Full Series Should Certain TCW Character Models Be Updated For Realism?

Certain characters in TCW always looked pretty close to how they'd look in real life: Ahsoka, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and General Grievous come to mind.

Others started out looking decent and have since improved: Plo Koon and especially Anakin Skywalker are good examples.

So my question is regarding a select few characters who started out looking like highly stylized versions (usually based on the versions from the micro-series) who haven't changed much: Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Tyranus, and Yoda.

Does anyone agree with me that these should be updated to be more realistic? I mean, it's not a huge deal, but personally I think it'd feel a lot more real if Palpatine actually looked like Ian McDiarmid rather than the highly stylized Palpatine from the micro-series. While Darth Tyranus looked pretty accurate to me in the micro-series, the character model they seem to have based on that for TCW comes out looking even more exaggerated since it's in 3-D. CGI Yoda looks very accurate in Ep. II and Ep. III, and I feel like it wouldn't be hard to make TCW Yoda look more like that.

Agree? Disagree? Don't care?

 

Disagree.

Character models should be made better, not more realistic.

 

What would be your definition of "better" then Gry? Shoulder-mounted rocket launchers? Permanently erect nipples? MC Hammer parachute pants? Stop me if I guess it.

 

Haha, I think Gry is saying they could be of higher quality but shouldn't drastically changing the design, is that right?

Any opinion on this, fanboy?

 

Uh.... no. Just aesthetically better. The new Padme model isn't any more realistic, but it's significantly better. Ahsoka isn't very realistic with those huge eyes, would it be better if her eyes were realistically smaller? I don't think so.

 

To me, better means more detailed. Which is what happened to both Plo Koon and Anakin. Realism is not for cartoons, and specially not this series since that was the reason they've adopted this original stylized design.

Besides, how are Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, etc, more realistic than the rest?

 

(see: Sarcasm)

 

Can someone please draw me a version of Anakin Skywalker like this?


On this topic, I'm mostly with Gry: I think some of the models are pretty crappy, but realism isn't necessarily the answer.

Not a fan of the Palpatine or Yoda models for sure, and I don't even like the very newest Padme model, though I suppose crappy is better than extremely crappy, so there has been improvement.

Dooku's model I actually don't mind how exaggerated it is.

Ventress it depends on the outfit, mostly. I could not STAND her weird ninja mask in the Nightsisters arc with her exaggerated neck, it was jarring to me.

 

I actually don't mind TCW models being stylized since they're meant to be that way. I love the Ventress model and adore Dooku's. There are several characters that desperately need better models, however. Padme just looks terrible, nothing even reminiscent of Natalie Portman. The S4 preview gave me hope for her, however. Adi Gallia is the major stinker for me. Way too short and young-looking.

 

I understood your sarcasm. I only picked that as a basis for my reply.

 

I think something really needs to be done about Dooku's head.

I mean, seriously. It looks nothing like him.

And you know what the worst part is? I was watching ROTS on TV the other day, and found myself thinking, "Wow... Christopher Lee doesn't look like Dooku at all!"


...actually, I've now convince myself that the TCW crew should do absolutely nothing to improve on Dooku's character model. I think Lucas should redo AOTC and ROTS and CGI Dooku's head so it looks more squashed and elongated and make his beard look like a piece of wood. Then he'll look more like Dooku.

 

I'd rather they keep the stylistic decision, and improve it. The "realistic" pictures of Ahsoka I've seen on the Wook look creepy.

 

It's probably my favourite character design. A great caricature. And it does resemble Christopher Lee.

 

[image=http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/f/f6/Dooku_profile.jpg] [image=http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/5/55/Dooku_speeder_TCWVG.jpg] [image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080530045914/starwars/images/thumb/6/66/Dooku_Ventress_duel.png/819px-Dooku_Ventress_duel.png]

Dooku actually looked better in the Bounty Hunter game if anything (comparing that to his non-live action appearances)

 

The cartoons, unlike the videogame, are meant to be caricatures. It's understandable that he's more "realistic" in Bounty Hunter.

 

I never said Dooku should appear like he did in Bounty Hunter, but rather he looks better in it compared to his cartoon incarnations.

 

THANK YOU.

I wouldn't mind seeing Grievous' four-fingered hands redone either. Oh, and get rid of those gauntlets the Jedi wear all the time. It looks weird.

 

I'll throw in my two cents.

Like many others are saying, more "realistic" character models are not necessarily the answer. TCW has always been very stylized in its animation (hence the wooden/painted look of many of the textures). Although sometimes they've gone overboard, Padme has always looked and Palpatine isn't so hot either.

In the end, I'd say that improvements should follow more along the Anakin/Ahsoka/Obi/Plo route than anything too altering.

 

To me Dooku looks like his nose starts from his the middle of his forehead. But now I have gotten use to his look. Glad they got rid of the old Anakin model, cause that was just stupid looking with the dumb armor and the red and navy suit. This new model looks more like Hayden. Yes the characters should be stylized but at the same time they should look somewhat like the live action models. Padme

 

While I didn't mind the old outfits at all and actually quite liked them, I'm glad they eventually lost most of the armor so that their outfits are now much more like those in the films, and I agree that they should eventually get rid of all the armor and just have all correct outfits. Including robes, please!!!

Other than the proportions of the eyes, which I personally don't mind, their facial features are proportioned/structured/however-you-want-to-say-it in a more life-like way than, say, the nose of Palpatine which is clearly nothing like the nose of McDiarmid. Their faces look more human.

 

Double-post - mods: please delete this.

 

"Appearances do not concern me, Admiral".

I don't care much what they look like, as long as it's not horribly amateurish. As long as it doesn't look like I did the animation. (I have no artistic skills)

I can recognize the characters and that's enough for me, it is a cartoon after all.

 

I honestly really enjoyed the fact that Palpatine in TCW is clearly directly based on Palpatine in the micro-series at first, but now that Anakin looks so much more like he should and I've felt how much the believability factor goes up from it I can't help but feel like if the same went for Palpatine the same result would likely occur.

 

The thing is, I'm not sure how well McDiarmid would translate to TCW animation. Can they do it? I really have no idea because I'm such a poor artist. Ditto for Christopher Lee as Dooku.

[image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110305032736/starwars/images/thumb/7/71/Young-palpatine.jpg/448px-Young-palpatine.jpg]

[image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20071218042014/starwars/images/f/f1/Count_Dooku_headshot_gaze.jpg]


BTW I like Dooku's claymation beard in TCW.

 

Give Dooku's nose bridge a slope back to his face, with a horizontal crease in the bridge of his nose at roughly the same level as his eyes and round out his face a bit. It doesn't have to look exactly like Christopher Lee, but at least make it look human.