Miles is getting English! (and other updates)

Over the past few weeks I've been working on an English voicebank for Miles. It's using CZ's full reclist and it will have two pitches, pretty much the same as his VCV Japanese voicebank. Doing shouting for all of the English reclist was a PAIN but definitely worth it!

I commissioned ryan-kun on DA to do the oto, and he's done a fantastic job. Miles' English is easiest the best English bank I've made yet. Here is the demo I have so far, but it only uses the lower pitch for the most part:



Other than that, I have future plans to update all of Jaku and Kame's VCV's (Kame is currently being recorded), as well as their English banks. At this point I can't promise any updates for Kei, unfortunately, but we'll see!

soft VCVs

So, Kei and Jaku are getting soft VCV appends. Kei is pretty much done, for Jaku though I am going to record an upper pitch so it doesn't sound so gross in the higher ranges.





Probably going to be released together when I finished, since they're both nearly done.

Cherish - Textures

Finally finished modeling and texturing.

I tried a few new things this time, a lot with the face, because the faces I've been modeling so far have been hard to add expressions to. Because that's the way PMDe is I guess. (The face kinda looks derp in Metasequoia, but it looks a lot better in PMDe and MMD for some reason...)I tried transparent textures too, like in the hair.

Also I've made some custom toons. And I have to say, she looks really great in MMD. Once I get her rigged I'll show some pics.

New model - Hekine Cherish Append

Yup, already starting on a new model. I have quite a few lined up so I shouldn't be at a loss for things to model for quite some time. (Although one of these days, I want to redo Jaku's model, eventually make a model for Kame, and Shigi's UTAU Hasuko)

But for now I've been doing trades because it's a fun way to branch out and model things that I wouldn't usually. So my current on is Hekine's Cherish append, asking for by Snow-Songstress. And it's going along pretty well so far.

Sorry she doesn't have a head yet. XD She will! She will of course. But this has been a good learning experience. More skirt physics on the way, plus I learned how to use the bend tool in Metasequoia! Super handy.

Aragi Textures and rig (basic)

Tonight I finished texturing and rigging Aragi! Well, the basic rig at least. She has no expressions or physics yet.

See? Just a basic rig. xD Her physics and expressions will come soon. For now have some nice leg-through-skirt action.

I'm really happy with her though, she turned out super cute. >3< And I love how she looks in MMD.

Aragi Pipa Modeling - done (FINALLY)

Oh, finally, I finished Aragi's model. +falls over+ I had this really big project to do that I had to model and animate for, so modeling in my off-time was killing me. Also it took me a while of figuring out what to do about the hair. But, here she is, now!

If I may be completely honest, I really think she turned out ADORABLE. Now to unwrap and texture. I was getting Metasequoia to crash while I was unwrapping so hopefully I can resolve that. +crosses fingers+

New Model: Aragi

All right, after a bit of delay, I've been modeling again! This time, like I said before, I've been modeling Aragi for true-aragon on DA, who is Arago's sister. I'm looking forwards to finishing her so I can have them both dancing together. xD And sadly I just haven't modeled as many females as males, so it's good practice for me.

There we are so far. This will mean I will have to try making skirt physics again which I still haven't mastered yet. xD

Arago Textures and Rig

Progressed further with this guy, he is now unwrapped and textured, and rigged! Last two steps are physics and facials. I'm going to experiment a little with facials, going to try something new, so hopefully they will turn out better than what I've done before.

Arago Model WIP

Put more work into the model today, and ta-da! The actual modeling is now done. Next step of course is unwrapping and texturing. The picture below doesn't have hands because like Kei's model I won't make them myself. xD I need practice making hands, it's true, but since I'm making a model for someone I want them to look nice and be presentable still.

 

I took some liberties with the hair, and tried a new technique with it, but I think it turned out pretty nice! And of course the model will look less plain once it has textures on it.

New models? Finally!

Yup, I'm going to model more stuff this summer! I stopped briefly during the spring semester because, well, obvious reasons, mostly being I had to model for class instead, but now I'm free to make models at my leisure. However, I have the problem that I don't really know what to model. I might redo Jaku's at some point, and my girlfriend's UTAU Hasuko, but I decided to go out on a limb and do some trades, meaning I'd trade models for art. Not money, since I really just want more to practice with, but I'm willing to exchange my own effort with others'.

So the first model I'm working on is Arago Pipu, an UTAU by http://true-aragon.deviantart.com/
I'm fairly thrilled to be modeling a guy, but there's some girls on the list too. xD Well, I need to practice modeling more women characters anyways, especially.

So here's what I have so far.

Well, not too recognizable yet, but I have one of the hardest parts done, the face. xD The hair will take some playing with to decide how to do, but I'll probably finish up everything else first. The eyes are only textures because I get a little creeped out when the model's eyes are blank, even while I'm just working on them. I don't know if I mentioned that before, but yeah. xD

New UTAU covers and stuff

Ok first, well, I've been trying to make English USTs. Jaku's English voicebank isn't that great still, so I've been using Tony Yonne's English. It works VERY well. xD Anyways, you might know a while back I tried to cover Human, by the Killers, one of my most favorite songs. It was a very horrible, Engrish UST. So I remade the UST completely using an English voicebank.

  Human - Tony Yonné by sonictheunknown

It sounds way better. xD though there are some mistakes here and there that I'm still fixing, mostly the timing of some of the words, and some consonants don't come out all the way. But definite progress. I'll release that when it's done.

I'm pretty sure this is Tony's user page: http://www.youtube.com/user/SkyIsland21

Speaking of UTAU covers, on a completely unrelated note, here's one of Jaku's I forgot to share. This was done over two weeks ago. I really like how it turned out, but it just slipped my mind I guess. Enjoy.

  Eat Me - Kumone Jakuon by sonictheunknown

Jaku English Voicebank, WIP

Well for the past few weeks or so I've been -very slowly- working on Jaku's English voicebank. I haven't had the time to do it all in one go so yeah, it's been taking a while. I have a lot of it oto'd, though I have to edit it still because I made a lot of mistakes. >> Also there are some missing sounds and some I should re-record because I didn't get them right the first time.

Anyways. here's a little preview, I guess.



I know everyone and their mother covers this song but it came with the English reclist I used. :Y

So yeah. You can actually understand some, or most of it. xD So I guess it's getting there. Phew. When it's good enough I might release it. I don't know how I feel about it yet.

Jaku update

Worked on Jakuon a lot more. She now has textures and a basic rig! Whoo! Just need to fix up some rigging issues, like her legs going through her skirt, and some weirdness with her shoulders. Overall though, everything's pretty much in place. She still needs facial expressions and physics, but after that she's pretty much done!

Also I checked her back with Kei again. Ah, they look really good together. I'm glad I could keep the consistency between them.

Blah. I swear one day I will make more things with both of them because it just doesn't happen enough.

Jakuon Model, onto UVs

Here's just a quick update. Been working on Jakuon's model, and now the modeling is all done! I really love how she's looking. I'm trying to get it so that she won't clash with Kei in the ways of proportion and style, and I put them next to each other for comparison briefly, but it's not very convenient in Metasequoia.

Anyway, here's her model!

This is really the first time modeling a woman of this figure, and also long hair! I actually like how her hair turned out. This new method I found of making it has been really great, and I think I'm getting gradually more comfortable with it.

Well, onto UV unwrapping, then textures! Then she'll look more amazing. :3

Jaku Model, WIP

All right, so been making some progress on Jakuon's model over the last few days. My first time, besides Adeliene, modeling a real female figure. I guess Adeline doesn't really count though because her breasts aren't AS prominent.

The purple is temporary, of course. It's only that color so I could actually see her tank top. xD Anyways, I'm still messing with her head/face, it's getting better, but I think it's a little big here. It's also not attached to the body, since that seam will be covered by her scarf anyways. I'm keeping her face high poly but her body low poly anyways, so I can keep the rest of her low poly.

Here's her face orthos, just because... well I'm amused by them... if only because they randomly turned out to look like something from Eureka 7. xD I mean... look dem eyes...

Also here's another cover... I know, I know, I'll cut it out. But I did this one because I made the UST ages ago but never used it. Well I finally did now... :P One day I'll get to recording English voicebanks, and then you can actually understand it rather than impossible to decipher Engrish. xD

  Spaceman - Kumone Jakuon by sonictheunknown

I'll throw the UST up on the UST download page if anyone wants it. I think it's one of my better ones. Of course I made it forever ago so if I want to make more I'll have to relearn... OTL

Jaku's New Voicebank

Well like I said, or I'm pretty sure I said the other day, I re-recorded Jaku. She's nearly done with her oto... and let me say... well darn. I've probably spent a maximum of 3 hours on her new voicebank and she already sounds really great. Like, a lot better. And yeah it's a good thing... but Kei has taken around 9 months to get to sound DECENT... OTL

But, that's good for Jaku! Here is a test for... well, I suppose it is her ACT2 voicebank. :0

  InfinitY - Kumone Jakuon by sonictheunknown

Kei Model, progress

I've just been working away at Kei for a few days. The hair hung me up but I tried a new technique for making it, and I think it actually came out rather well! I used this tutorial: http://metasequoiausers.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d48rxif

So in a whirlwind of activity, I actually finished modeling, unwrapping, and texturing last night. It's crazy what I do when I get lost in working on something. Anyways I thought it might be neat to make a side-by-side comparison to the first model I made of him in Metasequoia.

Hopefully you can tell which is the new one (the one on the left!)

The pictures are from MMD but he's not rigged yet ;P Still working on that.

What am I doing now?

Well since last post, I got all caught up in holiday stuff. But, I am still working on a few projects.

I started a new model of Kei, my male UTAU. Every time I have a model of him for MMD I am unhappy with it.... but so far this new is coming out nicely. I might actually be satisfied with it. -3- We'll see.

Haha, I feel like the las model I made of him from scratch I didn't even know what I was doing. xD It was terrible, seriously.

Speaking of Kei getting new stuff I re-recorded his voice bank. I know, he's getting so much attention. Don't worry Jakuon, you'll get new stuff soon too, promise! I'm pretty happy with his new voicebank. It's almost done, still just fiddling with the oto. I might even release it because it's turning out well, but uh... I guess it doesn't matter. xD

Reavery outfit - textures

Yeah I'm spamming this guy! But I really love how this outfit is turning out. I downloaded the PowerUnwrap Plug-ins for Metasequoia so now I'm a UV unwrapping MACHINE. And that makes for better textures. 8D

I am really happy with how this is turning out. The white parts are parts I'll be adding gold.sph and metal.sph to in PMD editor. So yeah they look a little bland at the moment...

Well onto rigging this bad boy.

Here's a preview shot of him in MMD... not rigged yet obviously but this is how it's gonna look!

Outfit Model fin

Well I finished the modeling part of Reaver's outfit!

The butt of his gun does clip through the coattail a bit, but I'm not -too- concerned. The coattails will have physics on them so it'll be less obvious. Plus I'll add some sliders which will remove the gun and the holster separately.

So onto UV unwrapping and texturing. I finally installed some plug-ins for unwrapping so hopefully that makes everything more successful...

For anyone wondering, yes I do plan on distributing this outfit once I finish it!