Assignment 2, Part 1: Item of Choice

My item of choice from Gotland’s museum:

The reason why I chose this item is because, frankly, I’m a big nerd for axes. It’s a tool and weapon of war that tells us so much about the people who used them through the centuries. From the Saxons, the Franks to the Norsemen of the Scandinavian Peninsula and beyond this was the most popular weapon on the battlefield throughout Europe. To understand why you must understand how it worked. It was first and foremost a psychological weapon, more reliant on mind and fear than pure strength. Most would see it as brutish and unwieldy, and it is true. The axe is utterly useless for defence or any sort of balance in weight or handling. This implies that it wasn’t used for any of those things. You came at your opponent hard and fast so that he wouldn’t be able to react. There’s no defence involved, you just charge at them. And as long as they know that you are coming at them you will overpower them. The only way to be “defensive” with the axe is to double your offense, and the more aggressive you are the easier time you will have to get inside your opponent’s head.

What we’re looking at here is a bearded axe that was likely attached to a handle meant for one hand. It could no doubt be used for chopping branches and trees along with more precision work, and in battle it could have a number of uses. The way that the edge is shaped gives it almost hook-like characteristics which could be used to lock into a shield or weapon and yank it from your foe’s grip. The cutting edge is relatively long below the upper “spine” to reduce weight.

Texture References

As for the visual style I intend to make it reminiscent of Skyrim with heavy emphasis on not only realism but also the spiritual. Which goes well with the Norse mentality of that their weapons contained a spirit that could be either worked with or defied. So I will add decorative features on the metal head and the handle to invoke a sense of mysticism. I will however keep it relatively simple as this axe head is iron. While strong, it is brittle and it would be risky to put too many engravings on it without compromising its structure like the ones you see in Skyrim. In short, it will be shown as something holding great personal and spiritual value but not necessarily for someone with a lot of wealth and available expertise. While by no means of poor quality, another priority will be to make it look beaten violently into shape with an uneven texture implying the work done on it by a sturdy hammer. While in good shape its brittle nature should also be shown, with small chips having fallen off at its edges, reflecting a tough and straining lifestyle.

The axe is a ferocious weapon, but it still needs the right design in order to be wielded properly. Weight distribution is critical. Making the axe head too large or thick will make it impossible to give it momentum. Not keeping the axe moving in combat makes you vulnerable. While enormous axe heads did exist, they were only effectively used by elite troops such as king Harold’s Housecarls and the Varangian Guard.

Likewise the handle needs to be made sturdy or else it will risk breaking. If the wood is of good enough quality, it will allow for much more elaborate decoration. Giving it carvings of runes and symbols is stereotypical of the time period and setting, but very beneficial as it tells of the mind-set of the people who made them. Not only does it provide history to the object, but also life and personality. This in turn can cause attachment to the item rather than having the player just seeing it as another thing to sell to the nearest vendor.

Edgeflow

Problems that might arise during modelling will probably involve the axe head itself. It’s a very distinct character and getting it right will be my utmost priority. Should that proceed without incident I still need to make it appear organic to some extent and give it that beaten down, somewhat brittle look. To minimise the risks associated with these factors I will try to find a way to manipulate the surface of the model without disrupting its shape.

Björn Erik Berndtsson. Graphics and Game Design.