Alex_Knight's CaS

[Alex_Knight]

So, finally I have decided to post my CaS's. I wouldn't mind any constructive criticism and/ or advice on most of them.

Dinah.

Spoiler

O Pyrrah's style. She was based loosely on a CaS I made in SCIII. She's had a lot of adjustment to work in 5, including her wings being made real, rather than the fake wings from 3.
Blue is her main color, with orange being a spot color.

Aelis.

Spoiler

Aelis is based on my Eladrin Warlord from my 4th edition D&D game I play in. He uses a greatsword, but I envision Nightmare's style as being more appropriate. I would likely consider him as a 'guest' character. One thing I need to figure out is whether I should do the sphere eye replacement since Eladrin eyes are one solid color.

Warwick

Spoiler

Warwick was my attempt at a 'traditional' western man-at-arms. Period-wise I was aiming for the War of the Roses. Technically 120 - 150 or so years before Soul Calibur V, the look is still decent. I just wish they had a traditional sallet helmet as well, rather than the 'Butterfly Sallet'. Again, 'guest' due to not being fitting for the time period. I wanted to do a split color livery coat, but there is no *effective* way to do so.

'Gary Stu' - Alex Knight

Spoiler

Yeah. So the character made for my name. 'Guest' as well. While technically a warrior-mage, since magic use in combat doesn't exist for sword wielding characters, I envisioned him as Sigfried's style. Blue is his main color, with white being a secondary. Dinah would be considered a counterpart for him.

Azakael

Spoiler

Necromancer. But a good guy. Based off an old D&D character. He uses Viola's style since Zasalamel's style was not in SCV. *IF* they reintroduce his style, I'll be switching Azakael back to his old style. Yes, I know. Standard black. The only wish here is that the scar on his face could be recolored, as it should be a nasty looking necrotic scar.

Elise

Spoiler

Raphael's style. Color-wise I was aiming for the colors of the French flag, as well, she's French. I put a little hint of that as well with the fleur-de-lise emblem pattern on the white part of the dress.

Piotr Von Wulstein

Spoiler

Standard Pat's style. Vampire. Based on my general for my Warhammer Fantasy Army. Yes, I know, Red and Black. Color pattern is as much a match for my army as I could do.

Elsa Von Wulstein

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Lexia's style. Also Vampire. 'Spouse' of Piotr. She isn't really 'based' on any of my miniatures. But I do what I can.

Veronica

Spoiler

Natsu's style. Veronica is one of several attempts to make a character based on someone else's property. She is from Anima Tactics, based on the Wissenschaft Organization. I couldn't *quite* match what was presented, but I like it. The other three are Alis Testarossa from the same game, Tifa in the cowboyish outfit from Cloud's flashback and... I think one more, but I don't have my PS3 in front of me.

Rex Winters

Spoiler

Devil Jin's style, Rex is based on a character from a Changeling: The Lost game I was playing in. This would be his 'Mien', the form that mortal people see. Large, scarred and angry. He had punch-it-in-the-face powers, which is why he's Devil Jin style. I would like to do his 'Mask' style, but I'm not sure how to make him look like a good cyclops.

Me

Spoiler

Mitsurugi style. Totally based on, well, me. I tried to match me as much as I could. Should have a little more paunch over the hakima and the face isn't right. However, Mitsu's style is the closest I could get to Shinkendo. Distinctly 'guest'. Black hakima, white gi. The hakima aren't quite right, nor is the belt on the gi.

So there's the ones I like the most. I'll likely post others later.

 

[REPROBEAN_CHILD]

I like the short commentaries you gave to each characters. It adds a bit more insight into them. As far as the characters themselves however, it's hard for me to say which one I like. Characters like Warwick, Elsa, and Piotr Von Wulstein have a heavy saturation on the colors. Also think it'd be a better idea to give the characters with armored tops armored lower equipment or pants with metallic faults, instead of just giving them modern-looking pants. ...And are Alex Knight and Azakael a part of the same group/organization? If not, you might want to change the outfits on one them (they look too similar). Lastly, in regards to Azakael, I he doesn't really look like a necromancer with that plate on him and he'd seem odd if he uses Viola's style. Maybe you should give him Cervante's... I'm not trying to pick them apart or to be an ass, but I'm just telling you what I think.

 

[rdmunhoz]

very nice all creations, the Elf was what I liked most

 

[Alex_Knight]

Characters like Warwick, Elsa, and Piotr Von Wulstein have a heavy saturation on the colors.

Yeah, I figured that Elsa and Piotr were a bit over saturated. You felt that Warwick was as well? I'll see how they look with some desaturation.

Also think it'd be a better idea to give the characters with armored tops armored lower equipment or pants with metallic faults, instead of just giving them modern-looking pants. ...And are Alex Knight and Azakael a part of the same group/organization? If not, you might want to change the outfits on one them (they look too similar).

That's the issue I've had with the CaS in SCV. None of the faulds look 'right' if you want non-Eastern, non-fantasy faulds. And too many of the leg options are modern or Eastern. I'll see about switching to a less-modern look on them, but I know it will be difficult to match up. I'll have to split Alex and Azakael apart somehow. I think switching out the breastplate on Azakael to be more generic than Alex's will be a start.

Lastly, in regards to Azakael, I he doesn't really look like a necromancer with that plate on him and he'd seem odd if he uses Viola's style. Maybe you should give him Cervante's... I'm not trying to pick them apart or to be an ass, but I'm just telling you what I think.

That's fine, this criticism is exactly what I was looking for. Viola's style is more of a stop gap (in the vain hopes that they bring the Scythe style back into the game) because no other style really fit for him. The orb at least presents some idea of magic use on his end. I wanted to match him to how he's built into the actual RPG he was used in, where he was a 'spellsword' with a focus on necromancy magic. Being a spellsword allowed him to get around some of the issues of spell casting in armor. I should have mentioned that part in the blurb.

Thanks for the criticism and input. I'll make a few changes on some of them and maybe post the others I had as well.

 

[Norik]

Not to be annoying, but...

I think that they're way too similar from one another, especially the males. From what I can see you haven't unlocked all of the pieces yet, that might be part of the problem. You used the same breastplate for most of them, hell Alex and Azakael look almost identical. What I'm trying to get to is that you lack a very basic principle in character design: Balance. Anywhere you look at, from RPG's to platformers, from Naruto to Fantastic Four, characters have very specific roles, even if their designs appear to be the same. Look at Street Fighter, for example. Ryu ad Ken seem to be the same thing, but they're very different if you actually dig in. The important thing is that they "Counter out" each other, they create balance. For every ChunLi there has to be an E. Honda for cotrast, as well as a Cammy for rivalry; the same exact way Nightmare, Ivy and Astaroth work.

So... how does this relate to your work you ask? Your characters' roles in the balance are not implicit from simple sight, which is a must. If you look at the link in my signature, you'll see my characters for SC4. The very first two characters, Zenon and Aeolos, are both heavily-armored knights with a strong anime influence and giant swords, but they obviously represent completely different things, even though half of the pieces are exactly the same. My use of color, weapon, helmet and fighting style give them balance. Zenon represents royalty, honor, elegance and heroism, whereas Aeolos is obviously a character of dark origins that will kill anything standing on his way. You don't have to know their story, their roles are implicit from the very moment you see them.

Try experimenting with new pieces every time you get them, play around with special equipment, set up a basic three color scheme and basic design idea for you character before you even start to make them. Something that will help you a lot is giving them a little story that connects them all, that way balancing out your equation every time you add a new element will be much easier. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, not even something worthy of being called a fanfic, just something to help you look at your characters as a whole. And another detail you're missing is consistency. If your character is a knight, it can't just be so from the hip up.

Just keep playing around with the system. Making good stuff from the start is pretty damn hard, my characters sucked terribly back when I started in SC4, but I eventually figured out a lot of things. I'll make it easy for you:

• Balance: Give each character a role and one or two characters to balance them out.
• Color: Think about two basic colors + a third helping color for most, if not all, of your characters. Some basic ones like Red+Gold+Black, Green+Beige+Brown and Blue+Gold+Silver usually do well if you use them the right way.
• Individuality: Three generic hooded knights is too much.

Best of luck. Sorry if this is too harsh :/

 

[DokuganRairyu]

^I agree with him and i didn't wanna type out everything so i waited on someone else to do it :S

 

[NeclordX]

I share's my colegues opinion. To simplifie a little the idea...you must try to add variety and personality.

You have one western knight, another western knight, and more western knight, then western ladies.

Try to "theme them", if someone is a foot solider make him look as a foot soldier, if someone is a elf knight give him an elven armor, if you want to do a black/dark knight make sure he looks demonic/evil

 

[Alex_Knight]

Not to be annoying, but...
I think that they're way too similar from one another, especially the males. From what I can see you haven't unlocked all of the pieces yet, that might be part of the problem.

Annoying? No. A little harsh? Yeah. That said, I have unlocked most of the pieces (I haven't picked up DLC #3 and from what I've seen I haven't missed much with that) and I'm afraid to say, I don't like most of it.

You used the same breastplate for most of them, hell Alex and Azakael look almost identical. What I'm trying to get to is that you lack a very basic principle in character design: Balance. Anywhere you look at, from RPG's to platformers, from Naruto to Fantastic Four, characters have very specific roles, even if their designs appear to be the same. Look at Street Fighter, for example. Ryu ad Ken seem to be the same thing, but they're very different if you actually dig in. The important thing is that they "Counter out" each other, they create balance. For every ChunLi there has to be an E. Honda for cotrast, as well as a Cammy for rivalry; the same exact way Nightmare, Ivy and Astaroth work.

I did switch out Alex's breastplate, and switched from 'Knickerbockers' to 'Slops'. I suspect Azakael and Alex look almost identical as they are conceptually the same idea. Spellcasters that mix magic and fighting. I'll look into altering one to try and differentiate them even further.

Try experimenting with new pieces every time you get them, play around with special equipment, set up a basic three color scheme and basic design idea for you character before you even start to make them. Something that will help you a lot is giving them a little story that connects them all, that way balancing out your equation every time you add a new element will be much easier. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, not even something worthy of being called a fanfic, just something to help you look at your characters as a whole. And another detail you're missing is consistency. If your character is a knight, it can't just be so from the hip up.

::winces:: Or actually take picures that show the 'knight' characters have greaves... ::wince:: I will say, the only reason Alex has pants is I hate the look of the bare chainmail undergarment and none of the faulds that cover that up look... good. They're either too fantastic, too oriental or too open (Scaled fauled, I'm looking at you.)

Just keep playing around with the system. Making good stuff from the start is pretty damn hard, my characters sucked terribly back when I started in SC4, but I eventually figured out a lot of things. I'll make it easy for you:

• Balance: Give each character a role and one or two characters to balance them out.
• Color: Think about two basic colors + a third helping color for most, if not all, of your characters. Some basic ones like Red+Gold+Black, Green+Beige+Brown and Blue+Gold+Silver usually do well if you use them the right way.
• Individuality: Three generic hooded knights is too much.

Best of luck. Sorry if this is too harsh :/

Three hooded knights?I know I have two... that are 'technically' knights. I do try to keep a color scheme for each character. Dinah and Alex Knight being from the same organization use Blue and White as their main colors. Dinah has a spot color of orange/ gold and well... I think I might need a spot color for Alex. Elsa and Piotr share the same Red, Black and maybe more gold on Piotr is needed as they are both technically from my Warhammer army.
Aelis shows how silly D&D characters can be since I based his equipment off how his character sheet is listed. I might do some reworking on him to not look quite so... silly. The rest of them...

Veronica - Trying to match an existing character isn't easy. I'm still pondering how to work her out better.
Rex - To be fair, I liked the way I had him in SCIV better. He really should be in a white three-piece suit.
Me - Considering that it's actually based on stuff I've worn, I don't think there's any way I would change him. Except to make him more buff. But then it would no longer be true to me.

I share's my colegues opinion. To simplifie a little the idea...you must try to add variety and personality.

You have one western knight, another western knight, and more western knight, then western ladies.

Try to "theme them", if someone is a foot solider make him look as a foot soldier, if someone is a elf knight give him an elven armor, if you want to do a black/dark knight make sure he looks demonic/evil

I prefer western knights and ladies? I can do some re-working so that they aren't all quite so... samey.
And consider my CaS as groups, rather than just as individual pieces (which is how it has been at the moment.)

 

[Alex_Knight]

Updating:
First, characters that have had no *major* changes, just some de-saturization in colors:

Spoiler

Warwick -

Piotr -

Elsa -

Dinah -

Next, characters that have changed the look of - slightly - to try and de-sameify them.

Alex

Spoiler

I kept the breastplate on him and the large pauldrons as he is still somewhat armored. This is slightly based on the German Landsnecht. While he doesn't have the cool slashed sleeves and tights, but meh, that's alright. I kept the hood. Switched breastplates since I like this one on Alex.

Azakael

Spoiler

Lost the hood. Changed his face so it wasn't the same as Alex's. I think. Also gave him the cloak with the hood that is down, rather than up. I do realize that he and Alex both have the same boots. Hopefully this removes the sameyness. I also switched him from Viola to Astaroth, since I suppose that's the closest to Zasalamel I can find at the moment.