DP's Droid Foundry v2.0

[DarthParametric 3,785]

So, this bloody horrible thing:

 

 

I have always hated the "Mark One" design with a passion. So it's on the scrapheap - I am looking to replace it altogether. I am thinking of something along the lines of one of SWTOR's various incarnations of battle droid:

 

 

Animations would have to be completely custom though, which I'm not looking forward to. I might have to cap some video in TOR of how their versions walk so I can study it frame-by-frame. Trying to imagine how to animate the mechanics of a three-legged gait is hard to wrap my head around.

 

Edit: A quick trip to Dromund Kaas later, it looks like the two front legs more or less use a typical biped walk cycle, with the third back leg skipping to keep up at twice the rate.

 

 

 

Edit 2: I whipped up a very basic version to act as the base skeleton/rig (Mando for scale):

 

 

I figured there's no point getting carried away with fancy models until I can actually be sure I can make functional animations.

 

Seeing as it needs to have both melee and ranged attacks, I went with a version that has hands, like the one on the right in the TOR reference picture above. For ranged attacks I was planning on a wrist-mounted arrangement, like the Prequel Super Battle Droids have.

[DarthParametric 3,785]

Soon™:

 

 

With that many lights, I could probably start my own disco cantina.

 

[Kexikus 995]

Those look really awesome. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them in-game.

 

One question: Will there be a T3-M4 version in "plain grey" - i.e. without the blue markings - to stay closer to his vanilla appearance?

[DarthParametric 3,785]

No. The T7 version is the default. The vanilla-style head with blue stripes is an optional alternative. With all the other stuff on my plate, I don't have plans for any further variants at the moment. I still have to sort out the protocol droids so I can get the first round of testing done over Xmas. Then after those two are released, it's on to the war and assassin droids. Once all the base versions of the mods are out, I may come back to it at some point in the future as part of a revision/update, but no promises. Of course there's nothing stopping someone else from releasing different texture variants.

 

Edit: Now the testing can commence.

 

[superSzym 155]

That traditional style T3-M4 made me think whether I prefer the nostalgic one, reminding me the days of my childhood or the modern one, reflecting how T3 was modified and one of the best of his kind? It is going to be really hard for me to decide.

 

Rest of the droids seem all so maybe not beautiful, as some of them are meant to look like they were found on the junkyard, but well-done and designed with a good taste though. I also really like that you went with C2-N2 design for B4-D4 after all. He looks like a modern droid now, perfect for a big Czerka office. Medical droid is also nice, one I would definitely trust if I were wounded rather than pieces of junk that we find in KotOR.

 

And may I ask what is the blue and white protocol droid meant for?

[DarthParametric 3,785]

And may I ask what is the blue and white protocol droid meant for?

That's C9-T9, the unbeatable swoop racing droid on Nar Shaddaa. I figured he needed a more sporty paint job.

[Domino5555 119]

That's C9-T9, the unbeatable swoop racing droid on Nar Shaddaa. I figured he needed a more sporty paint job.

Oh, to make him more obvious.

[Malkior 476]

So, this bloody horrible thing:

 

 

Edit 2: I whipped up a very basic version to act as the base skeleton/rig (Mando for scale):

 

 

I figured there's no point getting carried away with fancy models until I can actually be sure I can make functional animations.

 

Seeing as it needs to have both melee and ranged attacks, I went with a version that has hands, like the one on the right in the TOR reference picture above. For ranged attacks I was planning on a wrist-mounted arrangement, like the Prequel Super Battle Droids have.

First, I want you to know that your work is quite amazing, so I mean no insult to your design. My only problem I have with the Mark One design is how the small hands look quite out of place on the sheer size of the rest of it.

 

Functionally, since this is foremost a combat model, human sized hands would snap off during melee combat or if it ran into anything.

Since the Mark One specifically has a ramming animation, the possibility is high that the hands would see a great deal of applied stress.

 

 

Also, I feel I may be in the minority, but the Protocol Droid pauldrons don't make sense to me. Would it be possible to create a "pauldronless" model, optionally?

 

[sH, I will edit this out and create a new request thread if it is]

[Emperor Turnip 45]

Is this going to be released as a mod? The work is incredible

[Arson Hole 29]

What other re-modelling ideas have you thought of besides the droids, if any? Also, which re-model are you the most proud with so far? Because this is some excellent modelling work for a 13 year old game

[DarthParametric 3,785]

At this point only the protocol droids and astromechs are "confirmed". There are some technical issues with the models that need to be resolved, and some texture adjustments required, but otherwise they are more or less done and will probably/hopefully be released at some point this year. The only other thing close to a realistic prospect in the short term is the Imperial Autotrooper as a replacement for either the Assassin Droid or War Droid. The low poly model is complete and unwrapped, but I haven't done any high poly bakes or texture work as yet. Beyond that, I was thinking about maybe revising/updating the HK models and textures, but I'm not in any particular rush to do so.

 

The hold-up at the moment is that I have some persistent and seemingly unresolvable system issues preventing any modelling work, so things have been on a forced hiatus since the end of last year. I probably need to do a clean install and start fresh, but that's always such a pain in the ass so I have been looking for any alternative to avoid that (with no success so far).

[djnugent 34]

That's C9-T9, the unbeatable swoop racing droid on Nar Shaddaa. I figured he needed a more sporty paint job.

 

Plus, the racing stripes make him faster...

[Kainzorus Prime 205]

So, I'd like to ask, was there any progress on any of these beauties since last time?

[DarthParametric 3,785]

There are still some technical issues that needed to be resolved that were causing crashes during testing. But honestly I kind of lost interest in a public release once TOR ports were allowed. The interesting part for me was modelling them and getting them in-game, and I have already done that. I don't really see the mileage in going to the effort of making a functional version for release when the average slob is just going to assume it was ported directly from TOR. Plus I already have enough on my plate at the moment with other stuff. Maybe I'll get back to it at some point, if the mood strikes me.

[Guest Qui-Gon Glenn]

Just because I can't resist, and you might be amenable -

Were the issues related to all models, or just some? Perhaps a resource release of the models that met your standard?

I understand your PoV - it was a milestone project for you in your quest, and it accomplished that for you. However, you are an artist, and I say that humbly and honestly.

So, consider this a fan request, that you can always disregard

[hideaki411 2]

Don't insult yourself by comparing cartoony TOR to your superior work.

[djh269 264]

It speaks to his work that it's that good he's worried people might mistake it for porting models from a game that's a decade older than K1! 

[Arson Hole 29]

Judging by the lack of updates for the past 3 years, I can only assume this project's dead?

If so, that's a mighty shame. The models you managed to finish still look top-notch to this day. I'm just glad I had the opportunity to follow this project in it's prime.