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Magnimost
June 16th, 2016, 16:17
I'd like to start collecting software packages and websites which allow you to create character portraits for PCs and NPCs.

Please add any such sources in the comments and I'll add them here periodically. This can be videogames with good character creation or stand-alone software. Include mention of genres the characters are suitable, and approximate cost. Also mention computer platform, whether the creator results in cartoony, stylised or realistic chars, and if it is face only, or full body.

Any links to sample characters or videos appreciated to get an idea on the style and quality of the results. Some videogames are not suitable, as it can be difficult to export the images, unless you take a photo of your screen.

The Sims 3 Create A Sim (https://www.origin.com/en-en/store/buy/sims-3/pc-download/addon/the-sims-3-create-a-sim) is a free stand-alone software, but requires an Origin (https://www.origin.com/)account. If the link doesn't work, search for Create A Sim in Origin store.
Price: Free
Platform: PC
Genre: modern/generic
Style: Cartoony, full-body
Sample video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZmtGfTj-to)

Black Desert Online character creator (https://www.blackdesertonline.com/events/ccm/) is not available anymore as a stand-alone free product, but renders stunning results. To access the creator, you have to buy the always online game at Black Desert Online (https://www.blackdesertonline.com), starting at 30 EUR. The game is F2P in Korea, Japan and Russia, so if you speak one of those languages you should be able to access the creator for free!
Price: 30 EUR / free in Korea, Japan, Russia
Platform: PC
Genre: fantasy
Style: Photorealistic, full-body
Sample video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72rFa_TscYk)

Character Artist (https://secure.profantasy.com/products/ca.asp) by Profantasy.
Price: 28 USD
Platform: PC
Genre: Fantasy, modern, Sci-Fi, human, humanoid
Style: Artistic rendering
callahan09
June 16th, 2016, 16:37
The Sims 3 Create A Sim link you have there doesn't work for me. I get a page for "10600 SIMPOINTS".
LordEntrails
June 16th, 2016, 18:46
Character Artist by Profantasy
https://secure.profantasy.com/products/ca.asp#&panel1-1

Fantasy, modern, Sci-Fi, human, humanoid
Artistic rendering
PC
CC3 or CC3+ required?
Magnimost
June 17th, 2016, 10:10
The Sims 3 Create A Sim link you have there doesn't work for me. I get a page for "10600 SIMPOINTS".

Strange, it works for me with two different browsers. But if you search for Create A Sim in the store you'll find it; it might not be available in all markets, though.
Zacchaeus
June 17th, 2016, 10:25
Character Artist needs CC3 or CC3+ as well so it's going to cost rather more than $28
damned
June 17th, 2016, 12:57
Deviantart.
Zacchaeus
June 17th, 2016, 14:33
Deviantart.

Indeed, and with tokentool (https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/token-tool/) you can create a million portraits for nothing at all.
Answulf
June 17th, 2016, 15:26
Indeed, and with tokentool (https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/token-tool/) you can create a million portraits for nothing at all.

Yep. Pintrest and TokenTool is more than you will ever need or use.
damned
June 18th, 2016, 00:42
Watch game of thrones and pause the screen every other scene and quickly sketch up an interesting face on your tablet. Remember its only going to be in 64px when it is seen by the players :)
Magnimost
June 22nd, 2016, 00:25
This is more for creating your own character portraits, not appropriating someone else's (copyrighted) content.
Zacchaeus
June 22nd, 2016, 01:00
You aren't breaching any copyright if all you are doing is using assets for your own use. If you distribute it of course that's a different story. All the art at deviantart can be used for your own use and some of it can be distributed provided you credit the author and some even can be used commercially, again whilst crediting the author.
damned
June 22nd, 2016, 01:02
This is more for creating your own character portraits, not appropriating someone else's (copyrighted) content.

Heya Magnimost - cool - apologies for the sidetrack :)
Absolutely - any images sourced from the internet belong to someone else and may only be used for personal purposes and may not be redistributed unless they are shared under a license which permits such sharing.
Magnimost
June 22nd, 2016, 09:36
You aren't breaching any copyright if all you are doing is using assets for your own use. If you distribute it of course that's a different story. All the art at deviantart can be used for your own use and some of it can be distributed provided you credit the author and some even can be used commercially, again whilst crediting the author.

This is a rabbit hole and I'm not going to discuss whether own use of DeviantArt images is fair use or not. But please support artists who create portraits and maps and tokens and scenarios for us; many of them are actually struggling, and deserve compensation for their work.
Zacchaeus
June 22nd, 2016, 11:34
This is a rabbit hole and I'm not going to discuss whether own use of DeviantArt images is fair use or not. But please support artists who create portraits and maps and tokens and scenarios for us; many of them are actually struggling, and deserve compensation for their work.

No-one is saying anything different.