Friday update #5 news - Naruto: Naiteki Kensei

Welcome to Friday update #5!

A new week, a new topic to talk about. This week I was asked to tell you guys a little about our weather system, the Sakura model and we present you this weeks interview with our Character texture artist Kama!

Lets start with our dynamic weather system. It is basically a small scripting system that enables you to dynamically add different weather patterns to any map. All you have to do it write a small "weather definition file" and its ready to go, without the need to recompile the map.
Also you can let it smoothly translate from one pattern to another. For instance, you setup some heavy rain in your map but you want it to decrease the rain frequency every now and then to just a few raindrops or even to a completely different type of weather (e.g. rain to mist to snow to storm to rain).
And if you're a tricky mapper, you can even use the system to create completely different effects then what we originally intended the system for.
One example would be the forest of death map where we used to system to add some falling leaves to improve the illusion that you're actually in a real forest or the kyuubi lair map has a very slight rain effect as if the water was dripping from the ceiling.
Its kind of impossible to actually show you the system in screenshots only but its all we've got for now.

Also we want to reveal our Sakura model this week to the public eyes and since there isn't really much to talk about just a model, lets talk instead about the process of creating a model and getting it actually ingame.
It all starts with decent orthographic reference images, usually settei sheets or images made by one of our 2D artists or the actual modeler. Next, the base mesh gets done by one of our 3D artists such as Eclipse did Sakura. When the 3D mesh is finally done and tweaked and we're all satisfied with the result it gets passed over to somebody else to unwrap it (UVWmap). The UV map and mesh are given to Kama so he can do his photoshop magic tricks and we end up with a textured model. Meanwhile, SV creates a skeleton for the model and rigs the mesh. After all this is done, LordKillmore can finally start to animate the model and it can then be compiled and placed ingame.
And all this involves a lot of discussion and tweaking on every step of the model.

So you see, its actually a long way from the first idea to the final model ingame

And since you've been reading all this text by now, have a little work in progress render image of our Sakura model.

Last but not least, this weeks interview with Kama, our talented character texture artist .

Ok, so tell us about yourself?
I'm Kama, most people will know me from the ESF team. You probably don't know that I'm also a comedian in my real life, go figure all that flaming on the net would lead to something.

How long have you been following Naruto and do you only read the manga, watch the anime or both?
I've been following Naruto since the anime came out. I tried to read the manga but I get distracted really easily and lose my place. Then I start reading from the beginning again cause I don't know what happened last, then I get distracted again, and the cycle continues.

Are there any other animes you watch or mangas you read?
I've watched Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Full Metal Alchemist, Ranma 1/2, all the big name ones really. I've read Dragonball, DBZ and watched GT. For the record, GT is my favourite of all the DB's. There's alot of hate for it because it isn't Toriyama, but I think anyone that gives it a fair chance agrees it's by far the best.

So how did you get into modding anyways?
When I was still in grade school my friends found ESF while surfing the net. They described it eloquently as "This guy replaced all the weapons with DBZ attacks and it has Goku and them too!" Which back then sounded about right to me (We believed one guy did all the work in those days). After getting ESF, and playing it, I heard about DMZ on their forums and looked it up. At the time DMZ was a much richer experience with their combo system and transformations (don't argue with me it's my opinion) so I moved over to it. I started posting on their forums and getting to know some people. I watched Smo and AzN_Dragon start their talents and grow and it made me want to join in too.

So after awhile I actually joined DMZ as a sound artist, adding and upgrading alot of their stuff. Most of this was post-final release, (not counting the winter release) so most of my work got lost. I took up mapping (never finished a map in my life) and me and my friend tried making a Gundam mod. We hired on GodGundam to help us out when he was just beginning too, he was going to model weapons for the mod. I still remember the scythe he sent as his application. The mod was going no where, quite obviously, but GG and I had met and we fell in love. We decided to team up. I'd always been a little artsy and he was getting good at modelling full bodies now. I started out learning skinning quite literally by taking a skin of Smo's, and skinning over it trying to copy it exactly.

I got good enough eventually and me and GG started making models together for a mod called 'Gohans Hidden Power' (don't bother looking for it, it's dead and was never released.) It was an ambitious project that tried to merge ESF's pace and DMZ combos. Later we started making fan models for ESF. Soon GG applied to join the team and was accepted. And a few months later I applied and was accepted as well. We still made some model packages for the fans while we worked on ESF.

Then I joined here, and that's a short little break down I guess. I still have all the friends i've made along the way, and that's probably the best part about modding.

And how did you end up at NNK and what exactly do you do on the team?
Kong Kong messaged me one day saying he was starting a Naruto mod for HL. I said "Why not HL2?" he said "We want something we are used to manipulating, besides we'll make it look like HL2." then I said "Who's on the team?" he told me the roster and I said "LAWL OK!!!!" I do character skins, but most of you think it's Super Vegetto, either way as long as you enjoy them i'm happy. But you're still pricks for giving him the credit.

Are there any other projects you worked on in the past or that you are currently working on you would like to mention?
All the ones i've worked on have been laid to rest. Save ESF.
GHP (Smo's models and skins pictured)
GHP (Smo's models and skins pictured)
DMZ

Any last words you want to add to this before we bring this to an end?
If anyone reading these wants to start modding, just start. Don't worry about what you're best at or what you'll like most. I started as a mapper and sound artist. And I was even able to use my sound background to make sounds for some of mine and GG's character packages. And here I am a skinner, just dive in and learn something, you'll find your way around to what you're supposed to be. Oh, and your first work is going to be terrible, vomit in the alleyway out of shame terrible. But it's where we all start, even the professionals. P.S. GG, if you read this, I still love you, come home to me. <3

That's it for this week's update.

- The NNK Team