Update to Existing Facegen

[baobobafet]

The last head variation was to show how the parameters can be set to create a very broad - even cartoony range of outputs.

Even though the actual 3D face meshes made by Facegen can't be used ingame for licencing reasons, their 3D .fg format can still be used for
'internal' archival material - to keep very accurate 3D interpretations of the characters in game on file. It has powerful support to morph
between one imported 3D character extreme to another. Any resulting 2D outputs would be legit, and more than adaqaute for Pioneer's facegen
purposes.

The ability to effectively do tweening between a range of input characters is a big plus (no phoney stretching of pixels or intensive editing in
2D to make something fit.) - another great time saver.

Generated side profiles of any characters could be used for wanted posters and mug shots for use in game.

There is also another program that can be helpful here "Custom Desktop Logo 2.0" by Eric Wong http://customdesktoplogo.wikidot.com/ (I use it
to enable and toggle on/off some of my custom reticles as well as other navigation overlays for Pioneer. Handy whenever I need an accurate
horizon que, to gaurentee a safe landing on some terrain outcropping without risk of damage to my ship ;). [especially if I have no shield
installed onboard] This overlay proggy supports animations, realtime zoom 0-200% and transparency/opacity controls.

DTL allows for putting transparency overlays (png's) on top of any 'windowed' program (including Pioneer windowed @ full 1080x1920), while still
allowing access and full unobstructed control of the program underneath (either Poineer or the facegen editing proggy).
DTL can be used as a guide reference for the various elements, eyes, noses, mouth, hair and any equipment, glasses, helmets, etc. on top of any
facegen editor image while making adjustments to a character's profile and facial features.

Why adjust the character in 3D as opposed to 2D? - The face tweaking tools in Facegaen are way powerful and can save tons of time in making
facial elements.
Also it creates an accurate 3D archive of the character face that can be tweaked at any time (endlessly) in hi fidelity without risking
irretrievable loss in detail durring face transforms.


Other transparency programs.
(informational only)

Windows:

http://www.digitalartistguild.com/misc/ ... plain.html

http://scary-monsters.org/purchase_reference_image
http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/mari/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-En ... t-It.shtml

http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=1389
http://www.tristable.net/osiva/

Mac:

http://www.colinthomas.com/overlay/

[mld]

Since you mentioned cartoon style, I have to share this:
http://opengameart.org/content/flare-po ... ck-resized
Style is great but probably not possible to use with a face generator.

[baobobafet]

This is as medieval as I've gotten with creating characters for the facegen. ;)



A hack to replace the teddy bear cop with something more fun. (it's a fixed image)
Allows Leo to appear in his 'time machine' at cop shops all over the galaxy.

I also took the liberty to replace the crazy temperature metered police helmet with a new helmet
design that adds some optical elements I had been playing around with. Originally meant to be used as
additional accessories for the facegen characters. (not a fixed image) illustrated below



These are two quick mockups comparing the original facegen female image to a facegen female
prototype generated using FaceGen Modeller 3.5.

Anyways, a small separate addition to my existing facegen upgrade that you can choose to add (or not)
It will also function as a stand alone upgrade to the police outfits/characters in game.

download here: http://www.mediafire.com/download/258z9 ... o_V1.1.zip

[baobobafet]

YAFFTMBI?

'Yet another facegen feature that might be important' to have is one that can effect the percent
chance of any race being chosen by the facegen relative to a players location in the galaxy.
(another 'feature' might involve tilting the number of males vs females ;)

Any governing police, military or local BBS characters should probably reflect these potential
demographic shifts when visiting such systems.

This would be useful for having control over when visiting places where the population of one race
is dominant to one system (or a group of systems/sectors).

This might also prove useful in tribal wars where participants have unique facial aspects.
(or have evolved [example] green pigmented skin due to the local radiation environment)

Could also come into play when/if there becomes such a thing as 'undiscovered' races where the
player would be unique in appearance amongst the locals.

[baobobafet]

Trying to get my head around how/where to record such info, perhaps within the individual system profile?
A default population mix could be the norm - any listed systems could be customized.
System Demographics Info Screens in game would show race estimates only.

check if
Custom System race Population profile: (if none available - goes to default profile)
Known races and percent of occurrence: 01-30, 02-30, 03-30, 04-05,...

Default system race Population Profile.

Known races and percent of occurrence: 01-30, 02-30, 03-30, 04-05, (any others races not listed such as any added (modded)
race folders, will be used to achieve 100% total. If these are unavailable, then the remainder would be randomly chosen from any previously listed folders.

Just a rough idea...

[baobobafet]

More thoughts...

Default profiles could also be set up for various sectors of the galaxy &/or set by a race's
distance from their respective homeworlds.

It might also be worth having an option for factions to be able to overide a system or sectors race
profile with their own custom profile if the faction expands into neighboring systems potentially
due to colonization or war. This would tie a race (or race profile) to the growth and expansion
setting of a faction.

[baobobafet]

Another potential baseline male face iteration using FaceGen Modeller 3.5:



Updated: Beside the larger image is a cleaner version, reduced to a 295x285 pixel "Pioneer facegen" scaled png transparency.

Update2: Tilted 3D model head backwards more to comport more with existing facegen element positions (reflected in PNG transparency only)
From my own experiments, this is a wide as a face should get in order to work with at least some existing armor style clothing.
Moving the head upwards is a less desire able option since it throws mouth and eye elements off.

[baobobafet]

Thoughts on bots

In some ways robots deserve there own species folder. (regardless of sentience)
(it would make any equipment clothing and armor disparities go away)

Some robotic parts might be usable for humans as prosthetics- but could be more easily just copied to
human accessory etc. folders.
(unless some sort of shortcut could be devised for such instances to avoid duplicating graphics assets.)


A few more thoughts and ideas on individual race subfolders for equipment, clothes, armor, etc.

Each race folder could benefit from having it's own customizable script to allow when that race is
chosen by the facegen, - the possible redirecting to another race, equipment, clothes, armor etc.

This could allow an entire race to created without cluttering up the facegen with multiple folders
of races and heads etc. that have only a few varying characteristics between them.

A race might be defined simply by their necessity to wear special tattoos, breathing apparatus,
eyewear, armor or clothing.


Creating a special race folder for a system's Navy could allow specific or random navy uniforms,
custom armor and gear to be worn whenever that race folder was choosen.

example:

race_3 folder structure:

-----------
eyes......| Whether randomly chosen or given priority, an optional shortcut file could
hair.......| exist in the race_3 folder with the ability to redirect the facegen to use
head......|----- other race head graphics. (optional) percent 30%Race_0, 30%Race_1, 30%Race_2 etc.
mouth....|
nose......|
-----------

'New' custom subfolders: (used first if in existence in the race_3 folder or defaults to the
'common' backgrounds, clothes and accessories)

backgrounds - custom military and Navy backgrounds
clothes - Navy uniforms
accessories - custom Navy equipment

To maintain flexibility and reduce asset duplication
The backgrounds, clothes and accessory folders might well to have their own redirect options to
occasionally allow access to 'other' race (or common) backgrounds, clothing and accessories.

Obviously, there may well be 'other' better or more practical ways to go about solving these issues.
I merely offer some possible solutions...

[baobobafet]

A variation of above:

To illustrate a point I designated Navy outfits as a separate race - rather, navy/military, outfits might be nested into the individual race folders. (or have numbered folders beside the 'common' accessories, clothing and background folders to coincide with their races) - this would reduce the number of nested folders - which may - or may not present problems.

example:

species_0 sub directory would look like:

accessories
backgrounds (common used by all races if no custom accessories, background, clothes folder exists for chosen race)
clothes
Military?

race_0
accessories_0
backgrounds_0
clothes_0
Military_0

race_1
accessories_1
backgrounds_1
clothes_1
Military_1


race_2
accessories_2
backgrounds_2
clothes_2
Military_2


race_3
accessories_3
backgrounds_3
clothes_3
Military_3

etc.

[Alyas]

I really don't want to insult anyone, but I cannot bring myself to play this game because the faces actually creep me out.

And why in the world is there a background with a bunch of houseflies in it? That's just kinda disgusting.

Right now the early-90s low-res photographic 'art' style is about as deep as it can get in the uncanny valley.