Mossberg Shotgun Knockoff

[CYoung]

I'm not much of a modeler, so a lot of this stuff is new to me, it's just a learning project for me really. I know it's not accurate to the actual thing, and I know the stock is all messed up, but whatever.

High poly -
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/G.jpg

Low poly (around 1,600 tris) -
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/low1604.jpg

UV all done -
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/uvz.jpg

Next up, baking :(

[Kosai106]

Another old face from the Banana, welcome to NGHS!

About your work, you're off with a good start.
You've already said that you're not much of a modeler, so I won't say much besides that you probably should have modeled the ejection port into the low-poly. :)

[CYoung]

Yah when I decided to use more than one ref I noticed that too lol, but it's just practice. In time I'll come back and do this properly.

[CYoung]

AO and normals baked,
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/prev-4.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/prewire.jpg

I think I forgot to set up the cage for the trigger and guard, but I'll probably just paint it out in photoshop, along with the other minor errors around. Pretty good bake for such low poly.

Also, maps are all 1024x512. I'll get on the diffuse this weekend.

[aggresivenapk1n]

Thats a good practice on this, and for one of the first models like this (I assume) its not bad at all!
Some of the edges seem a bit too sharp on your high poly, and when they are too sharp there, they will be very very sharp and sometimes non existent D: Then basically the highpoly is a big waste of time! haha So just make sure theyre softer than real life on the high poly so the bake will look like real life ;)
Also, the poly distribution is a bit off. You said earlier that the stock was wonkey, and i'll give ya that haha (I went and changed the stock on my shotgun to a different stock because it was so weird to me xD) dont feel bad about it :P Atleast it didnt drive you to scrapping the project like some of the weirder geo has done to me hehe The cylinders have way too many sides, you could get away with around 12-14
Anyways, i challenge you to take this and apply it to your next model, can't wait to see it!
Happy Modeling!

[CYoung]

Yah my next models should improve, this is probably the 3rd gun I've modeled also. I'd like to learn how to do this stuff properly, but I honestly can't sit down and watch videos. The commentary can be rather crappy and skip over important things. Most books don't go into detail enough either :( so I guess I just have to learn from trial and error.

[CYoung]

Laying out the flow, didn't really do anything yet.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/text1.jpg

[aggresivenapk1n]

Well, I might model a weapon soon, and i could document it in a word file if you want, I think it would be a good portfolio kind of thing :D

[CYoung]

That would be excellent, and I'm sure a lot of other people would enjoy it too. 8-)

[Kosai106]

Of course, tutorials is always appreciated! ;)

[Disting]

Sounds like a cool idea!
Looking forward to seeing the texture take shape!

[aggresivenapk1n]

Hehe, I think i shall :D and it wont be a video tutorial, because i'll work on it every now and then, I'll prolly start this weekend when i can get some freetime from highschool

[CYoung]

Rushed through it but it looks acceptable I guess. I don't know if I like the presentation, or the textures but it was more of a warm up for what's to come!!! Comments are appreciated though 8-)
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f381/kopilywasder/gggg2copy.jpg

[aggresivenapk1n]

I actually like the metal texture, its a great style of chrome! The wood grain is a quick filter, not bad, and its got great color, but i think that later on other models with wooden parts you should attempt to hand paint it ;) It will look really really good, and also help your skills as a texture artist grow :D
On the bottom of the gun i think there are too many scratches though i cannot tell from that angle, maybe some bigger shots would help judge a little better on the texture
Anyways, Great work! I hope to see more!
Happy Modeling!

[CYoung]

If you right click the image and hit "view image" it'll get bigger.

And I threw the wrong layer mask on my spec so it like highlighted the bottom layer of the mask, which sort of makes it look really overdone. I just need to enable another layer.

I was gonna hand paint the wood, but I'm sort of used to pushing out a full done texture every day or 2 for my mod so I go for quick and acceptable results that look good, not necessarily perfect ones 8-)

[Disting]

Only real crit I have is that the thumb area on the stock looks really strange. I'm sorry to say that, because I know it's the most difficult area on this weapon, but going back to change that in the highpoly and rebake that area would _really_ make a difference.

Also, you should try Marmoset for presenting things. :)

http://www.8monkeylabs.com/tech/toolbag

Keep it up man!

[aggresivenapk1n]

Now that I take a look from the larger image, the stock is really killing the presentation :/ Granted it will be covered by their hand, it will look terrible when its on the ground in a world model :( On thing i would suggest is getting the highpoly completely finished before you do the rest of the model. Make it perfect and everything else will be easy from then on. There are also some errors on the trigger guard
Texturewise, The wear on the metal looks great! I would say add some more of the types of wear that you have on the front of the barrels to the side of the reciever to simulate grease from hands and such. The wood needs damage aswell though. Wood is softer than metal and there is no damage on the wood but so much on the metal parts, add some in there with some wears and some gashes.
One more nitpick on the model is on the pump, The indent up there is throwing me off. I sugest going back and using a tool called nDo (http://cgted.com/) for normal map fixing. Just reshape it and make it with a more cylindrical shape. I suggest painting with a dissipating brush for a more indenty effect than a straight hard line like you have currently.
Happy modeling!

[Disting]

What aggressivepank1n said.
If you do exactly what he said in his post, this will definately be portfolio material.

[aggresivenapk1n]

;) Thanks Disting haha
One thing also, I hope ive caught you before you started baking. To minimalize the baking time, you dont have to rebake the whole model :D Delete/hide all the other parts that you arent fixing on the highpoly and lowpoly, make sure it didnt change the UV space, and just bake it! Then copy and paste it don there deleting the parts that you dont need :)
Happy Modeling!
P.S. If you want some help on that grip topology, put up a wireframe and I'll do a paintover :)

[CYoung]

Thanks for all the comments guys, first forums I've been on in a while where people actually offer something useful.

My topology is complete crap lol cause I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Like I said, I'm not a modeler, so a lot of this stuff is very new to me. So I can't really go back and fix something if I don't even know how 8-)

No worries though, I'm just going to keep practicing, and I'm sure I'll learn this stuff within the next month or 2. From the crits it seems that it's my modeling skills that need work. I've actually only read 2 tutorials, one about connecting edges and one about exploding mesh for baking. I do have 2 books I bought and never read, I think I'll start there.

As for this project, I'd like to call it done. It is what is it. I'll come back to it and probably redo all of it once I've learned more. I think my next project will be a Colt1911.

[aggresivenapk1n]

I totally understand that, Just take into account what disting and I have said and the model will definitely be awesome!
Can't wait to see that 1911!
If you need any help, I'll be here to answer any questions you have about modeling ;D

[Disting]

If you need any help, I'll be here to answer any questions you have about modeling ;D

And so will I! ^_^