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"Mechanatrix" character model for Unreal Tournament 2003
By: Sundeep "FunkaDelic" Dass
email: sundeepd@earthlink.net
website: www.sunny-d.com
Date of Completion: March 1, 2003
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Installation Instructions:

Place the mechSkins.utx file in your UT2003\Textures directory
Place the Mechanatrix.ukx file in your UT2003\Animations directory
Place the Mechanatrix.ka file in your UT2003\KarmaData directory
Place the mechanatrix.upl file in your UT2003\System directory

If you want to see the player data for this model, copy and paste the text below into your XPlayers.int file located in your UT2003\System directory:

Mechanatrix="Name:  Mechanatrix|Age:   Unknown|Race:  Human/Mechanical Hybrid||Data:|She never thinks about what happened to her; who did this to her. All she thinks about is inflicting pain and smearing your blood across the walls of the arena...||"

Load up UT2003, and select the Mechanatrix model from the Settings\Player tab. If you want bots to use this model in botmatches, you'll have to configure custom bots in the setup screen. 

The Stats:
Polycount: 3132
Textures: Deatmatch skin, Team skins, Specularity mapping on Body Skin. 
Animations: Custom skeleton, Custom animations: 84 sequences.
Karma: Custom Ragdoll
*Mechanatrix uses the standard NIGHT_FEMALE sounds and effects.

Software used: 
Modeling, rigging, animation: Maya 4.0. 
Textures: Photoshop 6.0. 
UnrealED, ActorX for Maya

The Story:
Well, this more of an experiment in character design than anything else. I just wanted to make a stealthy, elegant cybernetic woman. The tail was included for a more feral, cat-like look. A lot of her subtler details tend to get lost in the fast moving pace of the game/LOD change, and she may not have the most striking silhouette, but I think she can be a nice change from the "gladiator" look of most of UT2003's default models. 

I started this model way back in October 2002. I was beginning to paint the textures, but then I got waylaid by other modeling and games-related work. I didn't think I'd ever finish her, but I had a significant amount of free time during February to finish her up, which I'm glad I did. Nothing I hate more than leaving projects unfinished...

Known Issues:
I spent a lot of time tweaking everything that was in my power to improve. That said, there  are still a few minor issues: 

1. The ragdoll's head like to get "detached" from the neck. This can look rather unattractive, but head is still "held to the body" by the tube that runs from the back of the head to her back, so I thought I'd leave it in. She is a cyborg after all, things are supposed to fall off...

2. The HUD portrait does not display during team games. That's the little picture of your character that pops up in the lower left of the HUD whenever you say something, take the flag, etc.  It works fine in free for all deathmatch, but not team games. All you'll get is that box with that static effect running through it. I really don't know why it doesn't work, but if anyone can figure out how to fix it, please let me know. This bug is just dumb...

How I made this character model:
Well, I can't document all that info here. But look for a complete tutorial on how to get a model from Maya into UT2003 on my website (www.sunny-d.com) very soon...

Thank You:
-Epic and DE for making the game and standing behind their product.
-James Golding at Epic for promptly answering my Karma questions.
-The good people at the Polycount forums for posting pearls of wisdom.
-Milla for her specular shader tutorial...and interest in skinning the model. 
-Amanda Crosby for the name...and everyone else who played the Name Game.
-Zak McClendon for the Tron/Z.O.E. reference.
-All the other sleazebags at Cinemaware. Thanks for the feedback.  

Mechanatrix, copyright 2003: Sundeep Dass
You may NOT alter any of the files in the ut2mdl-Mechanatrix folder without my permission. 
You may NOT distribute the Mechanatrix model on any CD or other media without my permission. 