6 months to create ONE equipment set!?

[SAMINUS]

I was reading this on my phone, logged on just to reply to this. I am a game designer, I use Maya to create models on par with FFXIII. IT DOES NOT TAKE 6 MONTHS TO CREATE ONE SET OF GEAR. It doesn't matter how high the texutre res is, dumbing down tex res can be done in seconds, maybe a minute if your workstation is slow. resizing the gear for different character models for perfection with the number of models FFXIV has can take a day or two max. Full concept art can be made and finalized in a day max. Modeling the gear - each piece can be done in a day .. 8 hour work day is a very long time if you are just modeling. I recreated a high res Lightning FFXIII model in 2 days just doing it here and there. Not that explaining any of this will speed up SE's creation time or will it do any other good than to have other people more reason to complain. I just figured I would log on to share my experience. All in all, a good solid week for a good modeled gear set.

[SAMINUS]

OK LETS DO THIS

since there are so many artists in this tread i suggest a concept ART showdown for future jobs!
who knows maybe SE will use a set on the game if they read the thread

GOGOGO!!!

It is a nice idea, only problem is a copyright issue. we create concept art for them, they use it, then the concept artist would want some cash for their work. This goes the same way for some of the great literary works I have seen from members on these forums.

[Synfrag]

First off, am I the only one who thinks Rukkirii is cute as all hell? I'd pull the equipment set off her any day

I too do 3D modeling. I can't say I have done any equipment sets for a video game but what I can say is that breakdown above is way off. Keep in mind this company does have high visual standards. Look at square films and Advent Children or even Spirits Within. Different teams but still the same belief on visual quality.

Concept art would be more like 4-5 weeks as it has to be approved by everyone and fit the future development in the long run. They make a R20 piece look way cooler than a R50 and what would happen?

Wireframes are quick and easy and should not even take a week.

Actual modeling should only take a week to iron out as well.

General Physics and Inside dimensions are already figured out for each race/size. Rigging individual armor pieces may take a few weeks if they change how elements move and what effects gravity and motion have.

Texture and lighting maybe 2-4 weeks

Final tweaks maybe another 2 weeks

Final Approval 2 more weeks

So I can see 3 months but 6 is really a stretch unless it gets hung up pending approvals from different people. Knowing business, a lot of processes have to build in padding to development. I know I double time estimates when doing large scale web design.

P.S. Rukkirii if you read this I meant no offense If you're single and interested in a long distance relationship send me a PM

[SAMINUS]

First off, am I the only one who thinks Rukkirii is cute as all hell? I'd pull the equipment set off her any day

I too do 3D modeling. I can't say I have done any equipment sets for a video game but what I can say is that breakdown above is way off. Keep in mind this company does have high visual standards. Look at square films and Advent Children or even Spirits Within. Different teams but still the same belief on visual quality.

Concept art would be more like 4-5 weeks as it has to be approved by everyone and fit the future development in the long run. They make a R20 piece look way cooler than a R50 and what would happen?

Wireframes are quick and easy and should not even take a week.

Actual modeling should only take a week to iron out as well.

General Physics and Inside dimensions are already figured out for each race/size. Rigging individual armor pieces may take a few weeks if they change how elements move and what effects gravity and motion have.

Texture and lighting maybe 2-4 weeks

Final tweaks maybe another 2 weeks

Final Approval 2 more weeks

So I can see 3 months but 6 is really a stretch unless it gets hung up pending approvals from different people. Knowing business, a lot of processes have to build in padding to development. I know I double time estimates when doing large scale web design.

P.S. Rukkirii if you read this I meant no offense If you're single and interested in a long distance relationship send me a PM

Modeling is quick. the only way it would take 6 months would be from overhead and approvals.

[Synfrag]

Modeling is quick. the only way it would take 6 months would be from overhead and approvals.

Yeah, that was my point I guess. A little long winded.

[Kajika]

I think different people, in different businesses, are reading the 6 months in different ways. I am in the design business and so I read it in terms of "schedule" and not that the whole team takes 6 months on one set. I also read it as one armor set means it needs to have each independent armor piece that fits each race and each variable of each race. I am certain they can crank out more than one of these in 6 months because they can scale horizontally. Add more people and then you can do more in parallel. Also, each stage of the process will generally be done by a different person or group. Once one person finishes their part of the work, they hand it off to the next stage and then they are free to work on the next armor design. So, it may take a long time to have one piece come out, but you keep the pipeline full and a new piece comes out every few weeks.

[Kajika]

Well, I was defending SE in saying I couldn't do the same quality in the same time they can, but I can give you proof of what I do by my old portfolio atleast, if this gives my word any credit (am not allowed to show any of what I work on in studio otherwise I will be fired lol) http://mattyws.moonfruit.com/

There! I would believe this guy's opinion over anyone saying they do this stuff all the time in 3 weeks.

[SHJcules]

Six-months seems be the entire: start>finish process, as many have mentioned. The team is not locked in a room and then 6 months later emerge; "we have done it! we have created a new set!" I'm sure more than one set is in the works at any given time, and a lot of time is spent going through channels and getting feedback and approval :yada yada speculation:

The gear also seems to be designed around form fitting with any other piece of equipment. I have no idea how they pulled that off but I am sure it is not easy! And the complexity of the skeletons and weight painting has got to be a total nightmare in order to properly incorporate the motion-capture they use. I'm sure one month alone is spent tweaking the shoulders so when you lift your arm you do not look like a coach in a football game

If your curious though you should check out the equip files in the XIV directory. This isn't the days of XI anymore! equips aren't just a 3-D model with an image mapped onto them, it is some pretty large and sophisticated series of folders and files to create one working in game model. I think it is client>chara>pc>(race folders)>equ

If a company ever makes better looking models, and claims to do it faster, I would be very interested in their methods

[Evangela]

they need to hire more developers

textures shouldn't be the most hardest part, I think the physical movement and model displaying are the hardest work and they need to do it for each race/sex character models

[Synfrag]

I agree with Kajika. It's a matter of scheduling and management not necessarily design time. And you're probably right in that they are cranking stuff out on a regular basis especially seeing as how it has been way less than 6 months and we have our Grand Company sets. I also work in the design industry so I understand art processes but then again we turn out about 5,000 designs a year between 12 artists.

I'm in the process of redesigning my website and updating my portfolio but if you need proof.

My old Flash Portfolio