Tux goes next Gen

[XGhost]

Hello folks

In the last week I worked on a new Tux Kart which uses the full graphical performance of the new engine. Why a new Tux? Let me explain....
Time to polish up some memories from the old old Tux from TuxKart and SuperTuxKart how we knew and loved him :
http://mio.servequake.com/~takky/linux/ ... xkart1.png
http://pingus.seul.org/~grumbel/tmp/tux ... -08-07.png
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/sup ... x_kart.jpg
http://www.supertuxkart.de/tux1-kart.gif
Beautiful!

For the new Version (Beta) all karts were adapted to the new engine. But they all still need a revision. Textures doesn't fit as good as before and some glossmaps would look very nice. Also I think they could all need some more polygons .
So now we are heading to the release of 0.8.2 (or 0.9, whatever) and Samuncle has already done a huge and awesome job with two beautiful racing circuits and some revised karts. Now Samuncle started already with a trailer featuring the new engine and in my opinion Tux is a very important character and typically for the game. I personally think it would be a pity to not have a nice version of him in the final game.
In consultation with Samuncle I have started a new version of Tux, which he also can use in the trailer or else.

The new Tux
First of all, I didn't want to completely redesign Tux or his kart. I like the old one very much and I wish to keep the classical style of it.
These were my goals, how I wanted to make the new Tux:
- Leave the main shape of tux, more polygons, nicer mesh
- New textures with higher quality for Tux, also glossmaps
- Leave the main shape of the kart, more poligons, nicer mesh
- New textures with higher quality for the Kart (a fiery red), glossmaps
- New and better animations

I'm glad to present now the result of my effort of the last week. ATM I will only show you some images of the kart but maybe I release a version to play soon (Edit on the end of this post...):
https://app.box.com/s/8hr7ra2na4ebha7ht52fydmfq9mwl0mk
https://app.box.com/s/ze3rzzwgjkq6a8v0uiiipcy17q8olax9
https://app.box.com/s/ykwy0lj5tg15x5lf9thn2vt6fy7kgqrr
https://app.box.com/s/kqvn37v4vni3uu673rqyug05yousgugo
https://app.box.com/s/v5hmhd7c1cgtc0yvpsol1yh6aqjl1bbr
https://app.box.com/s/n32hdr4wpegq6j9219raqkxw3ox9j5qs
https://app.box.com/s/es4pajhifh17lq995bh219mpef3u0svj

This is a quote of Samuncle from the IRC channel, as respond to my assertion that I wanted to leave the Kart in the classical style:

One day the track Math class will be changed, even if its a classic cliché

That is not my point of view, and I personally find it kind of sad to remove classical stuff from the game... I like the idea of the universe in SuperTuxKart but I think when we redesign old tracks and also karts but keep an old classical touch in it, that would work out very well. We can renew karts and tracks, or create new ones but why we have to replace the old classical stuff. In my opinion we also should put the artistic focus also on old and classical stuff.
For example we replace the Math class with another track. Maybe we could now put some little references to Math class in other tracks .
Another example is this new Tux . Old style, classical design but now better mesh, textures and overall graphical improvements.

Don't hesitate to leave a comment, I'm open for suggestions!
Have a nice day
Julian


Edit (21. March 2015):

Tux Kart
A total of: 6140 Tris
Texture resolution: 256x256 px (2^8) to 1024x1024 px (2^10) (All textures were originally made with a 2048x2048 px (2^11) resolution, so we can go up if it would be necessary.
Animations: Steering, Winning, Losing, Jumping
License: > See license file for further informations <
Download: https://app.box.com/s/vcq0fpkshz8kydrbirnknq2n9jqjc8jv

[Auria]

Hi,

this is a good first step Improving the topology and textures is definitely a good idea

My main suggestion, a bit like samuncle I guess, would be that we should try to find ways to make the kart and character more "dynamic" or interesting. For instance, while racing, we mostly see the back of his head which is quite plain (how to improve this is a difficult question, though).

As for the kart, I think we have quite a bit of room for "innovation" here, the current kart is a little plain and minimalistic. Alternative Tux from the addons has a pretty nice kart, for instance, that would be used as inspiration

Keep up the good work!

[XGhost]

I like the idea of the universe in SuperTuxKart but I think when we redesign old tracks and also karts but keep an old classical touch in it, that would work out very well. We can renew karts and tracks, or create new ones but why we have to replace the old classical stuff. In my opinion we also should put the artistic focus also on old and classical stuff.

A little sidenote, to avoid misunderstandings:
I don't want to leave old karts and track as they are right now in the game. We have a strong engine and we should use it adequately. But I would suggest to leave always a little classical touch in it.
Samuncle created two tracks: Gran Paradiso and Cocoa. You can see clearly, which one of them replaces the old island and which the old jungle. But if we for example replace Math class with a completely different track... The classical touch gets lost. I would like to see more "before-after" comparisations: "Look what over the years has been done!"
(Therefore, I loved eg. Tux tollway, which is now only aviable as an addon)

In Tux' case:
For me Tux is an absolute original character, so I haven't even touched the main shape of the kart . This is absolute not necessary for other characters. -> Maybe Wilber could need a new funny kart for sure . (I still remember his old trunk )

Have a nice one
Julian

[Akien]

I really love the new design, it's a big improvement over the current Tux kart

I understand the motivation to keep the "classic" feel of the kart while adapting it to the new engine. IMO, it would be nice to have two versions of Tux in future releases (just like there are two variants of Sara):
- one "Classic Tux" version that would basically be based off XGhost's current proposal
- a next-gen Tux that could be more realistic, with improved models and textures

WDYT?

[XGhost]

I understand the motivation to keep the "classic" feel of the kart while adapting it to the new engine. IMO, it would be nice to have two versions of Tux in future releases (just like there are two variants of Sara):
- one "Classic Tux" version that would basically be based off XGhost's current proposal
- a next-gen Tux that could be more realistic, with improved models and textures

WDYT?

I like this idea very much!
Mabe a new Tux could be unlocked somewhen during the story modus. I am willing to make a completely new kart for Tux, but I am quite busy this week so I will probably draw some concepts and post them here. Ideas and other opinions are welcome!

[ArDanWol]

- one "Classic Tux" version that would basically be based off XGhost's current proposal
- a next-gen Tux that could be more realistic, with improved models and textures

I LOVE this idea! I like X-Ghost's redo of the old Tux, but it would be nice to have a next-gen variant. I like the Alt. Tux from the add-ons, but he doesn't display properly in 0.8.2. It would also be nice if we did some work on Wilber and Hexley. They have pretty simple karts and could use a little redo.

On the math class subject, I like the general layout, the theme, and lap time (length), but it could definitely use some makeup and improvements. I like some of the classic tracks such as Tux Tollway, but they definitely need some help if they are going to make it into future releases.

[Arthur]

I really like the remodeling, great work! Personally I think you could be more brave with the texture, adding some details on the side for example would liven it up without compromising the classic feel of the kart. In any case, it's a nice improvement and I look forward to playing with it.

[XGhost]

I have here some first very very rough mockups of a possible new kart for Tux.
http://creative-forge.ch/img/stk/tuxkart_mockup.png
http://creative-forge.ch/img/stk/tuxkart1.jpg
http://creative-forge.ch/img/stk/tuxkart2.jpg

This car gave me some ideas too:
http://www.qpod.co.uk/images/index/main-fi6.jpg

Suggestions are welcome! At this stage it's not even difficiult to make changes

I am very in favour with the idea to include both, the redone old Tux (see above) and one with a new Kart in the game. So it would have two Tux' in the game and the new one could be unlocked in the story moder or something.
There is also a wish to include Penny (Tux' girlpenguin ) in the game again. When I'm right, Samuncle suggested to use the redone kart of Tux (the above one) for her and make a completely new one for Tux.
That's not quite the thing that I had in mind, especially because the old Tux Kart is so typical . What do you think?

[ArDanWol]

Lookin' good X-Ghost! Your kart making skills amaze me. I like your mockup of the redesign of Tux.

I am very in favor with the idea to include both, the redone old Tux (see above) and one with a new Kart in the game. So it would have two Tux' in the game and the new one could be unlocked in the story moder or something.
There is also a wish to include Penny (Tux' girlpenguin ) in the game again. When I'm right, Samuncle suggested to use the redone kart of Tux (the above one) for her and make a completely new one for Tux.
That's not quite the thing that I had in mind, especially because the old Tux Kart is so typical . What do you think?

I don't think we should give Penny Tux's kart. As you said, the Tux Kart design is very typical and has been around since the first release. If we did include Penny, we should give her her own new kart.
I really like the idea of including a "Classic Tux" and a "NextGen Tux" in the game. Keep up the good work!

[deve]

@XGhost: I very like your Tux kart (this one from the first post). It looks much better than the current one and it keeps its original style. Is it possible to try it in game?

And I think that Tux shouldn't have totally different kart. This kart is something recognizeable. It's even used in our icon. We can have alternative Tux kart, but replacing current one by something totally different is IMO bad idea.

[ArDanWol]

@XGhost: I very like your Tux kart (this one from the first post). It looks much better than the current one and it keeps its original style. Is it possible to try it in game?

And I think that Tux shouldn't have totally different kart. This kart is something recognizable. It's even used in our icon. We can have alternative Tux kart, but replacing current one by something totally different is IMO bad idea.

I think the plan is to include them both side-by-side like the two versions of Sara.

[XGhost]

Lookin' good X-Ghost! Your kart making skills amaze me. I like your mockup of the redesign of Tux.

Thank you very much! Nice to hear that.

Is it possible to try it in game?

I'm very sorry, I knew that I forgot something!
Here you go:

Tux Kart
A total of: 6140 Tris
Texture resolution: 256x256 px (2^8) to 1024x1024 px (2^10) (All textures were originally made with a 2048x2048 px (2^11) resolution, so we can go up if it would be necessary.
Animations: Steering, Winning, Losing, Jumping
License: > See license file for further informations <
Download: https://app.box.com/s/vcq0fpkshz8kydrbirnknq2n9jqjc8jv