CA3+ with CSUAC Shields

Both of my Trident Characters: A Dorian and one of the Cursed Gods (preview).

I wanted to use some of the weapons as well, there are some really awesome weapons on CSUAC, but he shadow affects on the swords caused them to not look right.
«1

Comments

  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Hey Charles :D

    Are the shadow effects on the symbols, or are they on the sheet you were placing the swords on?
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    I'm guessing they are on the symbols. That is one of the disadvantages with a lot of the artwork you find online, including the CSUAC/Dundjinji archives. People tend to put drop shadows on stuff. It looks better there and then, but it does make it more difficult to combine with stuff unfortunately.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Depending on how complicated the shape of the symbol is (and how many we are talking about) I could have a go at removing the shadow from some of your favourites for you, Charles?

    I don't have anything fancy like Vertus Fluid Mask, but its really not all that complicated with CorelPaint. I could make you a cleaned up set of say 20-40 choice symbols if you want... make them for everyone to share.

    Bearing that in mind, maybe it would be a good idea to have a discussion about which ones with the rest of the forum?

    If you send me a couple to start with I can make you a sample so you can see what's possible (and see if you think the work is good enough to be worth it. LOL)

    I'm sorry to be so limiting about the number, but I'm fighting time at this end.
  • edited August 2016
    Posted By: LoopysueHey Charles :D

    Are the shadow effects on the symbols, or are they on the sheet you were placing the swords on?
    Posted By: MonsenI'm guessing they are on the symbols. That is one of the disadvantages with a lot of the artwork you find online, including the CSUAC/Dundjinji archives. People tend to put drop shadows on stuff. It looks better there and then, but it does make it more difficult to combine with stuff unfortunately.

    Yes, they are part of the symbol.
    Posted By: LoopysueDepending on how complicated the shape of the symbol is (and how many we are talking about) I could have a go at removing the shadow from some of your favourites for you, Charles?

    I don't have anything fancy like Vertus Fluid Mask, but its really not all that complicated with CorelPaint. I could make you a cleaned up set of say 20-40 choice symbols if you want... make them for everyone to share.

    Bearing that in mind, maybe it would be a good idea to have a discussion about which ones with the rest of the forum?

    If you send me a couple to start with I can make you a sample so you can see what's possible (and see if you think the work is good enough to be worth it. LOL)

    I'm sorry to be so limiting about the number, but I'm fighting time at this end.

    Wow - Thanks Loopysue!

    I only use the HI versions of the symbols, do you need the lower level versions of each symbol as well?

    No rush on these at all.

    The shields can be used as they are for now, but the weapons are practically useless for CA3+ with the shadows.

    Give me a number that you are willing to take on for right now and I will send them to you.

    You are just too awesome!
  • edited August 2016
    Talking about shadows, I have encountered problems created with shadows before. Mainly these are items like trees. It would be cool if artists for new projects could make a version of trees with shadows and without shadows. As an example, trees along the right bottom sides of my woods with shadows looks great, but I get a negative affect on the left side/bottom of my tree-lines where the shadow actually goes into the woods. Just a nick pick, but options with and without shadows would be so very useful.

    Thanks!

    :-)
  • edited August 2016
    Here are a couple of more experiments with CSUAC shields for CA3+ (Remember, they were not designed for CA3+).

    The shadows do need to come off of the shields as well.

    The first one is a knight.

    The Norman style shield just was not working for me so I tried the more traditional shield for knights.

    The second one is one of the members of the White Council.

    Since she leads the famed Elvin Unicorn Calvary, I just had to give her the unicorn shield - LoL!
  • Posted By: MonsenI'm guessing they are on the symbols. That is one of the disadvantages with a lot of the artwork you find online, including the CSUAC/Dundjinji archives. People tend to put drop shadows on stuff. It looks better there and then, but it does make it more difficult to combine with stuff unfortunately.
    I believe the reason for the shadows is that this artwork was all created for Dundjinni and that software does not have shadow effect capability.

    @Charles, I always love you CA figures. Somehow, mine never look as "put together" as yours. However, I'm not fond of these shields. The photo-realistic style on the shields looks odd when combined with the hand drawn art of CA. This is, of course, just my opinion( and you know what they say about opinions.... LOL).
  • edited August 2016
    Yeah, I am thinking the same thing. I am hoping for some updates for CA3+ in next years annual. It does not have to large. A shield set upgrade and/or weapons specific set would be cool and not so hard to pull off as clothing or additional poses. Although I really do want to use some of the weapons in CSUAC and mess around with the shields some more. They have some cool "Fantasy" weapons like the Red Blade. I want to see what the shields will look like without the shadows. Although, I do have to say, some of the shields are growing on me - LoL! ;-)
  • PS: I just realized that the fee are messed up on the Merika Mati knight. I will have to fix that.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Hey Charles :)

    If you want to send me the ones you have used in these images above at the HI res I'll see what I can do with them. It may be that some end up still looking a bit too photorealistic, but its worth a try ;)

    I'll whisper you my email address.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    I managed to take the shadow off three of them for you Charles, but the finish isn't too great! The thing about low res images is that its easier to smooth them off into the background if you have a shadow around them.

    If they look jagged to you, don't use them. Its ok. I won't be offended :)
  • Thanks Loopysue!

    I will swap them out and repost them for review on Sunday.

    I was gone all day (Saturday), my mother had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. She had a turn for the worse yesterday (Friday) and had to go back to the ICU. I went up to be with her and she has bounced back and is doing great. They let her go back to a regular room tonight.

    PS: Can you try to work out your magic on a couple of CSUAC weapons for me? Just four.

    Thanks again!
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Oh Charles! I am so sorry to hear about your mother! :( I hope she improves.

    Of course I can have a try at a few weapons for you.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Just send them to me the same way you sent me the shields :)
  • edited August 2016
    Here is the updated shields.

    Thanks Loopysue!
  • edited August 2016
    They look a lot better with the shadow effect stripped off.

    But, do they differ too much between the two drawing styles?

    I am looking forward to seeing if the weapons I sent Loopysue work well.

    Thanks again Loopysue!

    :-)
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    Thanks Charles :)

    They do look a lot better than before (even if I do say so myself), but if I'm being perfectly honest they do still look a bit different to the CA3 drawing style, which is absolutely flat like a watercolour painting. Some now look better than others - namely the ones where you could imagine a magical glow about them, like the dolphin shield.

    The main problem is that the symbols themselves were drawn with perspective shadows built into the actual image to make them look (for example) rounded like the bottom of a bowl, rather than flat.

    All is not lost, however.

    How about this for an idea:

    The shields all seem to have fairly standard heraldic symbols on them. How about if you were to collect a range of ordinary images that you would rather like to use as a shield image, and send them to me - telling me what shape you want the shield to be and I'll make up a set of new ones for you.

    Not sure I can really do the same creating new weapons, but I'll take the shadows off the ones you've sent me sometime this evening and see whether you think that makes them more usable.

    NB - with the new shield images you send to me, anything will do - flags, clipart, whatever, as long as it looks flat and will reasonably fit on a shield ;)
  • Wow, that is awesome - thanks Loopysue!

    I agree, the shields are not working as well as I hoped.

    I hope the weapons turn out just a little better.

    Thank you so much for your help!

    :-)
  • edited August 2016
    I went to https://openclipart.org/ and grabbed some clipart.

    Here are the results.

    What do you think?

    Does it work?
  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    Nice. I especially like the squid.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    That's about ten times better than the CSUAC artwork (as mashed around by me) :D

    I'm afraid I'm not having much luck with the weapons :( they are even lower res than the shields and the edges are very pixelated. I'm thinking about a solution...
  • edited August 2016
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    I've just sent you an experimental cutlass. If its rubbish don't be afraid to say so. I'm not overly pleased with it myself.
  • edited August 2016
    Loopysue,

    Here is the test image for the cutlass.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    My gosh. He HAS got a large one! LOL

    It still looks a bit wrong (although that might be down to the sheer size of the cutlass), but would you like me to try the same trick with the others?
  • edited August 2016
    If you don't mind.

    I was going to trade out the trident that the Dorian has for one blade.

    The Sword above was actually going to go to the Wokou (Asian Pirates), but I think it has the same problem as the shields and is a little blurry.

    The Red Sword was going to the Dark Elvin member of the White Council.

    And the Blue Sword was going to go to one of my Cursed Gods.

    But I don't have to have them.

    ;-)
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 39 images Cartographer
    The blurry effect is down to what I had to do to the image to clean up the edge.

    I will do the other three, but they may be no better.
  • Thanks Loopysue, your the greatest!!!!!
Sign In or Register to comment.