You make some good points. I don't remember any mention of completing the Zerg but I'll have to read over the manual again as it has been a while. It's hard to tell what from the manual is canon though as there have been retconns. Connecting SC1 and SC2 for a canon conclusion is near impossible.
The more research I do the more disappointed I am in the story for SC2. The Xel'Naga prophecy doesn't make sense. Who carved those pictographs? Was it Duran? If Amon or Ouros was leaving the information how did they do it from the Void? If Amon corrupted the Zerg how did they kill him? Depending on who left the relics, why does the temple on Shakuras wipe out Zerg? The tesserac- I mean "Keystone". Maybe I need to play the game again.
That image just gave me an interesting thought though. That's Duran's Hybrid avatar. Maybe Duran made the pictograph and intended for it to show the next generation of Xel'Naga, which he would believe are his Hybrids.
I'm still not sure how Duran is a Xel'Naga though. If he exists in the void how did he get out when Amon couldn't?
Sorry for the ranting. I just never wanted StarCraft to be Star Wars...
Feedback on your model! I really like how regal and advanced it looks. Slightly feminine, but that might be what you are going for I'm not sure. I say forget SC2 and design whatever fits for you. So far I think what you have makes sense.
Yeah, I feel the same way with sc2, and I thought it was a jumbled mess as well. That's what happens when you let too many people decide what goes into the story, I guess.
On the model, yeah, you are right. I wanted it to be different, here and there. Mix and match, like the head would look different when viewed from different angles.
I wanted it to look divine, but technological, ancient, but advanced. Something like that.
Aside from the Cthulhu image (I think we all know blizzard had that in because the fans were asking for it in the forums), did you ever get an idea of what the XelNaga looked like? I mean, as you read the books, were there any ideas thrown in that should help us, at least, form an abstract of what they are or how they appear?
The Xel'Naga were never clearly described in the novels, the closest might be some of the visions of them leaving Aiur but even then it was only references to their ship (of course we now know that was Amon and co)
Official stuff aside, I do really like your Xel'Naga concepts :D
I think your designs are better than the vanilla ones. The official Xel'naga were disappointingly generic Cthulhuesque imo. Yours are more original and inspiring. :)
Main/Basic units can be warped in, but only those.
2. Buildings are entirely mobile. They move and don't "land", "entrench" or "burrow" at all, albeit they are extremely slowly (more so than Terran). They can be teleported via a special power.
Think like the Frame (main building) from Perimeter, or the ships from Homeworld.
3. Their buildings work like the Shroud in Grey Goo. They can be upgraded to specific structures ("infantry", vehicle, air). Tech tree and unit production would function in the same way (can build up to 3 units at a time, but they're very expensive, yet strong enough, but require micro/finesse to be truly worth their money, otherwise, if you A-move your force, it won't be as strong as it could be and it won't be worth the money you spent on it). Xel'Naga are very efficient but strong. Nothing should be wasted. They're "perfect". They also have really amazingly strong psionics, highly advanced physics, nanotech, light tech and what not.
4. Designs are organic and round, but also with spikes/tentacles. Floating parts are included in some of the units. You can't tell if the unit, creature, infantry, vehicle, aircraft and building is biological, organic, or a mix of both. It looks perfectly like both, but also seems very confusing. Their stuff is mostly black, dark grey or really dark blue. Player color is teal-ish green, teal, or light blue. They use high technology mixed in perfect unison with organics (not bruteish mix of tech and organic like Terran, or elegant but obvious like Protoss), where both are the same and you can't tell if they're organic with highly advanced nanotech and "light tech" or if they're tech-based with organic elements/imitation. There should also be light coursing through their units, but you can't tell if the light is organic-based or tech-based.
Some design ideas:
- Aliens from the Earth 2160 NEP mod:
...And a few others (Some are even from obscure Korean & Russian RTS games).
I've included a zip file with a lot of design references & suggestions.
Another alternative to their design, if you go more towards the SC1 Xel'Naga temple design route, is to have them navy blue with yellow team color (The Korean RTS game called Atrox has the Intellion race, which seems to fit that design idea. Their stuff looks just like the SC1 Xel'Naga temple and has a Protoss-ish vibe to it, almost like the DT stuff.
Your designs, by the way, remind me of some of the designs from the cancelled game Guardians of Atlas, by Artillery Games: https://guardiansofatlas.com
I love your designs, both the mech and structure, really sick stuff :) Kinda fits somewhat with what I have in mind (although I have a somewhat diverse visual design vision of what the Xel'Naga could look like)
Much as I love it, I think there is too much detail for a small unit - consider an unit uses like maybe less than 2% of the screen state and try to account detail for that. The ummm, texture on the fins or whatever and part of the front hull thing will onyl cause visual noise i feel.
Update on the walker. I can't get it to feel right to me having it with the inverted arms and legs. This feels good though. But I don't know yet.
edit: This could just be a worker maybe?
Holy crap, whatever you use it for...Please DO use it, it looks absolutely amazing! W-O-W. I could see it as either a worker, medium unit or a caster.
EDIT: The amount of detail is ok, unless it's a worker. I say keep it as a T2 unit, the size of maybe a Ravager. Amount of detail should be fine, then. If not, keep this detailed one for the portrait and for cinematics and then bake it down and use that one for the actual in-game unit. Though modern medium-range PCs and even the game engine can handle this amount of detail on a unit. Just look at some of the more recent LotV and Nova assets.
Much as I love it, I think there is too much detail for a small unit - consider an unit uses like maybe less than 2% of the screen state and try to account detail for that. The ummm, texture on the fins or whatever and part of the front hull thing will onyl cause visual noise i feel.
Unless this is the portrait.
Looks like a hi-res model for making a normal map or maybe a cinematic model, if I had to guess.
And I'd agree with Alex, not sure what exactly it would be but DAMN it should be used, lol.
You make some good points. I don't remember any mention of completing the Zerg but I'll have to read over the manual again as it has been a while. It's hard to tell what from the manual is canon though as there have been retconns. Connecting SC1 and SC2 for a canon conclusion is near impossible.
The more research I do the more disappointed I am in the story for SC2. The Xel'Naga prophecy doesn't make sense. Who carved those pictographs? Was it Duran? If Amon or Ouros was leaving the information how did they do it from the Void? If Amon corrupted the Zerg how did they kill him? Depending on who left the relics, why does the temple on Shakuras wipe out Zerg? The tesserac- I mean "Keystone". Maybe I need to play the game again.
That image just gave me an interesting thought though. That's Duran's Hybrid avatar. Maybe Duran made the pictograph and intended for it to show the next generation of Xel'Naga, which he would believe are his Hybrids.
I'm still not sure how Duran is a Xel'Naga though. If he exists in the void how did he get out when Amon couldn't?
Sorry for the ranting. I just never wanted StarCraft to be Star Wars...
Feedback on your model! I really like how regal and advanced it looks. Slightly feminine, but that might be what you are going for I'm not sure. I say forget SC2 and design whatever fits for you. So far I think what you have makes sense.
Yeah, I feel the same way with sc2, and I thought it was a jumbled mess as well. That's what happens when you let too many people decide what goes into the story, I guess.
On the model, yeah, you are right. I wanted it to be different, here and there. Mix and match, like the head would look different when viewed from different angles.
I wanted it to look divine, but technological, ancient, but advanced. Something like that.
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
The Xel'Naga were never clearly described in the novels, the closest might be some of the visions of them leaving Aiur but even then it was only references to their ship (of course we now know that was Amon and co)
Official stuff aside, I do really like your Xel'Naga concepts :D
Thank you man. I really appreciate support and encouragement.
I'm trying to design Xel'Naga structures complete for base-buildings, so if you know anything about them, please throw them in here if you like.
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
I think your designs are better than the vanilla ones. The official Xel'naga were disappointingly generic Cthulhuesque imo. Yours are more original and inspiring. :)
I have a few ideas. I'll try and compile them into a comprehensive post and share them soon. :)
That would be nice Alex.
In the meantime, I've made this from the Xel'Naga temple (BW). It's a floating structure, much like that of the undead town hall.
I'm not sure if this is a central structure or just a research structure.
I'm thinking the energy lines would be animated, but I'll have to see how that can be done.
edit: I'm also looking at the Grey Goo Shroud faction, and human faction. Mixing both might be nice.
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
A walker unit:
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
everything here looks crayz hot. nothing else to add at the moment. keep up the great work
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
Dont like mapster's ugly white? Try Mapster's Classic Skin!
that aldaris and tassadar model
i would be the 1st one to dl it and mod it to Mass recall, its PERFECT!
Ok, so...Here are some ideas. I have yet to put it all in a comprehensive design doc, but the jist of it is something like this.
1. Units can merge into larger units or divide up into smaller units at will, like morphing, kind of. A good example of this is Perimeter (RTS game):
Another example is Earth 2160:
http://www.earth2160.com/en/index.php
Main/Basic units can be warped in, but only those.
2. Buildings are entirely mobile. They move and don't "land", "entrench" or "burrow" at all, albeit they are extremely slowly (more so than Terran). They can be teleported via a special power.
Think like the Frame (main building) from Perimeter, or the ships from Homeworld.
3. Their buildings work like the Shroud in Grey Goo. They can be upgraded to specific structures ("infantry", vehicle, air). Tech tree and unit production would function in the same way (can build up to 3 units at a time, but they're very expensive, yet strong enough, but require micro/finesse to be truly worth their money, otherwise, if you A-move your force, it won't be as strong as it could be and it won't be worth the money you spent on it). Xel'Naga are very efficient but strong. Nothing should be wasted. They're "perfect". They also have really amazingly strong psionics, highly advanced physics, nanotech, light tech and what not.
4. Designs are organic and round, but also with spikes/tentacles. Floating parts are included in some of the units. You can't tell if the unit, creature, infantry, vehicle, aircraft and building is biological, organic, or a mix of both. It looks perfectly like both, but also seems very confusing. Their stuff is mostly black, dark grey or really dark blue. Player color is teal-ish green, teal, or light blue. They use high technology mixed in perfect unison with organics (not bruteish mix of tech and organic like Terran, or elegant but obvious like Protoss), where both are the same and you can't tell if they're organic with highly advanced nanotech and "light tech" or if they're tech-based with organic elements/imitation. There should also be light coursing through their units, but you can't tell if the light is organic-based or tech-based.
Some design ideas:
- Aliens from the Earth 2160 NEP mod:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/nep-new-earth-project
- Vintarid and Paladin races from the RA2 Doom Desire mod:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/doom-desire
- Seraphim from Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
- Scrin from C&C3/Tiberium (The cancelled FPS game)
- The Shroud from Grey Goo:
https://www.greybox.com/greygoo/en/info/tech/shroud/
https://www.greybox.com/greygoo/en/info/factions/shroud/
- The Goo from Grey Goo:
https://www.greybox.com/greygoo/en/info/tech/goo/
https://www.greybox.com/greygoo/en/info/factions/goo/
- Scrin from C&C: Tiberian Sun - Shattered Paradise mod:
http://www.ppmforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=41917
- Virons from Ground Control 2
- Crysis 2 prototype alien design:
http://www.designpicture.com/pro/crysis2/index.html
...And a few others (Some are even from obscure Korean & Russian RTS games).
I've included a zip file with a lot of design references & suggestions.
Another alternative to their design, if you go more towards the SC1 Xel'Naga temple design route, is to have them navy blue with yellow team color (The Korean RTS game called Atrox has the Intellion race, which seems to fit that design idea. Their stuff looks just like the SC1 Xel'Naga temple and has a Protoss-ish vibe to it, almost like the DT stuff.
Your designs, by the way, remind me of some of the designs from the cancelled game Guardians of Atlas, by Artillery Games:
https://guardiansofatlas.com
I love your designs, both the mech and structure, really sick stuff :) Kinda fits somewhat with what I have in mind (although I have a somewhat diverse visual design vision of what the Xel'Naga could look like)
So yeah, here's the zip file with all the stuff:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByDj29jsUbyVcF9CREVRWUpWdkU/view?usp=sharing
This is awesome Alex.
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
Hey man, it's no trouble, you're welcome. :)
If you wanna discuss more Xel'Naga ideas you can always add me on Skype:
Alex05222_alex06
I saw this, and thought, maybe this is how hybrids should look like:
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
This is really amazing.
http://zbrushtuts.com/2015/11/17/reavers-3d-art-by-riyahd-cassiem/
Love it. Either Hybrid or Xel'Naga could work. :)
Update on the walker. I can't get it to feel right to me having it with the inverted arms and legs. This feels good though. But I don't know yet.
edit: This could just be a worker maybe?
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.
Much as I love it, I think there is too much detail for a small unit - consider an unit uses like maybe less than 2% of the screen state and try to account detail for that. The ummm, texture on the fins or whatever and part of the front hull thing will onyl cause visual noise i feel.
Unless this is the portrait.
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
Dont like mapster's ugly white? Try Mapster's Classic Skin!
Holy crap, whatever you use it for...Please DO use it, it looks absolutely amazing! W-O-W. I could see it as either a worker, medium unit or a caster.
EDIT: The amount of detail is ok, unless it's a worker. I say keep it as a T2 unit, the size of maybe a Ravager. Amount of detail should be fine, then. If not, keep this detailed one for the portrait and for cinematics and then bake it down and use that one for the actual in-game unit. Though modern medium-range PCs and even the game engine can handle this amount of detail on a unit. Just look at some of the more recent LotV and Nova assets.
Looks like a hi-res model for making a normal map or maybe a cinematic model, if I had to guess.
And I'd agree with Alex, not sure what exactly it would be but DAMN it should be used, lol.
Xel'Nagan Structure. Shapes only, no details yet.
Whatever you do, wholeheartedly, moment by heartfelt moment, becomes a tool for the expression of your very soul.