Critique me... please! :)

[Braggi]

Hi folks.

First off, your tutorials here have paid off well. I wanted to share the fruits of my work so far to see how I am doing in interpreting the information.

I just finished my first detailed re-texture (Darkrider was right - it's highly addictive). My base was the charred version of Phitt's flesh golem (Loreless Creature Pack, open resource) which I want to use as a classic mummy in the Isle of Balfiera mod I am assisting with. The mummy is a part of the Daggerfall bestiary that I have missed seeing in Morrowind and Oblivion. (If I can get it looking good enough, I'd also like to release the textures to the community too.)

Here is a screen shot of the creature in Nifskope:

A couple of things not apparent at first glance:

- the bandage texture was created by amalgamating individual strips, one atop the other for the layering effect, then saving the result and pasting it into the area of the original golem texture

- the eyes are glow-mapped

- the creature has ears separate from the head and I had to texture them individually - I wasn't able to get the bandages to line up perfectly as a result, although I did get them as close as possible given my current setuip

- I am using Photoshop 6 with the corresponding dds plugin for my texturing work

What I would like is general rip-and-tear. Give me the good stuff and the bad. Pointers on how to do better are most welcome, as are suggestions for added details.

Thanks folks!

[DarkRider]

You're off to a very good start! The most obvious critique would be to age the bandage texture a bit, use the burn tool to stain it and give it a nice aged mummy feel, your mummy looks freshly wrapped.

[myrmaad]

Nice! Be careful it doesn't look too slick and shiny like Duct Tape, which it kind of does now.

[Braggi]

@Darkrider: Thank you! Very constructive and I will do so.

@myrmaad: Yes, absolutely, I agree. In game he glows too much, especially when out doors. (I have a number of resources collected up that have the gloss problems like that which will have to be fixed.) Any ideas on how to lower the gloss level?

@Everyone: More please? This is really helpful! Also, I'm thinking about introducing some holes in the bandages, as one example, if I can figure out how to make them look properly worn and tattered. Other ideas are very welcome.

Much obliged.

[Xinimator]

Hey, Braggi. Nice monster so far.

As for the glossy look, I think it has something to do with the alpha map. Dunno. I don't texture as well as I would like to in PSP. I just listen to everybody else and try to put pieces together.

The tape could use some more detail, like tears in various places, dirt spots, and things that make him all nice and dirty. That's a little hard to do in PSP, so a suggestion would be to probably get GIMP or Photoshop or some program that has a lot more advanced tools than PSP. *I know this because I have PSP 9. It sucks for this kind of thing*

Also, is the monster normally supposed to have flabby armpits? Course, that could just be an illusion, they way you took the picture.

Other than that, I think this little guy would make a very nice addition to Oblivion. You just don't see much undead in Oblivion. Seriously, I want ma mummies! Great job!

[Critterman]

Hey, Braggi. Nice monster so far.

As for the glossy look, I think it has something to do with the alpha map. Dunno. I don't texture as well as I would like to in PSP. I just listen to everybody else and try to put pieces together.

The tape could use some more detail, like tears in various places, dirt spots, and things that make him all nice and dirty. That's a little hard to do in PSP, so a suggestion would be to probably get GIMP or Photoshop or some program that has a lot more advanced tools than PSP. *I know this because I have PSP 9. It sucks for this kind of thing*

Also, is the monster normally supposed to have flabby armpits? Course, that could just be an illusion, they way you took the picture.

Other than that, I think this little guy would make a very nice addition to Oblivion. You just don't see much undead in Oblivion. Seriously, I want ma mummies! Great job!

Wow, I thought I was the only one here that used PSP.

You can do a lot more things with it than you think... It's really great for taking a picture of something and altering it to make it look better/different or to put it on another texture. I does suck for making completely new textures however...

I have to agree that the tape needs to be more tattered It contrasts way too much with the face and hands. So you might want to add some sort of charred effect to the tape as well. Other than that it looks awesome!

[PacificMorrowind]

well I agree with the rest of the comments; more worn look, greasy grimey gopher guts

As for the glossy look, I think it has something to do with the alpha map. Dunno. I don't texture as well as I would like to in PSP. I just listen to everybody else and try to put pieces together.

Yes, it is called a Specular Map and is the alpha channel on the normal map; the brighter than is (grey-white) the more shiney the model will show up and the darker (grey heading to black) the more dull/non reflective looking it will be.

Pacific Morrowind

[Braggi]

This is great critiquing gang. I am in your collective debt.

@Xinimator & Critterman: I'm using Photoshop now, so getting him grimed up should be quite do-able. I want him to look nice and tattered too. As far as the armpits, yes he does have too much flesh, but that is a property of the original mesh, sadly. Since this is just a re-texture (for now anyways) I'll do my best to use light and shadow to cover things up.

@PacificMorrowind: The specular map - can I simply adjust this through the dds plugin on save or do I need to adjust the specular properties in Nifskope > NiTristrips > NiMaterialProperty? This is really helpful to know. Thank you!

@Everyone: I'll post more screens once I get him worked on a bit. Your ideas are all a great help so far.

[Phant0m32]

I've experimented with editing the specular map before. As PacificMorrowind said, it's the alpha channel of your normal map. Just edit the alpha channel of the texture you're using for the normal map. I'm not sure if you can change anything in Nifskope... but it seems just as easy to edit your normal map.

[Braggi]

Here's a couple of updated shots after darkening the bandages and adding some rents and tears:

Frontal:

Side View:

The first time I tried it, I had to scrap the bandage texture and start over. I was a bit too liberal with the color burn tool and it started showing all the seams really badly. On that one, I added holes and tears last - then realized they should have been first. (Doh!)

I'm also working on noodling out how the specular map works. (Fingers crossed.)

Now to get the grime in place... carefully.

[DarkRider]

Good job on the tearing! Your mummy looks a bit too finely wrapped yet though, you could put some gaps in the binds of the forearms as if the wrappings were coming loose. So tightly woven he looks to fresh!

[Braggi]

@DarkRider: Aha! You have put your finger exactly on the problem - too tightly wrapped. I can redo the arms with a looser bandage weave easily enough. Thank you.

@PacificMorrowind and Phant0m32: I was able to tackle the gloss problem successfully, thanks to your collective advice, so he no longer looks like someone polished him just before he got out of the crypt. Thank you both.

I am also going to redo some of the rents and tears. The basic method looks good, but in looking at the back, the big hole there reminds me of droopy 1930's style long underwear. Not exactly the effect I had in mind.

[Braggi]

OK, after taking everything into account, I re-did the base wrappings from scratch. I think this will cure the "freshly wrapped" look that DarkRider so astutely pointed out (Thank you!) I also used the color burn tool to outline the bandage edges in places. Finally, please note that I cannot prevent the legs from duplicating each other - it is how the image is currently texture mapped and changing that is still beyond me at this point.

Front View:

Angled Side View:

I have tested this creature in-game and having it attack using the dread zombie attack style looks pretty convincing. (Would that I could change the animation to make him drag one foot in classic mummy style.)

In looking back at the initial image, I can see how everyone's help has drastically improved this creature - much obliged. Please let me know what you think.

[DarkRider]

It's looking ever so much better! Well done!

He COULD be a bit more putridly dirty for that "who disturbs my slumber?" look!

[Braggi]

It's looking ever so much better! Well done!

He COULD be a bit more putridly dirty for that "who disturbs my slumber?" look!

Thanks Darkrider.

I'll be tackling the grime a bit later this evening.

[Phant0m32]

Finally, please note that I cannot prevent the legs from duplicating each other - it is how the image is currently texture mapped and changing that is still beyond me at this point.

Angled Side View:

If you want to texture each leg differently, you might look into researching UV-mapping sometime. But, UV-mapping is very much related to 3D modeling... which isn't the same thing as re-texturing obviously. I have much to learn about texturing and 3D modeling, but I do know that having knowledge of both can be useful... especially for texturing. If you were to re-do the UV map for your creature/mummy in a 3D modeling program.. you could arrange the UV-map so that each leg is textured uniquely. Basically, UV-mapping gives you an extra level of control when texturing something. You can setup and apply the texture exactly as you want.

Also, if I may be so bold as to offer some criticism.... I noticed in your last picture(angled side view)that some of the burned/charred flesh areas on the side of the torso end abruptly along a vertical line. On one side of this line, you see the charred flesh texture... and on the other side you see the bandage texture. This is a rather harsh transition in my opinion... most likely resulting from a seam that was placed there during UV-mapping. You might try altering your texture so that this seam does not stand out as much.

But really... nice work! I don't think I could make it look as good as you have already. Just thought I would offer some input.

[StarX]

Creepy looking mummy! Good job! If I can give any advice than it would be to use some beige and yellowish teints on the bandages, as well as a few brown/dirt spots here and there. But a worthy new monster it is!

[BadCompany]

any progress?

[washington]

First off, I have to day that this is a great looking creature! Congratulations!

Since you have asked for critique, I'll say that I've always imagined mummies as kind of dry, slim, ... You know? Yours looks like an athlete. =D

Another thing already mentioned seam on the ribs.

Nevertheless, it looks great!

[nateneurotic]

The progress you've made on the mummy is great! It's good to see the community's critiques working and helping you improve your projects.

One suggestion, it would be good to see some evidence of the bandages, at one point, covering the face and hands (like the feet). Also, I'm a big fan of the small details, I think it would be cool to see some evidence of dried blood or some other bodily fluid oozing out during the natural decay process (or even from the killing wounds!)

Anyway, great job once again. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your projects and progress!