Left 4 Dead Custom Content

[TeacupBandit]

I know a few of us have started our characters for left 4 dead and I know some wanna do some levels for it. Post any progress and models that you have created for the game. I'll be posting "me" later.

For those who don't know, Me, Nate, Steve, few others are creating ourselves to play as the survivors. If you have the game, you should also do the same. Gonna be cool.

[Heart_Murmur]

Been doing some head sculpting for my dude, This is probably the most important part, else it just not me. I also posted a progression to show how I kinda had a realization that it was just not looking like me for the longest time, I think the last shot atleast resembles myself. I'm still tweaking it, the hair is just roughed in, face is almost done. I think the diffuse will go a long way in making it seem more like myself. Also I have to get those glasses on there.

[TeacupBandit]

those ears are crazy!!! you got some beastly ears, but not that ferocious. dont forget to tweak those.

[orion]

There are some differences, but I thought it was instantly recognizable as you. great sculpting dude.

This is a great idea, btw. I hope some people end up in game.

[JustinM]

Same here. Good shtuff.

[jackelbeaver]

I think you should give him a bandana.

[duoxan]

less jaw dude

[TeacupBandit]

less jaw dude

I dont think so, Nate has a pretty strong jaw. I would say more cheek bone. Not too much, but some more.

[TeacupBandit]

Here's my progress so far on my face

[Aldo]

good job so far guys...

Josh, you need eyebrows and hair...you look like a burn victim:P

[TeacupBandit]

haha, nice. yeah its been hard sculpting my face without it. i am gonna have the hair on planes. I still have to add the eyebrows and "beard" in zbrush.

Here is some new progress:





Still need to:
-Sculpt better hands
-Sculpt the jacket and pants
-hair
-texture

[Aldo]

Nate: How do you take screenshots from the same angle like that? do you just rotate back and find the same angle or is there an easier way?

[Master_V12]

I was wondering the same thing

[Master_V12]

Oh yeah. Did you all check out the newest LPC Challenge over at Polycount?

[duoxan]

Oh yeah. Did you all check out the newest LPC Challenge over at Polycount?

some pretty sweet stuff, specially the shaun of the dead one

[jackelbeaver]

Aw man I gotta get in on this I got some ideas for how to model myself.  Got me a christmas break project yessir!

What'd be really awesome would be if we also did an AiPx campaign.  Start in san valiente work your way across the street through the parking lot to Ai up the stairs to the roof!!

c'mon doodz it'd be sweet

[TeacupBandit]

What'd be really awesome would be if we also did an AiPx campaign.  Start in san valiente work your way across the street through the parking lot to Ai up the stairs to the roof!!

Funny. I actually wanted to do this, but we have to wait til the SDK is out for L4D to get levels and characters in the game. A swink zombie.

[Aldo]

What'd be really awesome would be if we also did an AiPx campaign.  Start in san valiente work your way across the street through the parking lot to Ai up the stairs to the roof!!

lol...then get arrested for making terrorist zombie plots against the school. (like those kids who modeled their high school in counterstrike and got arrested for it)

[SStrickland]

Oh yeah. Did you all check out the newest LPC Challenge over at Polycount?

I guess the only thing L4D over there is the banner. Did yall see the specs?


Character specs, per survivor/zombie:

    * Survivor(s) or Zombie(s), or both
    * Roughly 800 triangles total PER CHARACTER, this includes player model + accessories and/or weapons.
    * 128x128 maximum per character model
    * 64x64 per accessory/weapon


Environment specs:

    * Must show the SAFE HOUSE of a small group of survivors
          o Showing its surrounding area is a bonus, but not a requirement
    * Roughly 5000 triangles total for the environment
    * 512x512 maximum texture usage for entire environment
    * 128x128 maximum per individual texture


Effects/Particles/Atmosphere specs:

    * 256x256 total for all effects/particles/atmosphere artwork
    * triangle count is unlimited

L4D has 12000-15000 for the chars right?

[Master_V12]

Its an LPC (Low Poly Challenge) so they roll with DS/psp specs. Quite awesome in my opinion

[TeacupBandit]

Oh yeah. Did you all check out the newest LPC Challenge over at Polycount?

Well 9000-12000 for survivors, and about 6k-7k for zombies.

I guess the only thing L4D over there is the banner. Did yall see the specs?


Character specs, per survivor/zombie:

    * Survivor(s) or Zombie(s), or both
    * Roughly 800 triangles total PER CHARACTER, this includes player model + accessories and/or weapons.
    * 128x128 maximum per character model
    * 64x64 per accessory/weapon


Environment specs:

    * Must show the SAFE HOUSE of a small group of survivors
          o Showing its surrounding area is a bonus, but not a requirement
    * Roughly 5000 triangles total for the environment
    * 512x512 maximum texture usage for entire environment
    * 128x128 maximum per individual texture


Effects/Particles/Atmosphere specs:

    * 256x256 total for all effects/particles/atmosphere artwork
    * triangle count is unlimited

L4D has 12000-15000 for the chars right?

[SStrickland]

Josh, you didn't say anything...



Specs are cool, I just got the idea that it was a L4D competition by the banner and this thread.

Yes, the Shaun of the Dead one is awesome.

[TeacupBandit]

sorry, it was typed in the wrong spot

"Well 9000-12000 for survivors, and about 6k-7k for zombies."

[Butterguts]

Not in Z-Brush yet, but I don't play on relying on that to much, just to pull out some small features like lips, pores, and bags under the eyes. Basically all I wanted wast to get the shape of my head, with a little exaggeration here and there. I think I did pretty well. Looks like me IMO.


(dis-regard the 5 sided poly's in the ear, i've taken care of those, didn't notice until i saw them in the picture)

(not for the polycount thing, just for shits, and maybe implemented horribly into steam giggles)

[orion]

Woah, dude. that's really good. That's quite a chin you have there.

[Aldo]

Vern: It's pretty spot on...even have the creepy stare in the front view.

[SStrickland]

Ha, yeah, good job Vern. Spot on.

[Heart_Murmur]

Lookin good vern, great loops.

[Maximus]

Im considering this... Given my recient addiction to Left 4 Dead and the amount of fun this project presents i might just go for it. I don't have time till the quarter is over me thinks but over break it'd be fun.

[Kraemology]

good communicator and a great team player

agreed. I could tell it was you right off the bat

[TeacupBandit]

good communicator and a great team player

whats this quote?

[jackelbeaver]

I think it's a case of Jarod replying to the wrong topic :<

[SStrickland]

Quoting someone from a made up conversation? Jarrod has gone crazy!

I'll get on my L4D head and body on the break.

[Kraemology]

  Don't know how the hell that happened. Ignore the quote quote

[Heart_Murmur]

Not an update from me, I'll be doing mine after finals. But I do bring the uncompiled Left 4 Dead models and textures. Apparently they changed up the compiling methods for TF2 and then once again for L4D, so people have been having trouble decompiling the models. With much help from the internet and my own meddling, here are the models and textures for educational purposes:

L4D_Models.rar (74mb) This will probably be kept up until we finish this project, so get it while you can.

Couple of things I noticed while going through this process:

  - There are 5 LOD mesh's for each character. (I'm not sure if we have to make 5 for ourselves yet)
  - When I loaded the SMD files, they came with the mesh's skinned and full skeleton. (good news for creating our own mesh's, we can reuse animations)

I only included the highest level LOD as an OBJ, so no animation rigs in this package. The mesh's are triangulated, but you can see how they went about their loops.

I can post the skinned mesh's when we need them.

[SStrickland]

Thanks for the hard work.

[TeacupBandit]

This will probably be kept up until we finish this project, so get it while you can.

Was this done on purpose?

[Heart_Murmur]

Thanks for the hard work.

Anytime.

Was this done on purpose?

I'm not quite sure what you mean, I said that because I'll probably do some house cleaning on my hosting in a few months.

Oh and I uploaded the rigs for Vern, figured might as well release them to everyone else.

Skinned Characters

There is an SMD importer for max included, you will need to put this in your max plugins folder in order to import SMD files.


If your going to do a character, build it around one of these rigs, choose your character depending on your height/weight build. Honestly if worst comes to worst, I was just thinking that there are maybe 10 animation for each character:

Run
Heal
Heal Other
Pills
Grab
Knocked down
Get up
Shoot
Crouch
Crouch walk

I know some people just want to get themselves in game without all this hassle, but I wouldn't mind making those animations.

[TeacupBandit]

I know some people just want to get themselves in game without all this hassle, but I wouldn't mind making those animations.

it could allow for some real creativity too

I'm not quite sure what you mean, I said that because I'll probably do some house cleaning on my hosting in a few months.

this certain bit is in like 2pt font, really small, had to zoom way in to see it. at least to me and it was built in the html too.

[Augie272]

Well, I see alot of you guys doing characters and none to do an environment, mind if I step up to the plate as soon as I turn in my Project Prep Stuff with Dico. I planned on making another level during this break and would love the challenge to add to my skill set...

Now, I know my shit might not be as amazing as some of the things as others, but just tell me where you want to be attacked at and will be glad to do it...