Modeler Applying For A Job

[sparhawk]

I was thinking that maybe I can help out with some modeling. I have limited experience with Blender, but don't expect to much from me. I can do some of the props which are not to complicated but I can't do character modeling and most certainly I can't do faces.

Of course my priority is on programming, so I don't know how fast I am and I don't know much about low poly modeling.

Nevertheless I think I'm able to do stuff like bottles, flowerpots (withouit the flowers) and some of the less ornate furniture. While that is not much it might help a little.

[Springheel]

I think you should probably stick to the programming stuff, personally. You're our head programmer and the most productive programmer we've got on top of that. It doesn't matter how many models we have in the grand scheme of things--the code is the most important.

 

Now, if you know you absolutely need to have a break from coding, and it's a choice betweeen modelling and watching tv, then that's different.

[New Horizon]

I was thinking of trying out some modeling myself, but would really like to work off of Oditty's templates to keep things consistent. I also learn from disecting things as well so I think it would really help to have a perfect specimen to work with. I'll have to try and contact Oditty somehow and see if he'll post them on the ftp.

 

Life in the vocals world won't get super busy until we start recording and that's not going to be until I have the cast finalized....which is looking to be a few weeks away yet. This is more of a ...I'll try it in my spare time and if I suck, you won't hear a word from me about it. LOL

[Fingernail]

I'm gonna have another go, but I'm confined by the programs I have. ZBrush would be fine, if all I had to do was high detail bumpmap stuff, but I need to couple that with lowpoly, and Truespace is just TOO old and feature-lacking to cope.

 

I need Max or Lightwave. Maybe I'll be able to get hold of one or the other. Any recommendations?

[sparhawk]

I think you should probably stick to the programming stuff, personally.  You're our head programmer and the most productive programmer we've got on top of that.  It doesn't matter how many models we have in the grand scheme of things--the code is the most important.

 

Now, if you know you absolutely need to have a break from coding, and it's a choice betweeen modelling and watching tv, then that's different.

 

Actually I didn't mean to stop coding. I just wanted to do some small models because we have a lot of props to do and I can do at least some of them. Today I created a small bowel as a test. The only problem I have is that I have absolutely no clue how to skin it because i wanted to import it into D3.

 

Teh modelling I did while I'm at work in between. At this time I can't code anyway, so it is not exactly taking away my time from that. Of course, as I said it won't be much or anything of great models, only small stuff like this bowel, flower pot, bottles and such.

[sparhawk]

I'm gonna have another go, but I'm confined by the programs I have. ZBrush would be fine, if all I had to do was high detail bumpmap stuff, but I need to couple that with lowpoly, and Truespace is just TOO old and feature-lacking to cope.

 

I need Max or Lightwave. Maybe I'll be able to get hold of one or the other. Any recommendations?

As I said in the other thread. You can try Blender. It is well supported it seems and it is IMO rather easy to learn on poly modeling. Plus you can export and import lightwave format.

[Springheel]

Ok, well, how about I give you the bowl and plate models to start with?

 

plate ref= http://home.southland.net/~bettyg/mattprat.jpg

 

(probably more for the skinner)

 

 

Those kinds of easy things I could probably skin myself, I just need the UVmap.

 

I was thinking of trying out some modeling myself, but would really like to work off of Oditty's templates to keep things consistent. I also learn from disecting things as well so I think it would really help to have a perfect specimen to work with.

 

Any interest in doing objects in the meantime NH?

 

(Also, check with Sparhawk about that blender template he was talking about...we shouldn't rely too much on oDDity, since we don't know if/when he'll be back.)

Edited November 15, 2004 by Springheel

[Springheel]

Does anyone have huge moral objections to sharing the necessary software among the development teams?

[sparhawk]

Does anyone have huge moral objections to sharing the necessary software among the development teams?

I can happily share Blender with you. It's open source anyway and that is another big advantage it has. If you know a little bit of Maya modelling then Blender is probably a little bit easier to learn. And these add-ons I mentioned are also free.

 

Take a look at Blender.ORG.

 

I tried a bit of UVmapping but I can't get the hang of it. Seems I must read up some tutorials on that to better understand that.

 

If anybody can explain this to me I would greatly appreciate it.

[Springheel]

I'm downloading it now. Even if it's too difficult for me to learn to model from scratch (as I have zero experience with that), I might be able to do something with the character template.

[Domarius]

I'm gonna have another go, but I'm confined by the programs I have. ZBrush would be fine, if all I had to do was high detail bumpmap stuff, but I need to couple that with lowpoly, and Truespace is just TOO old and feature-lacking to cope.

 

I need Max or Lightwave. Maybe I'll be able to get hold of one or the other. Any recommendations?

This workflow I highly recommend, not because the 3 programs suggested here are FREE, but because they are the best at what they do, IMO. I love these 3 programs.

 

You will LOVE wings3d for modelling, if you are like me and HATE Blender's nerdy complex interface.

 

(this is from http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/vie...ic.php?p=21397)

 

1. I get reference pictures of what I want to model or draw them myself -ofthen front, side and top down view.

 

2. I open Wings3D, load referencies and make my model.

 

3. Export to 3ds format.

 

4. Open it in Milkshape to make some small adjustmensts (In wings ewerithing have to be 3d, no surfaces, everithing solid)

 

5. UV map in LithUnwrap.

 

6. Animate in Character FX.

 

7. Export to x format using Character FX or Milkshape.

 

8. Code.

 

Where to get these programs:

 

www.wings3d.com (for modelling)

 

CharacterFX www.insanesoftware.de (for animating)

 

Lithunwrap (for texturing) is discontinued and available free at arras's site http://members.lycos.co.uk/arras1/

 

 

Also check out arras's site to see what he has been making with this workflow. Bloody awesome game objects. They are all very low poly though, for older systems. Look at the gallery forums at the www.wings3d.com forums to see the high-poly stuff people are making with wings3d. It's just as well suited for low poly as high poly - it has always used the "box modelling" interface, which only the latest versions of big name 3D apps have just made it the new pseudo standard for modelling.

 

The reason this workflow is so good is because each of these programs has a specific purpose (modeling, texturing, and animating) and they are all VERY GOOD and VERY SIMPLE TO USE at what they are for. Ever hard of the term "jack of all trades, master of none"? That doesn't apply to this workflow

[sparhawk]

I'm downloading it now. Even if it's too difficult for me to learn to model from scratch (as I have zero experience with that), I might be able to do something with the character template.

If you look for some tutorials you can learn the basics in a few hours. It is really hard to learn when you just want to experiement with it, without looking at a manual. Fomr the big apps you can usually do a lot just by clicking around. Not so with Blender. On the other hand, the interface is asboluelty streamlined to support the workflow. If you learn the keys you must use you can do a lot of stuff in a short time once you are used to it.

 

I saw on the blender forums that there are now also video tutorials available. This might be helpfull. Search on D3World for "blender tutorials" and you can find them easily, there is a direct link to these.

[sparhawk]

You will LOVE wings3d for modelling, if you are like me and HATE Blender's nerdy complex interface.

Actually I registered Wings3D some time ago, but I think I lost the key.

 

Must see if I can get it back somehow. I don't want to register again.

[Springheel]

Well, I've downloaded Wings too, so I'll look at them both.

[Springheel]

Well, I've downloaded Wings too, so I'll look at them both. Just from what I've seen with the Blender plugin, though, we can very easily work from the same character template for human models.

 

A good question to raise now, is do we want to? I think there are probably some benefits to working with models that are basically the same size/shape. All the animations would be re-usable, for starters, and it makes it easier to swap skins/heads, etc.

 

On the downside, it might make things unrealistically uniform if everyone was the same height and weight. And some individual style might be lost if we are just using default templates.

 

I'd like input from people who know more about modelling and animations than I do. What do you think about using templates?

[sparhawk]

On the downside, it might make things unrealistically uniform if everyone was the same height and weight. And some individual style might be lost if we are just using default templates.

 

I'd like input from people who know more about modelling and animations than I do. What do you think about using templates?

I only know the face template a long time ago. And with this you could change so many parameters that you didn't really had to worry about similar looking faces. Isn't there a similar interface for these characters?

[Domarius]

Well, I've downloaded Wings too, so I'll look at them both.

...

The interface is very simple. It shouldn't be hard to give it a chance