Dragyren

Greetings, Kin!

For the past month I've been tirelessly working on the Dragyren model, without even taking a single break almost for three weeks straight. As per usual, I don't just make a new model: most of the time is spent on developing new art-styles, writing shaders, and programming tools in preparation for making more models in the future. I've done similar processes in the past, but I wasn't happy with the resulting quality back then. However this time, I feel like I have finally struck gold.

It has been many years since I set myself on a course of finding a defining, striking art-style for Dragotheria. I've tried so many directions I can't even count. This model is easily the best model I've produced - and it's not just "luck". It is the culmination of every technique used in the past. A little bit of every single modeling, shading and texturing trick that I have invented since I started going on the gamedev journey. Surprisingly, there is a lot of math and programming involved in producing models this way, both to make it consistent and to do it quickly. This model is just one result of a pipeline that I'm building - many like it are soon to come.

More Than an Avatar!

But, you might be wondering - "What these models are for?".
Simple answer, they are for everything! My dream is to make Dragotheria a franchise, so why delay that?

First up, this is one of many Dragonkin species - there is lore and some writing already done for them (even an explanation why they are anthropomorphic). I intend to work on illustrated lore pages (sfw and nsfw) that describe the world I'm developing. I hope that having such materials will one day will help me produce an illustrated art/lore book. This is also why consistency of an art-style is key.

My only issue is that I don't have a place where I could present all this work meanwhile. Everything indicates that I need to make a custom website for it, but it will take me a lot of effort and time to learn an entirely new skillset to pull that off... So, I'm still looking for ideas how to better present my work. Any help and suggestions are appreciated!

Second, Dragyren will soon be available as a VRChat avatar with plenty of customization options. I'm aiming for the release this month, but I still need to work on gestures, emotions and face-tracking features. It is also going to be a standalone model that anyone can purchase to pose/render/animate in Blender as well.

Also, enjoy some of the pictures I snapped in VR scattered around this post! Or better, come hang with me sometime!

Last but not least, it is also a base model for many characters in the game (even the playable one). Yes, with how I planned things out, I'm still passively working on "the Game" despite putting my attention elsewhere for the time being. Having such great models on standby, already setup in Unity engine, will be of an immeasurable benefit later down the line.

Future Models and Avatars

After Dragyren is released, I will work on more models to expand the initial roster for Dragotheria. I have already shown those concept art pieces before, but I'd like a reminder - I love these designs so much, they are not going to remain as simple 2d pictures forever!

Avagal/Avagora

A mix between some of my favorite furry species, a design that came out of a happy accident a couple months ago - it still beckons me to complete it as fully featured model. While certainly inspired, it is not related to any of those popular species, it is all original, ready for Dragotheria! Just look at the silhouette! I can't wait to do it in 3d properly ( I already did a quick PS1 style model just as a test before, but that doesn't count ).

Progenitor Wyvern 

My new sona is of this species, haven't come up with the final name, but in-lore it is one of the forms Dragonkin took before getting influenced by the Earth's lifeforms. We have strange mandibles and tentacle-hair, we are sleek, winged, scaly aliens. We also have propulsion flight-enabling organs in our wings, because we are adapted for microgravity environment in the uncertain mists of Astral. With this, I will not only be able to show off my sona, but create a base for all sorts of alien Dragon designs with an ability to transform front limbs from wings to hands.

TGOR Kobold 

My old Kobold avatar currently is sad and abandoned, and I love them very much. I will work on remaking the model from the ground up in the new style and re-releasing the avatar again.

Aurelivora

Yet another concept that makes me happy me to this day, and it needs to be realized as a 3D model. Imagine all the things you can do with those tentacles in VR, imagine how scary and exciting would it be to meet her in a Dragotheria game...

And after that, we will see! One route is to work on the raptor (Direenixyan), bird (Arkarthri), canine (Wolcanian) and lizard (Hizathri) species from the original Planes of Existence project. To update their designs and completely re-make the models in the new style, adding to the library of sexy Dragotheria species, a library available for anyone to use and have fun with! I want my old ideas to be fully realized as well, It would be depressing if they were forgotten.

And of course, I will work on some new feral Dragons too :}

With the pipeline as is, the process became very streamlined and much faster. I can relax and think mostly about artistic part, while technical aspects can be a copy-paste operation between each model.

The Pipeline

The pipeline I've been building in Blender is very advanced, but I tried to keep it as user-friendly as possible - for my future self and anyone else who wishes to purchase and modify my models.

I would like to show you some highlights of the system, reveal the mystery behind hundreds of interconnected Blender nodes.

First up, some fun stuff - saliva shader. I made it so it procedurally creates droplets and bubbles of saliva in the maw. It makes me thirsty to look at it.

At first I was facing the necessity to do SFW models for VR with great disdain. But then, I developed some unique lore why would some Dragonkin not have anything dangling or opening between their legs, while other Dragonkin would... And it turned into a big worldbuilding kink that fascinates me (I discovered I loved this idea so much in fact, that I decided to make it part of my own identity, discovering something previously closeted about myself).

In a nutshell, Dragonkin can have a very different, alien anatomy. The glowing part between their legs, on their tongue and paws lets them experience and feel much more than Earth creatures can, even connect to each other to communicate, share thoughts and feelings. I called it "Lumina" - it's extremely sensual part of the body, while appearing SFW for people who aren't in the know...

Not everyone has this translucent view into their belly. Some Dragonkin have the "hidden Lumina", where it's tightly covered by a layer of regular smooth skin/scales, but underneath, it has the same properties. Also it glows because ene........

This is way too much for the Patreon post already. I desperately need a place where I can properly publish all the lore alongside of all the detailed anatomical diagrams, 2D art and 3D models.

Nodes that compose the texturing system are modular, people can just tweak the values of individual layers to change diffuse colors, emissive glow, smoothness, metallic, and other surface properties that are unique to the shader I'm developing for all my creatures.

I have also experimented with fur - it's not yet completed, but I made a system so I can apply furs and other small-scale details with just one click, and it even orients itself in a direction how the fur would naturally grow.

I made a character customization system in blender using a Geometry Nodes modifier. Just select the body-parts you want with drop-downs and checkboxes! It's very powerful, but still requires some blender know-how. I still have to write some custom scripts that will provide new Blender users with a handy one-click interface and tutorials.

Customization options also grow in geometric progression with all the additional body-shape presets that I have planned. Masculine and feminine, from sick and thin to juicy and plump. Each with its own baked texture and a set of adjustable shape-key sliders.

I've also been working on some commissions to retexture other avatars in my new art-style. This one I recently completed was done for Trinity. Perhaps I should officially open for retexture commissions like this? What avatar bases would you want me to be able to customize?

Overhaul Continues

I admit I didn't quite had the time to work on Discord and Patreon like I planned. There is just so much tasks I need to complete and it's all piled up on me. There is a lot to rebuild and restore, and I feel like I'm running out of time to do it.

But, some Discord server updates I have managed to complete, and I think the best of them is the Dev-Feed announcement channel. This is where I post my real-time progress on what I'm currently working almost daily. But I feel like only a few people have noticed that channel, despite my ongoing effort to keep it interesting.

I'd love very much to rekindle some life into the Discord server with new activity and discussion about Dragotheria specifically. About creatures, alien astral lands, lore-details (such as history of Dragon visitation to Earth), and just for us to discuss what it's like to live a life of a Dragonkin. Technical stuff is also welcome, like questions about avatars, Unity and Blender, etc...

Just anything (except memes)! Please come talk to me! It's lonely, despite that there is lot of people listed there...

❗One last thing I wanted to mention, that I'm also working on a Patreon-exclusive version of the Dragyren avatar.

Starting from the next month, I want to keep creating monthly special skins that will only be downloadable for one month, then replaced by the next skin next month (and so on). This is why a fast production pipeline is so vital. As I complete more Dragonkin base/avatar models, more skin variety will follow as well.

It will be a much cheaper way to get a custom semi-exclusive avatar from me, and once next month hits - no one can have it but you, if you downloaded it in time! What do you think? I think it's exciting!

Conclusion

Thank you for reading! I hope you like the quality of my art so far and excited for more to come soon.

For more real-time updates on what's going on, take a look at the Discord server that you should be already invited in by the Patreon bot, and please leave a message there or two (create a thread), I miss conversations there.

With lots of Dragon Love,
   — Salireths.