Blade Elemental

Well, here is a model I am working on for THW Modeling contest #10. Texture is very basic so far, but anyhow it's like my first model pretty much.

Hrm...

Alright, well, I have a lot of concerns with the model. First and foremost, I think it's very weak in terms of substance. For a WC3 model, it lacks a structure that will appear solid in-game; it'll be easily overlooked. That's not a good quality for a model.

Other concerns, which I'm sure Erwt will elaborate upon when he sees it, are in just the shape. The head is very neutral, very cold and distant. One of the key components to WC3 models is that they give you a face to grow accustomed to. Other than the head, it's very tough to give much more feedback, your model just lacks a lot of substance. It would be as if giving feedback on a model of an invisible man with visible swords attached to his arms. There's really just not enough to comment upon, which inherently is a problem.

About the animation, well, it's a bit odd. All parts of the body move, but they move alone, not together. That's a big problem with these "invisible" structure models, since you can't see physically the distortion in movement of the model. If a humanoid with a solid shape were standing the same way (Excluding the rotating hands) as this guy, he'd be all sorts of disfigured. Look at some reference videos for motion of humanoids before going further, it'll really do you some good.

Luckily it is an elemental and not a person.

He needs more motion and such, which requires more shapes.

Well, you can't see that the legs bend with the body, and I tried to make the shoulders move in with the chest as it was breathing, and I did over exaggerate the breathing. But I wanted some parts to be somewhat 'alone' from the rest of the movement to be less humanoid.

I wanted him to be more of a skeleton, but I am planning on adding particles, because I see what you mean as far as lack of substance.

I guess maybe I did too much elemental so that there really isn't much to look at. But here is another angle to have a better overall view of the model.

Calling it an elemental isn't a legitimate excuse to give it ridiculously invalid movement.
Particles aren't a "correction" factor to hide mess-ups in the model itself. You really should give the model itself more substance, not try to fill it up with particle emitters. Even the in-game skeletons have more going on than this guy -- and those are neglected creep models!
That's okay, but it should still be fluid. It's very easy to tell when things move in unison as one entity or intentionally split with individual unity as opposed to accidentally having things not flow. Take a look at some game trailers with skeletons in them, the parts fit together in motion, regardless of model design.
He's rather thin, except for his feet. I could see a ghoul-styled animation set working much better with this guy than the abrupt and fixed stand-up animations you've got going right now. Things are too rigid, it just doesn't flow, and all things need to flow.

Oh. *Now* I see what you mean. Yes. I suppose I didn't realize that this was actually animated. Now *that* is not good.

Okay, I think I will make this a Stand-2 animation, but will redo the normal stand so that it flows more, and is more humanoid.

as noted, he doesn't have much to him. also, when i think of blade elemental hes(?) not what comes to mind. he looks like an um, metal skeleton ton for an android or something. when i saw the title i though of a whirl wind of different swords and the like or a guy made of independent but moving in concrete bladed weapons.

he also doesn't really have any blade parts, more like spear heads, which i think is why he doesn't look like a blade elemental to me.

Dusk pretty much said what i'd say. The thing just isnt alive, doesnt show any character, and just generally has a poor thought-out concept behind it.

Well, as said above it lacks substance, does anyone have any ideas on how I could add substance?

But I am going to redo the stand animation, so that it seems more alive.

And erwt, poor thought out concept? What do you mean? That it's just a bad idea?

A "Blade Elemental" isnt a bad concept, it just seems like you havnt thought it through. Have you explored diffrent looks? Diffrent shiluettes? Considered where this model is going to be used, in wich context? If you had you'd expect a model with bigger shapes, more solid pieces. These small little spikes will look extremely flimsy and shit in-game.

Hell even i am not really satisfied with my own model, the battlerager, becouse i think his spikes look to small and flimsy in-game. Unfortunately making them bigger makes it look too much like a porcupine (or whatever you spell them fucking things) so i settled for the look it has now. But at least i went through the process.

A "concept" is not the same as an "idea". You get an idea first, and then start making concepts for implementing that idea.

Hmm.. Okay, I see your point. I did think about my concept though, but I have really no idea how it would look ingame, as I have never gotten that far before. I think I will just try to get it so that it works in game, so I will have a better sense of what it looks like after the 'transfer' into WC.

Make his body/face/etc look like plates of overlapping armor, except it's sword blades. (sorry, can't really draw a good picture...)

Well, I was booted off the computer before I could post this, I made him overall 'thicker' and changed his animation a bit.

That's right, I'm liking the definition. Gives him more "body" (pun totally intended).

Hard to see the face changes, though, with the bones in the way.