Modelling anyone?

[ShakyFiend]

Recently got into modelling 3D stuff and im enjoying it a lot, any of you peoples ever done anything of the like? Also I would really appreciate help from anyone whos been doing it for a while or who does it professionally.

Spoiler: Hourglass!

[http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/Shakyfiend/?action=view&current=HourGlass.mp4]

Please share your stuff if you like

 

[SturmDolch]

Nice work.

I'm taking a course right now on image processing. Up until now, we've used ImageJ, a buggy wreck of a program for 2D images.

But apparently my next assignment is to make a 3D model of my face with 3D max. I'm also taking another course next year on it.

I've also edited some penguins for my Computers and Games course. We're making a game on BioWare's Aurora engine, and we needed small, cute, yellow aliens. I changed the skin to a yellow one another group member made, and tweaked their ears and tails in gMax.

Spoiler: Yellow Guys

Pretty simple, but it's the only thing I've done so far!

 

[Daveman]

I have to do Solidworks stuff as part of my course. I had to do all the work of my assessment group. I dislike it a fair bit but I agreed to do it so I had to do less writing.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I wasted the last four years of my life pursuing a degree in it, so I know a little.

Maya is a good base program to use for it's relative simplicity (once you get past the industry's absurd pricing and incompetent publisher.) Or just do the amoral thing and rob the monopolistic sods. Blender is free and has serviceable functionality if you hate yourself. And for anything comparative to today's standards, you'll need Zbrush.

Digital Tutors and Gnomon can teach you everything you need to know. Relatively expensive, but pretty good. I use Gnomon myself since the school isn't smart enough to change passwords every couple of months.

However, what I found most helpful is dissecting games themselves. Root around in a game's files, extract the models and textures to see how they handled everything.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Well I study a course call 3D Digital Design (last time I heard it got rename to 3D Digital Media which is more accurate). The course itself is really more 50% 3D Studio Max and 50% Macromedia Flash. Our course works was pretty much making a flash presentation base on the 3D Models we had render.
Anyway I'm not a pro at it since I stop using the software a year after I finish the course.
As for seeking help I can only really say just looking for tutorial websites (my course is mostly self taught to use the program).

 

[Arqus_Zed]

Like others said before me: tutorials are your friends.

Also, I made a 'low poly' favela

 

[ShakyFiend]

I wasted the last four years of my life pursuing a degree in it, so I know a little.

Maya is a good base program to use for it's relative simplicity (once you get past the industry's absurd pricing and incompetent publisher.) Or just do the amoral thing and rob the monopolistic sods. Blender is free and has serviceable functionality if you hate yourself. And for anything comparative to today's standards, you'll need Zbrush.

Digital Tutors and Gnomon can teach you everything you need to know. Relatively expensive, but pretty good. I use Gnomon myself since the school isn't smart enough to change passwords every couple of months.

However, what I found most helpful is dissecting games themselves. Root around in a game's files, extract the models and textures to see how they handled everything.

Mind if I ask; whats your workflow?

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Mind if I ask; whats your workflow?

I typically stick with characters and organic modeling with a focus on game design. Once the concept is set, I use a combination of box and cylindrical modeling to rough out the basic shape. It varies from there.

Usually I try to finish it up in Maya, lay it out, and texture it (a combination of Photoshop and Zapp in ZBrush.) Then detail it proper Zbrush and create a normal map. The method is a bit dated, but this machine doesn't quite have the resources for the alternative I know.

Can't exactly show you this process as I have a terrible tendency towards self-destruction, and periodically delete my works.

And before I forget again, this guy has some good tutorials for getting started with human characters.