Khalifate facelift: Redux

Contribute art for mainline Wesnoth.

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Noy
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Noy »

Jetryl wrote: By extension, although these are inspired by the Abassaids, in a game like wesnoth, it's artistically a bad idea to be too strict about limiting yourself to precisely one historical culture. Just as our "loyalists" are vaguely european, it's actually a very good idea, in terms of visual variety, to work in any interesting costume elements you can think of that vaguely apply to an arab-flavor army. Wesnoth is emphatically not a historical game - it's a fantasy game, and it's a bad idea, visually, to be too conservative about designs. This is the only arab-flavored faction we're going to have in the game (assuming this even gets finished), so if there's some cool costume element that would enhance these guys, but doesn't specifically fit the Abbasaids in history, that's NOT a reason to forgo its use. These guys may be primarily inspired by that group, but they also act as a representation of basically all mideastern fantasy/history. They're never going to be facing off against, say, a historical turkish army, or a historical persian army - in fact they're basically doing the opposite, and are going to be used to represent the spirit of those as well. So work whatever elements from them that will visually make these look cool. Remember that "looking cool" is your primary objective.
Agreed. The only reason why I used this period was because of its technological level. Earlier Caliphates used more simple weaponry and less ornate dress, offering less variety for us to use. The Naffatun is a good example of a Abbasid only unit. Using arab units from future armies would see the introduction of gunpowder, which would not fit the wesnoth setting very well.
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Sleepwalker
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Sleepwalker »

I haven't just looked at only Abbasid military for reference. It's just that the basic helm design for all periods before the Abbasids used the same cone or sphere shape with pointy tip. Even other cultures, especially steppe folk cultures, used it, but with slight variations. I do have some more different variants up my sleeve, of both helms and hats, but I had hoped to use them on other units and higher levels...

My biggest source of reference has been this page so far. EDIT: Besides the pictures Noy sent me.

I changed the TC rim of the Amirs helmet though to look more like those ropey cloth things they sometimes have around their helmets. Don't think it's called a turban. Dunno if it makes it distinct enough.

Anyway, here's the Karadis, wearing a variation of a turban. Is the bow visible enough? Is his blue robe thing too blue?
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Amir.png
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Karadis.png
Karadis.png (6.24 KiB) Viewed 5175 times
Last edited by Sleepwalker on February 8th, 2009, 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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thespaceinvader
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by thespaceinvader »

I wish I'd known about that page before I did the Dwarf Fighter, it's got some lovely scale armour reference, and I've found that remarkably hard to come by. I'll be adding the link to the reference thread =D

The Karadis looks great - the bow is fine where it is IMO. The only slight issue that I can see is that the top of the helm/turban looks very flat - you need a bit of anti-aliasing at the sides.
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Sleepwalker
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Sleepwalker »

Yup, found a real gem with that page... :)

Anti-aliased Karadis turban.
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Karadis.png
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thespaceinvader
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by thespaceinvader »

Bingo =D

Are you planning on animating these guys yourself, or farming the work out?
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JW
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by JW »

Sleepwalker wrote:Yup, found a real gem with that page... :)

Anti-aliased Karadis turban.
:shock:

damn that's good.
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Girgistian
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Girgistian »

JW wrote: :shock:

damn that's good.
Agreed, this is why it's called art workshop.
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JW
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by JW »

Girgistian wrote:
JW wrote: :shock:

damn that's good.
Agreed, this is why it's called art workshop.
I'm not really sure what you mean by that sentence, especially with that emphasis. There's plenty of art that isn't good. Some of it is even in this forum.
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Sleepwalker
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Sleepwalker »

Thanks. :D

Next unit is going to be the naffatun, he's now a lvl 1 and have a flamethrower. That will be fun. :D

EDIT: By farming the work out you mean letting other guys do it? Yeah well if anyone wants to have a go that's fine by me. Else I suppose I will start animating them myself after the base frames are done.
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thespaceinvader
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by thespaceinvader »

Yeah, that's what I meant =)
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Guidrion
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Guidrion »

You could take inspiration for the naffatun's flamethrower from the byzantine flamethrower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aph-3zEacuw(not the big one at the beginning)

Nice work on those, anyway :wink:
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Wintermute »

These are looking great! Keep up the good work.
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Girgistian
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Girgistian »

Just dropping by to inform that the Ahadath's melee attack's coming up... slowly. 3 unfinished frames so far, but it's on it's way.
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Sleepwalker
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by Sleepwalker »

Girgistian: Nice, can't wait to see it :) (your slayer animation is awesome btw).

Here's the Naffatun... He's supposed to be wearing a woven asbestos coat. I made the flamethrower similar to that in the movie clip, operated with a pump in the back. Thanks Guidrion for the interesting link.
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thespaceinvader
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Re: Kalifa facelift

Post by thespaceinvader »

Oh, very cool. He reminds me heavily of chemical-weapons suits, but only at first glance. he's noticeably wearing medieval desert gear, but it echoes modern stuff.

Awesome.
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