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zugok8 27-10-2005 05:52 PM

Stuck in Game Artist's Guide to Maya
 
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I'm currently stuck in the "Creating Silenus's Head" portion of the book. The steps provided were to create a cylinder ( 8 sub axis, 1 sub height) and a sphere (8 sub axis, 8 sub height); scale them into position, delete all but the top bit of the sphere; then snap the points of the 'cap' of the sphere onto the cylinder, and merge the vertices to complete the shape. All OK so far.

Now, it instructs you to move vertices around to match the face, in front and side view. I found this somewhat difficult, considering the amount of vertices I had to work with. In the book illustration, there seem to be more horizontal subdivisions than I had in my model. Did I miss something? Or is it assumed that the reader knows how to horizontally subdivide a non-primitive polygon? If the latter is true, I would like to know what method I should use.

Here are some screenshots:

zugok8 27-10-2005 05:54 PM

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Side View

zugok8 27-10-2005 05:56 PM

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Isometric View

mtmckinley 27-10-2005 08:00 PM

It's true that I was not able to have each and every step in the book. For example, chapter 2 alone had over 120 images originally, but I had to cut it back to around 80 due to length concerns. The publisher actually wanted the book to be about 200 pages!

Also, earlier in the chapter, I go over many tools that are used throughout the tutorials, but are not necessarily mentioned each time they are used, due to necessary cutting for length.

But, to answer your question, using either the Split Polygon Tool (pg 17) or the Cut Faces tool (pg 66) are 2 methods of subdividing your mesh.

Hope that helps some. Good luck!

zugok8 27-10-2005 11:05 PM

Thanks much, using the cut faces tool twice from the side view created enough vertices to model it quite nicely.

Also, a minor editorial error I noticed on page 30: In "Creating the Hilt and Grip", on step 2, it reads, "The sword in the drawing is a bit pointed." I believe you meant it to read, "The hilt in the drawing is a bit pointed." :p

I don't mean to be a nit pick, as I find the book a wonderful tutorial, and an enjoyable read. Just giving you a heads up in case there's an edition 2. ;)

Phopojijo 27-10-2005 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtmckinley
It's true that I was not able to have each and every step in the book. For example, chapter 2 alone had over 120 images originally, but I had to cut it back to around 80 due to length concerns. The publisher actually wanted the book to be about 200 pages!

Also, earlier in the chapter, I go over many tools that are used throughout the tutorials, but are not necessarily mentioned each time they are used, due to necessary cutting for length.

But, to answer your question, using either the Split Polygon Tool (pg 17) or the Cut Faces tool (pg 66) are 2 methods of subdividing your mesh.

Hope that helps some. Good luck!

I personally also use subdivide and smooth aswell -- subdivide cuts a face in equal portions, as does smooth -- but smooth moves around the vertices to conform to the rounded-surface it BELIEVES you're attempting to make. Subdivide leaves your new faces contained in the planar surface of your original polygons.

mtmckinley 28-10-2005 01:12 AM

Yes, that's true. I don't use Subdivide as much as the others as I like the pin-point control Split Poly and Cut Faces gives.

Smooth isn't something that is generally used for making game models because of the increased amount of geometry that results.

Phopojijo 28-10-2005 05:15 AM

Nah, I then use the vertexes smooth generates to create-polygon tool the section of the mesh I want.

Then again I'm not experienced in character modelling like the book was designed for... rather scenery and objects. (Crates, tables, chairs, mugs, and the like) But I'm trying to branch out.

Point of saying that? I'm not sure how it will impact modelling characters... but it helps me when I want perfect edges on boxes, (or I suppose to up polycounts for normal maps or something... though I never needed to do that).


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