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WIP ANIMATIONS




Obviously more cleaning will be done (especially the slash pose. I mostly wanted the 'charging' animation.
Here are two 'extra' animations just for fun. They won't be polished since they won't be used.




I learned modeling about 40 days ago because I realized modeling was taking a long time for the team. Then I realized how important animations were so 4 days ago I watched a tutorial and learned to animate. So of course get better over time. I really enjoy animating!

We did it!





He's currently voiced with all his new skins. He just needs to be able to perform his new attacks, which is what we're working on next. We do need extra animators if you're around. At the very least, PM for details.

[Post Merge: May 20, 2017, 11:23:15 PM]

coco is thicc
i like...

I'm glad she's favorable to you!

Another update will be breakable clothing, a hurt stance, and different outfits for characters.
The characters' initial models were designed to be simple so that they could be updated later on or given new outfits.

All of the mechanics that we want are possible due to modding.

Each character will have an 'energy system' as well as a passive skill, healing ability, and super moves. Coco currently has all 3 models in production right now.

I guess I can update this post with some of Coco's 2nd model works and some more.

If you like TexID error then this one's for you!

Coco's initial head model without review or adjustments


If anybody viewing wants to help, we have a team of 21 currently, including some previous Minus and PM staff. Come join us :)
Post Merge: May 20, 2017, 11:23:15 PM
Coco's third model, the modern one..Censored because it's a skin-colored model sculpt.


She's going to turn out Super Cute~!

Have a look at our work!

Retro

Modern

Promotional art

Coco (second character)

Promotional art


Voice lines are available in Japanese and English! Each character has a couple of references to other games or anime, for example Coco has a bunch of moves that start with her saying "PK", has a couple of taunts from other characters, and more. Haru has a subtle anime reference.

For anybody following the progress of the project, we have a discord for you to join if you'd like. Shoot me a PM for that, or the voice line demos. There are playable versions of Haru out currently. The team is 21 people at this point in time. If you would like to help, contact me via PM. Anybody is welcome, even testers. Thanks.

Edit: Jdab 2

This image might fail in a few days.

Chim-Chim-chan.

Hello!

I have come with an update from the future!

Haru, and all of the other characters will have a mechanic that allows them to have directional parries. These parries will leave you open if you whiff, so you can't spam them. They offer instant offensive capabilities, since shields will keep you locked in longer in the mod I am making. That means this doesn't end with Haru Akenaga as a mod.

Additionally, Haru has 2 new models, one with 8 skins and the other with 1 skin.

Here are a few renders.







And I mentioned he would have two models. Well, anybody a fan of Nintendo 64?





Hmm something's different about the last one. It has an evil aura within it.

Stay tuned for more updates. He's being animated soon.
Thanks for reading!

While we're here I'll get one more post in. A 2 week April fools' thing is nice.

Cats are people too. Please stop selling and using them for currency.
It's nice to see some people still are alive here.

That's a super cool graphic effect, can you teach me how, somehow?
Also, care to give your guardian of insanity PSA?

I see Chris made an appearance in your latest video. Your characters are always interesting. You put a code in for the fruit?

Anyway, how did you do that you did at 12:18 of the video, the effect that makes the character look like it has afterimages. There seem to be many possibilities in coding that I'm not even aware of.

[Post Merge: March 21, 2017, 12:14:47 AM]

Model's being rigged right now. Secrets are in store as well.
Post Merge: March 21, 2017, 12:14:47 AM


Things are coming along nicely. The model's going to go to the animation stage, next.
Post Merge: March 21, 2017, 08:48:42 PM
Here's a link to an example of the sound effects created for this project. It includes voice acting samples as well as weapon sounds. Enjoy the preview! I exclusively own all but two assets, two of them were from freesound.org, the others were created specifically for this project.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8EunUEcyIRLa2wxZEs4eVBSbjA

It was a challenge to describe what kind of sounds I needed, especially since most of the people that I work with are freelancers from other countries, more specifically a lot of people from Mexico.

For those of you viewing this project and wishing to make your own, I will make a video of some kind detailing everything that I did. It was much easier to work on this with the ability to speak basic Spanish. It allowed me to work with talented individuals who I normally would not have been able to interact with.

[Post Merge: March 13, 2017, 05:32:38 AM]

Alternate Haru skin progress. He'll be receiving an N64 model and a second model. It's player's choice! Here are the previews of the skin 'Unrequited'.






Post Merge: March 13, 2017, 05:32:38 AM
'Unrequited' skin done.


6 more to go. Model is done. There will be 2 more models done very soon actually. And several textures.
Post Merge: March 13, 2017, 06:21:32 AM
BROTHER/NISAN






CAMOUFLAGE



Post Merge: March 14, 2017, 04:54:51 AM
Based on the original sketch from this thread




Akenaga X


Bergundy


And I think those are all the current textures for this model. Renderings coming soon. Then the other models are coming soon as well (N64, Sketch-Proportioned-Haru). An interesting thing about the process for development is that I will be creating animations for Haru physically with a very detailed figurine:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

That means that the animation direction and animation comes from me, but I'll be using the help of a 3D animator, and they will translate my photographs into animations that the game can use.

Stay tuned.

Haru's first model is nearly done.
Preview:

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

However, Haru will be an exclusive mod and will launch with an event. Haru will have the following on release:

- Model 1 'X'
- Sword 1 'Empath Blade'
- Voice 1 'Brother' (English older voice)
- Voice 2 'Nīsan' (Japanese older voice)
- Unique animations and moveset

Haru will be updated with the following:

- Second voice set
- Additional models (starting with modern set)
- Secondary move-set (goes over Bayonetta and is the 'truest' version of Haru for SSB4)

Most of Haru won't have a real release. I'll release the simplest versions to the public and I'll create a tournament around gathering specific models, textures, and more. People will have to come to a unique place for content and updates on Haru Akenaga. It's up to the players not to release the additional content, they'll be the only ones with it. The reason I want to keep it exclusive is because I want to create a 'legendary' event for smash. I also want to use the tournament to help balance the character after listening to player feedback. The tournament will be the start of a small modding community which will help with my latest project.

The animations will be done in some weeks. I think they will take about 2 or 3 weeks to complete but here's the thing. The animation process itself is straining. I'll be paying an actor to act out all of the techniques, recording it, then presenting it to the animator along with 2D animated drawings such as this one:

Edit: Animation image expired. Oh well @_@

Then after those weeks, he'll be being tested and his move-set will be developed. A lot of things like damage values and such have already been decided but will change over the course of development. I will probably release a documentary of the creation process of this project so that it can be repeated by those who have less experience.

Stay tuned!

Good news!

Haru's voice recordings are being completed in English and Japanese. He also has retro sound effects that bring back memories from old video games. You may choose between retro and modern. Players will be able to customize how Haru Akenaga sounds within their game!

Cheers!

[Post Merge: February 28, 2017, 03:21:35 PM]

Scarf finished so far, Gamidame_K took the drawing and made it into the texture, which allows it to be one object rather than several.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

It seems it's ready for import soon. This model will have two versions actually. This one will be ported to Wii U while the other two are being produced. There will be two playable Haru characters on Wii U.
Post Merge: February 28, 2017, 03:21:35 PM
Adjustment updates







Haru's model is getting the proportions fixed later on. I'm basically showing you all the changes he has gone through over time.

So it's a double mode in one character. I won't argue about the way you want to do things, just expect comments like how "non-competitive" that is.
Personally, most of what they call non-competitive I call as an excuse they use to cover how bad they are controlling the character under different and unexpected situations. "So, since we don't know how to handle this, let's only play in flat platforms to make things easier." I'm saying this because you have some amount of work already done, and see something new worth using nowadays is a miracle. Don't give up.  8)
You can do that if you wish, just be careful with the filesize. A thing I just thought reading this would be using the child form as a training stage. For example, if you use more side tilts, then, in the adult form, your side smashes will be stronger. This will make harder to balance it, though, but could give some good meaning to the child stage.

A lot of Haru's design is based on conditioning. After playing with Shulk, I realized he is much too slow to do damage on his own without first conditioning the opponent. Haru is only able to level up by conditioning his opponent to act differently out of some responses. If they avoid him, he will level up. If they attack him, he can try to continue the combo further and sacrifice the level-up for damage. A lot of Shulk is too slow to actually follow up so I constantly found myself patiently doing one or two hits, waiting, and then reacting to fend off damage. I thought to myself how cool it would be to have a reward for either waiting, or actually attacking.

This is a bit like Cloud though, since if you don't approach him, he can decide to gain strength via limit charge. If you decide to face him, he will be unable to charge his limit but he's very formidable and safe.

Haru is the perfect balance between these, except he can't simply avoid combat and camp unless he is using projectiles. You find a LOT of cloud players who will hit you away, then use the opportunity to charge limit and it feels more like you're being scolded by an adult for doing something dumb. I don't like that feeling.

If people want to use Haru Akenaga, they have to realize that he can be very weak or very strong. It all depends on how well you read your opponent. Just like how in any smash game, you can score a major hit or kill simply by performing the perfect chain of actions depending on how your opponent acts. Haru rewards reads.

I think because he has some aerials that last a long time (Tap-Backair, Tap-nair, and hold-dair)

I would consider making Haru's smash attacks when he is a child moves that will simply level him up when used. Sort of like how Robin's Levin sword recharges faster the more you use the bronze sword. There's little reward because the low damage and low safety, but you'll still try to land them. I would make them completely different animations because his adult-smashes will use the sword. I still haven't planned his Dsmash yet because I need something better than what he has now.

As for the rest of him, I sort of designed him to be a mix of my favorite characters in smash. Here's my major philosophy:

-Flexibility offstage (Shulk, Ganondorf)
-Strength based on charge or level  (Robin, Cloud, Shulk's arts [which felt very inconsistent AND are forced])
-Combos based on skill (Ryu, except I hate his dtilt and utilt. It feels cheesy for me to get a combo out of them)
-Movement skills (ZSS, Bayonetta)
-Having more than one version of an attack (Ryu, Bayonetta)

I feel like Haru will be able to compete with the rest of brawl's cast, but will have strengths and weaknesses that aren't present in the game. He will do well against balanced mods that are meant to feel like mods.  Additionally I have made his kit intentionally so that the next character that I make will feel a bit like him. I wish to make a roster of smash characters that feel similar and change the meta.

For the future modpack, each character will have the following:

- A way of healing
- Super moves of some kind
- An additional mode that they can activate
- Ways to deal with projectiles or camping

I simply want to balance my own version of a fighting game so that everybody feels fair. I want to create a game where all play-styles are welcome and nothing feels cheesy. But in addition to this, I want the player to be able to feel like he is having a grand adventure. Perhaps he or she can choose larger stages where the battle feels more like a story than a competitive match with a certain meta. I want running away and healing to be viable, especially for 4 player matches. I want stage control to be a real thing for some characters so that it all becomes a thinking and conditioning game regardless of which character you are using. I believe that I will be able to create a very fun and interesting version of this game. Much like Minus or Project M, except with my own characters. This will be a project to help me grow as a game developer since I am currently working for a gaming company and am also working on a game of my own. Understanding balance and design philosophy is the first thing that I want to do before I will release a game of my own. That being said, I think I will create a thread discussing this new modpack (which I had planned for a while actually).