Race Portraits.

[Axeface]

Hello everyone!

A long time in the making, here is some artwork I have been working on, inspired by the x series.

About a 6 months ago I was asked by the xtended team to do some models of the x races for a project of theirs. So far i've done the Boron, Paranid and Teladi.

They are all in the w.i.p phases, and a lot more work needs to be done to complete them.
Soon i'll be doing the Split, Argon and Khaak I say soon, but these models have taken me many months on and off, because of RL concerns (Getting married, moving house, job hunting, computer exploding etc etc). However, now I have some freetime i'm hoping to get a move on with them.

What I have tried to do is mix the most recent concept art, and the in-game video's to get an overall view of the races. Along with descriptions from the x novels and other sources. The most difficult race to envision has definately been the teladi, with no new concept art, and only the in-game video's to go by, i;ve had to use a lot of artistic licence and written descriptions.

Any feedback is wanted, I hope that you all like! (Remember that they are wip ;p )

TELADI

PARANID

BORON

Once I have the models completed, clothed, posed and fully textured I will be creating some wallpapers/pics for the xtended wiki site
I huge thanks to the Xtended mod people and all their advice and crits over the months!

XTENDED

What I would love is to recieve some feedback from egosoft directly! See if my visions are accurate according to them! Thats the most important thing to me.

Cheers!

Axeface

PS: Link to ego 2006 concept images. CLICK

[Syndrome]

That's pretty good considering the [annoying] lack of Egosoft endorsed X Universe concept infomation.

Suggestions:
Give the Boron a longer snout/mouth. From the comm designs they have it more coming out at a 90 degree angle to their neck iirc.
The Paranid could use a more gritty and war ridden face with a little more colour (but you're probably going to add that later anyway).
To me the Teladi don't have as much of a double chin as you've given him there.

But yeah those are some pretty nice high quality designs you've got there. Do you do that sort of stuff for a living as a mater of interest?

[Axeface]

Thanks for the reply!
I dont do this for a living, although i'm aiming to It's one of the reasons i'm doing these models.

About your ideas.
Boron - I do agree in some respects, but looking at the more recent concepts (the 2006 ones, LINK) I decided to give him a higher angle to get away from the dopey in game look I could change him though. I'm planning on doing quite a bit more work on the boron, especially to add the tentacles near their snout.

Paranid - Totally agree, texture needs work. I did that quick texture totally based on the 06 concepts. But reading into it I think the paranid head crest should be pretty fierce looking.

Teladi - See what you mean, Dunno why I added a little double chin. I think it was to add to the old look, wanted me teladi to look aged. I'll try some more tweaking tho, maybe a more guant face.

Thanks again!

[Paranoid66]

Excellent images so please forgive my personal niggles.

I would be worried you are missing out some of these races few prominently described features.

Boron - stalk like - eyes able to move together or apart to create their version of smiles and frowns have been mentioned for example.

The Paranid - heavy - brow, and - deep - set eyes.

I would be a little wary of basing images on concept art (that wasn't actually used) no matter how good it looked - it was concept - not canon. Personally I would rather see any future X race images being based fully on original descriptions (as much as possible) even if those descriptions were a bit simplistic. I am only stating this because I would really like to see what you would come up with doing that.

I also agree they need a little more colour.

Sorry if that sounds far too negative as they are truly impressive, definitely a step in the right direction from that point of view of finish and realism.

Hope my ramblings help a bit.

[Syndrome]

Oh Yeah, don't forget that a Teladi is about the size of a human child. Don't know if that makes any different to the face but it's good to know.

[Axeface]

Cheers all!
@ Para. I see where you coming from about not basing the models on concept too much, however I thought it was a step in the right direction because these concept images were released so late (I actually assumed releasing these images was a hint that they would be revamping the races totally).
Not too negative at all, I like getting honest crits, it just helps me to improve.

Boron - I wanted to lean more towards the new concept for the boron, because quite simply, it would be impossible to make the in-game designs look realistic in any shape or form, they look way too cartoony really. The eyes are on small stalks, that I could lengthen however.

Paranid - I loved the look of the new concept on the paranid, but the main thing I felt they missed from what i've read about paranid is the fact that they look incredibly fierce. Might try a resculpt on him though taking your advice.
Although I like my paranid model, i'm not happy with it, and I may start over with him. All along ive been wanting to make him look more isectiod.

Teladi - Yep I know they are tiny

Para, you seem to have read quite a bit of info on the races. Could you post any info you have here? Especially on the paranid.

[Tenlar Scarflame]

Good looking stuff here. Looking forward to a Split face ^^

[enenra]

Teladi looks so evil... *shivers*

You should make the eyes bigger... no... ehrm, how do I explain that? Make the eyelashes (?) smaller so we see a bigger part of his eye.

I'll probably paint a little over it this evening.

[Axeface]

You think the teladi looks evil? I'll be posing the face some more to get a better 'shrewed' look. I originally actually had the eyes much bigger and it made the teladi look very very cartoony. The smaller eyes are a step in the right direction I think. I will work on the expression

Update - Teladi

[enenra]

You think the teladi looks evil? I'll be posing the face some more to get a better 'shrewed' look. I originally actually had the eyes much bigger and it made the teladi look very very cartoony. The smaller eyes are a step in the right direction I think. I will work on the expression

Update - Teladi

overall look is certainly better. the green makes the teladi look more teladi-ish ^^

I'd suggest changing the eyes to a less "asiatic" and more reptile-ish look. I know that the eyes were cartoonish first, but I think something between the two would look best.

Plus I think the mouth would look better when the "ends" were less facing down.

(I need an upgrade for my english vocabulary it seems. :/ )

[fiksal]

First I have to say VERY NICE!

The rest is really icing on a cake:



Teladi

perhaps maybe make their eyes more reptile like?
like the snake's eyes
(google-ed)
http://www.fotothing.com/photos/7da/7da ... 5b_37f.jpg
- round, with the large iris, black line for the pupil, perhaps a visible second set of eyelids
also, a larger mouth (move the mouth line further up the jaw)


Paranid

so, if we are going with the new look (I am not a huge fan of the old one, plus cant really tell what is it supposed to be anyway)
I agree that the new concept art doesn’t make Paranid looking particularly frightening at all!
But looks can be deceiving.
I like that there's possibly a bony plate above the middle eye on the concept art. Would be a nice addition to your 3D model. Plus harder looking skull can be a sign of a predator/warrior.

To make a more frightening face (from human's point of view) may want to try opening the mouth slightly. Perhaps making some teeth visible.


Boron

with that one I'd like to suggest more adjustments

from the concept art, it looks like their body is pretty smooth (compared to your model, which is not smooth at all) and possibly covered with transparent fins-like tissue, tentacles (top of the head, and under the 'chin') and what not.
I even imagined, after seeing the concept art, that they have this exo-skeleton- like head, where you can maybe tell separate bone plates from which the head is made up.

The neck is not in the right place, according to concept art the neck starts more from the back of the head.

As for the eyes, they are too mammal / vertebrate-like. Perhaps squid eyes would work better.
http://www.news.wisc.edu/newsphotos/ima ... quid04.jpg

They can remain forward facing, but perhaps turned to a side just a little bit. They still can be pushing out of the skull, just like in yours, but mostly/completely black with smoother different colored skin around the eye ball.


my 2 cents

[Axeface]

@ Fiksal.

Teladi - Totally agree with everything you said. So here's an update... Closer to what you mean?

UPDATE 2 - Teladi

Paranid - The paranid has been a tough one to do. Because my vision of what paranid looked like is completely different to the 2006 concepts. I would love to change him to look a bit morte isectiod (Like this... Link - Awesome work from 'RustiSwordz'). Not sure where I will go with him.

Boron - Agree, very difficult. I originally tried to do him like the concept, with overlapping transparent plates (Much like a shrimp) and many tentacles, with a very opaque overall look, but the modelling involved in making and rendering something like that is simply massive. It's what i've always wanted to do so maybe I will. But it will be v, v hard. The boron I have there was the consolation really. Will take your advice into consideration when I revisit the boron.

Hope you like the new teladi! And thanks all for the replies and crits!


QUESTION
Teladi and clothes. Judging by the teladi attitude towards money, im guessing that teladi would wear very simple, and functional clothing. They wouldnt have fashion, jewelery or anything ornate.

Any idea's of how I can clothe this character?

[fiksal]

@ Fiksal.

Teladi - Totally agree with everything you said. So here's an update... Closer to what you mean?

UPDATE 2 - Teladi

yep, that's a better texture for eyes
I also meant more open, and 'rounder' eyelids (in the corners of the eyes in particular),

kinda how the original ones have almost oval eyes:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... Teladi.jpg
and how the snakes have completely round eyes

so somewhere in between those three

Paranid - The paranid has been a tough one to do. Because my vision of what paranid looked like is completely different to the 2006 concepts. I would love to change him to look a bit morte isectiod (Like this... Link - Awesome work from 'RustiSwordz'). Not sure where I will go with him.

actually I like your take better than the link.

Boron - Agree, very difficult. I originally tried to do him like the concept, with overlapping transparent plates (Much like a shrimp) and many tentacles, with a very opaque overall look, but the modelling involved in making and rendering something like that is simply massive.

Agreed
but that what makes them stand out from other races

good luck

QUESTION
Teladi and clothes. Judging by the teladi attitude towards money, im guessing that teladi would wear very simple, and functional clothing. They wouldnt have fashion, jewelery or anything ornate.

Any idea's of how I can clothe this character?

hmm... just the opposite I imagined Teladi wealthy, greedy, and interested in shiny things, like raccoons

[enenra]

Teladi (older ones in particular) often do not wear clothes at all. The ones from Ianamus Zura simply paint themselves.
That is due to ther scale armor. btw. older teladi get dark red eyes while young have yellow ones. The same with the scales: Older have dark, probably a little reddish scales while young teladi have yellow/green scales.

[Axeface]

Cheers again.

@ Fiskal
About changing the teladi's eyes, thinking about it i'de love to open them, but it will mean a lot of work. Also, I run the risk of the character looking cartoony again, so i'm not sure if I will or not. If I did i would definately need a defined eyelid there, to add some expression.

@ DSE
Thanks for all the info! Really helpful. So my teladi is a youngster

About clothes, what about a space/flight suit?

Im thinking about doing a chunky space suit type thing. Working on it now to see how it looks. I could just do her naked, but that means she's almost finished, and I wanna add clothes!

Will post a pic in a minute.

Here you go

[Tenlar Scarflame]

Wow... I'd completely forgotten that 99.9% of Teladi are female. Both the Teladi characters in the X universe factional RP are male... whoops.

The space suit looks good on her, by the way. Now that I think about it, the Teladi are kind of Yoda-ish. Short, green, slightly reptilian, and they talk funny

EDIT

I thought I'd throw a suggestion out there for the Boron... personally I think the eyes ought to be outright black, and smaller. That would make him a bit "fishier." He also feels a bit too "plate-ish" at present. I hate to criticize, as I probably couldn't come close to this sort of work... but that's my 2 cr. ^^

[Axeface]

Cheers tenlar! Glad your liking the work.
Glad you like the space suit, im liking it too!

About the boron, I may be completely reworking it, so any comments that are made will be taken into cosideration

Cheers

[Syndrome]

I can't wait for your Split model.

[enenra]

Try making the pupils of the teladi more round-ish. The way they are now, they don't fit with the rest of the eye, I think.

[Axeface]

@ Syndrome.
Starting split today

@ DSE.
Will do!

Yet another update - Almost done