The Leonin: Character Race #2 of 8

8 races.

2 factions.

6 courses.

Essential selections.

Over the following weeks we’ll launch information on the 8 playable races in Mist’s metaverse. As we get nearer to the Demo date, we’ll launch extra Lore and historical past of the races.

Every race is distinct, with particular skills, particular strengths, and weaknesses. Every race has 2 genders, female and male.

The race you select will decide your gameplay model. It can decide your friendships. It can decide your persona, and persona in-game.

This week we’ll spotlight The Leonin.

Leonins are the second race we need to share with you. After weeks of growth, fine-tuning, re-designing, and re-animating the Leonin is able to go.

The Leonin has sooner base motion pace than different races and is extra agile and quick. Additionally they have the power to pounce on an enemy and stun them, in addition to different particular racial skills.

At first the lion was presupposed to be massive, sturdy, but in addition not too muscular like a number of the different “beast” races.

We needed him to be athletic, but in addition have the potential to be a crew participant.

Above was the primary rendition of the Leonin. We are able to see right here that he seems muscular and beastly. Nevertheless one factor we didn’t like about this mannequin is that he was TOO beast-like.

His arms had been too huge and so had been his arms. From all angles he regarded extra like a monster you’ll combat in-game as an alternative of a playable character with good persona.

Additionally, be aware that his neck could be very brief in all angles. So he seems un-intelligent and lacks the persona we needed.

Above you possibly can see a number of the precise dev notes we despatched to our builders with a view to re-design the Leonin.

The first design is on the appropriate, and the re-design concepts are on the left.

You’ll be able to see how he transforms from “beast” right into a playable character with persona.

His arms and arms are smaller, his posture modifications, and his neck elongates.

Above you possibly can see the mapping of the Leonin. This map exhibits the contours (and plenty of extra issues) however principally we see the modifications within the arms, neck, and arms absolutely carried out.

And above we see a barely extra polished model of the first draft of the Leonin race character.

After a bit of extra topology and character pre-baking, we had the above image.

Notice the hair is lacking, as a result of the hair is interchangeable and a separate mesh from the physique.

And above we see the Leonin nearly coming to the top of the mesh course of (earlier than any texturing). His physique form is completed and “contouring” is ending up as properly.

Now the final piece we had to enhance was his hair, mane, and beard. For some purpose, the above regarded incomplete.

Above was the 2nd iteration of the hair. We made it greater, higher, and extra intense wanting.

Nevertheless we nonetheless had some enhancements.

Above you possibly can see our focus factors on the development of the hair. The whiskers and the hair dimension and form needed to change.

And above we’ve the completed hair mesh. (Not the completed colours, simply mesh).

This hair seems highly effective, majestic, and like that of a real Leonin.

Now we begin with some shaders. The shaders are what give the Leonin the texture, the soul, and the colours.

This primary spherical of shaders doesn’t look nice, nevertheless it offers us an excellent begin.

We have to work on the traditional maps and shader textures, however total it’s a good begin.

At this level, we begin including a number of the closing shader touches.

Right here is the place the Leonin actually begins to face out. The muscle mass bulge, the face pops, and the character comes alive.

Trying nice.

Beneath is a comparability.

As we see above, the shader updates make a giant distinction.

Now we start including some garments.

On this case, the Leonin will get a pleasant material skirt to cowl the loins and provides a flowy, jungle vibe.

However in fact, we nonetheless must shade.

We replace our shaders and textures, and we get the outcome above.

The Leonin is prepared.

Notice the distinction within the seems of the above Leonins. The shading approach and artwork model makes a giant distinction.

Our shader builders took a very long time to good and customise this look.

In a couple of days we’ll spotlight our ___________ character. Any guesses?