UFO:Alien Invasion
Development => Artwork => Topic started by: Origin on August 17, 2010, 12:29:38 am
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Hey guys, been a while since I posted last, so sorry about that.
I thought i would make a new thread dedicated to future model updates from me, i hope you dont mind.
Heres a little preview of progress on the tier 1 powered armor. Theres obviously still work to be done on it, but I would like to hear what you guys think of it so far.
(this is the high polygon model that is going to be used for baking normal maps)
(http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5135/powerarmprev.jpg) (http://img818.imageshack.us/i/powerarmprev.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
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Very cool. Cant wait to animate it
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This looks more than great. RESPECT !
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Looks fantastic. I'm glad you've made it not too bulky as well.
One thought that came to my mind is that it's not clear where ammo/sidearms/etc. will be kept. It can't be too explicit because not all players will have their soldiers use a sidearm, and we can even use variations on the model for different soldiers (to give them more personality). If you have any good ideas that can be added, go for it. If not, don't worry about it. It's too pretty for me to complain. :)
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These models are pure awesomeness!
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really fantastic work. can't wait to see them in-game.
make sure to provide different lod models if you have high and low poly models already - the high poly model can be used in cutscenes or maybe in very close zoom levels in game, too (yes, we support different lod models).
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This looks deadly and impressive :)
If those models won't be included in game i won't play it anymore :P
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Thanks for the comments guys.
One thought that came to my mind is that it's not clear where ammo/sidearms/etc. will be kept. It can't be too explicit because not all players will have their soldiers use a sidearm, and we can even use variations on the model for different soldiers (to give them more personality). If you have any good ideas that can be added, go for it. If not, don't worry about it. It's too pretty for me to complain. :)
This has actually been bothering me a bit, I had originally planned for the combat armor to have ammo pouches on his hips, but i forgot to include the models on the uvw map and ran out of space for them. So i ended up ignoring them. I may go back and correct this. Good point.
make sure to provide different lod models if you have high and low poly models already - the high poly model can be used in cutscenes or maybe in very close zoom levels in game, too (yes, we support different lod models).
The final ingame models have around 3-4k triangles. I will try making a few lod levels.
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Just a couple ideas here, take them or leave them. Places you could probably add a little velcro pouch or something where the soldier could store stuff, where you might not necessarily need to add polys because the poly sections already exist as armor plating.
Maybe I'm off-base though, because I'm not sure how you're doing the UVW map. I've never had to wrap something so complex.
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Fantastic work Origin!! ;) :D Very classy job.
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That's AWESOME, and they have heads too! (unlike some current models, see below).
Ok, seriously, thats an impressive job.
BTW I see that armour.ufo has a comment on combat armor stating it "weights 100" and nanocomposite armor "weights 120" is that pounds or kilograms or somthing else? -- it would be nice to have a figure, I think.
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Hey Origin, fantastic work as always! The only thing I don't like about this model is the helmet -- it makes the whole look just a little too medieval in its styling. Do you think you could bring the model/texture a bit more up to date?
Regards,
Winter
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I think the helmet looks good. I'm not sure what more "up to date" is supposed to look like.
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http://ecthoren.edres74.net/IMG/DSCN8073_2.jpg
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These models certainly DO look good, did you upload them to the folder yet?
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Hey Origin, fantastic work as always! The only thing I don't like about this model is the helmet -- it makes the whole look just a little too medieval in its styling. Do you think you could bring the model/texture a bit more up to date?
Regards,
Winter
I dont see it.
These models certainly DO look good, did you upload them to the folder yet?
Nope. I will later, I dont see the point in uploading stuff that isnt mostly done.
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Pretty much done. Thoughts?
(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/636/lowpwer02.jpg) (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/lowpwer02.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
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F'ing gorgeous! Love the ammo pouches, the color choices are great, and the wear and tear is fantastic. It really pulls it away from the too-shiny Halo master-chief suit and back to reality. I'd love to sound intelligent with something to critique, but I really like this.
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I have to agree with H-Hour - it really does look fantastic! Well done!
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nothing to add here - just... brilliant
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Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! :)
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Excellent!
First version a bit looks like Dart Vader from StarWars, but now it is solid and separate image.
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great work :D
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Impresive, now I'm growing impatient to see it in-game.
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Pretty much done. Thoughts?
(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/636/lowpwer02.jpg) (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/lowpwer02.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
It does look good, I'd say the texture fixes my original concerns. Nice job.
There's one thing I've noticed in this picture though -- the shoulder pad rims are so high at the neck that the wearer wouldn't be able to turn his head from side to side. Since some of the new animations may involve head-turning, can you fix this to avoid clipping issues?
Regards,
Winter
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I will see what i can do about that.
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Random thought :
The high shoulder/neck pieces would serve to prevent the neck (a commonly under-armored area) being exposed to Shots.
From memory even in WWII Officers would sometimes wear Metal collars to protect from snipers.
Asides from that, fantastic Model !
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From memory even in WWII Officers would sometimes wear Metal collars to protect from snipers.
...You were in WWII ?? :o :D
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I wasn't a twinkle in anyone's eyes in WWII...
From memory as in I recall reading/hearing about such things ;)
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Small update
Edited textures of most of the models.
Found a build that works with my graphics card so I can now actually see the changes I make to specular and normal maps ingame :P
Specular maps seem to get toned down alot if the models also has a normal map, wich is a bit strange.
Taking a break from animations to work on female models. No shots yet though.
screenshot of ingame models attached.
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beautiful.
how far is the animation already?
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Still missing 3 death animations, I re-purposed the one I have to be a stunned animation, so I only had to do one "get up" animation. also still need the panic animation, and a few tweaks to pistol/item animations.
Its harder that I thought it would be to make death animations, you would think that making a guy fall down would be simple :P
I might use the old ones if I can find a way to do it.
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Love them. Cant wait to see them in motion. :)
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Zombie defends the Earth!
But very nice body-model.
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Yeah, the poses look great. I'd love to get what you have from 3dsm into our data_source as well as the output MD2s/skins. It might help if others can see the soldier models in action as well.
These will make a wonderful improvement if they're done by 2.4.
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ATM release version use 5 models x 2 (male, female) ; +- 7 skins per models ; + a female model ; and +- 10 heads.
Anyway, most of this content is not used for the gameplay.
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Excellent work, Origin! I longed to see something like these in the game, to the point of trying to learn modelling myself :-)
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Zombie defends the Earth!
We maybe should use MakeHuman (www.makehuman.org) as tool to design our heads. I think this would be the most elegant & easy way to get many characteristic male & female heads into the game.
@Origin: The models look awesome, great that you are taking care of the animations also ! I hope you find the time to take a look @ MakeHuman.
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I`ve talked about color of heads and faces, not shapes of models.
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I lack the (Blender) skills needed for this task, because after export to Blender we would have to somehow seperate the heads from the bodies, maybe even lower the number of polygons & then export the heads to md2 format, but I really do believe that makehuman would be the open source state-of-the-art program to design the various male & female 3d heads & faces needed for our new models, so maybe someone with more 3d experience could have a look @ that. ;)
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even lower the number of polygons
Wait wait wait - maybe we should add a option for that in the option menu - HQ&LQ Models? ;)
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Origin seems to be doing just fine on the heads, and MakeHuman might be more work than it's worth since he'll need to make a helmeted variation of each head as well. Sometimes it's easier to build something from scratch than try to force a set of customizations onto an automated output that wasn't intended for that. I'm sure Origin can make his own call.
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This might be nit-picking but one of the guys look like a Halo ODST:
http://www.eatsleepgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/halo-odst-halo-reach.jpg
Just my two cents.
Otherwise all the other models are top-notch.
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This might be nit-picking but one of the guys look like a Halo ODST
The similarities are there, but I don't think they are any stronger than you would see with other fully-sealed, molded-polymer armor of the future. The overall bulk (or lack of) and coloring don't scream Halo to me.
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This might be nit-picking but one of the guys look like a Halo ODST:
http://www.eatsleepgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/halo-odst-halo-reach.jpg
Just my two cents.
Otherwise all the other models are top-notch.
I noticed this actually, though i did not intentionally try to copy the design.
On another note. My graphics card died the other day :(
Still one death animation to go. and female variations are done.
What should be next priority after this? More head variations? Aliens?
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the order is up to you. we can only replace the models if they all match in their style. so the order doesn't matter from my point of view, because we have to get all of them before we can replace them.
we will need more head, civilian bodies + heads and aliens.
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To be clear, I think mattn meant we will need all versions of the soldier models before they are replaced. Obviously, we don't expect you to remake every civilian and alien as well.
I would like to get the soldier models ready to replace existing models as the main priority, but of course we're happy to see any modelling work from you Origin.
I think now would be a good time to make sure we're clear on exactly what soldier models are still needed. The game currently has the following, and I've added notes for those I think Origin has already covered:
/male/
Completely unarmoured. Could easily be done with a simple retexture of Origin's most lightly armoured model.
/malehybrid/
An armour that uses some alien tech.
[done] /malelight/
Origin's most lightly armoured model.
/malelightadv/
Perhaps just another retexture of the malelight?
[done] /malemedium/
Origin's medium armour.
[done] /malepower/
Origin's fully-sealed suit.
+ Female variants.
There are currently 5 male heads and 4 female heads. I think we should aim for 4 of each sex as a minimum before we replace them. I can quite easily add alternate skins for any head models made, so if there were only two head models we could get to four distinct heads.
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Can anyone think of anything I've missed? The wiki mentions two other armour models (hover/psi) but they're not in-game yet so they wouldn't be a requirement for replacing the existing models.
And of course 4 is just a minimum for the heads. Ideally we'd have dozens, especially if they are going to be used in the battlescape hud.
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I noticed this actually, though i did not intentionally try to copy the design.
No worries there. My Ortnok holograph-on-the-chest came out WAY BEFORE I knew about Dead Space and Mass Effect came out. That's just on the safe side. If memory serves though I think my design came out WAY BEFORE the games.
I don't think some EA dude scanned this page and lifted my design.
http://www.uploadgeek.com/share-4C8C_4A156C68.html
From this thread: http://ufoai.ninex.info/forum/index.php?topic=3590.0
Coincidences happens.
(Though I'm still against that old UFO AI Plasma Rifle design. IMHO, it still looks like the Covenant's. I dunno if you guys changed it. I haven't played this game for months.)
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Can anyone think of anything I've missed? The wiki mentions two other armour models (hover/psi) but they're not in-game yet so they wouldn't be a requirement for replacing the existing models.
the question is: are these armours not in game yet, because there are no models or because missing code?
btw.: great work origin and more and better looking heads would be great ;).
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it is not a code problem, or what you mean by code?
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the question is: are these armours not in game yet, because there are no models or because missing code?
The hover suit would take a lot of work on a number of fronts, I think. Models, pathfinding, UI and maps come to mind first, but there's probably all sorts of other pitfalls in the code for developing vertical movement.
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[done] /male/
Padded Jumpsuit
[done] /malelight/
Dark grey/black Combat armor
[done] /malemedium/
Blueish closed suit
[done] /malepower/
Bulkier Green/brown closed suit
+ Female variants.
Was mostly right.
Will start doing heads when i get my new graphics card.
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Goooo
gleod luck with your work! :-) Hope to see a result of progress! :-)
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[done] /malepower/
Bulkier Green/brown closed suit
So that's this one (http://ufoai.ninex.info/forum/index.php?topic=5278.msg42900#msg42900)? I can't wait to see this one in-game.
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yes :)
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Can anyone think of anything I've missed? The wiki mentions two other armour models (hover/psi) but they're not in-game yet so they wouldn't be a requirement for replacing the existing models.
I thought this was the official list of armour types (http://ufoai.ninex.info/forum/index.php?topic=1894.0) to be included in the game, tough that thread is old, maybe it is outdated?
Anyway just something to have in mind after dealing with immediate priorities
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Origins models are brilliant...There's just one thing that seem kinda off...light armor..the forearms. It looks like he's wearing wide, funky sleeves.Something about it just feels..not military-like.
Origin, can you provide a download for the meshes? I'd like to use them as a base to model from.
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they are in data_source already
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Holy crap :o they are looking awesome. Origin, do you have any tutorials on modeling? :D
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Aside from the head turning thing, it looks great, the only thing I'm wondering about is whether the armor plates will also get a cammo coating, or would that mess with our ability to appreciate this awesome piece of work? ;D The reason I ask is because I've read some proposals on a possible visibility system and cammo plays into that.
Anyways, just two cents from the newbie.
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Any news on this topic ?
I really hoped to see those models integrated & moving in 2.4.
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I really hoped to see those models integrated & moving in 2.4.
Yes that would be reeeeaaalllyyyyy nice! :)
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Currently on hold, but would like to have them done for 2.4 official release.
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8) YEAH, he's back ! 8)
GREAT to hear that, Origin !!!
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Origin, those models are awesome! Great work.
If you don't mind me asking, what do you use to model them in and more importantly, how are you going to get them exported into a format the game will handle?
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He uses 3DSM as far as I know, and there is a plugin for a MD2 exporter. If you can export to OBJ, myself or mattn can export from 3DSM to MD2 if you're having trouble.
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Models and animations are done, and have been sent off to Mattn.
No head variations yet though.
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Wow, those full suits look incredible! This is very, very exciting.
I can get to work on some quick head reskins for variation.
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Models and animations are done, and have been sent off to Mattn.
Wow -- they are cool, excellent work! Their armor really looks like combat type one, not the some sort of Hollywood prop :)
But -- as I see, you are using the game without shader support, so your models are tested without normal or roughness maps, right? Maybe you should consider making those maps, and enabling all the renderer features to test them?
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;D i was talking about you today! incredible job!
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I see, you are using the game without shader support, so your models are tested without normal or roughness maps, right? Maybe you should consider making those maps, and enabling all the renderer features to test them?
The models do have normal maps, although I have only finalised roughness maps for the nano composite armor.
The model renderer is just extremely dark in glsl mode, making it hard to actually make out the models as they are supposed to look.
There are also various problems with rendering the normal maps, as they will mess up whenever a texture seam occurs (and in random places)
I have tried different solutions, (mirroring uw's, not mirroring uw's, flipping green channel, flipping blue channel, flipping blue and green channels, even flipping red channel. Also tried different options when exporting the md2's.) same problem everytime.
the models render fine out of game, so I can only assume that the engine handles the normal maps in some unusual way.
Attached screenshot wich also show off the dark models during daytime, (same problem with the standard models)
and highlights the problems with the normal maps.
Not all of the models have roughness maps in the shots, I think all heads are missing them, aswell as the basic female armor.
edit: just occured to me that the problems in the normal maps are probably related to the .mdx files (generated by ufomodel) since I dont know how to compile these they were not present at the time of this shot.
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you know that we are encoding the height in the alpha channel of the normalmap, no?
see here (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Artwork#Normalmaps)
but there also might still be bugs in the normalmap rendering for models - as we don't have many normalmaps for models yet... we might not have seen many bugs with them ;)
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updating normals maps with height information.
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I've put up a quick TODO (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/TODO/Soldier_Models) for what needs to be done to get Origin's models in-game.
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I've put up a quick TODO (http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/TODO/Soldier_Models) for what needs to be done to get Origin's models in-game.
/base/models/soldiers/male - Head and body textures are still hi-res. <--- whats wrong with that?
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/base/models/soldiers/male - Head and body textures are still hi-res. <--- whats wrong with that?
Waste of resources. Hi-res should go in data_source. If we ever decide to upgrade our model skins to 2048x2048 it's there, but all models should have the same skin size.
Which brings up another question: should our head skins be 512x512 or 256x256? (Can be created in any size. I'm speaking of the file for release.) Either way is fine, but we should be consistent or we will make the low-res stick out more. You can see here (http://imagebin.org/174125) how the back head (256x256) looks extra blurry because it is next to the front head (512x512).
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Probably release them as a mod on IndieDB? My pc can handle hi-res textures easily, i dont want to stick with blury textures in 2011/12. AI WAND TEH DITAILS!!! ;)
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The head with 256x256 is not so blurry if the head take only few centimeters of the screen.
We never display it so big, then i think it is ok.
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for the release we should use 256x256 imo - for the heads - for the body 1024x1024 is ok. the normalmaps for the heads can be higher res
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Some quick skins for the male head model (http://imagebin.org/174294). I've also found some two more female head models and one more male head model, so I'll be working on unwrapping them to be skinned as well.
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Origin, I'm having some trouble with new heads I'm making. I get a wierd effect as seen in the attachment. Did you ever run into this problem while working on your models and if so how did you solve it?
I suspect it has to do with the way I'm exporting the head models as MD2. But not sure what to change.
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I love that left female head. Nice hairstyle!
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Good stuff.
I had the same problem when using any kind of transparency in the head texture.
I couldnt find a way to fix it any other way than not using alpha channel in the diffuse texture.
There was some difference when the model was exported to md2 with z-sorting enabled/disabled but it looked messed up either way.
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Ahh that worked! That's great. I was getting really annoyed there.
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Zombies from Avatar (they are zombies, so they are not blue :D)
Is it possible to tune nose and eyes on models? Or this is such sort of «troubles»? :)
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Yeah, thier noses are really ... well big.
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Incredible work guys.
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why did you make models so low-poly? :( If you add at least +500 triangles, then the model will look much better and the animation is without wrinkles.
How many triangles in the models now?
In fact, little has changed if you do not make the model "for the future." Modern computers (even those which are already 3-4 years old) working in 50 times more polygons than any of the existing locations in the game.
PS: Im speak English very bad so excuse the mistakes.
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I always thought that the armor needed some shin and forearm protection. TI kinda looks..off to ma. dunno why exactly, maybe it's the way the uniform endings at the arms/legs are modeled or something... Perhaps it would look better with cammo?
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Found a way to export UV-mapped low poly meshes with MakeHuman, so this task got a lot easier. Here are a few I did today and yesterday. Once I've done the same for the men we should have enough heads to integrate these things.
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great job Nate. They are looking good.
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The armor kinda similar to UFO: Extraterrestrials 2 that is currently in work...(commercial game)
Also it looks similar to UFO:Aftershocks mix of light and medium armor...
Anyway I have felling that it should look difrient, I very liked Heavy Armor Suit from UFO:Aftermath... Something similar would be cool...
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These armours look fantastic. Are they functional in the latest builds already?
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no, not yet - see http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/TODO/Soldier_Models
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Ach darn...wish I could help, but I'm no good at any of the stuff mentioned. :-\
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I'd modify the armor (or make another variant), like tihs:
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The left? With cartoonish additions?
-geever
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What's cartoonish about aditional protection for legs and arms?
Ever seen a riot armor the police use?
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c325/R_Deckard/Macross_SDF-1/Rainbow_Six_ELITE/BRAVO-3/DSC00039.jpg
http://images-en.busytrade.com/177475000/Anti-Riot-Gear-Escud-colete--Prova-De-Balas.jpg
http://cache.wists.com/thumbnails/e/d4/ed4958c2351d4da0fc4f3846f9a86e33-orig
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What's cartoonish about aditional protection for legs and arms?
The texture quality.
-geever
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The texture quality.
-geever
Uhm i think its just a paint edited screenshot. ;)
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Correct.
I have better things to spend my time on that making a perfect mock-up.
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Soldier source files are in our repository's data_source branch. We could use (http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/TODO/Soldier_Models) a light advanced combat armor variant, which your suggestion would fit into.
Word of warning: the quality level on these models/animations is very high, so any new armor models will need to stand up to this. (and don't forget animations, although source files should include the skeleton)
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Well, I never could set up the repository to work on my PC...something is wonky.
But if someone can send/upload the files (for light and power armor), I could take a look.
Not promissing anything tough, as I have several others things on my to-do list.
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We have a soldiermodels branch:
http://ufoai.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=ufoai/ufoai;a=tree;f=base/models/soldiers;hb=cadaa27ed7a4e047cee94eeb511628d945ce3259
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The data source is there
http://ufoai.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=ufoai/ufoai;a=tree;f=models/Origin;h=1c473db7582a8604eebdcb395e69caf0c5eefc91;hb=refs/other/data_source
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Hey beautiful armor when we will see in the game? I would have made an issue in power armor, nothing to vedre with your beautiful work, but definitely better than the bug is obese now!
Sorry google translator :-\
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I have taken a look at the models.... unfortunatley, importing them gives me the animated version which makes it almsot impossible to edit/modify.
For one, the model itself is not in the default spread apart postion, but in the "running" one.
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They look absolutely amazing. I hope they'll get incorporated into the game soon.
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When will be released this armors and where i can download it, if isn´t finished yet? They are awesome!
And, how can i load them on the game? I´m playing 2.4 and in multiplayer, the CCCP don´t work.
Another question; why in multiplayer is the advanced combat armor available, but not in campaing?
Thanks
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When will be released this armors and where i can download it, if isn´t finished yet? They are awesome!
And, how can i load them on the game? I´m playing 2.4 and in multiplayer, the CCCP don´t work.
it's in 2.5 development version http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/Download
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Please note that someone with the 2.5-dev version can not play multiplayer with someone who has the 2.4 version. So you'll want to keep 2.4 around in a separate location to find multiplayer partners.
Advanced Combat Armour never got implemented in the old models. The new models don't include an Advanced Combat Armour.
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The new models don't include an Advanced Combat Armour.
What model of armour is it we're seeing in the loading screen?
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What model of armour is it we're seeing in the loading screen?
Power Armour (http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/Proposals/Power_Armour). Not implemented yet, I believe.
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Power Armour (http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/Proposals/Power_Armour).
Only in skrimish available atm.
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it should be no problem to add the tech - we have all we need.
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it should be no problem to add the tech - we have all we need.
Not exactly. The tech text describes capabilities we can't implement, and suggests that it's researchable at the start of the game (a bad idea IMO, since we don't support its main drawback: reduced movement capabilities).
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OK, tech text changed in wiki and prereqs added. Implemented (http://ufoai.org/wiki/index.php/Translation:Power_armour_txt/en)
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new armour doesn't seem to come up for me, are new research projects triggered only at the moment when pre-requsites are first met..?
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are new research projects triggered only at the moment when pre-requsites are first met..?
Yes.
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shit.
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new soldier models looks ugly ;(
i mean only textures, not animation
they all too similar, even with different armor
is there any planned work to improve this?
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Are you sure youre running the game with quality texture settings? The textures are great.
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yes, im sure
in tactical mission i have only one: models should have more colors (now they all just in grey variations)
in hire/equip menu most of soldiers now are ugly: heads looks terrible, bodies has stupid poses and too small arms in (shoulders part)
i just want to see soldiers not so ugly to get some joy
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you are invited to contribute new skins. the ui part is not yet 100% done, because we can't use the normalmaps, glowmaps and *maps there (at least not yet - this will change)
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Is there any way to use the 2.4 models with 2.5-dev? Seriously the new models are not at all to my liking, also the lack of camo uniforms is a step backwards.
PS: I don't mean to offend anyone, just stating my personal opinion.
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There were scripting changes involved as well, so it would take some work on your end. But it's not too difficult if you dig into the files in /base/models/ and the UFO scripts in /base/ufos/. You'll want to look at the team definition files and maybe some others.
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I'd like to see CCCP Armour in this new models It was cool
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I'd like to see CCCP Armour in this new models It was cool
Hehe, it was definitely not cool (IMHO). But it sounds like a good candidate for a mod. Why don't you try to make it?
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well, in my opinion also, here the power armor looked good:
http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5135/powerarmprev.jpg (http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5135/powerarmprev.jpg)
and here it started to look bad:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/636/lowpwer02.jpg (http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/636/lowpwer02.jpg)
i kind of liked the original shiny black look, i would wish for more of that if ufo:ai graphics can handle stronger reflected light (specular highlight).
i mean, this darth vader (one of the worst that i could find) looks better imho:
http://terrymalloyspigeoncoop.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/vader.jpeg (http://terrymalloyspigeoncoop.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/vader.jpeg)
so it doesn't matter if most of the dark is out of the dynamic range, the matte gray ones look uniformly gray anyway.
the little wear and tear textures look like little lighter dots, and are acting like camo to hide the meaningful shape instead of making it more readable.
also, there is no face visible, and i don't think that is good.
now all the soldier portraits look the same.
i think it would be better if nanocomposite was without the face cover, and in power armor it was semi-transparent if ufo:ai graphics can handle that.
as for the old models 'kneeling' position that someone said it looks like 'taking a dump', that someone might not have been aware of 'rice paddy prone'.
though the more stereotypical kneeling the better.
i wouldn't say the new models look extremely ugly on their own (though the faces, and hips of the unarmored version might need more work), but if i put them next to old models the old models look way more readable and polished.
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I agree that the shiny black looks better in those renders.
But to really see what you are dealing with, you would need to get screenshots of those both in game on a modern graphics card. Things like real time rendering with specular and normal mapping and the minimum distance the game allows you to get the camera up to a unit, could all make the option that looks better in a controlled environment, actually look like the worse option in-game.