I’m not sure if it belongs here or to modeling forum (it is not unity-specific), but I’m looking for sort of 3d reference to base low poly meshes off… OR a simple rule of the thumb to solve proportion issues once and for all.
Basically, ideally I’d need male/female figure with at least correct proportions, ideally with also correct anatomy, a-pose preferred, optionally printable, cc0 or cheap. And not Daz3d or similar.
One thing you can do is to take actual photographs of yourself and friends/family in various poses. Tasteful ones if it’s of other people, mind you. If you have physical props, this can be a good thing too. I have a collection of swords, daggers, staves, bows, and crossbows in various styles. This in turn lets me pull out a tape measure and get accurate measurements of the dimensions of a given item. With even my POS cheepo cell phone or the camera on my Surface Go I can get reference photos of myself in various poses holding props (or not).
For anatomically correct references, there’s always various publications. Trying to convince friends/family to give you those pictures might be tricky.
And I have recurring issue with getting initial proportions right. One of the common errors is weak/small ribcage on character. So I often used CC0 makehuman and bastioni as a base in the past.
Photos won’t cut it, and I’d prefer something I can print (i have a 3d printer) and place on my desk. Preferably nude model.
Like Is aid, I might be overthinking it, and maybe a bit frustrated because I haven’t practiced for a while and now I’m dealing with the same proportion issue again.
Weird, I didn’t get a notification even though you tagged me.
I think you’re both over- and under-thinking it. There is no “once and for all” solution to proportions because there are no “correct” proportions. From person to person they vary. From art style to art style too and even within the same style they may vary yet again depending on various criteria like camera perspective of the game or the personality you want to convey. Very few games have proportions that are “true to life” in all aspects. Especially with a lowpoly style I wouldn’t go for “realistic”. For example I think the wizard and the black knight look better than the shotgunner. Keep an eye out for creating strong silhouettes that are easy to distinguish. The wizard works very well in that regard.
I think looking at Warhammer miniatures for reference may be a good idea. They are very unrealistic but the constraints on readability and “paintability” of miniatures and the constraints of 3D models rendered with limited polygons and limited pixels will have some overlap imho.
Thanks for the response. Good idea about sillhoettes…and miniatures.
One reason for asking is that when I’m trying to model or draw, there are two states of mind (for the lack of better word). First one where fuss over proportions and sizes. In this case I waste extraordinary amounts of time, but results are usually bad and I produce them very slowly. Stiff drawings in 2d, and “soulless” models in 3d.
The second state of mind is when some sort of “switch” flips, I suddenly can just make things, and they’re usually decent… well, at least I see them as acceptable or “good enough”. That’s how I made the wizard.
The issue is that I’m not sure how that switch flips. Although practicing for a few hours seem to help. And by the time of posting I got stuck on phase 1 for something like 2 hours shaping a cube into base model, which made me a bit frustrated.
How about this thing? (just cuiours)
Regarding styles, the idea I aim for is to have something that is low polygonal, but at the same sufficiently life-like. Examples are Another World and Flashback by Doplhin Software. There the models are vector and “low polygonal”, but at the same time they are not cartoons.
Either way, thanks for the response, silhouettes is something I keep forgetting about.[/QUOTE]
I think that one works well too. I would maybe make the upper two tentacles (?) on his back a little more low poly like the lowest one. Right now they feel a little inconsistent to the rest to me.
I see. I checked out two gameplay videos and it looks like only the main character has the super realistic proportions while the enemies are more exaggerated. In the case of flashback the environment seems to be quite alien at times as well. It could have been a concious choice to contrast the realistic proportions with the more stylized elements to play up the differences between both. Whatever you go with, make sure it’s a concious artistic choice that supports something. In games that often can be usability/readability aspects. E.g. there is value in making enemies communicate aspects of their stats and behaviour with their shape. Players will have expectations about enemies based on how they look and if those expectations are broken to often or in the wrong way it can be frustrating.
Sounds like a “flow state” to me.
Me neither, but I’d love to know if you ever find a way to induce it!
Maybe you’ll find something interesting in here though:
