I'm scheming an interesting project, keep your eyes peeled, i'll need lotsa feedback on my preproduction work.
H'okay: here we go
I got my hands on dissidia sometime back, and found that cloud's design was quite interesting, take more from its anime roots. Now, as much as I love Apz's cloud model (it inspired me to model up a whole buncha stuff) I dont find it fits that well with the rest of the anime style of ff7. Given I'm highly familiar with the character I figure this'd be a good project
1- to add to team avalanches graphical overhaul
2- practice my texturing cuz if anyone has notice... I havnt textured any of my models
Now lets analyse this. (the following is partly for feedback, and also for me to put my ideas down and conjure up some answers)
Our big issue here is the design. Lets take a look at the original
I think it looks a little silly, largely because of the belt. Comparing the original, and the dissidia model, lets take a look at where the belt is placed ( i added the SOLDIER logo texture to help show this point)
Originally, the belt and SOLDIER logo acted as something of a "champions belt" (think those wrestler belts), and covered the torso and mid to upper abs. In dissidia, the belt is around the waist, acting more like *shock* what do you know... a belt. I think this looks better, and reduces the image of a nerd with his pants too high, which just doesnt fit cloud. (feel free to shout pro con). The problem here is that the original belt is at the bottom of the torso peice, and where the dissidia belt is, would be more in the crotch peice. This'd look something like
It would be fairly hidden by the legs, and might animate awkwardly, but for all i know might be fine, its a tough call and hard to know this early into producing the model. Another issue is the style of the belt. Dissidia has a wide belt with a smalle band around it, the compilation has the Soldier belt supported by 2 regular belts, and the original, as seen in the artwork above, is just a wide leather belt with metal studs. - not sure where to go with that.
Luckily, the hair isnt a big issue, as the dissidia hairstyle is similar yet new-ish enough that it fits my goals, and is a fine reference.
The last issue bugging me (that i can think of) is color. Uniform - blue, purple, black - who knows, I'm really not sure where to go wtih this, the project is going towards staying close to the original, but i dunno... the purple rly bugs me. dissidia does it well, but nonethe less.. same with the hair. more orange like kh, more yellow/greenish like dissidia, more natural blonde like ac? give your ideas.
Here's a closeup of each model should you need it -
