. I plan to implement features that would likely require this in my mod.

 

The model is only very slightly off in some proportions but hey, I am no modeller. the helmet is just off as well as the lower body is larger than the upper unnaturally. the jetpack just seems a bit off, to skinny in some places?

You are completely right, the model falls apart in all those details and even the texturing. The model was ages old even before I released it. It had parts from my first Boba Fett/Jango Fett combo (the armor mostly) I stole the hands from Kyle Katarn I think and stretched the base textures too much (hence the stone looking armor). If I was to do a new Boba Fett it would look much much better, but it would also take more polygons. Perhaps it's worth the shot if it's going to be the primary character.

as a mapper, ive been too lazy to move onto newer games and relearn what ive learned for the IDtech series

It happens the same to me with this game and Source games. Even though I improved my skills a lot I haven't even bother yet to move to a newer game engine. Honestly, if the engine gets a well deserved graphic update I think we could put a small team back together but keeping it well under the radar not to raise any expectations. But this is just day dreaming, cause it will take a lot of dedication to keep the same standards we had back then.

The most difficult asset to come by are mappers. The custom models that the game needs can be easily tackled by one modeler and couple of painters (who could also redraw the level textures in parallel). The coding side can steadily done by one coder (I honestly lost practice with JA code). But mappers, that's the cornerstone of every total conversion. I think the would need at least three experienced mappers to work on three levels at one time if you want to finish the mod. The things is, most level artists have moved to UDK, Crytek or Unity.

Oh, that sucks

Yeah, it kind of does. Nobody felt happy shutting down the project.

I was attacked by this thing at the Star Tours ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios, twice. I'm going to sue that travel agency. Now, seriously, it's looking fairly good and I bet it will look much better once you get it textured (or perhaps you already did and I missed the screenshots). Nice work. If I had the time I would model so much stuff =(.

Eez, I seriously couldn't revive the project even if I had the original team at my side. The amount of work that was done just to put together the demos was astonishing. I think another guy tried to pick up where we left, but to no avail. It would require a 100% committed team as if we were making a commercial game to finish it with the standards we were aiming at.

I was one of the modelers, coders and main researchers of the Dark Forces mod (also, some may remember me, I was the first one to introduce new animations into Jedi Outcast using the Raven issued dotxsi plugin together with Wudan and ASk).The problem was not the lack of coders but the lack of SP source code. I managed to reproduce every original Dark Forces weapon behavior (Including the sequential four barreled fusion cutter) but all with the MP code. We knew we could that and much more but only in MP while the mod was being made with the SP client. I would've been easier to add weapon and new creatures code to the SP than adding all the rest to MP (it didn't even have AI). So the feeling of working on a doomed project took over everybody and we finally lost interest. It was a very well organized, well connected and very professional group of work, our motivation rested upon the idea of getting the SP code soon after Jedi Academy was released.

Another thing. I can make the skin templates available if someone wants to completely redo the textures. Applying filters to what's already there won't fix the current shortcomings.

Hey there. I see you have my Boba Fett as avatar, it's an honor. I think Alex already spoke in my behalf (and I trust him my stuff blindly), but you can use my model for this mod and even, perhaps, I could improve upon the mesh since I've recently went back to the model and I found out I didn't like a lot of things. Also, I would like to give it a go at the main blaster he uses (can't remember the name though).

Hey there! Hi Psyk0! Is it too late to tell you to move to Softimage Mod Tool? Hehe. In Softimage, you can disable the envelopes, move your vertices, even add subdivisions for more detail and when you re enable the envelopes even the new geometry has the proper weighting. Alex here (Minilogo) and myself can help you with the transition, even share screens with Google Hangout if you need to.