I decided to go for a Mario themed Chess with the Goomba Pawn for the Black Side.
But I have to say, that i’d better continue with the course, because as simple as this model is, I had a hard time with the smaller things like the eyebrows, the teeth and especially the mouth… everything looked horrible 
I need to practice and get things done with fewer Tris… this little guy has over 10k Tris 
and ca. half of them in the two eyebrows.
that’s cool, you know its funny I had the same idea to make a Mario themed chess set, the rooks would be the Piranha plant toads to be the opposing pawn side. could be fun to do I think.
thats what i thought too 
Mario and Princess of course, Bowser and Bowsette Yoshi for the knights and koopa troopas for the black side knights
Oh I will do it I just need time… and i don’t know if I should continue the course and learn more (I am not really interestet in an animated lamp, but I will definetly learn a lot) or just practice.
Do you have a tip for a Tris reduction? Should i go lowpoly an then apply the sub-mod? Or doesn’t it matter at this point?
I am really new to blender
…your wish is my command!
Why not give yourself one week off from the course, but then use that time to create some more individual non-course related models. Then, at the end of the week, return to the course again and see how far you got. 
At this stage I’d recommend just experimenting, playing and learning to be honest. After learning a very small set of the basics I took a break from the Characters course and started on a little piece of scenery, I read a couple of articles online about removing ngons, ensuring quads etc, I got so bogged down with trying to make the model perfect that I really lost the enjoyment for a while. Prior to this I’d really enjoyed making a little Lego character and a snowman, the latter being so simple but it was fun and that kept me enthusiastic and wanting to do more.
Everyone is different and will have different goals, learning styles and so on, but if you enjoyed what you did with the Goomba maybe continue that way for a little while longer and then gradually introduce more advanced techniques.
I do, of course, now want to see Donkey Kong, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, one of those angry looking bombs on a chain and so on… get to it!
My best tip for tri reduction is alt M which is merging vertices it’s the only way I know how to model hands.
I am only taking this course as I have picked up a lot of bad habits and I want to get rid of them so I can be more efficient.
Sub division modifying is good but would all depend on what your making the course for I wouldn’t sub divide something thing that would be used in a game.
I completely agree let your imagination take hold and create something you like and learn by creating. Then start up the course again and I wouldn’t be surprised if you want to go back to one of your personal models and start again because what you’ve learnt is better way of getting what you want out of your model.
Thanks a lot guys 
I am really in the mood for some modeling and I will start with the easier tasks like the plant-in-the-pipe, then maybe the toad-pawns or else.
I leave the Kings and Queens for later (Mario, Peach, Bowser and Bowsette)
Thanks again for the Motivation!
How can I make a 3D Model on gamedev.tv?
Here is my progress today. I am really happy how it turned out! I had a few problems at the start, but I managed it and the Piranha Plant looks good.
It’s missing a texture (leaftexture or else, and the white dots) but these can be added later, I’d like to learn more about UV first.
The Low-Poly version
Good Night Guys
Dominik
Do you mean how can you embed it into the forum? If so, register a Sketchfab account (they are free, although they also offer a paid service). Upload your model and you will get a unique URL for it. When you browse to that the Sketchfab player will be embedded into the webpage.
On the forum, just paste your model’s URL into your post and the player will be embeded in your post too
Really nice model by the way, well done!
See also;
Thanks Rob!
No problem.
Nice model there I like it, sub division modifiers can be at little unforgiving on some edges like on your pipe just ctrl-r around the top of that pipe and add an extra loop cut and if you put it as close to the original edge of the pipe the sub division modifier will the. Keep the sharpness of those edges.
Just a quick edit As WHOA!!! All those triangles. 
Okay, thank you for the tip
Yeah, I know it is indeed a little bit too much 
I just didn’t care as it is just for practice and and put a to much of the sub-mod on it
Your welcome, enjoy tweaking, now who’s next to make?
you’ve got me wanting to make Mario characters now. 
Would be interesting to see what the FPS drop to in a simple scene with the above high poly piranha plant, my laptop is a bit aging but could be fun to see
Could maybe do some of the shells too, from Mario Kart
Also - the piranha plant is calling out to be animated…
Yeah I would love to see him chomp!
It would have to be the blue shell those wings would be cool to make.
Well my iPad closed the page on that model as it was to high memory 
Sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown down - you could both have a go at the same model and see how they come out or perhaps how they differ, just for funsies
lol… ok, maybe not then, I have a lot to do today and I can’t be waiting around for a reboot!
Got to say I am definitely tempted to start some Mario models!
This could also be your ticket back on the old blender unicycle!
