Modern Eggman Model Rant

[Austroid]

This has been on my mind for quite some time and I’m probably going to look weird for being so nitpicky, but I really don’t like Eggman’s modern in-game model:

A textured moustache works in CGI cinematics and renders, but in-game it looks off and clashes with his simplistic design. The slimmed-down upper body, combined with his thicker arms and longer feet make him appear shorter and stockier. Also I never really cared for the way his ‘stache curved under his nose either.

Obviously it all comes down to preference. But for me the ideal Eggman model should be something closer to what was done for the Olympics series, (which in itself can be seen as an upgraded Heroes/Shadow model) or my longtime personal favorite: how he appeared in Heroes’ CGI cutscenes :

The more zany cartoonish mustache, skinnier arms and legs, brighter color palette, as well as the more rotund body shape. All these look more balanced here and don’t add too much unnecessary details; like stitching on his coat or an overly textured mustache. Overall, to me the modern model just feels watered-down compared to past looks; it doesn't evoke the "whacky mad genius" feel that Eggman obviously is. 

(Hopefully I'm not the only one who feels this way lol.)

[StaticMania]

33 minutes ago, Austroid said:

(Hopefully I'm not the only one who feels this way lol.)

What's the problem with that? Unique individual opinions are the best opinions.

[Austroid]

2 hours ago, StaticMania said:

What's the problem with that? Unique individual opinions are the best opinions.

I guess in my mind "not feeling" a character model seems so insignificant compared to the big picture. Admittedly, I was imagining dozens of comments slandering this thought process before I posted the topic.

[Sonic Fan J]

3 hours ago, Austroid said:

I guess in my mind "not feeling" a character model seems so insignificant compared to the big picture. Admittedly, I was imagining dozens of comments slandering this thought process before I posted the topic.

I get that feeling all too well honestly, but hey if you don't gamble on it you'll never get the thoughts off your chest and that can be far worse honestly. As for Eggman's modern design, I think a lot of the problem probably stems from the fact that they somewhere along the line forgot that his egg shape from which his name derives includes his head and just started making his body egg-shaped on it's own throwing off his original proportions and having to balance it out with tweaks to his limbs. It's part of why BOOM! Eggman is muscular as they simply inverted the egg of his body in disregard to the shape originally including his head. As for the extra details, I think that's a case of SEGA getting obsessed with the need to look realistic like all the AAA developers and forgetting that their series is based on an art style that existed decades before CG was a thing. It's why you'll occasionally hear me praise Arc System Works and comment on how I'd like them to handle the graphic assets of a Sonic game just do to how truthful they can be to hand drawn styles with their 3D work.

[Blue Blood]

I would like to extend the OP's sentiments to all the currently used models (Unleashed/S4/Colours/Generations/Lost World/Forces). They have detail in all the wrong places, such as strange awkwardly modelled mouths with bottom lips (plus the side mouth) and very bland facial expressions. They don't look good, and I'm honestly quite glad that Sumo Digital are still using the SatSR/Olympic models in TSR. They look so much better.

[Dr. Detective]

Oh, we're talking about specific models. I was worried that Eggman's modern design was about to be dissed for a second there.

If we're talking about models, then I don't think any of the most recently used ones for a majority of the characters look very good. Sonic specifically was bugging me for a long while and I couldn't figure out why since, at the time, I thought it was probably just a slightly altered version of the one they always use nowadays. However, that's not really true. They shortened his spines to make him emulate Classic Sonic more and his arms look like you could easily just pluck them from his body like an action figure. The arms thing got me especially since it's the only Sonic model where I felt like that was the case. Same goes for Espio too, actually. 

I don't like Amy's model in Forces either. It reminds me of a touched up version of the awful one she had from 06. And they fucked up Charmy's eye in the first cutscene he appears in. 

As far as Eggman is concerned, I remember the weird color palette, especially around the eyes, being the thing that threw me off the most. The texture, I guess, never really bothered me like it did in Colors where his gloves looked like they were made of some sort of styrofoam. Either way, all of this can be improved. 

I'd probably not be too bothered by any of this or even really notice it had the animation for these scenes been any good but they all move so weird. Cartoon characters with weird cartoon proportions need to be more fluid than what they were in that game, otherwise it's just gonna look like they're stiff action figures. The only scene where I remember the movement being good was the one where Sonic was taunting Infinite after saving Silver. 

The worst of that was the horrible compressed scene where all the characters were fighting against the clones. There was so much wrong with that scene, it's amazing.

[Lord-Dreamerz]

13 hours ago, Austroid said:

The slimmed-down upper body, combined with his thicker arms and longer feet make him appear shorter and stockier.

I'm not really seeing here what you are trying to imply. The model you say that you prefer instead makes him look shorter and stockier to me then his current model.

5 hours ago, Dr. Detective Mike said:

Sonic specifically was bugging me for a long while and I couldn't figure out why since, at the time, I thought it was probably just a slightly altered version of the one they always use nowadays. However, that's not really true. They shortened his spines to make him emulate Classic Sonic more

Personally I prefer Sonic with fairly shorter spines overall regardless the style of Sonic. Because as a example while I understand this below looks cool to some peps... However to me it kinda just looks ridiculous... But it isn't a big deal to me either way.

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

Now that you mention it, the way his upper torso is slimmed down kind of bugs me too and his mustache looks better without if it's more of a concrete shape instead of all those overly detailed hairs.

32 minutes ago, Lord-Dreamerz said:

Personally I prefer Sonic with fairly shorter spines overall regardless the style of Sonic. Because as a example while I understand this below looks cool to some peps... However to me it kinda just looks ridiculous... But it isn't a big deal to me either way.

Strongly agree. Before I barely knew anything about Sonic, I thought those long spines looked a little silly. Plus, he's a hedgehog, not a porcupine

[Dr. Detective]

4 hours ago, Lord-Dreamerz said:

Personally I prefer Sonic with fairly shorter spines overall regardless the style of Sonic. Because as a example while I understand this below looks cool to some peps... However to me it kinda just looks ridiculous... But it isn't a big deal to me either way.

Well, that there certainly looks ridiculous. I recall this being an issue with something like Sonic 06 but not being one when it came to Unleashed. I really think it's just a matter of how the model is designed, ultimately. That right there don't look right but the one in Forces don't look right either.

[Austroid]

Trying to replay to everybody that I can. You guys are awesome!  

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 7:32 AM, Sonic Fan J said:

I get that feeling all too well honestly, but hey if you don't gamble on it you'll never get the thoughts off your chest and that can be far worse honestly.

I hear that. Its something I've always struggled with, and I'm definitely trying to change/overcome that. "New year, new me" right?

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 10:06 AM, Dr. Detective Mike said:

Oh, we're talking about specific models. I was worried that Eggman's modern design was about to be dissed for a second there.

Being an "Egg-fan" for close to 2 decades, that would be blasphemous for me to do such a thing! lol

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 3:10 PM, Lord-Dreamerz said:

I'm not really seeing here what you are trying to imply. The model you say that you prefer instead makes him look shorter and stockier to me then his current model.

I worded that kind of funny. The modern one seems too elongated in places. Legs look too stretched and the arms look oddly thick when combined to his smaller-looking body. The other model's overall proportions look more balanced.

[Detective Kaito]

To me I think the models should've changed a long time ago. They were great in Sonic Unleashed, but ever since Generations they've degraded in quality and continued to do so. They look so lifeless and static to me. Sonic's model in Forces changed so much for no reason at all. I also hate how you can literally see the fabric their gloves are made from, it looks gross. lol

So yeah, newer more expressive models are needed. Also better animators and screenwriters or whatever, cause every cutscene ever since Colors feels and looks the same.

[Shadowlax]

huh , I have never thought about this. Interesting opinion op. I'm in a weird Eggman spot where I actually much prefer his boom design to everything

[Kuzu]

Maybe less detailed models can make for more vibrant expressions. 

[Austroid]

13 hours ago, Shadowlax said:

huh , I have never thought about this. Interesting opinion op. I'm in a weird Eggman spot where I actually much prefer his boom design to everything

Oh really? Is there any particular reason you like Boom's design the most? I'm genuinely curious.

[Shadowlax]

35 minutes ago, Austroid said:

Oh really? Is there any particular reason you like Boom's design the most? I'm genuinely curious.

He looks like an old timey body builder and scientist and I think that's a very fun look for him. They were going for a very specific aesthetic with that egg man and i love it

[Austroid]

1 hour ago, Shadowlax said:

He looks like an old timey body builder and scientist and I think that's a very fun look for him. They were going for a very specific aesthetic with that egg man and i love it

I never thought of how similar he looked to an old timey body builder. Now that I think about it, he does look like a circus strongman; especially in his striped swimsuit!

[Shadowlax]

7 minutes ago, Austroid said:

I never thought of how similar he looked to an old timey body builder. Now that I think about it, he does look like a circus strongman; especially in his striped swimsuit!

That's the exact look they were going for , I think. And I think they nailed it!