The Weasel's CaS Collection (Now with 100% MORE SOUL CALIBUR VI!)

OK, I'm not the best at Introductions, so I'll make this short: I dig SoulCalibur V's CaS mode. I dig it enough that I've probably invested more time creating characters (And backstories for them every now-and-then) than actually learning how to use them in competitive matches. Thus, I feel like showing off my work on this fine website.

Two things before I get Started: Everything I make is a Work-In-Progress; Nothing is set in stone in regards to these characters and how they look. So, Rates & Reviews are VERY welcome and updates will be posted as I see fit.

Secondly, If you have a problem with my personal style of CaS, go to another thread. I've found that there's a BIG difference between constructive criticism and straight-up bashing; Please, be respectful and keep that in mind.

With that said, enjoy! :)
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Tsumeiji Horikawa:



Jean Gabriel:



Imaru Ushijima:



Skullhausen:



(NOTE: Just realized that the photos for Tsumeiji are from a very early build in the character's design and they're no longer indicative of her current look; Updated photos will arrive ASAP. Also, full Character Bios for all of the above CaS are coming soon for those that are interested in such things...)

Hi,

I hope my comments won't be regarded as bashing as they are not at all intended as such :o)...

Technically basic, design feels very generic, nothing really stands out, but nothing really shocking either (except the body proportions on the ninja girl, and the chest belt on the maid, unless it is part of the CAS themes which i don't know about)

The last one though has an interesting combination (creates an undead far west themed CAS of sorts),i would be interested in seeing the updated version because it is the strongest of the bunch in terms of equipment combo (yet still a very rough diamond)

In terms of advice, the whole set would requires some more patterns, a more interesting color palette (without going from bland to vivid because the hues your are using are ok)...
and creative use of ExEq (maybe you haven't unlocked them, but i don't see any, and this doesn't help creating a theme around your CAS).

As a general advice, i understand you are asking for guidance here, but i would only post CAS which are finished and ready to show, considering the overall level of the community offering this long after release.

Keep on sharing !
Cheers,

VILARCANE said:

Hi,

I hope my comments won't be regarded as bashing as they are not at all intended as such :o)...

Technically basic, design feels very generic, nothing really stands out, but nothing really shocking either (except the body proportions on the ninja girl, and the chest belt on the maid, unless it is part of the CAS themes which i don't know about)

The last one though has an interesting combination (creates an undead far west themed CAS of sorts),i would be interested in seeing the updated version because it is the strongest of the bunch in terms of equipment combo (yet still a very rough diamond)

In terms of advice, the whole set would requires some more patterns, a more interesting color palette (without going from bland to vivid because the hues your are using are ok)...
and creative use of ExEq (maybe you haven't unlocked them, but i don't see any, and this doesn't help creating a theme around your CAS).

As a general advice, i understand you are asking for guidance here, but i would only post CAS which are finished and ready to show, considering the overall level of the community offering this long after release.

Keep on sharing !
Cheers,

Click to expand...

Gotcha. Basically, keep tinkering with each one of them and push for more distinctive designs and visual tricks by utilizing everything CaS Mode has to offer...

Sounds simple enough.

In regards to you're queries, there were certain backstory-related explanations (IE Excuses) in regards to Tsumeiji's build and Ushijima's belted chest, but they aren't really important (Tsumeiji's initial design brief was "What would a Human/Tengu hybrid look like?", Ushijima was a dig at a certain "Cosplay Model" etc. etc. etc. Basically, more excuses to pull out of "Guess-Where?"). As for ole' "Skully", I ended up mainly focusing on trying to get everything to have a sort of "Well-Worn" look to it through using patterns to try and replicate textures (Using the tricks showcased in Le Bello's thread on the subject), but I guess the details ended up being a little TOO much if no one else noticed them...

Lastly, I haven't unlocked every pattern or sticker in the game just yet (Haven't had the time or personal motivation to do so), but when I do I'll sit down and go through every single CaS I have and remodify the living daylights out of them until I'm 100% happy. Until then...

BULLRUSHES FOR EVERYONE!!!

Hey, yes vilarcane has some great advice for new coming CaS makers... I highly suggest looking through his CaS thread for their are many good examples of just how far you can take it with creation mode. Seriously if you look at other people's CaS threads you will just learn so much more when it comes to the pure beauty of CaS design, also if you get a chance to check out the contest threads you should do so. I learned a lot from just viewing these threads so I know it can help you to :D

Greetings and I will second what VILARCANE said earlier. They're bit on the plain side, but they have potential to improve. To really improve them, orangeislands said it best: look at other peeps CAS. Grab some inspirations, steal their CAS ideas to help your own. Another thing you could also do, is utilize google to enhance your characters. Like Asuka Kazama from Tekken and Natsu of Soul Calibur for instance? Try meshing them together. Eventually you'll create a trend which everyone will copy and learn from you.

In general, this thread could give you what you need. Look at CAS Challenges, Tutorials, and More! thread. It's stickied because it's meant for easy access to help peeps like you. If you still have questions, feel free to ask here, PMs, or whatever suits your fancy. Keep on sharing.

These are some competent creations, and you show good potential, Weasel. I can see a clear sense of direction for most of your characters. Now all you gotta do is add a little polish.

For Tsumeiji, you're going for a ninja with a sense of technopunk, which is suggested by the contrast between the black catsuit and the red armor. It's an excellent foundation, so now you can play up that technopunk angle. This is where the special equipment comes in. You could give her some kind of cool gadget, like a plasma rifle. I don't know how it would look, but you could attach a "hand gun" special equipment to the hand, a "bolt" as a scope or muzzle, and a "pure ring" for the glowing effect. Or if you're feeling lazy, slap the "goggles (special equipment) on her head," and throw in some random pure rings. Now you add stickers and patterns. The single most important sticker (and most abused) is probably the pocket sticker, "motif 59." It is bump-mapped, so it adds texture. You can use this sticker to simulate whole new layers of clothing. You'll need to experiment with all the bump mapped stickers, which are motifs 13, 15, 58-62, 66, 67, and 75-78. Then look for bump-mapped patterns like Ethnic 12-15 and modern 14-16. If you want a mesh pattern (like those found in all the recent superhero movies) use the Basic 15 pattern at the smallest possible size. Oh, and slim her body down for God's sake. She's also top heavy, so give her a belt or something.

I won't go too much in depth with the others, but here's some more suggestions. Jean Gabriel is clearly some narcissistic, possibly angelic, prince character (blonde hair, white, heroic looking clothing). Try throwing some random feathers at him. Imaru doesn't classify in any particular trope (battle maid? maybe?) so you'll have a harder time differentiating her. You could angle for the grungy magical girl look (like American McGee's Alice) by applying dark make-up, bloodstains, chains, etc. . Skullhausen looks pretty damn good. You instantly recognized that Zwei's equipment works great for Wild West designs. I guess you could give him a cigar by shoving a bolt in his mouth.

In short, you have vision and an understanding of character design. I highly recommend you check out ThePascuzzi's thread in particular. More than a skilled creator, he explains just about everything you need to know to reproduce his works. Fliptop also does a good job of this. My gallery also includes some notes here and there. Some of our greatest creators, like Gatsu and Vilarcane, do some pretty mind-boggling stuff, but we're all pretty friendly here, so don't be afraid to ask. Anyways, keep up the good work!

hehe, "mind-boggling", i love this word :)
there is a word board game called boggle i used to play a lot when i was a kid, and when my command of english improved overtime, i realized what it actually meant !

How many new soulcalibur games featuring a standard 24 characters could we release with all the top-tier designs produced here by all of us. My stuff alone, i could do at least 10 or 12, up to Soul Calibur 15 at least :)

Admittedly, our stuff is free yet much more creative than project soul's, but then again, do they deserve credit for giving us a flawed editor with so many bugs and limitations ?

Yes, in some kind and deviant and twisted way, the best proof of it being that the flow of newcomers to CAS creations, motivated enough to post pics here, never ceased since release. I being one of them a few years back...

Man, am i getting melodramatic :P

I feel ya, man. Here on 8WR we have the advantage of numbers and no share holders to report to. I'm sure we'd make a kickass game together. Then fans would clamor for a sequel, and we'd be forced to redesign our characters and add more Algols. This goes on for three more sequels, and somehow our game becomes Mortal Kombat 15. JUST KIDDING.

So far so good. Jean is my favorite.

Thanks for all of the words of encouragement everybody.

brucege said:

For Tsumeiji, you're going for a ninja with a sense of technopunk, which is suggested by the contrast between the black catsuit and the red armor. It's an excellent foundation, so now you can play up that technopunk angle. This is where the special equipment comes in. You could give her some kind of cool gadget, like a plasma rifle. I don't know how it would look, but you could attach a "hand gun" special equipment to the hand, a "bolt" as a scope or muzzle, and a "pure ring" for the glowing effect. Or if you're feeling lazy, slap the "goggles (special equipment) on her head," and throw in some random pure rings. Now you add stickers and patterns. Oh, and slim her body down for God's sake. She's also top heavy, so give her a belt or something.

Click to expand...

I was actually trying to make her by the Female equivalent to Yoshimitsu; A vaguely Anachronistic Ninja with more in common with modern Sentai heroes than anything historically accurate (Or embellished). Also, Tsumeiji as a character is just meant to be, well, BIG: The initial idea I had in mind was that she would be well over 6' tall with an outfit made from sewing lord-knows how many old Fu-Ma Clan bodysuits together (Similar to Hugo from Street Fighter 3: If you look hard enough at the bottom of his pant legs, you can clearly see that the pants themselves are actually made of several different pairs stitched together).

brucege said:

Jean Gabriel is clearly some narcissistic, possibly angelic, prince character (blonde hair, white, heroic looking clothing). Try throwing some random feathers at him.

Click to expand...

Narcissistic? Yes. A Prince? No, but he's a young Nobleman (So pretty close). Angelic? ... I'll leave that unanswered until his update is complete.

brucege said:

In short, you have vision and an understanding of character design. I highly recommend you check out ThePascuzzi's thread in particular. More than a skilled creator, he explains just about everything you need to know to reproduce his works. Fliptop also does a good job of this. My gallery also includes some notes here and there. Some of our greatest creators, like Gatsu and Vilarcane, do some pretty mind-boggling stuff, but we're all pretty friendly here, so don't be afraid to ask. Anyways, keep up the good work! ​

Click to expand...

Thanks, I try to look up to Gatsu's work as a big inspiration and I appreciate the effort ThePascuzzi & Vilacarne's CaS have (Pas's use of Pocket Stickers and other texture trickery is astounding!)

Anyway, I've been working on a few updates here and there, but I feel none of them are ready to be shown just yet... However, I do have two new CaS open for critiques, rates & reviews.

Freyja Gistladottir:



"Mr. X":

I'm mostly going to repeat what others have said.
The characters look basic, but I can tell that you know how to use the colors well as to prevent them from looking like hyperactive clowns.

You see, the problem i have with these characters is that it doesn't look like you try to differentiate them from their basic archetypes by adding some flair that personifies your creations. As in, someone can look at it and see, that you're the one who made these characters.

I suggest you try and fool around with the special equipments, stickers and try to work a bit out of the norm regarding the archetypes you're using.

Lets say, you're trying to make a knight, why not try and make a knight who has just battled a fierce dragon and has been sent to a dimension of amazon's by some unknown force and has been living there for a week orso. That backstory would influence the design of your character a fair bit, I'd say.

Though maybe i don't make much sense, ah well.

DokuganRaiyu said:

I'm mostly going to repeat what others have said.
The characters look basic, but I can tell that you know how to use the colors well as to prevent them from looking like hyperactive clowns.

You see, the problem i have with these characters is that it doesn't look like you try to differentiate them from their basic archetypes by adding some flair that personifies your creations. As in, someone can look at it and see, that you're the one who made these characters.

I suggest you try and fool around with the special equipments, stickers and try to work a bit out of the norm regarding the archetypes you're using.

Lets say, you're trying to make a knight, why not try and make a knight who has just battled a fierce dragon and has been sent to a dimension of amazon's by some unknown force and has been living there for a week orso. That backstory would influence the design of your character a fair bit, I'd say.

Though maybe i don't make much sense, ah well.

Click to expand...

No, I get what you're saying. And yeah, i do think about things like "Why is he/she wearing this? What does it symbolize? Is there an actual reason she's built like that?" When designing a CaS.

Either way, I'm going on a break from posting in this thread until I'm 100% satisfied with my next batch of CaS, as well as updates and biographies for all of the others that have been posted so far.

You got potential, maybe you could browser through the other users galleries for ideas, everyone that posted so far have a good amount of really cool characters, so if you want inspiration give a look around.

First off, I appologize for the rather long abscence from posting; Part of it is he fact that my real-life work schedule has ramped up in the last week+ and as such, I haven't had the energy to mess around with the Pretty Doll Dress-Up CaS mode of SoulCalibur V. However, I finished up a character concept I'd like to share...

(Though again, I feel that's probably FAR too plain compared to most other CaS on this fine board...



Again, Rate, Review, Whatever I'm off to sleep.

While she remind me of Taki with this particular set of colors, is interesting, the ninja persona in the design is nicely done. Good job I see some progress here. (I just not sure about the mask, but oh well.)

Ramus said:

While she remind me of Taki with this particular set of colors, is interesting, the ninja persona in the design is nicely done. Good job I see some progress here. (I just not sure about the mask, but oh well.)

Click to expand...

Well, I tried to make a more "Elysium"-Looking design with a Gold, Silver & White coloring along with more "Fantasy"-Style armor, but it just didn't have that intangible "Pop" certain CaS have... That, or I didn't get the colors to mesh right (And I don't have every single piece of CaS DLC to play with... Yet...). Regardless, I'll probably post that color scheme soon as well.

Besides that, well....

Good job at explaining the red unitard trick, that will surely be helpful in the future.

I actually like the simplicity of the characters, Jean and Imaru in particular.

The thing is, whilst having a bunch of unique ExEq combinations is great and all, sometimes it isn't necessary, and I believe with those two designs, it's REALLY not necessary. Their simplicity isn't boring, it's deceptive and it makes them almost iconic. Neither of them are stereotypes, as they have just enough personality without sacrificing thematics.

Not so keen on the latter 3 though. Freya is nice enough but, I dunno I'm just not keen some reason. Personal preference I guess?

Mr X just does nothing for me. It's technically competent but, perhaps a bit too futuristic for my tastes?

And whilst Takilysium is certainly an interesting idea, I think the colour balance is way off, and the pattern on the mask is too busy and detracts from the whole "intrigue and mystery" vibe Elysium is rocking. Stick with the reds and golds, and accent it with black and purple. Elysium's colour palette is based on Sophitia's, so logically it would adopt Taki's preferences were she trying to portray.

I'm looking forwards to seeing what else you come up with though!

Le_Bello said:

I actually like the simplicity of the characters, Jean and Imaru in particular.

The thing is, whilst having a bunch of unique ExEq combinations is great and all, sometimes it isn't necessary, and I believe with those two designs, it's REALLY not necessary. Their simplicity isn't boring, it's deceptive and it makes them almost iconic. Neither of them are stereotypes, as they have just enough personality without sacrificing thematics.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was going for Signore Le_Bello; Mainly, trying to capture that certain intangible "Zazz" that made the old-school cast of SoulCalibur memorable WITHOUT having to resort to putting patterns on every single piece of clothing they wear and/or using bright, overly-starched colors for no real reason...

(Looking at & here)...

That's not to say that Patterns are bad (Far from it! In fact, in the case of Jean, Mr. X & Skullhausen I used various patterns to give their clothes a more "Lived-In" look), but I feel that my creative mind when it comes to CaS thinks more along the lines of, say, a Manga Author rather than a Videogame Character designer; If I use a pattern, I usually use it for subtle effects more than anything else.

Le_Bello said:

Not so keen on the latter 3 though. Freya is nice enough but, I dunno I'm just not keen some reason. Personal preference I guess?

Mr X just does nothing for me. It's technically competent but, perhaps a bit too futuristic for my tastes?

Click to expand...

I think Freya as a whole needs a complete overhaul IHMO; I keep feeling that her character could use the current design as a possible 2P Outfit, but it just lacks that certain something that makes it more than a piece of pure fanservice... Much like the character itself, really.

Mr. X, meanwhile, IS supposed to be a bit more futuristic than the average SC Character; He's a purposeful jab at everyone's favorite Limb-Based Combat Simulator and how odd it feels to see DJ's Game-Breaking movest in a proper SoulCalibur title. Besides that, I think he could use some more detail work to try and break up all of the black clothes the character wears (Which I'm working on at the moment, by the way!).

Le_Bello said:

And whilst Takilysium is certainly an interesting idea, I think the colour balance is way off, and the pattern on the mask is too busy and detracts from the whole "intrigue and mystery" vibe Elysium is rocking. Stick with the reds and golds, and accent it with black and purple. Elysium's colour palette is based on Sophitia's, so logically it would adopt Taki's preferences were she trying to portray.

Click to expand...

Agreed; The more and more I look at her mask, the more I dislike it. I mainly experimented with putting patterns on the mask in the first place as a way to break up this big, blank white covering over Takilysium's face, though now I realize that's the character's biggest draw as a design... Well, aside from the whole "Angelic Theme" of course. Truthfully, I feel that the mask is one of those pieces of equipment that has some potential to do interesting things with, but no one's really done anything with it yet...

Le_Bello said:

I'm looking forwards to seeing what else you come up with though!

Click to expand...

Thanks indeed Signore Le_Bello! (Tell Gisele I said "Hi" By the way.)

With that said, here's an extra from my current entry in This Week's "Most Esteemed One-Shot Contest":

Fabrizio, The Eccentric Assasin:

Good work! Freya's well put together. She follows all the basic rules of fashion, but she doesn't stand out that much. What she (and most creations) needs is a strong sense of direction. Since you used the falcon helmet and the swan tail belt, you've already got a sort of bird motif going on. Throw some more feather accessories and apply some feather stickers. Or just do the obvious and thrown in the wings. For an example of a bird-themed original creation, check out the harpie on page 1 of my gallery.

Mr. X is also a good start, but if you wanna do timeless, try going steam punk! Steam punk usually means goggles, belts, gears, and a brown/gold color scheme. Search "steam punk" in the forums and you'll probably end up in finding the steam punk challenge from way back in the day.

Nalytsium. The string effect on her chest is pretty nifty. Try turning the whole thing white. It'll look a lot more like Elysium that way.

Fabrizio's quite dashing. Very Saints Row III. The cigarette and hat contribute much to the mobster design. It's also neat how you decked out his lower body with holsters, pocket stickers, and zippers. Excellent job!