Q.How did you happen to think of creating a Troll character, and what was your inspiration for his appearance?
Well, I've always wanted a good monster for fantasy scenes, but found the creature morphs for Vicky and Mike too human. I wanted something that definately didn't look like it was based on a human figure. Then of course there was Lord of the Rings with the rather lovely Cave Troll, I think that's what started me off.
His apperance just kind of happened as I modelled him. He was my first real attempt at character modelling, and I found the sculpting side of it pretty intiutive, (I found the technical side a nightmare! :). I've been drawing monsters, robots and spaceships since I can remenber, so his apperance is just another doodle really!
Q.What software do you use in the character creation process? Modeling? The hair and clothing creation process? Texturing?
I used Lightwave to model the mesh, UV mapper Pro to map it, and Photoshop to create the texture. I also used PHI builder and CR2 editor, and of course Poser. The longest part of the process was setting up all the joints in Poser. The whole thing took around 3 months
Q.How long have you been interested in 3D art? How long have you been interested in Poser?
I've been interested in art since I could hold a pencil. 3D art came a bit later. When I was 12 my brother and I used to design games for the Sinclair 48k Spectrum. Unfortunately, the capabilities of a 48k system didn't match the requirements of my imagination, so I lost interest in computers. Playing TombRaider on the PlayStation around 12 years later made me realise that computers might be getting interesting. So I bought a copy of Computer Arts Magazine with a Bryce 2 on the cover CD and never looked back!
Poser was a natural progression from Bryce, although I only ever used it to pose a figure and export the mesh off to Bryce. It's only this year that I've got into the charater creation side of things and actually rendering in Poser. Although Poser's render engine has a lot of shortcomings, it certainly does a good job with poser figures! :)
OK - now for Ragbash:
Q.What are his hobbies other than Show-Dragons?
Ragbash lists his hobbies as sleeping, eating, and fighting. Not necessarily in that order..
He keeps a large collection of interesting bones (and alot of rather dull ones actually) in the back of his cave, and his repetoire of perculiar and offensive odours is second to none.
Q.How old is he?
The natural life span of a troll is around 120 years, although few make it to this ripe old age since they are usually hunted down by disgruntled villagers, slain by career adventurers, or more usually, killed by other trolls. Ragbash is a fairly typical troll in that he has no idea/interest in what his age is, although if you were to count the rings in his claws you would discover he is a rakish 43.
Q.Is he single? Available? Or not?
Well of course, trolls don't form relationships in the same sense that humans do. For mating to take place, one troll must overpower the other. Ragbash is happy to say that he has bested several females in combat, and is therefore the father of several trollettes (although he has no idea where they might be, trolls never pay child support). What Ragbash dosn't shout about is that he has been KOed by a number of female trolls, including the fearsome Gertbag. Gertbag has a special feelings for Ragbash, which she lovingly communicates to him by smashing his face in whenever they meet.
Q.When dating, does he prefer lady trolls or human females? Blonds, brunettes or redheads - or something else? Why?
He likes human females because even though they might like to, they tend not to smash his face in.
Q.What do his troll buddies call him for a nickname? Does he have a family name - like a different last name? If so, what is it?
His brothers, (Grimshag and Smegrot) tend to call him "Raggy", when they are not calling him other, less publishable names. Other nicknames include, "The Big Fella" and "The Giant Smelly One".
Q.Who were his ancestors and where do they come from?
Whether or not Trolls are the result of evil magic wrought on fairer species, or if The Creator was just in a bad mood the day he made them, is not clear. Ragbash himself is descended from the notorious "Malicious Swamp Lurkers of Spleemseep", (Father's side) and the "Odious Head Stompers of Hurling Wood" (mothers side). Ragbash, like most trolls, is terrified of his mother and despises his father. He has sworn to stomp his father into a pulp (if he ever finds out who he is).
Q.What is his favorite sport? As a fan or a participant?
Ragbash is keen on the trollish sport of "Gut Racing". This is a curious activity which is yet to be embraced by the sporting fraternity. The rules are simple. The players hide under a bridge, behind trees, or in a swamp (depending on the venue), and await a passing, lone traveller. At the given signal, the players leap on the hapless victim and devour him. The winner is the first to positively identify a piece of the traveller in his own dung. Needless to say, no one has a secured a deal for the TV rights to this novel sport yet.
Q.What is his favorite TV show?
He likes the shopping channel. He believes it to be about valuable treasure, (This is evidence of just how stupid Trolls can be).
Q.Did he attend college, if so, which university?
No, Ragbash only attended the University of Hard Knocks, Minor Stab Wounds, and Slight Abrasions. He ate a book once. Does that count?
Q.How tall is he?
Approx 8 and a half feet
Q.What does he weigh?
How much does a rhino weigh?
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