Evaluation

Ian Stewart

3D Animation Evaluation

We started the unit by creating a simple cube then we got asked to create 6 separate textures numbered 1 to 6 with any design, we then had to apply the material to our cube to produce a dice like model, The reason for this was to learn how to work with the material editor with in 3d studio max.

We then later had to create a small building from the knowledge we had learnt in the previous session, we learnt how to extrude the faces of the shapes to create window frames and doors.

We then created a rectangle shape and once again create our own materials for it I chose a nuclear metal crate. Once we had created our textures we had to edit them in Photoshop and increase the velocity and contract to create a black and white texture so it will be in the form of our original image, Once this is applied to the bump map slot in 3d studio max it would create a 3d look to the texture but it would still be 2d, This is effected by lights and shines off the specular map in 3d studio max, It just gives that bit more realism and life to the model.

From what we had learnt in the previous weeks, we then started a project where we had to take our own photos of the front of our house or any other terraced house and the gardens. We then re-created our own street in 3d studio max with the knowledge we had.

Once I had finished the street scene I decided to create a bicycle to push myself and increase my skills in 3ds studio max. I also created a swing and a 3d flower for the gardens in my scene. After I had created the terraced street scene I quickly sketched a cartoon street with a few buildings trees a lake and a cartoon tank, this was purely for the purpose of learning how to animate on a spline in 3d studio max.

When we had finished all the previous projects we had started, We then moved onto a more serious project where we were given a template of the M1A1 Abrams battle tank, we had to cut the template up and apply the each material to the correct side of a plane in 3d studio max that being front, top, left side and back, this is just a guideline for when you create a box you move the vertices to the correct place on the picture, when done the size and shape of the tank would be perfect. Once we had got the basic shape of the tank done we could then add in all the details such as the 50cal machinegun on top of the tank. Once the model was finished we had to create our own texture for it and apply it correctly using UV mapping. Uv mapping is used to select the faces of the model then once you press the uv map button it would generate the skeleton for the selected faces then you could screenshot the preview uv map then in Photoshop you could create the texture correctly based on the faces in 3d studio max, once you import the texture back into the materials editor and apply it to the model once the uv mapping is complete then the texture would simply wrap around the model. Once I had finished the model of the tank I applied the same technique I used for the tank to create a harrier jump jet which is a bit more tricky and complex with it being a more organic shape.

I then created a volcano scene surrounded by a sea of water and to off shore little island with a few trees and shrubbery on it. I created this by making an image in photoshop only using the colour black and white, white being the highest point and black being the lowest I used the brush tool with a soft airbrush and I drew some simple shapes, Once this is applied to a plane with the resolution 1024x1024 (the higher the resolution the more detailed the terrain would be.) and with a displacement map applied it would generate terrain, When you increase the strength of the displacement map it would make the terrain higher. I then created a water texture then altered it slighting from 0-100 in the time frame, then once played back this would seem as if the water was animating.

For the final project of the unit I animated the harrier jump jet I created, I made it follow a spline in the sky to show it flying. Later we also learnt how to explode a model into each of its polygons and add an explosion effect to it.

If I would have had more time I would of liked to create a character because I feel once you have successfully created one you could create any model after that, creating a human body its so complex and detailed where creating a tank is just simple shapes.

I would also of liked to create a destroyed village scene for my tank to drive through and fire its main turret.

Animating water and terrain

This is the texture I had painted in photoshop, Once applied to the model I decided to take it a bit further and gather some textures from various websites to then paint onto the model to give it that bit more realism and detail.

This is the height map I used to create the terrain, You load it into the displacement modifier and increase the strength then it starts to form terrain.

This scene I created to learn how to create terrain, It's achieved by creating a black and white image in photoshop (white for the highest point and black for the lowest.) Then when you apply a displacement map to a plane with the resolution of 1024x1024 (can be any number.) and increase the strength of the displacement map it will manipulate the vertices depending on what strength you input. I then loaded the finished model into photoshop and I simply painted the design (texture) you see on the volcano. I then created a water texture and set a keyframe along the time line then manipulated the texture so when played back, it looks as if its animating.

Harrier Jumpjet

These are some of the reference images I gathered when creating the plane.

These wireframe views show off the very little poly's of the plane, I aimed to use as little as possible to get comfortable when I progress on to university and the games industry. (Low poly models are used to save memory and frame rate when playing the game, or rendering scenes.)

This is the finished Harrier with a clay base skin with 1 simple omni light to give it that show room look. The model took approximately 4 days from starting to completion. If I would of had more time I would of liked to have created a texture and apply it to the model. Below are some animations I put together.

I re-rendered the same scene out but I added a sunlight to create a realistic look.

I created a spline and attached the plane model to it with path deform, This allows you to set keyframes on the timeline and makes it much easier to animate on a straight line.

BMW Car

I created this because I felt I needed to learn how to create organic shapes, Because all the work I've done previously has been hard straight shapes so I decided to create a car.

Walk cycle.

Here I was testing my animation skills for a walk cycle.

3D M1A1 Abrams tank project.

If I would of had more time, I would of added alot more detail and would of created a destroyed village scene for my tank to roll down the street and fire its turret, with a soldier arming the 50cal machine gun ontop.

Here is the template we used to get the correct sizes and shape of the actual tank.

Here are some reference pictures I used when creating my tank.

Here is the texture map for the abrams tank, The different pieces you see are actual real element taken from high-res photos taken of the real M1A1 abrams tank.. You can't get much more realistic than that :). The reason its split up into sections is purely to make it much simpler to texture when UV-Mapping, It saves time having to use seperate textures for each individual piece of the tank.

This is the wireframe view showing off the complexity of the tank.

This is the finished model of the M1A1 Abrams battle tank.

Here I quickly created this scene of a few cartoon buildings and trees for a test tank to drive through the street, The purpose of this was to understand how to animate on a spline in 3d studio max.

Swing, Flower Pot and Bicycle.

I created this plant for a garden in my terraced street, I created it by extruding a cylinder and by manipulating the vertices on a plane for the leaves.

Here is a swing I created for a back garden in my terraced street, I made it from cylinders and boxes.

I created this bike because I felt I needed to push myself because for the previous weeks whilst using 3ds max we have been creating simple objects by only using boxes and cylinders.

Metal crate

Here you can see the detail from the bump map very well.

I then edited the texture because I thought it looked to bare and lifeless, So I added a yellow and black boarder around the edge and I also added a specular and bump map to give it more depth, life and detail.

Here we got asked again to create a simple rectangle shape, So we could texture it with our own made texture. I create a nuclear metal crate

Terraced Street

This is the image file for the leaves.

This is the texture I used for the faces of the houses.

In this image you can see small garden trees, they are made from a simple cylinder but I moved some vertices around to make it look like the trunk of a tree, For the leaves I went in photoshop and used the stock Leaf brush to draw create leaves, I then saved the image and increased the velocity and contrast to single out the leaves from the background so it was white and black, So when you load the images into the material editor in 3ds max it sees the black and white image as the alpha channel.

From what we had learnt in the previous lessons we put it all together to create a terraced street from where we live. We got asked to take our own photos to use to get as close to the real place as possible.

Simple cartoon house.

Here we got asked to then create a simple house from what we had learned from the previous lesson, with simple shapes and extruding faces to create windows and doors.

Numbered Cube

Here was got asked to create a simple cube and texture it with the numbers 1-6 in any design we could think of. The purpose of this was to learn how to use the material editor with-in 3D Studio Max.