Ceremonial(?) Sword Model

[Nightrogue]

Hey, i just finished this model of an expensive/ceremonial type sword. First off, i realize that the poly count is probably too high, and that crystal space doesnt support raytraced reflections. This is a high detail model to demonstrate the design. I will simplify it later.  

Now, i know that there is defianately room for improvement, and any constructive criticism would be welcome. And in case anybody wonders i made it in 3ds Max 5.

Please tell me what you like and dont like about it ;-)

http://img183.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword17xu.jpg

http://img183.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword23pf.jpg

http://img262.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword35ln.jpg

[ramlambmoo]

Very nice, it\'s rather impressive.  The only thing i\'d say would be that you should tweak the design of the blade a bit.  Be careful when making a sword not to just make it an oversized dagger: the blade shouldn\'t taper off to a point along the entire length, but instead it should be the same width along most the blade until the end when it sharply finishes.  This is because you cut with a sword, more than stab, unlike a dagger.  Though it is ceremonial, in my opinion the standard form looks better.

[provisionist1]

Yeah, I like it a lot, but I do agree with ramlambmoo on the sword vs. dagger style. Also, perhaps think about defining the blood chanel down the centre a little more, i.e. deeper cut.

Otherwise, awesome, I\'d love to own one for the sacrificial rituals for Keldjan kol Granbanast.

Good work, let\'s see more models, and think about joining the team...

Xirius

[Uloim]

Wow, nice!  I\'d like to have one ingame as well!

I think the \'dagger style\' on this sword is fine.   \'Ceremonial\' generally means it is never used for combat, more \"just for show\".  

If it\'s going to be used for ceremonies, it should look different than a normal sword.  Looks great to me!

[Taurenthefirst]

wow that looks awesome!
i agree i think it looks fine as an oversized dagger.

here are the links so people don\'t have to copy and paste the adress (sorry i find that very annoying )
http://img183.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword17xu.jpg
http://img183.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword23pf.jpg
http://img262.echo.cx/my.php?image=nightroguesword35ln.jpg

[Nightrogue]

I was thinking about lengthening the hilt a bit. At the moment if you look at it from the top ithe hilt looks a bit  too small for the rest of the weapon.

[Uloim]

Hmm, yes, maybe the hilt should be lengthened.  It seems to be one handed right now, and I think it\'d be better as a two hander.

[Nightrogue]

Okay, ive made a few changes, such as lengthening the hilt a bit, adding a gold setting for the gems on the top and bottom and fixing that damn raytracing error in the gems. What do you think?

http://img139.echo.cx/img139/4873/nightroguesword19qw.jpg

http://img225.echo.cx/img225/9458/nightroguesword28pp.jpg

http://img225.echo.cx/img225/8101/nightroguesword34ww.jpg

http://img225.echo.cx/img225/9450/nightroguesword55ua.jpg

http://img225.echo.cx/img225/1157/nightroguesword40bt.jpg

[Nightrogue]

Well, it pains me to do it, but in an effort to make the model Crystal Space viable i have made a new version with all complex mapping removed and a poly count reduced from around 1250 to 242. It doesnt look as flashy but it\'s still got the same basic design and it should be compatible.

http://img252.echo.cx/img252/5538/nightrogueswordsimple7ea.jpg

http://img299.echo.cx/img299/2281/nightrogueswordsimple20fe.jpg

http://img299.echo.cx/img299/8119/nightrogueswordsimple32df.jpg

[leuxast]

Its not as good and its a shame the nice hilt hil had to go but I guess it\'s O.K.

[Taurenthefirst]

wow it looked amazing before you reduced the poly\'s!
still looks pretty good even with lowered quality, but to me the hilt still seems short... i think it should be large enought for two hands, this sword look pretty heavy for just one (it is very thick and wide. lot\'s of heavy metal)

[Nightrogue]

Okay, i have made some revisions and i think this is the final version.

Here are some pics of the high quality version, complete with deepened \"blood channel\" and a hilt that now takes up around a quarter of the total length of the weapon. Please don\'t tell me you want it longer.

http://img85.echo.cx/img85/5122/nightroguesword60fx.jpg

http://img94.echo.cx/img94/385/nightroguesword79gd.jpg


Here are some pics of the much-improved CS compatible version. I found that by making some modifications to the hilt and blade and working on the textures a bit more i could get the poor quality version to look almost as good as the high quality one. It currently stands at 270 polygons, but if i remove the groove down the center and the bottom gem i should be able to get it down to around 200.

http://img138.echo.cx/img138/5043/nightrogueswordsimple9gq.jpg

http://img94.echo.cx/img94/5082/nightrogueswordsimple29zv.jpg

[Taurenthefirst]

wow very awesome! but now the hilt is too long i think  just kidding the hilt is perfect!
very good job, definitely one of the best models ive seen on this forum!
amazing work!
*gives nightrogue a cookie
you\'re welcome.

[Nightrogue]

/me eats the cookie!

Thanks! lol

Just for the record, 3ds Max is about as easy to decypher as a chinese crossword puzzle despite the excellent tutorials. Heh, three years of Technical Graphics classes in school and all we ever did was freehand sketching, Australian Standard Convention Theory and basic geometry. Bah, I hope TAFE turns out to be more worth it.

[ArcaneFalcon]

How do 2 gems, and 2 grooves = 70 faces?  That\'s way too many in my opinion.  Detail that small will never be noticed and can be put into the texture.  I\'m not saying don\'t do the gem and groove, but do them with less faces.

:emerald: