From a noob to newbs.
People ask me how.. idk why though, lots of tutorials out there so here is mine, on how i do it, the noobish way!
Noobish being i have GIMP and can almost use it. Photoshop should be similar. MSpaint.. i can't help you much...
Ok start with a base. Here is the standard 512x512 pixels most people use, as a greenscreen.
Bonus snippet of code if you want to glow or have no shadows at all on your body
Ok so this one uses metal buckles on their legs because the character wears sock/gauntlet things but the same technique can be used for all metal and cut stone jewlery.
Notice i put the UV wrap from the preset folder in as a guide
Here is the metal parts drawn on as a separate layer.
Once you drew them on a separate layer, make the other layers invisible using the eye icon
(i imagine this is standard across all versions of GIMP and probably photoshop-type things i've used?)Save it with it's own name, probably the body part it's for with the name of the metal part like "NoseRing.PNG"
Notice it must be .PNG so as to appear transparent.
Not only did i use specular code i also used re-coloured water or something as a reflection in the metal.
snippet of code to use .jpg
Have seen clouds and forests used as reflections too.
Notice i made the eyes and eyelids separate layers with transparency in the square where the eyelid is or isn't.
This is so you don't close your eyes and look like you have shiny plastic eyelids with fur drawn on them.
Should look like so
See how the metal that faces the sun shines? If the character moves or rolls over the other metal bits shine while the previously shining metal moves into shade and goes dull.
In theory a reflection of the environment can be used in a characters eyes, i've seen this done with a forest, only once.
SO you want dripping scars?Similar deal
Using the head texture as a guide. Add a few new layers.
Notice this layer has a wet shiny nose, you don't have to do that for scars. It's only there because i wanted a wet shiny nose & tongue.
Notice how i copy-pasted the fur from around the scars? That's going to act as a mask for the dripping effect to run down.
Literally just a few drips drawn. You can draw your own drips/tears/bubbles/glittercandy in whatever pattern you like and make it rather random.
You can reverse the direction they run so they scroll upwards of you want flames instead of scars.
Flames were so hot last year. This year? Not so much.
Code i used that you can use as a base
material preset_#_headMatL
{
technique
{
pass
{
texture_unit
{
texture preset_#head.jpg
}
}
pass
{
scene_blend alpha_blend
alpha_rejection greater_equal 128
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8headLscars.png
}
}
pass
{
scene_blend alpha_blend
alpha_rejection greater_equal 128
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8headLscars.png
}
lighting on
specular 0.9 0.4 0.5 1 128
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8headLscardrips.png
scroll_anim 0.0 0.1
}
}
}
}
Notice the scars are listed twice. This is so they show properly. If you were doing flames this probably isn't necessary.
Glitch areas?
Someone wondered how i did what they called "Glitch teeth"
then this mask and texture
material preset_8_eyeMatL
{
technique
{
pass
{
cull_hardware none
cull_software none
scene_blend alpha_blend
specular 0.447059 0.498039 0.454902 1 61.44
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8eyeL.png
}
}
pass
{
cull_hardware none
cull_software none
scene_blend alpha_blend
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8eyelids.png
}
}
pass
{
scene_blend add
cull_hardware none
cull_software none
alpha_rejection greater_equal 128
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8toothmaskL.png
}
cull_hardware none
cull_software none
alpha_rejection greater_equal 128
texture_unit
{
texture preset_8toothmatrixL.png
scroll_anim 0.05 0.0
}
}
}
}
Code i used for said teeth
Notice the eyelids are separate.