Other Extra Models

Evil Mug

Boots

...

Nof gets a Level Up

I upgraded the Nof model. I didn't like the roundness of him and wanted a more solid angular feel.

(insert sketch)

(insert screen)

I also fiddled with the fire so you can't see the round billboard particles as much so it looks more like fire.

Animating

I started blocking in poses for Dof'taar.

(insert screens)

Walk Cycles

I made a walk cycle for each of the three characters.

Dof'taar's on is for the end when he is sad and defeated.
(add D's walk)

The minion(/s) enters and leaves a couple of times.
(add M's walk)

The start of Nof's walk for when he enters.
(add N's walk)

Environment

Environment Modelling - Started from animated environment model.
Still needs lots of details and extra items.

(environment screens)

Further Research

By this stage I had done further research especially into a render style that I wanted for the project. I was looking to get a softer more 2D feel from my 3D graphics.

The following are some examples of works from artists I've been looking at:

Zatransis:

Brosa:Torchlight Concept Art:

Initial Fire Test

For the fire for my fire elemental character, Nof, I started from Nyrix Corporation's fire tutorial on the billboard fire method.
I also looked at Hannu Hoffrén's stylised fire.


I managed to composite the fire render layer into the solid elements using the z-depth of the two and compositing them together with blenders nodes.

Back from Break

Over the Holiday break I modelled and and did most of the rigging for my three main characters.

(dof'taar images)

(minion images)

(nof images)

Update of Things from Proposal

insert bits from Proposal

Synopsis

I have decided to do a cartoon 3d animation for my Major Project. It is going to be a tongue-in-cheek parody of evil overlords in fantasy worlds. I want my fantasy world to still be as fleshed out as possible even if many of the elements play to the cliché.

It will be set in an inhospitable wasteland with rugged mountains, dead trees, smoke, fire and terrifying beasts. Thus it is inhabited only by the most hardy of beings: dark lords, their minions, barbarians and other fantasy beasts. I'm thinking of setting it as an early fantasy world featuring prehistoric dinosaur like creatures along with the standard fantasy elements hopefully adding some variety to the world concept.

The protagonist is a Dark Lord who hasn't yet made it big in the overlord world. He is a short, melodramatic character who acts up his evil nature for the status of being evil rather than for power or riches or for the sake of committing evil acts.

The plot will revolve around the collecting of a set of artifacts, as many clichéd fantasy stories do, which grant power to the owner. As the land is inhabited by mostly evil beings the antagonists will be other overlords and/or creatures of the land. This brings about a survival of the fittest situation with no heroes to save the day.

Though I'm creating a parody of standard fantasy characters, I'm looking to create a more original, interesting environment for these characters. I want to create an animation which, while comical, can still be enjoyed for its fantasy side.

References so far (discussed below):
Conan the Adventurer
Dragon's Gate
Terry Pratchett
The Lord of the Rings
Mastermind
Overlord

Dark Lord Character

The protagonist in my animation is going to be a Dark Lord. He will be a minor overlord in a land full of evil (he hasn't quite made to the big leagues). He will be a short comical, melodramatic lord, clad in dark medieval armour, who likes the idea of being known for being evil.

Probably the most famous fantasy Dark Lord is Sauron from The Lord of the Rings. The character of Sauron is protrayed as pure evil without his motives being explained. I am looking to parody this by making my character want to be evil just for the status of being evil.


Another evil overlord is The Mastermind from TheSwain's flash series Mastermind. This is a parody more of the supervillain. The Mastermind, with his minions, is trying to take over the world but often runs into problems with his underperforming minions. This is similar to where I want my character to go. (And his voice is great!)

Overlord is a video game in which the player takes on the role of the overlord and control goblin-like minions. I was thinking my dark lord would look similar with his eyes glowing through a horned helmet and his cape draped over his plate armour (but in a more stylised way).

Major Project Idea

For my Major Project I'm going to do a 3D animation. I'm thinking of setting it in a fantasy world. I'm liking the idea of taking a nostalgic look back at some childhood fantasy worlds like those in cartoon TV series'. I'm thinking of creating my animation in response to some of the over the top and cheesy but still epic and 'cool' worlds found in these shows.

I recently watched a few episodes of Conan the Adventurer, the animated TV series from the 90s. Here is the opening - Cheesy intro song, lots of sword and sorcery action, all in an epic wasteland:


I've also recently found an old board game we played when we were younger called Dragon's Gate. Each player chooses a hero and must battle trolls and zombies up a mountain and ultimately defeat Golgoroth so your heroes can enter the Gate into Korak's dungeon (or something epic like that).

I've started reading some Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. His books have the mood I am hoping to capture in my animation. While his books are humorous, he creates a rich fantasy world to set them in. Paul Kidby sometimes illustrates his work: