Geeko (OpenSuse Kart) - WIP

[Gaming4JC]

Hello All,
It occured to me SuperTuxKart is missing the OpenSuse Mascot - Geeko!
So I wipped this up in a few hours. I'm not sure how to go about exporting it since the scripts don't appear to be working in 2.58a. And I also don't know how I would go about animating it... but nonetheless here's some pics:


(Icon + Mesh)

http://i.imgur.com/Z8dA6.jpg
(UV Mapped + Wheels)

Thoughts? Help on exporting?

The only texture which may have copyright is found here:
http://en.opensuse.org/images/8/8b/Open ... review.png

I usually do all my work Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. If you need another let me know.

If you like it I also accept bitcoin tips:
http://utip.it/t/2711

Thanks.

[Kinsu]

Hi Gaming4JC ! Nice beginning

If you need some help you can start by taking a look to the wiki.

Some suggestions :
- The kart is too small to my opinion,
- the wheels are waay too small too, make it look like a toy (which is not that bad for this game )

I'm glad to see you have a very small number of polys

Keep us informed !

[Gaming4JC]

I read the wiki, but it is specifically for Blender 2.4. Does this mean I cannot export the model now that I have made it in Blender 2.58a?

[sj04736]

The blender 2.5x scripts are here: http://supertuxkart.svn.sourceforge.net ... lender_25/
If you install those plugins (B3DExport, stk_panel, stk_kart, stk_track), you will find more options in the scene panel. (and in the object panel after you check "is a stk kart")

[edit] the wiki needs a blender 2.5x kart tutorial still, from what I can tell. If you want to help with that...

[Auria]

See http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Ins ... he_tools_2 to get started with karts. Then the tutorial for 2.5 is indeed not started, this will need to be done, but you should find your way without too much problems in the blender STK property panels (just tell me if you need more help; blender 2.5 support is not yet completely done)

[Gaming4JC]

I got the addons running, but perhaps I am missing something. The STK properties dialogs all say "Not a SuperTuxKart Scene", and when I run the exporter it says "ERROR: Not a STK kart!". Any idea how to resolve this?

I've gone ahead and got animation rigged and created the shadow. The Model could also use a better texture, but I never was much good at that. :P
It occurred to me we can also use textures for each character, whereas my experience with Re-Volt was much more tedious and we only had 256x256 to work with in the first place. So I'm not sure if I need to consider breaking making two textures or not. He looks pretty nifty for the small amount of poly and textures.

[Auria]

You just need to locate the supertuxkart panel in the properties and click the "kart" checkbox

[Gaming4JC]

Thanks much, I found all the required info.

Now for the icon, I have made two. Which do you think is best?




And... for those wanting to try it out, I have bundled and attached the kart + sources. Currently used is the latter PNG. (Which I think looks less odd)
Feel free to critique.

Enjoy!

[Gaming4JC]

Ah yes and I think I used Ariel font for the bumper sticker. I'll try and get that replaced with tuffy (a PD typeface), and write Novell concerning usage of "their" trademark.

[KroArtem]

I prefer the second icon, it really looks less odd and more.. friendly, I'd say.

[Gaming4JC]

Updated version with Tuffy font, smoother animations, and a few more texture effects. Download and enjoy!

Now we wait for a response from Novell.

[Auria]

Looks nice Maybe you can make the kart a bit less grey, though?

Also, for icon, maybe take a look at yeKcim's icon for this character : http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/warmux/trunk ... iew=markup (source : http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/warmux/data- ... haracters/ ) he's the one that made most of our other icons

[Gaming4JC]

I could try to make it less grey, but that would technically change the color of the "artwork brand" decal on back of kart.
I used the grey one found here: http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Artwork_brand
So I used that color...

[STKRudy85]

Auria is demanding but there is the way she include your contrib in the main package (no ? )

I think your work is great, and like your fisrt icon as Yeckim's ones

I will take a better eye on it this evening

[Funto]

Concerning the icon, I think the choices about the perspective on the first one makes it look odd, as KroArtem said, and I prefer the 2nd one.

However to make the second icon more consistent with the other ones in STK, here is some advice from my personal experience:
- make the borders larger, so that it's consistent with the other icons
- choose the same color as the main color of your icon for the borders, but darker (that's actually what you've already done, I just mention it here for reference )
- don't put borders around the eyes
- all the existing icons have the two visible eyes, which are "joined". Actually, in your case, I would maybe make an exception as the original logo is from a side view just like you did...
- take care of the size of the icon, in your case it is a bit bigger than the other ones
- I would try to make the fading a bit less obvious by making it weaker and trying to hide its center.

As for the kart, I don't really know...its shape is a bit odd, but that gives it kind of a personality (it's a gecko, that's a weird animal after all ) And yes, maybe less grey...
Do you know what are the rights concerning the openSuSE logo?

[STKRudy85]

I tried this texture if you're interested:

geeko_tex.jpg (16.82 KiB) Viewed 15334 times

[LinuxUser]

I like it! The only thing I noticed is that the wheels will disappear into a wall... Other than the already-mentioned icon size.

[Gaming4JC]

Cool looking STKRudy! I actually have the PSD and or PDN sources if you need them.
Regarding Icon Size/edits, here's a slight modification:


The big issue we will be dealing with here is the Logo. Usage rights are as follows.

Do not use a custom font for the logotype
Do not use other color treatment than SUSE green or shades of gray.
Do not change the layout of the logotype in relation to the chameleon graphic.
Do not mix the logo with other graphical elements such as emblems to create derivate project logos.
Do not stretch, skew the logo. Always keep the aspect ratio intact when resizing.

All this and more here: http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Artwork_brand
I'm quite sure STKRudy's breaks one of those...
And I still haven't heard back from Novell regarding permissions from my current texture. I suppose we could make our own? :/

[Arthur]

All those restrictions would quite certainly not make it follow the Debian licensing guidelines, so I am not sure if it would work out for the main package.

[Funto]

After having a look at the rights for the logos, it seems that using the rounded openSUSE logo is much more permissive than the full gecko, so you should probably do that

Can someone make a screenshot of the kart with the new texture? What material is this supposed to be?

[Kinsu]

All those restrictions would quite certainly not make it follow the Debian licensing guidelines, so I am not sure if it would work out for the main package.

What a pity... because of its licence, Geeko can't be featured in STK. No problem : just change it for Notepad++

[KroArtem]

Btw, nice idea! Notepad++ is an awesome tool and has a similar mascot.

[Funto]

As I said, I think it is ok to use the head of the gecko alone, in a rounded fashion: from http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Artwork_brand :

The geeko head is the secondary identity. The round button can be freely colored and combined with other graphical elements to form spinners or project logos. It is also allowed to give it custom color treatment.

A typical use for the Geeko button is for openSUSE related projects.

[Kinsu]

Yes, but it does not fit with the other STK icons... (profile vs. 3/4)

[Gaming4JC]

I think he means the icon for the back of the kart not the main character. Actually that isn't a bad idea. If some one would like to try here is the source file, attached below.

Instead of the "white"/[and illegal] geeko logo on the back, let's try this geeko button.


If you like I can try to mess around with it some more, but I see others here have more creative textures.