20 replies to this topic

[orion343]

Hiya folks,

Don't post much, but I've been playing MWO since the beta, and I'm loving it because I grew up on MechWarrior games, as I suspect many of you did. Professionally, I'm an Industrial Designer, which (sparing a lot of details--PM me if really curious) involves a ton of concept sketching. Usually for product development, but the skill set applies to concept art too, particularly things like vehicles and mecha.

Recently a few colleagues and I decided to challenge each other to produce some new mech/vehicle art every week, and we're starting to get more formal about it. This week I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite mechs, the Annihilator, and I sketched up a couple of concepts as to how the classic look might be adapted to the modern MWO art style. That big ball chest and the "cobra" head are iconic, and (IMHO) critical to the feel of the mech, but the details of their implementation are up in the air. And of course it's got to have room for two bigass LB-X's on each arm.

Only had time for a quick sketch this evening before our "deadline" (we try to have stuff done and "turned in" every Wednesday) but I think I'm going to keep going; there's a few more styles I'd like to try out, and I'd like to do a bigger/more detailed drawing of one of them at some point (something more like this one I did a few weeks ago. Doing a render on that guy now, may post it here separately later).




Anyone interested in more stuff can check out our site at http://www.mechwednesday.com/ . We just put it together and we're still adding to it and trying to get more artists/designers on board. Or, you know, not. Up to you. If anything is directly mechwarrior related I'll cross-post it here sometimes just for fun. Assuming I'm not violating some ToS that I don't know about by doing so, in which case I will slink back quietly into the darkness from whence I came.

Cheers

[TheArisen]

The first thing that came to mind was "damn!" That Annihilator is gorgeous.

Indeed I intend to visit your site.

[MovinTarget]

With the gator head and barrel chest, I have always, for better or worse, thought it reminded me of the "classic" godzilla...

[Odanan]

orion343, on 14 January 2016 - 03:31 AM, said:

Hiya folks,

Don't post much, but I've been playing MWO since the beta, and I'm loving it because I grew up on MechWarrior games, as I suspect many of you did. Professionally, I'm an Industrial Designer, which (sparing a lot of details--PM me if really curious) involves a ton of concept sketching. Usually for product development, but the skill set applies to concept art too, particularly things like vehicles and mecha.

Recently a few colleagues and I decided to challenge each other to produce some new mech/vehicle art every week, and we're starting to get more formal about it. This week I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite mechs, the Annihilator, and I sketched up a couple of concepts as to how the classic look might be adapted to the modern MWO art style. That big ball chest and the "cobra" head are iconic, and (IMHO) critical to the feel of the mech, but the details of their implementation are up in the air. And of course it's got to have room for two bigass LB-X's on each arm.

Only had time for a quick sketch this evening before our "deadline" (we try to have stuff done and "turned in" every Wednesday) but I think I'm going to keep going; there's a few more styles I'd like to try out, and I'd like to do a bigger/more detailed drawing of one of them at some point (something more like this one I did a few weeks ago. Doing a render on that guy now, may post it here separately later).




Anyone interested in more stuff can check out our site at http://www.mechwednesday.com/ . We just put it together and we're still adding to it and trying to get more artists/designers on board. Or, you know, not. Up to you. If anything is directly mechwarrior related I'll cross-post it here sometimes just for fun. Assuming I'm not violating some ToS that I don't know about by doing so, in which case I will slink back quietly into the darkness from whence I came.

Cheers

The 3 upper images are so good it is hard to choose one. EDIT: the first one, without the "ears", is the best (maybe with the antennas of the second?). Please, keep us updated because your work is beautiful.

PS: the ballistic hardpoints on the Annihilator are 1 in each arm and 1 in each side torso, not 2 in each arm.

PPS: posting mech art is no violation to the CoC.

Edited by Odanan, 14 January 2016 - 07:23 AM.

[Stingray Productions]

Ahhhh, I certainly wish we could have it! Back in MW4 Mercs I would mount 4 LBX-20s. Super devastating! Can't imagine if we could do that in MWO.

[Bhodi Li773]

Beautiful artwork. If this was in-game I would definitely want it in my mech stable.Has a nice sleek look while feeling dangerous as all get out !! Keep up the excellent work. Hopefully PGI see this and gets started . O7 MechWarrior !

[Odanan]

BTW, wouldn't you be interested in drawing my mech Overkill? I can trade it for... some repaints/wallpapers?

[Odanan]

Stingray1234, on 14 January 2016 - 06:59 AM, said:

Ahhhh, I certainly wish we could have it! Back in MW4 Mercs I would mount 4 LBX-20s. Super devastating! Can't imagine if we could do that in MWO.

You could mount 4x AC/20s...

[DivineEvil]

Odanan, on 14 January 2016 - 07:17 AM, said:

You could mount 4x AC/20s...

Unless there would be the variant with Arms lacking Lower Arm Actuators, no, you couldn't.


To OP, yeah, these sketches are awesome, but Annihilators has 2 LB10-X and 2 MPLs in Arms, 2 LB10-X in Side Torsos and 2 MPLs in Center Torso.

Edited by DivineEvil, 14 January 2016 - 07:27 AM.

[orion343]

Derp. I checked the Sara.net page to jog my memory of the loadout, and I realize I just assumed 4 arm ballistic slots. Whoops.

Well, something to correct in the next revs

Thanks for the positive responses guys!

[orion343]

Odanan, on 14 January 2016 - 06:50 AM, said:

PPS: posting mech art is no violation to the CoC.

Honestly I was more worried about posting links to my own site, some forums frown on that... But I figure it's all artwork and it's clearly stated what it is, in the off topic thread, so hopefully no one minds.

Edited by orion343, 14 January 2016 - 10:10 AM.

[Scout Derek]

Odanan, on 14 January 2016 - 06:50 AM, said:

PS: the ballistic hardpoints on the Annihilator are 1 in each arm and 1 in each side torso, not 2 in each arm.

Mechwarrior 3,4 and art begs to differ:






Not saying your wrong but that's how its arm's look, I guess because it looked cooler...? (Overall that is)

Edited by Scout Derek, 14 January 2016 - 03:57 PM.

[Luscious Dan]

The gigantic arms on the Orion are also just a med laser. The old art wasn't exactly consistent or well thought out all the time... the second big barrel on the arms is a medium pulse laser I guess lol

Anyway that's a very cool site you have going there. Design a MWO style Cougar based on the Adder chassis and I'll love you forever

[SelectiveCape12]

I'm not sure if the Annihilator even has enough space in the arms to fit in a single AC20 let alone two LB10-Xs.

Scout Derek, on 14 January 2016 - 11:01 AM, said:

Mechwarrior 3,4 and art begs to differ:






Not saying your wrong but that's how it arm's look, I guess because it looked cooler...? (Overall that is)

Most of the mech designs love to exaggerate the weapon sizes, because, like you say, it looks cooler. Just because it's big doesn't necessarily mean it has to have a big gun built in there.

[John Stryker]

Annihilator would be a sweet mech until you get nascarred to death at 32kph.

[Stingray Productions]

Odanan, on 14 January 2016 - 07:17 AM, said:

You could mount 4x AC/20s...

True, but using lbx-20s gave me four tons more for ammo.

[orion343]

Luscious Dan, on 14 January 2016 - 11:26 AM, said:

The gigantic arms on the Orion are also just a med laser. The old art wasn't exactly consistent or well thought out all the time... the second big barrel on the arms is a medium pulse laser I guess lol

Anyway that's a very cool site you have going there. Design a MWO style Cougar based on the Adder chassis and I'll love you forever

I actually always loved the look of the Coug -- very military/aerospace-y. On my list of mechs I'd love to see reinterpreted in the new style (and may do myself). Also a strong contender right now is the Uziel.

[Bishop Steiner]

orion343, on 14 January 2016 - 03:31 AM, said:

Hiya folks,

Don't post much, but I've been playing MWO since the beta, and I'm loving it because I grew up on MechWarrior games, as I suspect many of you did. Professionally, I'm an Industrial Designer, which (sparing a lot of details--PM me if really curious) involves a ton of concept sketching. Usually for product development, but the skill set applies to concept art too, particularly things like vehicles and mecha.

Recently a few colleagues and I decided to challenge each other to produce some new mech/vehicle art every week, and we're starting to get more formal about it. This week I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite mechs, the Annihilator, and I sketched up a couple of concepts as to how the classic look might be adapted to the modern MWO art style. That big ball chest and the "cobra" head are iconic, and (IMHO) critical to the feel of the mech, but the details of their implementation are up in the air. And of course it's got to have room for two bigass LB-X's on each arm.

Only had time for a quick sketch this evening before our "deadline" (we try to have stuff done and "turned in" every Wednesday) but I think I'm going to keep going; there's a few more styles I'd like to try out, and I'd like to do a bigger/more detailed drawing of one of them at some point (something more like this one I did a few weeks ago. Doing a render on that guy now, may post it here separately later).




Anyone interested in more stuff can check out our site at http://www.mechwednesday.com/ . We just put it together and we're still adding to it and trying to get more artists/designers on board. Or, you know, not. Up to you. If anything is directly mechwarrior related I'll cross-post it here sometimes just for fun. Assuming I'm not violating some ToS that I don't know about by doing so, in which case I will slink back quietly into the darkness from whence I came.

Cheers

really dig the feel of the one on the far

Scout Derek, on 14 January 2016 - 11:01 AM, said:

Mechwarrior 3,4 and art begs to differ:






Not saying your wrong but that's how it arm's look, I guess because it looked cooler...? (Overall that is)

it's always had two ac in the torso. But Btech artists tend to not pay attention ot the actual loadout. Fact is you have amax of 10 available slots per arm. Can't fit 2x AC10 of any flavor there.

right.

[Matthew Ace]

orion343, on 14 January 2016 - 03:31 AM, said:

Hiya folks,

Don't post much, but I've been playing MWO since the beta, and I'm loving it because I grew up on MechWarrior games, as I suspect many of you did. Professionally, I'm an Industrial Designer, which (sparing a lot of details--PM me if really curious) involves a ton of concept sketching. Usually for product development, but the skill set applies to concept art too, particularly things like vehicles and mecha.

Recently a few colleagues and I decided to challenge each other to produce some new mech/vehicle art every week, and we're starting to get more formal about it. This week I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite mechs, the Annihilator, and I sketched up a couple of concepts as to how the classic look might be adapted to the modern MWO art style. That big ball chest and the "cobra" head are iconic, and (IMHO) critical to the feel of the mech, but the details of their implementation are up in the air. And of course it's got to have room for two bigass LB-X's on each arm.

Only had time for a quick sketch this evening before our "deadline" (we try to have stuff done and "turned in" every Wednesday) but I think I'm going to keep going; there's a few more styles I'd like to try out, and I'd like to do a bigger/more detailed drawing of one of them at some point (something more like this one I did a few weeks ago. Doing a render on that guy now, may post it here separately later).




Anyone interested in more stuff can check out our site at http://www.mechwednesday.com/ . We just put it together and we're still adding to it and trying to get more artists/designers on board. Or, you know, not. Up to you. If anything is directly mechwarrior related I'll cross-post it here sometimes just for fun. Assuming I'm not violating some ToS that I don't know about by doing so, in which case I will slink back quietly into the darkness from whence I came.

Cheers

Concepts look pretty solid.... though I have trouble unseeing Baymax on the left.

Before the Mektek forums got taken down almost 2 years ago, there exists artwork by a guy who did an Annihilator as well; he chose to accentuate the cobra neck on the Annihilator further. Wish I could show you, it was a damn fine work.

Edited by Matthew Ace, 15 January 2016 - 08:32 PM.

[orion343]

I was actually trying to figure out how to minimize the neck physically while still making it LOOK like it was prominent... It looks sweet, but it always had this sort of "put bullets here!" neon-sign quality to it