Recently we had a visit from our VIP Kickstarter backer Ken! Ken was one of the massive Carma fans who pledged at the $10K Reward level… WOW!! For those that don't know, we had a Kickstarter reward tier that allowed you to create your own character and vehicle. We offered three Rewards at this level, and they were all taken up!
Before Ken came over to be introduced to me it was obviously noticeable he had been in the wars. With a big cast around his arm, I couldn't resist asking and the story is basically he’d had to fight off a zombie attack in Belgium a couple of days previously, and injured his hand pummelling his attackers! He even had a bite mark on his neck to prove it… Very impressive in my books! (More on that cast later…) Ken is from Belgium, but lives in Cancun, Mexico – so he’d made a massive trip in order to see us, and it was while visiting his family before travelling on to Stainless that he was attacked.
We firstly got discussing Ken’s ideas that he already had (he and the other VIP Backers have a private forum on Carmageddon.com where they can discuss their ideas with us, ahead of their visit. Next, we spent time gathering reference material and nailing down the key features of his character and car. Some stuff I can tell you…
- Ken wanted a sports car style, and did have reference cars photos with him for us to work from
- We also established the car would have two sharp appendages from the front
- Slick blade features on the bonnet and sides
Managed to grab this picture for you guys before nobby caught me… (yes that is a reference image we looked at – and yes, nobby has made me make it fuzzy so that we don’t give too much away! Damn him!!)
“OI! No peeking” Says Nobby!
After the initial design planning, our concept artist James started to mock up some sketches from the ideas and reference images. Whilst James beavered away with the initial renders I grabbed ken to nail down some of the more minor details like colour pallet, wheel designs , body features, and so on. All this then helps James to take the concepts to a more finalized stage ready to be given to a 3D artist (James is a 2D artist – it’s really weird, when you look at him from the side he’s invisible…).
So we worked on the concepts until Ken was happy with the look of it. We’ll continue to communicate with Ken as the car goes through development becoming a 3D model and finally a real playable car!
“Look busy” I shouted! From left to right; Ken our Kickstarter backer, Sonnu (3D Vehicle/Technical Artist) , the NOBS (and his best looking busy face) , and James our concept artist.
When I wasn’t taking photos and helping Ken with ideas I had to squeeze in time to do some of the proper work too! Here I’m looking at the original CityA using our Acolyte artist’s tools, while designing the new level for Carma:R that will be influenced by the original level.
I would’ve tidied my desk a little more had I known it was going on the interwebs.
Ken decided he wanted to be the driver himself (who can blame him!) so before he left us we needed to take pictures of him for reference so that James could model him accurately. We took Ken downstairs to our top notch photo shoot facility to take photos for his character.
Our photo shoot studio and funny looks from passers-by.
The photos required a full 360 head and body shot in the best light possible, this meant “opening the curtains” (no sniggering at the back there lads) which of course led to passers-by on the high street peering in with disconcerted looks on their faces , which then gave us the idea to give them something to look at…
Posing in the window as shop dummies. I couldn’t keep a straight face.. I could never be one of those people who dress as statues, I’d be smirking all the time!
Back to the cast! as a way to remember us we took it in turns to sign his cast and this was the outcome..,Hehe.
As usual, I had to draw a penis.
Yup a rude and lovely random mish mosh to remember us by!
The carmageddon gang then took Ken out for goodbye drinks at the local pub where he pretty much tried anything and everything, including drinks he had never even heard of (mainly combinations dreamed up by our lead artist Will)!
Poking his sore finger.
Well that's all from me for now, Hope you enjoyed this little update. See ya soon.
Sim xxx
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