3D artist

[ZeeroGW]

Im a 3D artist and would like to help on the devlopment im best at weapons

[reisio]

http://www.planeshift.it/helpus_recruit.html

[Alphi]

I'd also like to help with desinging monsters...

just wondering what tools/formats are used for the Models ?

I've done some work with DirectX programming and standard 3D modells in the .x format or .3ds.

just wondering what the Dev team uses as their standard kit

[Karyuu]

I believe the most common tool is 3DS Max, and some use Blender (Cherppow?).

[Wired_Crawler]

just wondering what tools/formats are used for the Models ?

I think any software, which allows exporting models and animations to cal3d format would be ok. Or - any program which allows to export models and animations to other program, which in turn allows to export models and animations to cal3d would be ok. However, the more indirect stages - the higher possibility, that something will go wrong. If You can use 3DSMax or Blender - use it.

[AryHann]

Whatever can be used to export to CS is fine for a generic model. Whataver can be used to export to Cal3D for characters and such is perfect.
The majority of the things in PS have been done within 3dsmax and Blender.

I think the easiest to support specifically for PS is 3dsmax.

[josephoenix]

Plugging the PS-MC again ;]

If you don't have the cash, don't pirate 3dsmax. Blender is equally easy to support and there's a nice guide to blendering (and exporting to PS!) right here.

josePhoenix

[Alphi]

there are a number of 3D model sites around that have some pretty good models..
I've seen some really exotic things like 3D sitting buddhas with extremely high poly count...

I was wondering what the Dev team thought about using Freely available Models.

And also whether the CS Engine Allows for things like Progressive Meshes. or Other techniques to reduce the model polycount ingame.

[Karyuu]

All the materials, textures, models, sounds, etc. that are used in PlaneShift are created specifically for PlaneShift alone. Our license doesn't permit any art to be reused by any other project, and artists may only display what they have created through their portfolios. So using freely available models isn't an option at all. For one while it is a really easy route to get new content in pretty quickly, it eliminates a lot of the uniqueness of the PlaneShift world.

[AryHann]

If I remember right some sound (e.g. some sort of rain) was easily "findable" in some free repository. But the file might have been changing in the while. It was a good year ago.

Talking about 3D art...well, a part that if you are trying to have a decent flow in a real-time Virtual Environment you really don't want to use high poly stuff, when you get some 3D model from the internet you have to consider for what purpose it has been made.
Even if there would be any sort of intention of using free licensed 3D art, surely it would be complicated to find a perfect model being able to reproduce the fantasy world that PS wants to depict and with the right quality for the specific purpose and technology used.

[Alphi]

there are tonnes of models out there..
hence why I asked about Progressive meshes and Mesh Optimisation algorythms..

Each technique is used to reduce poly and improve performance whilst maintaining stunning realism.

So far nothing I have seen in PlaneShift is unique..
Not a single character or scene or model doesnt resemble something thats already been done..

same ofcourse is true for almost all Role playing medievil games..

which such a vast array of models out there in the world it would speed up development so much if the Licesnse free ones could be used..
in most cases all the designer wants is Recognition...

The crystal space engine itself is an example of License Free technology being used to fast track the project..

I'm not sure I understand why Planeshift Dev team wants Exclusive rights to every art form used. Unless they plan to transfer those rights to someone else at a later stage.. If the game is free and all the components are free.
aslong as the quality control is kept strong then it can only benefit from the vast amount of free resources out there.. sound samples, testures, models, etc..

[AryHann]

The license has been discussed plenty of hundred of time all over the forum. If you are interested in understanding the choice behind such decision I recommend you to search around.

What me and Karyuu are trying to tell you is not that the model doesn't resemble something that you have seen in another place. A chair is always a chair, a house is always a house. However, if you look more carefully you will notice a lot of "hand work" and a special taste and coherence given by the fact that everything has been made just with the goal to be on PS.

I know that there are tons of meshes out there, but I can bet that you can't find a splendid quality low poly original mesh that can reproduce exactly what is needed for PS and I guess nobody of the team will accept compromises about these. I think that PS looks just amazing in the graphics and I don't see why it has to become average with some mesh put together for saving some time.

I think CS supports several ways of handling the meshes, but since it is a constant in development engine I lost track of them. Give a check on the website and the documentation.

[Alphi]

As I said in my post aslong as you maintain Quality control you wont loose quality simply by using models sourced from other places.

What the game is lacking most is variety... variety in weapons, creatures, scenery etc etc etc..
 being a programmer myself I know its very easy to create a +10 Flame Sword and add it to the database.
However creating the 3D model is time consuming.. and then ofcourse theres the effects and animations that go along with it..

what I am suggesting is not that the game be overrun with cheap models crapy models.. but that you could accelerate dev where its needed most by simply allowing more people to contribute...

some users may contribute their own work.
some users may not be so skilled yet they may be very good at finding license free models online.

if you make it easier for people to participate then you get a greater influx of players and helpers.

No doubt the Planshift game its self is quite enjoyable and visually appealing for a time...
but then once you've seen everything and fought every monster.. its appeal wanes.

once again I am not suggesting that people work harder or that the game is inedequate.. simply that development could be accelerated if more people were allowed to contribute in the ways that better suit them.
At the moment people are asked to build models and then assign all rights to Planeshift.. to the extent that designers arent even allowed to showcase their work in other exhibitions... I mean seriosly what artist is going to do that ? very very few.

[ Edited to fix "PlaneShift" :> --Karyuu ]

[Karyuu]

Development could definitely be accelerate if we use pre-made models. However, that just isn't going to happen. I can't explain it at the moment in any other terms than having a "hand-crafted" and "personal" experience with all the art. If you use something pre-existing, it feels cheap.

If anyone is getting impatient, they are free to join the team.

If they want to make light contributions, they are free to apply in the same form but mention that they want a contributor status in their application.

License-free models however are out of the question.

[Alphi]

NVIDIA have just released A Free Version of Gelato their rendering system.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/gelato.html?www.reghardware.co.uk

Just wondering if anyone has tried it yet.. would it be helpful for planeshift ?

theres a linux distro available too..