Help making an ogre skin for a model

[nib]

Time for my first real question! %0

I mentioned in another thread that I'm working on a MMORPG (http://www.magicosm.net) (that desperately needs texture artists ;) ). I'm currently about to start skinning an ogre model that's almost completed. I'm going for a greenish skin with adequate blemishes/color/noise. I've played with some stuff and I just can't get the results I have in my head. Here's what I came up with:

http://www.nibsworld.com/magicosm/images/ogre/ogre_skin_texture.jpg

And when applied, it looks like this:

http://www.nibsworld.com/magicosm/images/ogre/ogre_skin_model.jpg

The problems i have with this skin is that a) its too busy, b) its too rough c) it doesn't look like "skin" :) I'm really wanting more of this look:

http://www.vudra.co.yu/Zombi2d.htm

But I don't even begin to understand the things to do to achieve that look. What I did to get my "skin" was use some dark/light green colors and rendered clouds, added noise, then created an overlay layer based on some gravel and lowered the opacity a bit. I then added the light over a channel layer to create the bumps.

Does anyone have any "monster skin" tips or guidance? When it comes to organic items I have a lot of trouble and can use all the help I can get.

Thanks.

[strych9ine]

There isn't a lot of variation in the piece which makes it too predictable. I also think that the green hue should be beutralized a bit... have you ever tried painting a texture with PS or Painter? You get as much variation and texture as you want by painting it, but it is time consuming and can be difficult. If you want a realistic greenish hue you might want to neutralize it a bit, bringing it closer to a gray or brown with complements. The contrast is too great on the skin as well... it can be rough, but I wouldn't go for craters.

[Stroker]

I've got some thoughts, but no real time right now.

All I have to offer right now is Leigh's amazing work:
http://leigh.cgcommunity.com/making_of_orc_head.htm

Some quick questions:
1. What 3d prog are you using?
2. What channels can you have in the final?

[nib]

Wow, great tutorial!

As to your questions:

1) 3dmax / photoshop

2) Channels: Well, we are currently only using diffuse (color) and opacity.

[strych9ine]

Hey nib, would you mind sending an e-mail to me explaining your project? I'd be interested in trying my hand at a couple of textures for your game, but I'm a total newbie when it comes to actual texture mapping for 3d models. Drop me an e-mail at strych9ine AT comcast DOT net if you are interested.

[Stroker]

I'm a Max user. That will make a few things easier. Cool beans.

What I recommend is making several texture maps, like colour, specular, and bump at the very least. Then Bake them. I find this route a lot easier than trying to paint everything into the final texture.

One thing Leigh does is start with procedurals, bake, then paint over. That's a good idea. To give you a solid running start, get Simbiont 2.52 (http://www.darksim.com/html/download_simbiont2.html) and the Shader files (in a seperate download). There are some really good skin shaders in there that should ease the pain.

You can bake Simbiont 2.52, but only with Max 5.1. Previous versions of Max and Simbiont can't bake together. I hope that doesn't cause a problem.

I wouldn't mind taking a quick whack at texturing your ogre. I can model and I can texture, but I generally don't do both. By the time I'm done modeling and UV mapping, I'm in no mood to texture. But if somebody tosses me a finished model, I'm not so sick of the model itself to mind texturing it. Know what I mean?

[nib]

Stroker, thanks for the tip about baking. That's an avenue I hadn't even thought of even though I read about it in another tut.

As to you texturing the ogre, once I get the model completed (another modeler is working on it) and I can create the UV map, I'll post back here and you can feel free to offer up all the help you want!!

Thanks for the help guys, you've been great.

nib

[DarkHeavens]

ya the skin is a bit too bright and a bit to cratery...i make ALOT of skins for games such as UT2k3, quake3, CS, ect ect. keep in mind if its a fast paced game dont go over board with detail hence you wont see it too long to really appreciate the texturing. even grab some textures of elephant skin of sorts if you can find some lol, i used some for a skin before and tweaked it a bit and turned out to be a nice looking skin.

[venivedi]

I have no idea about 3d modeling.
The texture have got uneven lighting...so it can cause problem when tiled.
By the way, I think this article will be useful for you.(a link Gaussian recommended when I ask some info about High Pass filter.)

http://www.3dgate.com/techniques/2001/010625/0625hajba.html