Mr. Jack hired by Blizzard

[FoxSpirit]

Well, since they now took ages again to finish SC2, I hope they'll include displacement mapping if you have the muscle on your PC. Would look dope
Oh, and SSAO with global illumination. Well, maybe in an expansion.

[Nicol Bolas]

Oh, and SSAO with global illumination.

No. SSAO is a brutal, horrible hack and it should never be used for anything.

[Kimera757]

It probably was except the model makers weren't particularly faithful to their source material. In other words, the deciding factor is not the quality of the concept art themselves but the model makers' ability to stick strictly to the designs handed to them and not adding their own spin on the unit. Sometimes, it works (see the Thor's concept art versus in-game model) and sometimes, it doesn't (Stalker concept art versus initial model).

The original stalker model actually looked like the concept art. However, Blizzard thought it looked too much like a zerg unit. I don't think the modellers had trouble converting the concept art to model art.

[Noise]

Blizzard thought it looked too much like a zerg unit.

It still does.

[Kimera757]

Unpleasable fanbase indeed...

[Nicol Bolas]

The original stalker model actually looked like the concept art.

No, it did not. The Stalker concept we've seen is not bilaterally symmetric. The original Stalker model is.

If you're not even translating the basic symmetry (or lack thereof) of concept art, it's hard to argue that you're following that art.

[ArcherofAiur]

No, it did not. The Stalker concept we've seen is not bilaterally symmetric. The original Stalker model is.

If you're not even translating the basic symmetry (or lack thereof) of concept art, it's hard to argue that you're following that art.

"original"

Hes refering to blizzards comments about their original version.

[DemolitionSquid]

I think its important to note "the original version we never got to see." The version we saw at 07 reveal was a second or third pass, because the original that we have never seen looked "too Zergy."

[Visions of Khas]

I'd really like to see this "too zergy" Stalker art. There are some similarities between the aesthetics of protoss technology (eg insectoid reavers, "apial" (bee-like) sensors of scounts, exoskeleton suits) and the zerg's natural appearance, so it wouldn't strike me as too "out of character" for the protoss's design. One is imitation, the other is authentic.

[newcomplex]

Youll probably just find something to argue with this but


http://www.starcraft2.com/features/p...arktemplar.xml

lolwat?

Doesn't that support having a face? I mean, faces promote individualism, and would drastically improve on a disembodied darktemplars self-esteem. Their entire cutting off their khala nerves was a move against a faceless mechanical singularity. Making their machines look impersonable and completely mechanical is a far step away from their core principals. Creating a custom designed face, probably with important clan and familial and caste insignias would promote the fiercely independent spirit darktemplars have.


edit:fuck someone already made this point

sadface.


Did you guys see the other three original models he made? I am so fucking pissed for not saving them on my hardrive, because they were taken down like, 10 minutes after the original articles posting (probably due to how it was now private property of blizzard, and on a strict NDA). They were posted along with the scdb article on his new job, and was taken down shortly afterwards.

Their were three zerg concept arts, and a protoss. Once was admittedly very...bad looking(imo). The other two were pretty cool, and the protoss concept art was breathtakingly awesome.

The bad zerg concept looked like a green zergling. Heres the stupid part. Their was a giant mouth with tentacles coming out of it where the zergs...ass...would've been. It looked pretty dumb

The other two zerg were pretty good. One looked like the corruptor, except if it was a ground unit, and the other looked also like a zergling. Except instead of having legs, it had a mess of tentacles.

The protoss art was downright amazing. It was a mech/robotic unit that was very close to the ground, with a build very similar to lurker concept art in a traditional protoss colorwork of gold and plasma blue. It had a small probish looking head out of a armored lurkeresque body. It had a bunch of robot plates shaped like the protoss icon sheild floating around its main body, projecting a sheild.

Basically picture a lurker shape, then make it mechanical, then give it floating sheilds.

Very awesome.