Lothar Zhou's Advice Lecture - Part 2

Lothar's hints and tips on Maya

 

 

Tools to avoid

Never use :

• Boolean Tool; If you want to join two mesh together - use combine or split polygon tool. This is because it is not good for real-time rendering in games. It is fine for models for movies etc.

• Ngons: Triangulation does not matter - because everything you produce will become triangulated in the game. Things like caps on cylinders are fine. You do not need to avoid n-gons when the face is completely flat, If the plygon has faces facing different angles etc, curved edges etc, you need to avoid it. This is a case-by-case study. You need to test out whether it works etc. When the angles in a flat face are very extreme - then dividing up the face makes the model more stable.

• Cut-Tools: Sometimes when you are using Cut-tools you need to make sure that there are not unnecessary verticies which are too close together and this in turn can mess up your geometry anyway. Basically this tool can give you a lot of headaches. The more vertexes you have, the less control you have,

• Unwrapping UVs: You must use the checkerboard pattern to show your stretched areas. Then analyse the model and chose which mapping method you should use to project your texture. Then select the faces for say planar mapping - no need to extract - and then go to create UV's then Planar Mapping. Then you need to use whatever the rest of the model works best with. In UV editor use the tool Polygons>Relax which allows you to even the vertex range. This can also stretch the UV texture. Then you can pull and adjust the UV's manually whilst looking at the perspective view in Maya to create a Chequerboard which is completely even. 

• Every Vertex in your low poly mesh should add something to your model. Each one should have a use, or a purpose.

Lothar Zhou's Advice Lecture - Part 1

 

 

• You have to make your model a more organic shape using different tools. The models have to have more character and features in it. No more straight angles and lines as this is boring and too perfect. Random shapes and lines make character. You're not an architect so you need to show character in everything you make whether that's a garbage can or a building.

• Concept art is not about digital painting -  pen, pencil, paint, these are all good tasks and skills to have for 2D. In concept artwork, it is essential to have a scale indicator - for the viewer (especially the modeler) to be able to effectively translate your ideas. Think about the character and the scale and how the character would interact with your models/levels/props. Think about the colour scheme and the lighting to enable a cohesive style.

• Lionhead Studios - Dinosaur Hunting
  Their work shows the general feel and key colour for each of the environments/levels.
  Pencil and paper are often used in the initial sketches - these show shape and form in an interesting, natural way.
  Their sense of space and shaping is boring. Different directions and shapes make interesting 3D models.

• Level design is a very vast and thorough design process including gameplay and analysis of elements in the game. Profiling is a large range of tools which is specific to that individual company. Without pre-rendering, you can jump into the game in real time. Real time also has a lot of restrictions. Level designers also calculate how many models, light, particles etc can be held within a level and a decent Frame Rate still be achieved.  

• Lothar showed us some concept sketches from Lionhead and Ubisoft (Open Season - the game) and showed the stylistic differences and the differences in design based on the target audience. When designing assets and props for levels it is always good to show its context within the game, and the game-market as a whole.

• Think about your UV unwrapping before you duplicate anything. Unwrap the UV's  before you unwrap them so you don't have to repeat your unwrapping methods several times. When modeling an object you know you will have to repeat, always UV unwrap it first and then continue to model so that your work is still in order etc.

• Think about how your model will be used across the game and try to build a library of 'tileable' models for things such as walls, pathways etc.

• Colour keys are extremely important for you model/level.

• Think about your target audience for you game when picking colour schemes. Think of the placement and form of your work so that it tells a story. All kinds of reference - and a combination of these is always excellent for your modeling.

• If you can it is always good to visit places not just search for 3rd party references to use for your concept artwork.

• Consider cut scenes and their role within your game and the context of said cutscenes in relation to your work produced.

• If your game is first person it is important to have a figure in the fore-ground in order to give the correct  perspective.

Lothar Lecture - Week 3 of BA5

• Environment Artists have several openings throughout the UK Jobs Market. There is high competition for Character Artists, Animators etc.
• Think about how you present your work so to keep with a continuous mood with colours layout fonts styling etc.
• What is the world?
• Get hold of references and gather as many as possible. Look at the type of lighting, environments, the time period, the biology of the place.
• Get numerous reference images with a dominant colour for textures as well as moodboard images.
• Take your time to do research to find your ideal reference - your work will be better because of it.
• Ask yourself what kind of effect do you want to achieve for that location?
• Each level has a key colour scheme - make sure you adjust and tweak your photo references for your mood board. Don't forget backdrop elements such as insects, shrubbery, moss, birds etc.
• Look up the artwork for Tokyo Jungle?
• Think about Lens Distortion in your work - how will it be viewed - 'purple ray fringe'
• Real - Life imperfections can add realism to games - but are not wanted in hi-spec renders etc. Look into lens distortion - look at how you can introduce this into your artwork.
• Concept Artwork is often taken and re-touched from still images from the engine - and these paint overs allow better tweaking of post-production lighting and colouring etc. These are images which are sent back and forth between the 2D and 3D teams until it is.
• Try to include images to show scaling in your mood pieces and reference images.
• When modeling - think abut how it will be used in game and how/ whether it will need to be rigged and animated.
• What is a dummy node, and what is an export dummy.
• What is a specular Map, and gloss map, will be half the size of the diffuse map.

Gouraud shading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gouraud shading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Reference material for Mudbox Lecture last week. This technique of shading is the theory we will use to create our bump-map in Mudbox.

Utah teapot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Utah teapot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The first rendered 3D image made on a computer by Martin Newell. Mark mentioned this in his Mudbox Lecture last week. It reminded me of the first animated 3D object produced by Pixar, which is used today in its opening credits - the seemingly mundane desk lamp.

Mud box Lecture 1

Notes on Mondays lecture;

Topology - study of curves ( for us it will be specifically in the facial features)

You will be marked on everything. Tutors want to see a process of events and attempts, save everything, screenshot everything and try to blog all you attempts be them failed or successful.

Digital modelling is referred to as Polymodelling.

There are two types of sculpture;
Subtractive sculpture - like a marble sculpture where you start with a large block and you sculpt into it removing layers to reveal your design.

Additive sculpture - like a clay sculpture where the sculptor can add extra material and build up from a base form.

In Mudbox you are merely surface sculpting, you are only manipulating the surface layer of a mesh which is one dimensional. Another form of digital sculpting is Volumetric Sculpting which involves 'Voxels' which are volumetric pixels ( pixels which have been given mass)

Quick notes;
Adjust the resolution of the model by subdividing the surface polygons. This also adds in layers of sculpting.

Shift + D = subdivides the surface and goes up a layer ( adding pixels ) and then you use Page Up and Page Down to navigate between the layers.

W toggles the Wire frame visibility.

Make sure you save regularly because the file is large and Mudbox has a habit of crashing when you are using a low end spec computer. You will lose you work if you haven't saved and this happens.

If you pull the geometry too far on Mudbox, when the model is in a low polygon layer or indeed any layer it wont be able to take it and the shape will be heavily distorted. Therefore Mudbox is not the ideal package to use for fantastical sculpts.

Symmetry can be toggled by the 'Mirror X' option in Brush Settings. This allows you to set Mudbox to mirror your sculpting on one side with the other. A great time saver.

You can add layers like in Photoshop but unlike in Photoshop they are linked through a hierarchy. Parent child relationships as seen in Maya. Therefore every change in the base layer will effect the layers below it.

Things to Look Up

The 11 second club - website for free rigs to practice animating

Rigging101.com - tips and rigs

Guerilla Project - video tutorials on VIMEO.

Notes for myself on Apple Interactive

Utilise the technology of the device be it the gyroscope, the multi touch, the accelerometer.

You will need to produce a design document which will include;
Illustrations and Conceptual Images
Game Mechanics
Market Analysis
Why is your game so Super Awesome!

It will NOT include Research, Initial Ideas or any other rough work. This work will remain on your blog.

Keep the Design Document Clean Concise and Professional.

Use www.gamepitches.com for help on how to structure your game document.

When writing for your blog try to keep your main posts analytical and explanatory.

When analysing other games ask yourself why that game is so successful?

Space Port

"Rise of the Video Game"

As the video was playing I noted down some key names to research in my own time, these people are;

Nolan Bushnell from Atari
Stuart Moulder
Ed Halter
Henry Jenkins
William Higgin Botham
Steve Russell
Aaron Ruby
Al Acorn
John Romero
Doug Rushcoff
Toru Iwatani
Neil Young

I learnt that the game accredited worst of all time was E.T. Game by Atari due to its high costs low sales and quickly rushed gameplay and graphics.

Aardman Studios - Helen Schroeder

Just a quick post to write up the main points I got from our lecture on Friday 21st.

Keep your show reel up to date with free work to build your CV and gain valuable contacts.

Apply for unpaid training courses as there may be a job at the end of it for you after you have shown your commitment.

Be flexible but strong minded. Say yes to jobs unrelated to your passion as you may find 'ins' through that work. Don't be afraid to ask for trials on different roles if you can see the opportunity there.

Be willing to start at the bottom of the food chain time and time again as this will build up your skill base and widen your job opportunities and make you a more valuable team member if you can perform several jobs on a project.

In the animation industry you will be likely to start your career as a set modeller or a runner.

No matter how mundane, be excellent at your job and you're likely to not stay in it for long!

Look abroad in Europe for jobs and training.

I found Helen a very interesting person to listen to as she genuinely wanted to be there which came across in her talk.

Arthur Christmas picture taken from
Heyuguys.co.uk