nightwolf Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 I would say the same as Wesley, Max is a better tool imo for modelling and Maya is better for animation. It seems like you're already at good level anyway, using displacement maps etc.
Ashley Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 (edited) Someone want to do me a favour? I need to re-create a logo but in a decent (ie not 300 x 300) size. I did it in Maya earlier at uni but when trying it at home on Maya 2011 it didn't work. Basically I created a large (somewhere around 3000 x 3000 pixel) NURBS circle. Made a sphere and duplicated it several hundred times (amount depends on size of circle) and then Modify > Snap Align > Position Along Curve and it attached them to the circle in evened spaces, with only a small gap between each. Trying it at home and its only attaching to one corner. Anyone fancy doing it and sending it to me as a Maya readable file? Forgot to duplicate to my flash pen and I need it this weekend. Thanks. Nevermind. Now the text is causing a problem. Use the same idea as above and it goes to shit. Anyone know how to do it? Edited November 26, 2010 by Ashley
Cube Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 Call my methods crazy, but the way I built my (admittedly basic) Space Invader model was to use some random program that can create/edit fonts, and made one of the letters the Space Invader shaped. I then used the text function to create the 3D "letter". Could something similar work?
Llama Juice Posted November 27, 2010 Posted November 27, 2010 I don't quite understand what you're trying to do. Some picture would be awesomely helpful. Also, your drunk walk has intense balance issues. There's no way those feet would hold up his upper torso at that crazy angle.
Ashley Posted November 27, 2010 Posted November 27, 2010 I don't quite understand what you're trying to do. Some picture would be awesomely helpful. Also, your drunk walk has intense balance issues. There's no way those feet would hold up his upper torso at that crazy angle. I have straightened up the back somewhat. That's what happens after I try to distribute it along text using the method above.
Wesley Posted November 27, 2010 Posted November 27, 2010 I don't know how Maya works that well... But if I were doing it in Max and having the same problem with the text (I assume you've converted the text into a spline/NURB right?) I'd simply use the text has a template and create a spline by hand that looks like those letters.
Llama Juice Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 What it's doing is basing the length of the curve off of the distance between CVs. What I mean is, it's placing 3 objects between each CV. If there's some sort of option to "disregard CVs" or something it would give you what you want.
Ashley Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 I just imported it into Photoshop and did it from scratch. Thanks for the advice though
Wesley Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 Once I get my first placement unit assignment out of the way I'm really looking forward to doing 3D after work. Still need to finish off a few things.
nightwolf Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 I'm really enjoying using 3dsmax for my final year project. Although I'm still struggling to get a mental ray tutorial for realistic clouds and for some reason sand material really has me stumped.
Cube Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 I was browsing some old images. I came across this, which I made ages ago: It's unfinished, but IMO it's not actually half bad.
nightwolf Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 No it isn't, with some texturing and some proper lighting it could look quite well
Cube Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 No it isn't, with some texturing and some proper lighting it could look quite well I believe that the saucer section was finished, and I stopped because I had major trouble with the mapping. I was trying to map it so I could use very high resolution renders of the official model (one from each of the six angles). Which is kind of cheating.
nightwolf Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 Not really, I mean it's difficult to texture properly if you don't know how, having perfect textures can help.
Llama Juice Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 Have you seen the Zbrush demo for Lightbox? *in theory* you could use Zbrush to texture your model if you have perfect orthographic pictures already haha.
Tissue Town Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 (edited) Ashley - Why are you animating human characters? What you're doing essentially is trying to jump 50 steps up the ladder. Cube - While I'm aware the spaceship is an old model I would strongly advice not bothering making them. They are one of the most cliched things to model, and unless you are aiming to recreate a spaceship so it looks photo-real or you want to show off your texturing skills, then I wouldn't even attempt it. Nightwolf - You definitely show that you know how to use shaders and renderers, but if you want to do something that can impress.. why not try to recreate an object, or even create a new one, or something completely fictional and try to composite it into a photograph. Even if it's something as simple as a chrome ball, or a fork or something of the sort. For reference, this is something I did a long time ago, and while it is not a composite, and if I had tried to do it now, I would have done 100x better then what it actually is, my goal was to fool a bunch of people into thinking it was a photo, and it worked. The big giveaway is the volume buttons. They're black lambert shaders.. didn't bother with them for whatever reason. Edited December 2, 2010 by Tissue Town
nightwolf Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 I see your point, the piece isn't finished by any stretch, but I imagine trying to recreate basic landscapes and sticking a fork in the middle might confuse a few people.
Ashley Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 Ashley - Why are you animating human characters? What you're doing essentially is trying to jump 50 steps up the ladder. Becauuuuuse that's what we have to do. Its a character animation course. An update to the drunk. Still not finished but an update anywho.
Cube Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 Cube - While I'm aware the spaceship is an old model I would strongly advice not bothering making them. They are one of the most cliched things to model, and unless you are aiming to recreate a spaceship so it looks photo-real or you want to show off your texturing skills, then I wouldn't even attempt it. There's actually a very good reason for it being a space ship. I was making it for use in a computer game called Star Trek: Bridge Commander. And it's the Enterprise (the one from Star Trek: Enterprise).
nightwolf Posted December 3, 2010 Posted December 3, 2010 Asley - it looks better now that he isn't leaning over so much, I like the hand movement as though he's trying to find something to steady himself. The feet could still use a bit more work, but overall I really like it! Character animation is incredibly difficult and irritating, but keep at it . In my mind I see nothing wrong with making things everyone has made before, guns/spaceships/chess sets, these things can be made for your own personal enjoyment and to start something new, the only reason I wouldn't is to show employers but it doesn't mean you shouldn't not show them if it's an outstanding model. I've not been able to get back to my scenes, they will have to wait til next week. I still haven't found out how to make clouds (I can make very dense fog but it's not the same as fluffy clouds.) and no-one I can find knows how...it's all very odd and secretive.
Ashley Posted December 3, 2010 Posted December 3, 2010 Asley - it looks better now that he isn't leaning over so much, I like the hand movement as though he's trying to find something to steady himself. The feet could still use a bit more work, but overall I really like it! Character animation is incredibly difficult and irritating, but keep at it . Thanks for the advice And that's like the...fourth worst variation of my name I've heard :p
Llama Juice Posted December 3, 2010 Posted December 3, 2010 Ahliy, it still doesn't look quite believable. My biggest problem that I wouldn't use reference properly while working on animations. What really helped me was when I'd start working on an animation I'd film myself doing the action. Then I'd hop back to that video every once in a while and try to match a lot of the poses and timing to whatever I'm doing. A lot of it is that your guy looks very stiff, and when you're drunk you're usually rather loose. That being said, I'm not the best animator. It's the most tedious thing ever to me and I absolutely hate it haha.
Tissue Town Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 I see your point, the piece isn't finished by any stretch, but I imagine trying to recreate basic landscapes and sticking a fork in the middle might confuse a few people. Yes I agree this would be confusing and unlike anything I had said.. Becauuuuuse that's what we have to do. Its a character animation course. Character =/= humans only... A character can be anything. Unless your tutor instructed that you must do a human... Then in that case he isn't very good at his job. Are you using the graph editor because it really doesn't look like you are. For reference, where I work, there are some truly awesome animators. A walk cycle.. Can take 5-6 hours. This is in a professional environment Have you been reading the animators survival guide? There's actually a very good reason for it being a space ship. I was making it for use in a computer game called Star Trek: Bridge Commander. And it's the Enterprise (the one from Star Trek: Enterprise). That's fair enough and if it's a personal exercise then that's fine. But I wouldn't make personal exercises take too much of your time. In my mind I see nothing wrong with making things everyone has made before, guns/spaceships/chess sets, these things can be made for your own personal enjoyment and to start something new, the only reason I wouldn't is to show employers but it doesn't mean you shouldn't not show them if it's an outstanding model. Like I said, it's fine enough for practise, but you won't ever get a job by showing a space scene. Guns are ok.. There are loads out there. Checkered floors is suicide. Things that are done over and over tend to get ignored the quickest. [quote name=Llama Juice;1244054 That being said' date=' I'm not the best animator. It's the most tedious thing ever to me and I absolutely hate it haha.[/quote] I know the feeling. It's one of the hardest things to master and takes years of practise. I still want to be one but I think I'll just concentrate on still stuff for now
nightwolf Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 Yes I agree this would be confusing and unlike anything I had said.. Whoops, then please do explain - if you wish, as I wasn't very unaware as to the point. As it is I'm not trying to pick, it's more just my point of why keep away from things just because they've been done over and over? Unless you plan to show them in a portfolio to a potential employer then there's nothing wrong in my opinion.
jayseven Posted December 4, 2010 Posted December 4, 2010 Ash - my experience of drunk walking is a lot of uncontrollable spine movement, primarily at the hip, with shoulders trying to adjust. But then I have no modelling experience whatsoever, just drunkenness!
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