Public "Halo 3" Energy Sword

[Moses]

I'm currently working on a halo 3 style energy sword that does not use any complex system of particle emitters but rather uses animated textures. I'm making it for Oblivion and for Sigma as well. When Sigma releases a map with it in it then about a month later I'm going to be releasing the .max file and .dds textures. What you do with it is none of my concern as long as I'm given credit.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7jVIcZedmTI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7jVIcZedmTI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/9393/swordrender.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/7388/handle1.jpg
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2766/handle.jpg

Here's a few screenshots using Oblivion's HDR and most of it's rendering power (the only thing decent on my comp is my card so deal with it lol)

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/825/oblivion20090824015513.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3796/oblivion20090824015425.jpg

The normal maps, glow, and a diffuse for the handle are finished though I might add more to them since halo 3's textures are kinda bland looking without their special h3 shaders. The textures i've posted here are without the glow map since it's so simple and are half sized along with being watermarked. Let me know if I'm missing anything and, if you can, please provide me with a reference for what I'm missing.

Onto the description. As of right now I've got most of the blades texture finished. I still need to make animated textures for the shaft flare mist, the electricity going over the whole blade, finish up the blades base texture and the rest of the frames for the base swords animation. And of course the handle needs to be textured. Everything so far has been completely made by me. I've spent a couple days on it so far.

P.S.

I'm not going to give out the h2 elite model and for a few reasons. It's ripped content; the normal maps, rig and unwrap are mine; and I don't trust most people with rips. I'm putting it into the oblivion engine along with the sword unless I decide to make a h3 elite which i just might. If I do then it too will be released. but that's still just an idea lol.

Also, could anyone who's good with particles direct me to a good resource for making things like whispy smoke. I need to for the stuff around the blade.

[Cortexian]

ejbQrqjZyzE

Uploaded and embedded for you.

[Moses]

ejbQrqjZyzE

Uploaded and embedded for you.

Yus, thank joo.

[ExAm]

Pretty cool, lightning effects are nice.

[Advancebo]

Cool.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

Looks nice, good work!

[Heathen]

Thats awesome.

[n00b1n8R]

I'd like some lightning wrapping it's way down the individual blades aswell, but it's still very nice as it is.

[Moses]

I'd like some lightning wrapping it's way down the individual blades aswell, but it's still very nice as it is.

It does it's just that the quality of the video got so shitted up on upload that the electricity is very hard to see.

[HDoan]

Hot norms

[Moses]

The first post is where ALL updates will be put just incase you're all wondering.

[Donut]

you should probably release the textures in something more accessible too, like .tif or .png

[Spartan094]

Looks good! I approve :realsmug:

[Invader Veex]

Lookin good, Moses! :)

[Moses]

Hey, I do believe after I finish this sword and my biped for sigma and some normal maps for HDoan I'll make an elite. Just want your all's input on whether or not I should make it a h3 varient, halowars varient, or kinda a combo of both. This is a serious question guys so no bs answers. Also, I'm going to lean more towards a h3 elite unless you guys really insist.

[NuggetWarmer]

Custom. Completely custom.

[Moses]

Custom. Completely custom.

There's a bit of a problem with that being that I have almost no creativity whatsoever. Trust me, this bip im making for sigma is taking everything I have to try to design it. There's no way I'm making a custom elite unless you provide me with a detailed concept sketch.

[n00b1n8R]

I really liked the burly HW elites (at least from the cutscenes, never played the game vOv). It'd be a nice change from the standard sly slouching splitlips you see in the shooters.

[Moses]

Yea, it's the insane ripyourheadoff-ness that i love about the halowars elites.The main purpose for it would be for an oblivion mod im making so I'd like to have something recognizable as an original elite concept rather than something fanmade. That's another reason for no customs. I was actually thinking halo 3 type armor and halowars type bulky/evilness. I don't like certain parts of the halowars armor such as the leg armor. It's just fugly imo and the helmet seems too thin and weak.
http://images.xboxyde.com/gallery/public/5572/1154_0002.jpg

[ICEE]

why does this man not have more rep? show him some rep.

[Pooky]

Yea, it's the insane ripyourheadoff-ness that i love about the halowars elites.The main purpose for it would be for an oblivion mod im making so I'd like to have something recognizable as an original elite concept rather than something fanmade. That's another reason for no customs. I was actually thinking halo 3 type armor and halowars type bulky/evilness.

Just don't do the Halo 3 style helmets. Halo 2 Elites had much better armor.

[Moses]

Oh ICEE, you. :-P I decided to upload the PSD of the handle that way you guys can learn from it. I'm not sure if this is how a professional would paint a texture but I heavily rely on masks and groups. Anyone who knows more I would appreciate any "constructive" criticism you could offer.

Here's the file (http://www.filefront.com/14395855/handle.psd) and remember, covenant shit isn't supposed to be really detailed :-/

[n00b1n8R]

2 bars for 105 posts is a better ratio than you have mate. :downs:

[Advancebo]

I like how it looks in Oblivion.

[SnaFuBAR]

The halowars variant was the best.

[Moses]

Wow, I got rep from Snaf O.o . I feel special lol. Also, you ever notice the Halowars elites have a VERY noticeable "bulge"?

[t3h m00kz]

just you man

[Moses]

Awww, but now I sound gay because of you <:-C Anway, lol, here's a short vid of the blades "surface electricity" animating.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7jVIcZedmTI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7jVIcZedmTI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

The electricity is fuzzy cause Youtube crapped up the quality and a few other factors as well so here's a still frame for comparison.
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/7823/bladetest4.jpg

It took quite a deal of patience to get it right since the animation consists of 20 completely unique hand made electricity frames. I'm going to finish it up now that I know it works. If you don't know what electricity I'm talking about then take a look here.
http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/3301/0072m.jpg

[n00b1n8R]

Am I the only one who gets 404's for Moses's pics?

[ExAm]

no

[Moses]

Well I've finally managed to figure out animations in oblivion. This is especially hard since animated textures cant be exported from max so I've gotta hand key all the values in a text editor basically >_> Also, I've managed to get the basic blade texture's animation animated and in oblivion while tweaking the settings on the alpha blending and stuff. Basically it looks great and I've got it set to turn off when sheathed. :-D Anyway, enough of my ranting. TIEM FOR TEH PIKZ

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/2650/energysword1.jpg
This is how it looks when you sheath it.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5955/energysword2.jpg
This is how it looks when outside in moderately bright lighting.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7581/energysword3.jpg
This is how it looks in FP when in total pitch blackness.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9439/energysword4.jpg
This is how it looks in 3P when in total pitch blackness.

[itszutak]

You better release an elite model with this mod.

[Moses]

Damn right I will. This sword is taking longer tho cause ive gotta animate it as well and each frame of each of the particle animations need to be hand drawn and it's a huge pain trust me.

[Inferno]

This sword needs to be put in the unreal engine.

I think I know someone who can do it. There name are inferno and he are awesome.

[Moses]

That's the reason I'm releasing it to the public when I'm totally done along with the elite once I'm done with it as well. I wanna see it become of EPIC use :-D

[Inferno]

I already have a idea for it's use. A mutator that replaces impact hammer with energy sword.

That would be the win.

[itszutak]

Oh shit I want an elite in UT3 soo bad

[Moses]

Oh shit I want an elite in UT3 soo bad

http://forums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=660691&page=4

NOT MIEN

[Advancebo]

http://forums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=660691&page=4

NOT MIEN

Made me ):

You do it.

[itszutak]

http://forums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=660691&page=4

NOT MIEN
No offense, but that's fucking ugly. I'd rather have an elite ported from H1 with the proper proportions.

[Moses]

No offense, but that's fucking ugly. I'd rather have an elite ported from H1 with the proper proportions.

LOL. I wholeheartedly agree which is why I specifically put that it's not "MIEN"

Also, Arby is edging me towards moving this mod to fallout 3 and I probably will because of all the things it has that would fit a shooter mod perfectly. If I do then this mod won't be finished but will be released in a very much playable state, just with no quests and such. This probably doesn't affect most of you guys though :-P

[Moses]

I think I might as well release the handle's textures since the blade's texture is gonna take me quite a while longer. fucking animated bullcrap >_> Here ya go (http://www.filefront.com/14619595/Handle%20PSD%27s.rar)
I know some parts are kinda icky but I was trying to not take too much time on it.

[Advancebo]

cool stuff

[NightGamerFX]

Hey Moses I was modeling the energy sword from the new Halo Reach and I just finished unwapping it an was on the look out for some textures and I stumbled upon yours, looks good!

I was going to throw mine into UT3 and/or UDK, for a special weapon but I would like to find out a few things 1.) Was the animated textures in engine? How do I get the Oblivion HDR? I been interested in making mods for oblivion

Oh and as far as tutorials for partical effects your best bet is to go to The AREA.com (from Autodesk)

[Moses]

The animated textures were done using multiple variations of the same texture to create a loop. They were animated with a very simple, built into max, animated shader which most games would support as well. I can also do it for Oblivion which I'm going to when I finish it. And about HDR in oblivion. Honestly, my graphics card dies sometimes when trying to run Oblivion with HDR so I can tell you right now that sometimes it'd be best to not use it. You enable it by simply going into the oblivion "Launcher", go to settings, and enable it. You have to force antialiasing with your graphic cards setup utility cause Oblivion will NOT allow HDR and antialiasing on at the same time otherwise. btw, if you need help with modding Oblivion I've done a pretty good amount in my one mod. It's called Haloblivion (http://forums.bethsoft.com/index.php?/topic/1075715-haloblivion)