Thief 2 Character Models In 3ds Format.

[New Horizon]

I don't want to stir up anything controversial here, but seeing since we're in a bit of a tight spot in the modeling department right now. I was wondering if anyone would be upset by the thought of using the Thief 2 character models as a base to work off of? Just a hypothetical question.

 

If I were to have those models in .3ds format and had a plugin that would let them be imported into blender, would anyone be interested? They could be a good starting point and by the time we were finished they would be completely new models anyway. This includes the blackjack, sword, and bow hands. I'm not suggesting cheating, but just building on these as our guides.

 

We really need some Thief like models imported to get development moving along.

 

All hypothetical of course.

Edited November 29, 2004 by New Horizon

[Domarius]

Heresy!!

 

Heheh. Nah, of course that is a swell idea. I don't see a problem, I don't see a huge advantage either though, so as long as it doesn't take up time that something else could be done in.

[DeepOmega]

No. Copyright infringement issues. Seriously, that's how you get nailed hard.

[sparhawk]

No. Copyright infringement issues. Seriously, that's how you get nailed hard.

Yes. I don't suggest to doing this. If this is found out (and that's very easy) then we have a big problem. And considering Oddities work and speed we don't realy need it.

[Springheel]

I think it would be just as easy to use the blender premade figures as starting points and work from there. Would save us the same amount of work, more or less, and no copyright issues.

[New Horizon]

Yeah, just a suggestion since I had all 99 characters here in .3ds format. I thought the same thing about copyright issues too, but at the same time there would be nothing left of the original models by the time we're finished with them. When you think about it, it's not so different from what we are doing with some of the textures that are based on Thief 2 textures. Some of those textures are essentially high res versions of the old ones. It would be a much greater difference between the models than the textures. Anyway, I won't edge us into oblivion with that suggestion, but they're here if we would like to play with them.

 

I think copyright issues could only be laid against us if we were to import the exact model...poly for poly...skin for skin. Still, won't hurt to use them internally for testing purposes. I do believe we're aloud to do that.

Edited November 29, 2004 by New Horizon

[Fingernail]

I considered using some people's custom models with slightly higher poly and better textures as a base - check out the Editor's guild, there's a thread there devoted to custom objects (this is on TTLG).

[sparhawk]

Yeah, just a suggestion since I had all 99 characters here in .3ds format.  I thought the same thing about copyright issues too, but at the same time there would be nothing left of the original models by the time we're finished with them.

 

I doubt that this matters. I'm not sure on how much "citation" would apply for such a thing. With books you can get away with this as long as the overal work is sufficiently big in comparison to what you cited (there are other conditions as well). But still I don't think that the difference would be SO big that it matters and I also think that copyright laws are much more stringent on binary content.

 

When you think about it, it's not so different from what we are doing with some of the textures that are based on Thief 2 textures.  Some of those textures are essentially high res versions of the old ones. 

 

But we created them on our own. Did we?

 

I think copyright issues could only be laid against us if we were to import the exact model...poly for poly...skin for skin.  Still, won't hurt to use them internally for testing purposes.  I do believe we're aloud to do that.

 

Not really I think. Not sure on this. It all depends on how much leeway the licence grants.

[New Horizon]

But we created them on our own. Did we?

Oh yes, we did create them,( kudos to BlackThief) but they were based on Thief 2 textures.

 

I should also add that they don't include the texture for the model, just the wireframe. They're very low poly, 90% of the details from those old models were in the texture work. Only reason I suggested them is that the basic shape is what we're looking for and any one of the models could be hacked and carved into an ultra high poly model of what ever we wanted.

 

Just an option that I wanted to present as either a tool, or for testing purposes until we get our own models. We certainly would not present any ingame shots to the public with these models in them. That would be suicide.

[DeepOmega]

It's a question of size of what we take relative to the overall project. Using textures as inspiration/basis is ok - textures are small. Character models are not small at all, and they'd need to end up TOTALLY different for me to be comfortable, and I honestly see no need.

[alan9000]

Its an interesting debate ..about the copyright issues. I don’t know how the games industry works but I know how it relates to real models / sculptures and I would imagine it would be the same ..its a 3d form at the end of the day. The copyright law is a very very grey area. Example take any sculpture/ model at alter it by 10 % and you are in the clear ..now the problem is what is 10% ..and that is such a can of worms I won’t even get into it .

 

Using other models could help speed things up a little but by the time you have spent making sure you have changed it beyond recognition I think you are just as well starting form scratch. I have used other models in the past and it always seams to me that it takes longer because you have to destroy the original first then do the artistic bit .

 

So have we lost oddity then? ..it occurred to me I have all the files I used for noble man ..I save every hour or so ..so somewhere in that lot there should be a fairly decent template ..would it help anyone ?

[sparhawk]

Using other models could help speed things up a little but by the time you have spent  making sure you have changed it beyond recognition I think you are just as well starting form scratch.  I have used other models in the past and it always seams to me that it takes longer  because you have to destroy the original first  then do the artistic bit .

 

It's the same for coding. If you have to modify an existing code it strongly depends on how it was written. Often it is faster to rewrite it from scratch and you are save of copyright claims this way.

 

So have we lost oddity then?

 

As the current situation looks it seems so.

 

..it occurred to me I have all the files I used for noble man ..I save every  hour or so ..so somewhere in that lot there should be a fairly decent template ..would it help anyone ?

 

Yes. And it would be nice if you could upload your current model to the FTP.

[pakmannen]

Since Oddity is involved in the Nightblade mod, has anyone thought of asking around there where he might be?

[sparhawk]

Since Oddity is involved in the Nightblade mod, has anyone thought of asking around there where he might be?

Good idea. Does he use the same name there?

[New Horizon]

Good idea. Does he use the same name there?

Yes, I believe he does.

[sparhawk]

oDDity: http://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?showtopic=520

[alan9000]

sure i will upload what i have done ..whats the full address ?? is it www.darkmod...etc ? this probably sounds like a really stupid question ..but i have not uploaded before

[BlackThief]

sure i will upload what i have done ..whats the full address ?? is it www.darkmod...etc ? this probably sounds like a really stupid question ..but i have not uploaded before

check out this thread: http://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?showtopic=10 there you can find the ftp-data.