Karts alternate version + New version of Sara

[samuncle]

Hello everybody

The current model of Sara is outdated and not optimized (it has a looot of unused bones and problems).

So I started to make a brand new/better/optimized/awesome model.

Here is the result (not the last version. I haven't access to my computer until Friday where the model is). The face has a generic expression because the expression should be modified with bones not hardcoded.


Now she has only 30 bones. She also uses the new pipeline with nice light reflexion, gloss map but no normal map (irrlicht doesn't support normal map for animated objects ><).

The snow mobile has also been remade according to new standards. Now it's similar to the quality of Suzanne (the reference). The goal is to provide high quality karts and tracks for the benchmark to test the new engine.

There is an ongoing debate about the new costume. Since making character is a lot of work but making variation of the same character is a lot easier I suggest this

1) Reducing the current number of kart (we have added Xue (XFCE's mouse) but not removed a kart. We should remove an old one (like Beagle, Elephpant or Puffy).
2) Adding alternative unlockable character. Currently only tracks and 2 karts (gnu nolok) can be unlocked. Since we will have karts with different characteristics it will be fun if we have alternate costumes and/or karts for some character. These alternate character can be unlocked when you achieve an achievement.
3) This is still a kart like other ones. It's not character that are able to choose their kart. Only a variation of the same character.

@LiamM32 I suggest to work together so we can adapt the new model to the new animation system

Penny and Tux (they are very similar except the color)
Sara (motorbike costume) and (Dress)
Nolok and nolok when he was friendly
etc

More pictures soon . I'm working on Tux and Sara

Sam

[MCMic]

Do not remove puffy his kart is awesome it was the best before the new ones came around (pidgin and suzanne).

[Totoplus62]

Amazing samuncle!
I love it
If you have problem with this character, this is because people want to annoy you .


(Elephpant is ugly , we should remove it from the main game)

[LiamM32]

I'm sorry SamUncle, but I can't understand why you would do this. It's not that this is a bad model; but it's just that I really like what it's replacing. I really love the style of the older Sara model. Was the model modified, or completely remade? Was it just too much trouble to do the animations with the old one? I much prefer the clothing in the old version. I wouldn't mind if the face on this model was put on the older one. I like the old hairstyle too. But the hair texture might worth a slight upgrade. The only problem that I had with the one before was the vehicle; It doesn't seem like a good fit for someone with that summery attire. It's still not too bad though. Maybe also the high-heels, as that isn't so practical.
Although at first I thought she looked strange in the game being the first human character, she's now my main character as I really like the nice & detailed model.

Edit: I reread this and noticed that your suggesting alternate costumes. I wouldn't mind this costume on Sara as a secondary unlockable. I remember playing Mario Kart Wii; Peach would wear a dress in a kart, and a suit similar to this on a motorcycle. Of course, her body shouldn't look different in an "alternate version". For the general idea though; I would rather place efforts into adding detail to existing karts. It would be nice to make Tux more feathery, and some hair texture to Wilber (my previous main character, but now he's fell second to the nice look of Sara). Like I said about Sara's snowmobile, we could think more about the appropriateness of some of the karts. Wilber could use a more artsy mesh with some pretty graphics painted on. Tux could be a good fit for the snowmobile (being native to snowy habitats), although I guess you want him to have the most generic kart.

It sure is cool though too see my name mentioned here after just 5 posts. Not very used to getting that, so quite an honor. I'm only a beginner in coding though. I need help from my programming teacher at my school to figure this game out. I would still like to help with what I can.

[samuncle]

Hello liamM32

As i said the snow mobile is also remade with the quality of Suzanne.

If you want to help us I suggest to come on our irc channel.

The network is freenode and the chan is #stk

Sam

[Ludsky]

Just One word : Wonderful !

Good Job and Good Luck

[sphyrth]

With the exception of the skirt, the current Sara is very stiff. The only animation I know her do is turning. So I would like to see how the new one will look.

Although I thought Sara replaced the Mozilla kart.... or maybe did the Xue kart did that.

[LiamM32]

I still don't understand why you felt the need to redesign Sara and remodel her from scratch. Did you dislike the old costume? Is it more difficult to modify the old model than start from scratch.

As i said the snow mobile is also remade with the quality of Suzanne.

If you want to help us I suggest to come on our irc channel.

The network is freenode and the chan is #stk

What I meant was that the snowmobile and other karts are not themed appropriately. I thought that Sara would be better suited to a different type of vehicle, as her clothing looks like summer-wear. Tux is a penguin, so a snowmobile could be a good fit for him.
But when we have more realistic physics and different specs for each kart, it could be good to have different karts per character to best suit the track (like a snowmobile on the icy tracks).

Sorry but I'm new to this website and a beginner in programming. I didn't know what IRC was, so I found this through Google. On here, I found the link to the online "IRC client", but I don't know how to use it. What is this?

[samuncle]

Hello

I really love the style of the older Sara model. Was the model modified, or completely remade

I redesigned Sara because I needed to do so to make a better topology + some optimization. Whatever the costume will be. The model is visually very similar (though the head looks better now). The main difference is performance. She now has "only" 40 bones compared to 200 on the previous version.

I much prefer the clothing in the old version.

The dress version will be available as an unlockable bonus character. Since karts will have different parameter the gameplay will be slightly different.

But the hair texture might worth a slight upgrade

I totally agree

It doesn't seem like a good fit for someone with that summery attire

Sara will live in a wooden house (don't panic. It will be an epic wooden house but we don't wanted to make the traditional princess's castel) in a Taiga. It means beautiful green forest in summer and a beautiful sow landscape in winter. So the snow mobile fits perfectly.

Of course, her body shouldn't look different in an "alternate version".

it's the main objective. To avoid to make another 100% new character. By keeping the same body it will be easier for me

It would be nice to make Tux more feathery, and some hair texture to Wilber

But we need more artists. Obviously I can't do everything. That's why I want to have alternate characters. Make a good tux and then just modify some texture and you have a nice tux and his girlfriend penny.

although I guess you want him to have the most generic kart

It's not my decision. Tux was made before I was in the project. If someone make a good new version of tux we will change it (of course).

Since Sara uses already a snowmobile maybe tux can use something similar to that http://media.windingroad.com/autos_db/t ... 0_q100.jpg

Sorry but I'm new to this website and a beginner in programming. I didn't know what IRC was, so I found this through Google. On here, I found the link to the online "IRC client", but I don't know how to use it. What is this?

IRC is a network where you can create a chatroom so people can talk to the whole team. Supertuxkart uses the network freenode. So you can just go here https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=stk&uio=d4 and then put a nickname (you can choose whatever you what). the #STK is the chat room. You can have several chat room. Ours is #stk. So just put a nickname and click on connect. No registration is needed. If your nickname is already taken just choose another. Very easy to use.

[samuncle]

@LiamM32 if you come on irc we can discuss about your ideas more easily than here