my mk9/mkx renderings

[Xenon]

So I had nothing better to do in the evening today, opened 3ds max and started digging through...
Found some scenes I've built in late 2013, and decided to finish what I started.

Here's Mortal Kombat 9's Jade:

Time spent: 3-4 hours (mostly rendering).
Software used: 3ds Max 2013 and Photoshop CS3.

Some technical stuff if someone's interested...

I've used 3ds max 2013 with a mix of vray/default shaders. This time I decided not to use SSS since it didn't give me the results I was looking for, plus the rendering time went up dramatically. MK9 uses "orange" normal maps, so figuring out how to convert them into "blue" normals without looking like a noisy mess took some time.

All of the models were ripped straight from MK9. Character models in particular need special attention since their damage models/gore are unified into one piece. Bodygroups are messed up. Hair UV Maps had to be fixed by hand. I've also merged Jade's maskless version with masked, so yes, there is an actual full face behind the mask. Had to do quite a bit of weight reassignment for it to work properly.

For cloth physics, hair & boobs I used MASSFX dynamic and kinematic rigid bodies. Takes some time to set up but works pretty well (bones are intact). I've tried Cloth simulations but that only complicated everything. The entire character is controlled by a custom CAT rig I've made. No face rig controllers used as I'm not trying to animate an hour long movie here.

The scenebuild was already done, I've just adjusted the lighting and added some reflective shaders and whatnot...It's supposed to be Shao Kahn's throne room. 2 passes: One colour with depth of field and bloom; One AO pass. Both were merged in Photoshop with final tweaks made.

MK9 models are fun to work with. Might do MK9 Reptile or Scorpion next, since I have them ready to some extent. Kotal Kahn I'd be interested in doing too, but at this point and time MKX is not in my Steam library...

 

[BBBLP]

Other than her distorted leg, this looks incredible. I love the lighting around her arms and torso.

 

[Xenon]

Thanks. What do you mean by distorted though?

 

[BBBLP]

Her leg looks like it's socketed into her ass like an action figure.

 

[Xenon]

It actually looks pretty decent considering that this is a game model with nothing advanced driving the muscles, but I see your point.

 

[reikoiskahn]

Do some stuff with Tremor?

 

[Xenon]

Yeah, Tremor looks awesome in MKX. Problem is, I don't have that game anymore. Can't get the files I need.

I have Kotal lying around somewhere. So either him next or someone from MK9.

 

[Xenon]

that bot reminded me about this thread
i've started recreating mk9's courtyard (have to do it manually)

some normal maps i had to create as they are flat out missing for some reason, and the alpha maps were a pain to figure out how they were used, all shaders built from the ground up

not sure about the lighting but i like the "clean" approach

 

[Xenon]

i've made another one because
a) i can
b) i felt like it

so yea living forest and jade pulls off a flawless (see if you can find the remains)
on a more technical side this is the first time i've done such a massive scene with a wide lens, i used sss too and some vray blur+bloom+glare+vray volumetric fog all in one single pass

original here

 

[Xenon]

Was listening to the badass MK9 soundtrack at work, think got an idea what I'll do next when I get the time...
here's a small preview:

(I have replicated the entire level quite accurately and spiced it up with great 3DS max rendering engine and shaders)

what else can i say? mk9 is simply awesome

 

[BrianMinor25]

Very pretty!! The Courtyard one is amazing and the Shao Kahn's Throne Room image is stunning! I love the new lighting effects you put in these. If only the real game had this same grittier feeling, eh?

 

[Xenon]

Thanks! The game had some pretty good lighting for 2011 (and definitely the textures, sad that they're very compressed in-game). And I can't really blame it on the artists either, after all they are still using Unreal 3. Who knows? Maybe with their new MK game they'll finally switch engines and be able to produce some stunning lighting without blurring the textures to unrecognizable mess.

 

[Leandro™]

here's a small preview:

(I have replicated the entire level quite accurately and spiced it up with great 3DS max rendering engine and shaders)

what else can i say? mk9 is simply awesome

Amazing work!!!
MK9 is awesome too BTW.

 

[NinjaNinja]

this thread reminds me how beautifully awesome the MK9 stages were!!... then theres the MKX ones :/

nice renders btw!

 

[Xenon]

yesterday after a hard week of work mixed with some micro$oft learning i felt like my brain was turning into tumor so i put on some zen music and started animating

(next time i should use my own host........)

was fun figuring out how to animate the bo, probably could've framed it better but i'm not putting my pc into 20-hour rendering rape mode anymore (yes this took 20 hours to render!!!!)

to anyone wondering i've basically used link constrains and timed it to world/cat for bo transitions; hair, cloth and tits are massfx physics based so other than configuring i'm not animating them (took a very long time to figure out how it works but worth it)

this isn't supposed to be a perfect loop

 

[Xenon]

Test render of a scene I'm assembling. Too tired to describe all the small details. Did I mention that MK9 kicked ass?

 

[Black Shroud]

Hello, have you tried making animated background gifs/videos also? I think that could look spectacular.

 

[Xenon]

It probably will, I just don't have the time nor interest to pull it off.

 

[theincubuslord]

These are really good! The stage renders look beautiful. Love the Jade ones, of course. Though that animation looks a bit off, but keep practising. ♥

Would indeed be cool if MK9 got a graphic boost and maybe some gameplay polish to be a bit more like MKX, but I doubt that will ever happen. Hopefully Jade will be in MK11 though. ^^

 

[Xenon]

Thanks. I've been animating as a hobby for years, probably looks weird at some places because of lack of time than skill. At one point I was working on some fatality animations, got pretty far with some complex animations. Once again, no time nor energy to finish it. Maybe I'll whip up something quick on weekend and dump it here. Open for suggestions.

MK9 is my favorite MK but it ain't happening. I remember years ago Ed contemplated about a final MK9 patch, people got hyped but it didn't happen. Too bad.

Don't care if Jade returns in MK11. I couldn't stand most of the roster in MKX, especially the migraine-inducing females and I know for a fact they're going to pull it off again. As long as Kotal and Scorpion are in I'm good.