Knife mb mb?

[legionaire45]

Ok, so here are some pics. I've been working on this in my spare time since I found out that my school had Alienware Laptops that we could use (note to self: Alienware + lap = bad idea!) with 3dsmax 8 on them, so I havent put too much effort into it. Heres some quick renders I made because I had to go to my next class:
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203491378.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533248)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203491312.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533247)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203491340.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533246)

This is it in its closed position. I was wondering if you guys could give me some comments/critz, as I think it looks kind of bland. I plan on UVW wrapping it if I can, here are some pieces of textures I riped from the knife I am copying off of:
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203542734.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533266)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203542794.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533267)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27203542796.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3533268)
Im trying to get most of the details of the knife out of the textures. Right now my plan for an opening animation is him simply moving the knife up and the blade swinging out and locking into place (I may make a gif to make it easier to explain). Obviously there will be a stab attack, but im debating whether or not to make it throwable. That would be harder to do, but I like challenges. XD

So anyways, what do you think I should improve? Should I change anything? thanks for comments etc. I'll try and post an image of the original knife for comparison.

[rossmum]

The tiny chamfers around the handle are unecessary and waste polies, and the blade kinda needs to be... you know... sharp. Work on it a little more, fix that up, and it should be good.

[Agamemnon]

Honestly, if you're going to make a blade, and you wanted it to fit into the Haloverse, the UNSC machette is the one you want.

http://www.bungie.net/images/Games/Halo/Gallery/PreXbox/Halo_gamecenter_5.jpg

You know, the one that's on the Halo Legendary symbol?

But if you're looking for a critique, I'd say it's a nice start, but I doubt a switch blade will do anything to a Mark IV...

[legionaire45]

Sorry for the newb question, but how exactly do I find out? Also here are some more renders of it open and also a wireframe
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27214574465.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3538148)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27214574443.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3538149)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27214574592.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3538150)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/27214574555.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3538151)

Can someone link me to a good tutorial on weapon animations, because most of tuts on TheGhost's tutorial page for weapon animations are from Halowiki, which appartently doesn't exist anymore

[rossmum]

Oh, my bad... it is sharp. XD

To find the polycount, click the little hammer icon in the right toolbar and then polygon counter or whatever it is.

[legionaire45]

Im barely at 268 polys...XD. Time to add some more details. What is a good amount to aim for?

[rossmum]

Individual weapons for Halo can go up to 6,000, but keeping them below 3,500 for large complex weapons or 1,000 for simple ones is good.

[TheGhost]

Are you talking about FP models or 3P models?

[rossmum]

FP.

[legionaire45]

how many triangles should I aim for or does it not really matter?
Right now im at about 400 pollies with 1091 triangles. Everything is now all super smooth and shiny looking XD. The blade now curves to a point more realistically as well. UVW'ing this will be fun XD.

[legionaire45]

Little bit of an update, I have some more shiny renders + another wireframe for everyone. After doubling the poly count I hope it looks better.
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27321361177.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3553688)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27321361243.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3553689)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27321361295.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3553690)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27321361267.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3553691)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27321361345.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3553692)
For a third person model once I get to that stage how many polies/triangles should the whole thing be?

[Nic]

Looking hawt.

Keep it up.

[rossmum]

Oops, my bad, I meant 6000 tris... Generally large guns should be around the 3500 triangle mark, 2500 for SMGs and 1000 for pistols.

It's pretty good, but keep in mind you won't even see most of those details in Halo. Mainly the tiny chamfers and the narrow flat strip along the sharpened blade edge. To get this ingame, you could just weld the verts to undo them and cut your polycount right down.

[legionaire45]

pollies cut down a little bit, now it looks better too.
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402225591.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556473)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402225527.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556474)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402225691.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556475)

I learned something just now! dont be a smartass and try open a knife by swinging it open! especially from the wrong end...
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402244467.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556480)
sorry for the blur, but im sure you can see the red spot. Industry Grade Modelling Program: $650. Jaguar 6" Tanto tipped knife: $15. Cutting oneself on a knife being a smartass: priceless.
Anyways on a lighter note, im going to cheer everyone up with some kitties!
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402244385.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556477)
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/27402244379.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3556478)

*thats an 18" ruler BTW*
Anyways, Im going to work on texturing it now unless anyone thinks I should continue modelling it. Also can someone link me to a good weapon animations tutorial/give me a band aid? Im bleeding all over my mouse. thanks.

[rossmum]

olololol self-owned :D

Looking good, see what else you can clean up and then move on to skinning.

[legionaire45]

I added a poll to see if anyone wants it throwable or not. Not sure how I would do that, but I can figure it out...with some help XD.

[rossmum]

If you make them throwable, which I think you should, make a good job of it. Make them stick into softer surfaces (dirt, wood, enemies) but ricochet off of harder ones like metal, rock or energy shields. Also add an arc so that they don't mysteriously defy gravity like the knives in older Shellshock betas :D

[Nic]

Lol.

Will you have an endless supply of knives? like where would you get a new knife?

[rossmum]

Oh, that too... fix that...

[Teroh]

Non throwable.

[Atty]

No throw. Make it a slash out, sort of like a meele but a cutting animation. If you've seen CS:S's knife anims, make it like that.

[Teroh]

No throw. Make it a slash out, sort of like a meele but a cutting animation. If you've seen CS:S's knife anims, make it like that.
Exactly what I was thinking.

[Reaper Man]

:( nobody ever got my knife ingame - http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Scooby_Doo_Dog/knife7.jpg
scoob got as far as skinning it... then bleh.

[Zeph]

What's the point of a knife if you have a melee function?

[Reaper Man]

i know... but it was needed for shellshock, until it kinda died (afaik) itd be nice to have it ingame though. =\

[rossmum]

:( nobody ever got my knife ingame - http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Scooby_Doo_Dog/knife7.jpg
scoob got as far as skinning it... then bleh.
Do it yourself. I might tag it if you're too noob.


What's the point of a knife if you have a melee function?Smashing someone over the head with your rifle may or may not kill them; it may just knock them cold. Plus, guns are slow and awkward melee weapons. Knives are fast, light, and extremely lethal when in expert hands.

[Zeph]

Plus, guns are slow and awkward melee weapons. Knives are fast, light, and extremely lethal when in expert hands.

It's a video game. Video games work on functions. Guns being 'slow and awkward' and knives being 'fast, light, and extremely lethal when in expert hands' has no merit. Especially since the knife will only be as fast as the animation showing the 'attack'. The knife could honesty be a razor-sharp blade or a 3.5" floppy disk, but as far as the function goes it is all the same.

As far as knives go, I've found one example that does them somewhat right and that is Counterstrike. Of course it's insanely unrealistic, but as a video game, it works great since there is no melee function and a single hit does a considerable amount of damage.

[Reaper Man]

well it's also degrading to get killed by a knife. bf2142 takes advantage of that fact with it'd dogtag system where you get whoever you've killed with a knife's tags and it's kept in your stats http://www.hivclan.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/spin.gif

[rossmum]

Exactly. And even though it doesn't make a load of sense from a gameplay point of view, look at it another way ;) Knifing someone in a shooter is very degrading and also a challenge. Plus, it adds a whole new element to the game like when the last two players in a round of CS switch to knives :D

[Zeph]

Exactly. And even though it doesn't make a load of sense from a gameplay point of view, look at it another way ;) Knifing someone in a shooter is very degrading and also a challenge. Plus, it adds a whole new element to the game like when the last two players in a round of CS switch to knives :D

Here's another reason why it shouldn't be done. HCE Netcode. Knifing in a client sided game is fine by me if it fits in the game, but on a server sided one, where your opponet could literally be on the other side of you due to leading I dont think so. Not only that, but Halo's weapon system doesn't fit the bill. Two weapons and two types of grenades dont call for a knife.

[legionaire45]

so should I bother then? I've been thinking about the practicality of the weapon as well. If Halo multiplayer emphasized stealth more, then maybe, but the way Halo works, this would really only be a novelty weapon secret room mb mb:eek:?

[rossmum]

It could be used for SP, or - shock horror - another game ;)

[Atty]

It could be used for SP, or - shock horror - another game ;)

What is this other game you speak of?

Finish is off and make it into a new CS:S Knife model :P.

[legionaire45]

...source is scary:eyesroll:.I dl'ed the SDK and went to the model viewer and all of a sudden all these options were thrown at me. I may (notice how obviously bolded/italicized/underlined it is?) work on a single player for CE, and maybe this would work for a level of it without any guns at all- you just knife anything that ain't human.

[legionaire45]

The problem with a machete is that it would do nothing aginst MJOLNIR armor, The machete is designed to cut through plant matter, and they are generally not all that sharp. They rely on blunt force to rip plant matter apart. Unles the weilder was putting in an incredible amount of force, the Machete would just bounce off or at most dent MJOLNIR armor. Maybe againts an elite, since they have very vulerable fleshy spots all over them, but even a spartan would simply break the blade before they cut another Spartan's armor. Now a knife focases more force onto a smaller area, and even though it would be almost as ineffective as a machete, if you hit one of the soft joint areas, you MAY peirce it. I dont kniow what that part is made of, but I think it is some thin metal alloy layers woven together like Kevlar (but much more powerful). A Spartan could definately stab through that, although hitting the actual metal armor part would either snap or simply dull the tip of the knife. It would really only logically work in Single player against flood(maybe) or covenant. But what do I know, im just a Knife n00b who cut himself on his own knife XD.

[rossmum]

Add some built-in knuckedusters like the US soldiers' knives on DoD. You can punch them and take all the skin off their face, OR stab them! ^_^

[legionaire45]

I uploaded it to Halomaps along with the pieces of textures I made for it so far. Im also throwing in a picture of it for referance so that whoever dl's it can tweak it correctly. Now all that needs to happen is UXB throwing it into the models section. Hopefully no one will be there when he does. That would leave a bloody mess like my thumb. I ruined my mom's good table =(.

[Rescudo]

Speaking of which, didn't the Spartans have machetes in the first screenshots of Halo?

[rossmum]

Yes.

[legionaire45]

They did until Bungie figured that a machete versus an energy sword wouldn't be very balanced in general. Also due to Halo's environments it was deemed unnecessary because there arnt any real areas where a machete would be useful.

[legionaire45]

Sorry for the double post, but here (http://hce.halomaps.org/index.cfm?pg=3&fid=2138) is the knife file at Halo maps. Have fun:lol:.