[img]http://i.imgur.com/hGH5Khg.png[/img]With i61 right around the corner, I figured it was time I blow the dust off these and finally release the iSeries [b]Project UniREform[/b] jerseys. The project's roots started during ESEA S17 LAN as a project with [i]Forward Command Post[/i] (in which those fellas moved forward and became [i]ChampGG[/i]). It was inspired from eXtelevision's attempt at reskins in previous broadcasts, as well as esports teams getting exclusive org-based content, skins, or cosmetics for their characters. When first debuted, the skins were client-side and visible for the official broadcast, not disrupting the players or SourceTV broadcast.

The project has been positively received by those who liked the additional production touch, as well as how it felt. Legitimate criticism has been brought up as to the aesthetic of them clashing with TF2's art style, or the necessity to keep the RED/BLU colours. We learned from i55's era, and for i58 adjusted from there. Some of the cosmetics still ended up clashing due to the fact we didn't want to reskin 2000+ or something hats to match each team.

That being said, a lot of the later feedback we received was along the lines of "the skins are fugly can you not". In response, I remember saying:

[quote=uberchain]You can have no skins back when me and my team keel over from our all-nighters of editing 120+ textures and attaching those to 36 Steam ID-hexed StatusSpec models. You're probably in luck since I don't ever intend on putting myself or my team through that hell again.[/quote]

I've held to that promise this year. Scurvy (my reskin partner-in-crime) and I became drained on the tediousness of the work. It's too much effort for something that unanimously has been agreed clashes with the art style of Team Fortress 2 (although I understand there's a literal banana hat now in this game). Likewise, it felt like too little effort to just copy & paste logos onto sleeves and backsides (although that probably clashes least with the art style). If we had been keen about it, we could have painted the textures on in Blender to make sure they would match up better, but it didn't seem worth it then, nor does it seem worth it now.

Even if it was worth it, there was a period where the compliments got drowned out by the complaints, and we couldn't hear them. We became burnt out from it. I've personally retired for now from editing textures for competitive series.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/j1BXcmz.png[/img]That being said, the textures are being released for those who would like to use it! They are open to re-modification for anybody who is interested in using skins for their cast using StatusSpec, as well as their own game. I am unaware if Casting Essentials has also carried over this capability. The VTFs can also be used for Source Filmmaker and Garry's Mod artwork, or Team Fortress 2's gameplay as a mod - for instance, my BLU team still is adorned with Crowns Esports Club and my RED team is decorated in froyotech green whenever I'm on a server that isn't sv_pure 1.

The VTF texture files included here are from both i55* as well as i58. There are [b]192 VTF textures[/b] packaged, which include Medic's backpacks as well as various normal maps for any texture that needed to stand out (read: anything where I put gamer gloves on TF2 characters thinking that was a good idea). The teams included are:

[quote][b]i55:[/b] froyotech, Ascent, Reason Gaming, nerdRage, The Last Resort
[b]i58:[/b] froyotech, Full Tilt Gaming, Jasmine Tea, Comfortably Spanked, Team Xenex, Crowns Esports Club[/quote]

[b]The download to those [url=https://www.mediafire.com/file/64gko7ryb3oo7to/i55_i58_jerseys.zip]can be found HERE.[/url][/b]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/GbAmxUA.png[/img]Included as well are the promotional posters made by Scurvy (who you can find at [url=http://scurvyorangesfm.tumblr.com]scurvyorangesfm[/url]), including individual 7K team posters from i55, and i58's promotional posters. Additionally, there's some I made in there. You're free to use these posters (as well as the skins) for personal and non-commercial use such as printing these out for your wall. You are not permitted to redistribute, modify, or use the materials within this package for commercial purposes. Please credit scurvyorangesfm and I if you reupload these.

Additionally, attached are some other behind-the-scenes things such as concept sketches, unused artwork, artist mockups, and the original presentation made to Teamfortress.tv in 2014, showing the thought process for a variety of designs, as well as updates for why various changes to the philosophy were made for i58.

[b]FOR SERVER USE:[/b] Please be aware that if you want to use the textures such as have them on your Gmod or SFM servers, that the brands used in these skins are owned by the respective teams and organizations. Assuming you’ve cleared that, you can use a plugin like TF2 Model Manager on your server to replace models. Due to how the StatusSpec player models module mimics the functionality of TF2 Model Manager client-side, the models included in the VPKs should be fully compatible and ready-to-go for such use.

[b]If you're also looking for the ESEA S17 reskins + posters, [url=http://www.teamfortress.tv/21510/esea-s17-lan-reskins]those can be found HERE.[/url][/b]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/w1oOK6g.png[/img]I encourage people to revisit or think about what they would have done differently, or how to improve upon the design challenges of the reskin jersey project. Ultimately, we were aware of the flaws in the reskin project - but it wasn't meant to be permanent. It was meant to be a buildup to eventually encouraging interest in actual cosmetics, such as in-game hats or Scout jackets emblazoned with a decal from your favourite team. If I ever revisit the concept of jersey branding or the like, that's probably what I would go for - but this presents a lot of challenges aside from design, such as why the Esports Crate Debate still isn't as simple as it sounds for TF2. That's all part of the challenge.

It's always a pleasure to bring something a little bit extra to Team Fortress 2, even if it wasn't necessary a hat you could buy from the Mann Co. store. Thank you to everybody who supported the project, or appreciated the effort that went into it. If you have any questions, feel free to leave it in this thread.

And for those people heading out to i61 this weekend to compete, produce, or just hang out and watch some TF2 action - hf@. I hope you enjoy LAN!

[img]http://i.imgur.com/i5ocltt.png[/img]

[b]Concept Artists:[/b] uberchain, Lizisabutt, jasbutts, kichizone, Fudge
[b]Reskin Artists:[/b] uberchain, The Scurvy Orange, Fudge, DillyDong, Colteh
[b]Artwork:[/b] uberchain, The Scurvy Orange
[b]Special Thanks: [/b]TeamFortress.TV, TF2 Texture Improvement Project, all those who were asked to help, all organizations that allowed us to use their branding and sponsors, and Multiplay

[i]*We did not have enough time to make Danger Dogs jerseys. We apologize for not being able to let the Dogs out.[/i]

- - - - -

[b]EDIT:[/b] By popular demand of two people, I've uploaded [url=http://imgur.com/a/3koxd]the Jasmine Tea reskin gag concepts. [/url][img]http://i.imgur.com/WkFWlUY.png[/img]