Redo of Soldier Body model

[Winter]

They should all be gold. It's not really practical to alter the patch on the model itself, rank insignia will only be displayed as an independent emblem on the soldier's portrait/paper doll.

Regards,
Winter

[Migel]

Some more screenshot - I make an Y shoulder belt with copper buckles. Don't know if you like it, but I think it is better that way.

[Mattn]

the more skins - the better keep in mind that we can even declare skins per campaign - so if winter doesn't like it for reason i would like to see such stuff in the game.

[Destructavator]

Looks good Migel, I'm glad you agreed to help out with the textures.

Sorry I was out for so long, normally I check in to the forum here several times a day, or at least once - I've just been much busier than usual lately and my birthday also just came around again.

Regarding the message you sent me, yes, you're welcome to change where the texture seams are, and yes, with Blender I can always re-import from MD2 for the animations, as well as import OBJ, DirectX, COLLADA, and many others (most of the common ones).

[Migel]

I was thinking how to make this model a bit better and decide to make a buckle and a radio on the back (there will be hands-free microphone on neck collar and a cord to this radio). The texture of course will be different - I'm still not finished this skin even on half of what I want... But I think it's up to Winter to accept this changes or not.

[Destructavator]

Radios, over time get smaller, lighter, and easier to carry with modern technology, and in the game setting (~80 years from now in the future) I'd imagine they would be smaller than that, although it depends on how far the range is supposed to be and what type they are.

From when I worked briefly in the law enforcement area, I know that in present day real life we have had for some time now (at least 10 years or so) SWAT radios that are rather small and have a cord that goes to a small thing attached to an officer's neck.  The radio actually picks up sound directly from a person's throat, allowing them to talk on the radio with barely a whisper, sub-vocally, and also includes an in-ear earpiece.  I forget where the "talk" switch is located, I think it can be placed on the chest somewhere or other places, just a tiny button.  I wish I had a picture handy, we've had these things since back in the 1990's.

These are very different from the standard patrol radios that are on a belt or something and sometimes have a cord that goes to a mic on the shoulder for someone to use to talk.

Of course range is also something to consider - If smaller radios are used, they would rely on some type of extender unit in the dropship to talk to headquarters.  Even smaller radios today can go for miles, although they would not be anywhere near capable of transmitting all the way back to the home base on their own without more gear in the dropship.

If the soldiers are to carry some type of military radio that can transmit all the way back to base all by themselves (if the dropship goes "boom" for any reason), I don't know much about those types or what they would be like in 80 some years into the future.

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Different sub-topic:  On the "Y" shaped part of the clothing, could you add some pockets, pouches, perhaps a holster somewhere, so it looks more like an equipment vest?  Places where grenades could go might also be nice.

...And yes, if it is for the official campaign, Winter does have the final say.  If by chance he has to reject something, please don't throw it away though.

[geever]

I think the radio on the back has the same problem as pistols. Users could ask: "How can use the radio on my soldiers back? Can I ask for reinforcements on it?" and so..

-geever

[Kildor]

User can use the radio to command to the soldiers, and soldiers are able to exchange about aliens positions and so on.

[Destructavator]

I'm behind Kildor on this one - I'd think that radios would be standard equipment, something all units should have to coordinate with each other.

However, the back is a poor place for it - It would make sense to have it on the belt or chest on a vest, so it could be easily reached to change channels, adjust volume, etc.

I don't know about military radios, but police radios commonly also have extra functions which can be controlled only if an officer's hands can reach it (which doesn't work on the back) - As an example, some police radios have a "man down" emergency button.  Adjustments could also be necessary if there is interference from other equipment, or if the signal is weak because of the environment (thick walls, some types of terrain, etc.).

Edit:  Found a few old circa 1990s pictures, notice the earpiece, the microphone on the band around the neck (He can talk in a whisper and be heard clearly on the radio) and the talk switch on the chest attached to his vest and gear.

[Winter]

No visible chunky radio, please -- it's just not appropriate for the setting when you can buy a bluetooth headset over the counter today at a fraction of the size.

Other than that the uniform is okay, although I should stipulate that green should be reserved for forest camo. The main uniform should be either blue, grey or black for urban engagements (or a combination; either way you don't see SWAT teams wearing coloured camo), and it just makes a more appealing standard colour.

Regards,
Ryan

[Migel]

(Radio) I'll remove the radio, but the reason I add it is because it's actually visible. It can be a previous age technology, but for me 1st priority is to make a model look more interesting. I'm not a big fan of realism in games... It is like that - player don't think that soldier has a bluetooth codec in the ear, he see the big chunky thing (that surely is a radio) on the back and know that soldier have a radio.
(Camo) I always think that the "Forest" and "Urban" is some kind of basic of camouflage. Just then I finish this one I make an urban and it will be different somehow. All other can be clones - just change the texture, leaving all shoulderbelts, pockets and pouches...
(Grenades) Nice places for grenades is that shoulder belt. So good idea - make an addtitonal tag for grenades and pistol maybe - if soldier have one it is showed on model!

[Migel]

And a few words about chevrons. As I know on the left hand it should be soldier side (IRL it's country) - in our case it's a PHALANX. But on the right hand it should be soldier speciality - it's different for soldiers, pilots and scientists (if only they have a uniform somewhere in their lockers  ). So I suggest crossed alien for soldiers and crossed ufo for pilots.

[Migel]

And that's about radio on the back. And I'm sure that's how the light armour must be look like.

[Destructavator]

And that's about radio on the back. And I'm sure that's how the light armour must be look like.

OK, now I see how it works.  I also think that yes, something like that would be very good for light armor, although I think the uniform-only (no armor) version should probably be finished first.

BTW, as soon as you get a good model and texture that Winter is happy with, please attach it to a post or upload it, so that Vedrit and I can get to work on animating it.

[Winter]

And a few words about chevrons. As I know on the left hand it should be soldier side (IRL it's country) - in our case it's a PHALANX. But on the right hand it should be soldier speciality - it's different for soldiers, pilots and scientists (if only they have a uniform somewhere in their lockers  ). So I suggest crossed alien for soldiers and crossed ufo for pilots.

That alien-head-with-a-strike-through-it patch looks awful, please return it to the original globe and crossed spears. It's too silly, too Ghostbusters. Alien heads/UFOs don't make for good military badges, and it would require extra code to implement support for what is a graphical detail so tiny as to be pretty much invisible, so please stop adding stuff like this. We just need one generic catch-all uniform for ground soldiers. That's all.

Regards,
Winter