Unit Preview: Xenomorph Runner

[A Viking Yeti]

Alien xenomorph (as in Alien, Aliens, Aliens III, and Alien Resurection)... It's about the right size now.

I'd really appreciate feedback (positive or negative... Maybe not too negative ), as this has been a big learning experience for me, and I want to see what others think about the quality of it (mostly the movements, as I did not make the model -planetquake.com/polycount)... I think I'm getting somewhere with it, but I know it isn't near as good as a lot of the units here at civfanatics (then again, I suppose a xenomorph wasn't the best beginners choice, but I really wanted to). Anyway, previews below...

EDIT: After accidentally screwing up all my old animations, I had to redo all of them... At least I didn't screw up the model ... I added the toe curling, and refined a lot of the movements (his feet don't go into the ground). The default is more subtle, although it looks likes he's breathing, and xenomorph's don't, so I guess that's a bit unrealistic. Oh well, it looks cool .

EDIT: Another screw (not my fault this time ) made me re-redo them . Anyway, I'm almost finished with the animations, and the run looks completely different...

 

[Amenhotep7]

WOW!!!!

 

[A Viking Yeti]

Uh... Thanks . Remember, I didn't model it though (some of it, but I did texture it, add a skeleton -grrrrrrrrr-, and animate)...

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Looks more like one of Starcraft's Zergs than an Aliens Xenomorph, but that doesn't mean its not a good unit, quite the contrary...

 

[muffins]

I LOVE the run animation! That is soooo sweet!

 

[A Viking Yeti]

TO SOG: Zerg, Xenomorph, Circus freak; it still kills people ... Thanks all the same...

TO muffins: Really? I thought he looked a bit crazed... Then again, I guess that'd be a good thing for him. Thanks.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Might be an interesting addition to any Sci-Fi mod with Aliens instead of Barbarians....mhahahaha! You should make a flying, hornet-like alien next....mhahahaha!

 

[Kal-el]

I think on the run his toes should curl down at when the foot is fully extended to the front, look at ostriches and velociraptors for examples. otherwise very promising for a first time.

 

[Zeekater]

Colors don't really fit IMO

 

[Neomega]

It looks like in the run it's arms flail back too much.

Also, perhaps you can refine the mesh, and make it's tail a little more round.

If that is not possible, maybe create a texture that blends from light to dark, and when wrapped around the tail, creates an illusion of roundness and shadow.

You picked a very tough first unit!

 

[A Viking Yeti]

TO Neomega: Yeah, I though his arms looked a bit odd. The .gif's a bit fast, but I think I'll still slow 'em down a bit.

As for the tail, I could try, but I'd probably just mess it up . Plus, the xenomorphs had really bony tails, if I remember correctly.

I've had a couple units before, but nothing this complicated. In retrospect, a simple human, or even a tank, would've been a much easier unit, but I've already put too much work into this one to stop now . Even with aliens, the Runner would be the hardest, as it sorta runs on two and four legs. Shoulda' gone with the drone.

TO Zeekater: The Runner variant is red, which doesn't look near as cool as the black, Drone variant.

TO Kal-el: Hmm... I might be able to do that (although, technically that would be the tip of his toes -the heals don't touch the ground- it would still be more realistic -as though this unit was meant to be realistic in the first place ). It'd be cooler lookin' also...

TO SOG: I hope to finish this, then do the Drone xenomorph, then a Praetorian, then (if I can figure out the water surface thing) an aquatic one... I'll have a whole collection .

EDIT: Death preview posted above...

 

[nameless53]

everything about the death is cool except the CHIA-PET that grows out of its chest and then desinergrates.

its not really a splat of alien ooze.. or atleast what i think it is.

 

[Dease]

I love that Death!!! I wouldn't make the green slimestuff bounce up once he has hit the ground, it's too....un-slimelike
Also, I think adding form to that tail would be a good idea, now it looks like a piece of paper in the wind

 

[A Viking Yeti]

I had already started redoing the death before you guys posted... . Now it's a bit more spray-ey.

BTW: I actually didn't mean to make the slime bounce... That was an accident, it still does somewhat now. It's hard to make a good slime-spray effect in OpenFX (I used the explosion effect)... If there's a better way, someone please tell me.

 

[nameless53]

in the future, do you consider doing a crimson/blood red variety?
i love red. especially blood red.. BLOOD.. with oxygen of course
you speak of the drones (black types?) but i wonder could we do without too much "color patches".. blue and red just looks weird to me.. then again i never seen a red alien.. ive seen black ones in games

 

[A Viking Yeti]

Hmm... Of this particular one? Yeah, I haven't actually started rendering Civ 3 files, only animated gifs, so that'd be easy. By "color patches", do you mean the civ specific parts (head, forearms, tail, etc...) or the black splotches all over? 'Cause the blue on the head and all that will be the color of your Civ...

The Drones are the black ones, they're the basic "foot soldiers" in the proverbial "Imperial Hive Army", and are somewhat larger than the Runners. The Runners are quicker, but not as strong defensively (and red , not sure why though). The Praetorians are larger, much better defensively, but slow (they are a blackish-blue color, with odd shaped heads); they are also the Queen's main defenders.

I got most of that from the Aliens Vs. Predator games... I also found an obsessivly detail site about the whole (fictional) Alien universe (include planets, race factions, and even xenomorph biology -completely useless, but very entertaining and well though-out)...

BTW: Do you like the new death better? I mean, is it less of a "chia-chestburster"?

 

[nameless53]

yes, the new one is better, but due to my lack on knowledge on how these things die and how they look, i still cant say much..

im sort of imagining just splat, blood or goo gushes out and thats it..
yours looked like a exploding volcano (which im not saying its wrong if thats really how it dies, im just comparing it to human "blood burst").

now this is IMO-
i dont think you need the civ color on the arms and legs and tail.

THAT BIG HEAD DOES THE JOB

 

[A Viking Yeti]

Yes, I suppose the head does do the job. I mean, how can you miss it, especially if it just killed your infantry-man... .

As for the blood, I read on that xenomorph biology site that "they have an internal pressure well over 14 psi, which probably accounts for their tendancy to explode, rather than bleed". I kinda tried to capture that with the first, but it ended up look more like green fur (or a "chia-like" growth). If I can manage it, I'd like the drone to actually come apart, rather than just bleed profusely...

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

You could also make a bigger, meaner version of this unit and call it the Queen!

BTW....Zerg might not kill you, instead, they might assimilate you...not a pleasant fate, just ask those infested Terrans.

 

[citizen001]

wow, looks like a zergling