The Capo's LH Gallery and Self-Help Thread!

[Vrenir]

Thanks for continuing work on this. As you said, it's clearly a WIP. Just to make sure we're looking at the same things, issues that I note are:

1) The bulge (perhaps head portion) behind the actual head
2) The incredibly skinny arms
3) The lack of texture matching between facial hair and normal hair

More detailed feedback is a follows:

1) I suggest changing animations to remedy the arm situation, though I have no idea how doable that is or what animations would work
2) The face looks great and the facial hair fits well; that it isn't exactly what I asked for is no problem at all (though it is slightly less scruffy than I'd ideally like)
3) The red portion of the hat could use some more detailed texturing to match the sash

That's about all I noticed. It's looking pretty good, for it's current status. Thank you again for working on this.

 

[The Capo]

Thanks for continuing work on this. As you said, it's clearly a WIP. Just to make sure we're looking at the same things, issues that I note are:

1) The bulge (perhaps head portion) behind the actual head
2) The incredibly skinny arms
3) The lack of texture matching between facial hair and normal hair

More detailed feedback is a follows:

1) I suggest changing animations to remedy the arm situation, though I have no idea how doable that is or what animations would work
2) The face looks great and the facial hair fits well; that it isn't exactly what I asked for is no problem at all (though it is slightly less scruffy than I'd ideally like)
3) The red portion of the hat could use some more detailed texturing to match the sash

That's about all I noticed. It's looking pretty good, for it's current status. Thank you again for working on this.

Yeah, the first three are things I know about, or things I am going to fix, I just wanted to get this example out to you to show you why I will make certain changes, or so you can suggest some of your own.

As for the next points you have made. I have no experience changing animations, so rather than do that I think I am going to go a different route and "build" clothing for him, like adding my own sash etc. What I might do is keep the texture of the chainmail underneath (if that's what it is) and put a retextured Joao or Mehmed "coat" on him. This way the arms will not appear so skinny. The facial hair is going to be a problem, I might have to just add it to the texture, although I don't really want to do that. What I could possibly do is add it to the texture and then "puff up" the facial hair area so it looks like its added, but in fact its just the normal head, which is what they did with the Bolivar LH in Colonization. As far as the hat goes, I can retexture it, but I think I'm going to go a different route with it instead, we'll see what I come up with. All in all I think I can make this work, but again, I just threw this together for your benefit. It will be out/ready around the time I finish my European module pack. I am going to also fashion him into Dusan of Serbia, so the Cersobleptes version will be out a bit before that is done, so it should be a couple of weeks. Sorry this is taking so long, but it coincided with a bunch of projects I am working on at the moment. I'll make sure its good for you though.

 

[Vrenir]

Go right ahead. As I said before, my goal in the design (especially for figures like Cersobleptes who have no real images around) is a distinct look. The unique head and facial hair goes a long way. The only thing I wanted to do beyond that was avoid simply having him be another European guy with Charlemagne's crown and Darius' robe (or some other common addition). In short, I want people to open up the leader screen, see this fellow, note that he's an early European with facial hair, and realize that he doesn't look like any of the default leaders.

 

[The Capo]

Go right ahead. As I said before, my goal in the design (especially for figures like Cersobleptes who have no real images around) is a distinct look. The unique head and facial hair goes a long way. The only thing I wanted to do beyond that was avoid simply having him be another European guy with Charlemagne's crown and Darius' robe (or some other common addition). In short, I want people to open up the leader screen, see this fellow, note that he's an early European with facial hair, and realize that he doesn't look like any of the default leaders.

Yeah, I'll do some research on him as far as his era goes, and what he probably (actually) wore. For instance Charlemagne was said to have fashioned himself as a Roman Emperor. So he would have probably really worn Roman-styled Armor, a cape, laurels and would have been clean shaven. The image in Civ is from later artists who made him look more like their own kings. So I agree that a lot of the leaderheads don't look right, and that leads to non-distinct leaderheads. I am going to make a Clovis LH (when I get around to the Franks) that looks a little more like a Frankish war-chief/King would have looked.

 

[Methyl Orange]

For instance Charlemagne was said to have fashioned himself as a Roman Emperor. So he would have probably really worn Roman-styled Armor, a cape, laurels and would have been clean shaven. The image in Civ is from later artists who made him look more like their own kings.

Well;

Charlemagne wore the traditional, inconspicuous and distinctly non-aristocratic costume of the Frankish people, described by Einhard thus:

He used to wear the national, that is to say, the Frank dress: next to his skin a linen shirt and linen breeches, and above these a tunic fringed with silk; while hose fastened by bands covered his lower limbs, and shoes his feet, and he protected his shoulders and chest in winter by a close-fitting coat of otter or marten skins.

He wore a blue cloak and always carried a sword with him. The typical sword was of a golden or silver hilt. He wore fancy jewelled swords to banquets or ambassadorial receptions. Nevertheless:

He despised foreign costumes, however handsome, and never allowed himself to be robed in them, except twice in Rome, when he donned the Roman tunic, chlamys, and shoes; the first time at the request of Pope Hadrian, the second to gratify Leo, Hadrian's successor.

He could rise to the occasion when necessary. On great feast days, he wore embroidery and jewels on his clothing and shoes. He had a golden buckle for his cloak on such occasions and would appear with his great diadem, but he despised such apparel, according to Einhard, and usually dressed like the common people.

That's what Wikipedia says about Charlemagne's clothing.

 

[The Capo]

I guess I was wrong, I must have been thinking of someone else. Or coins or something. Thanks for correcting me.

Clovis of the Franks, who I am going to make an LH for, was known for dressing like a Roman though. He was buried in Frankish style but with Roman attire on. In his leaderhead he'll have Frankish/European clothing on, but have a Roman breastplate on (but not the one Augustus uses).

 

[RulerOfDaPeople]

For some reason that Pharaoh is making me think of Seti. I think that would make a GREAT Seti I. I'm inclined to even make the XML write up for him... then all the LH can ask Ramses "who your father".

I really like your Solomon best from all I've seen too. I like it alot. The only concern I have is that it looks too persian and I've always imagined that Solomon would be wearing a long garment/robe that covered both arms. Outside of that ethnic congruency concern there, I really really think that is a great leaderhead.

Charles is extremely impressive. So impressive that I'm inspired to research him!

 

[The Capo]

For some reason that Pharaoh is making me think of Seti. I think that would make a GREAT Seti I. I'm inclined to even make the XML write up for him... then all the LH can ask Ramses "who your father".

I really like your Solomon best from all I've seen too. I like it alot. The only concern I have is that it looks too persian and I've always imagined that Solomon would be wearing a long garment/robe that covered both arms. Outside of that ethnic congruency concern there, I really really think that is a great leaderhead.

Charles is extremely impressive. So impressive that I'm inspired to research him!

Thanks a lot. I am actually going to come out with a bunch of LHs at once, but I am waiting to release them because (for the most part) they are part of a European Module-Pack (14 civs) that I am making to go along with my mod. So far I've already made Guilliame Henri Dufour (Switzerland) and Christian IV (Denmark), and I re-worked C. Roland's Michael Collins (Ireland). There will be more as well. Once I am done with that project, which may take a while, I'll be back to taking requests. But I should still have a good amount of new leaderheads when it is finished.

 

[Ekmek]

I"m happy to see that the time spent showing you the ropes on LH making has not gone to waste. You've become a LH machine!

 

[The Capo]

I"m happy to see that the time spent showing you the ropes on LH making has not gone to waste. You've become a LH machine!

Well, again I really thank you for teaching me some stuff. I think I have a much better handle on Blender now, so I am going to fix a few LH issues I noticed from before. The strange thing is the reason I learned to make LHs in the first place is also keeping me too busy to hone the craft perfectly (because I am making them for modules, and putting together flavored units, leader personalities, texts, etc. is extremely time consuming) enough to continue putting out ones I want to make. Don't get me wrong, I do WANT to make people like Dufour and Christian IV, but its also kind of keeping me rusty on LH skills. Which I am going to need for Urho Kekkonen. I know you are too busy to make him yourself Ekmek, but I am going to need a lot of advice, because he is going to require that I basically remodel someone's face, which I haven't done yet. I don't know who to use as a base, how to make him look older, how to "make" glasses. I was thinking of using Churchill, but there are too many leaders that are based on Churchill and honestly Kekkonen doens't look much like him anyway.

I am also going to make Stefan Stambolov, which is also going to be annoying.

 

[IgorS]

and I re-worked C. Roland's Michael Collins (Ireland).

Could you at least post a screenshot of your Collins? I really want to see what you did with him.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

What if you used Lenin as a base instead of Churchill, he has a little less fat on his face.

 

[The Capo]

What if you used Lenin as a base instead of Churchill, he has a little less fat on his face.

That's a good idea, I can try that. But doesn't the Lenin LH involve a hat?

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Not if you change the animations.

Napoleon works with Churchill perfectly. Alexander, too, somewhat.

 

[The Capo]

Another good idea, although I have yet to change animations on a leaderhead yet, so I guess this will be my foray into that aspect of LH making. The only thing is that Kekkonen is quite stoic, at least in his mannerisms, and is known to be rather unemotional. So I'm not too sure Napoleon or Alexander would really work. I'll look into it though, I still have other things to do, like get some good Bulgarian ancient/medieval units. Or at least something passable.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

It's really as simple as pasting the animations along with the LH, and renaming them as fit.

 

[The Capo]

It's really as simple as pasting the animations along with the LH, and renaming them as fit.

I didn't realize it was that simple, and that should be good so I can try different animations. I am going to give a forewarning that the Kekkonen I come up with may not be that good, but it should be much better than a reskinned FDR. Same for Stambolov. Again, I'm not sure which route to go with Stambolov, I can either go bald or balding, I'll probably go with something in the middle (if there is such a thing), if that makes sense to anybody. I think these will turn out pretty well though... hopefully.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Actually, Napoleon's hair looks pretty close to the picture I showed you...

 

[Ekmek]

if you are messing with animations e sure to get the matrix refar and i made.

also frederick has pretty stioc animations. just snap a scalp onhim and a suit, lower the eye brws, and give him big honking glasses

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Can you even scalp, Capo? I believe you've been having trouble with that.