Ravidge's engineer weapon pack: WIP

[Ravidge]

I want a thread where i can post my progress. And give people a chance to maybe offer some thoughts

Disclaimer:
keep in mind that stuff are heavily WIP, this means that any and all parts of the meshes I show are unfinished, some parts may be a lot more detailed than others. I also like to make really quick mockups that are nothing more than an idea with some shapes and colors (it takes a lot of imagination to fill in the gaps).
Textures may or may not exist yet, you don't need to point that out, I know.
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I'm making a set of items for the engineer, this was something I wanted to do right after I re-submitted my sniper pack, I started sketching but never found the time to actually start until recently.

My "theme" is just a general mechanician/repair man thing. A guy who knows his way around with tools, it may not be the most exciting or comedic approach, but I rather make items that I like, rather than try to get a laugh out of some random lump of people I've never talked to.

With that said:

Melee Slot: It's a 2-handed adjustable wrench. It's kind of silly but it also feels like a weapon while still having a resemblance to a tool. It's still in the realm of "possible but unlikely" as far as size goes. Big wrenches do exist, and I figure if you want a wrench to whack spies with, the bigger, the better.


Primary Slot: This one is very strange. It's parts of some sort of power tool, a drill or saw perhaps. It's been combined with some scrap metal pipes and a custom built revolver cylinder to create the worlds first Drill-revolver-shotgun hybrid. Don't ask me how it works.




PDA model: Just a clipboard and a pen. You rarely even see the PDA model, but I thing it would be fun to replace it with something a little more mundane. Concept taken from the soldiers clipboard on the hatless update page.


Dispenser: A gas pump design. Making a dispenser model that fits into the toolbox takes a lot of planning! I also didn't want to stray too far from the original dispenser, as it is important to be able to easily identify these buildings. I went with a lot of rounded edges and more slick appearance to make it different yet still "the same".
I know the gas pump idea has been done before, but I do not care.


Hat: I was bored for an hour and made a really simple and very normal hat. I'm not sure I want it in the pack as it is, it's pretty dull and it's actually hard to see if he is wearing it at all in-game (it's so small and shaped like his head, so no special silhouette). I tried a few different colors, but nothing really struck me...




More to come, hopefully.
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Thanks for looking/reading! also spare me the "omg everyone is making engineer items all of a sudden?!?" I hate how this is the case, but whatever. I do these because I think it's fun.

Since I am making this thread, it also means I would like to hear your opinions, and point out stuff that you think is bad. Sitting and modeling for hours on end with no outside input can make a man get some crazy ideas that in hindsight are shit. Also if you're going to critique, don't sugarcoat you comments (but don't be rude either!), Speak your mind and I will listen.

 

[Fruity Snacks]

You'd think that there might be at least a battery of sorts taped onto the shodrillrevolfle (I shall now call it), to give it a little power....

Also, my only complaint about the new building is that it looks TOO similar to the original dispenser. If you are going to make a replacement for it, you want it to stand out yet be easily recognizable as a helpful building. So, I'd say make it more unique silohette wise.

 

[Ravidge]

You'd think that there might be at least a battery of sorts taped onto the shodrillrevolfle (I shall now call it), to give it a little power....

Also, my only complaint about the new building is that it looks TOO similar to the original dispenser. If you are going to make a replacement for it, you want it to stand out yet be easily recognizable as a helpful building. So, I'd say make it more unique silohette wise.

There's a battery, thats what the wires are connected to. I needed something to drive the motor and the power cord is torn so, hand held power it is!

Dispensers are incredibly finicky. As they have to unfold from something very small that fits in the toolbox. Which limits the base shape somewhat.
Right now I'm counting on the (as of now, non-existing) gas tubes (hooked up to the nozzles) to add some more unique curves to the model.
I want it to be recognizable as a dispenser, not as 'a new type of helpful building'.

 

[tyler]

Really like the weapons. Dispenser/PDA replacements, I dunno. But the weapons!

 

[AgeNt_]

i really like how the dispenser is shaping up to be, however, the top of it seems a bit too simple and not really something that fits in with the rest of the model.

something that could be put in place would be like the top of an old visible gas pump (going with the theme)

 

[grazr]

I like your dispenser design. it looks like you went through a lot of design effort to differentiate between the two but still make them the same. The curved edges really work to how you intended, my only question is what kind of purpose other than the original's that you expect it to undertake.

I really can't imagine how your drill gun works. Either it's a drill melee or it's a nailgun concept. The nailgun concept of which was removed from the game (medic/scout) and replaced as the needle gun for the medic. I'm wondering how different it would perform.

 

[Wilson]

I don't like the wrench texture, it is too clean and bright.

 

[T-LOID]

Could do with some more texture detail, but I guess right now you're focusing on the models.

The nail gun shotgun replacements looks interesting, but I would remove the wires in favour of a more interesting ammo cylinder.

The hat should get some normal maps or texture lines on the edge to make it look more like a wool cap.

 

[Ravidge]

Thanks everyone!
But just a clarification: it's not a nail gun, it's definitely is a shotgun, loaded with shotgun shells.

 

[English Mobster]

My only complaint is about the hat. It looks like Engineer borrowed Demoman's hat and gave it a paintjob.
But other than that, I like it!

 

[YM]

I'll restate my concerns about your dispenser:

There is sod all progression from level 1 to level 3, if you look at the original, it gets wider and I think it gets taller too, they really have a different shape, but yours does not.

You need to have a progression, the amount of change you have for level 3 over level 1 is about right for level 2 over level 1, you need the same amount of change AGAIN for level 3.