Maya 2020 fundamentals - modelling the real world
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# 1 19-01-2007 , 05:11 PM
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Character from Gears of War

Hello everyone,

I'm currently building a character from Gears of War. This is my progress so far. I've blocked out the low poly version and now working on the high poly version. I'll go back to the low poly and ad in detail where necessary to correctly display the normal maps user added image

I'm looking to break into the games industry now as a character modeler and this is my first piece for the demo reel.


All images are from the maya viewport (No rendering).


user added image user added image user added image user added image

Testing normal mapping :
user added image user added image

Normal mapping in action (warning 10mb file):
Playblast from maya viewport not pre rendered

C & C welcome, I am really trying to improve!

Cheers

J

# 2 19-01-2007 , 05:22 PM
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Hey man Good to see you back!

Cant really comment of the model as I dont know diddley about games.

Look good though!


"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle
# 3 19-01-2007 , 05:43 PM
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Hey gster, thanks! Glad to be back... I spent some time down in London as a runner for a 3D facility then a week mel scripting for Jay from the forums here. I've been looking forward to getting back into maya for a long time user added image

J.

# 4 19-01-2007 , 05:53 PM
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Looking good so far j, I know you haven't finished the low version but the arms really bug me, even though you have the polys there, there is no definition of the arms from the shoulder to wrist. Do you have a close up of the neck and head area?


If you believe in telekinesis, raise my right hand.
# 5 19-01-2007 , 06:15 PM
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Hello j5ive, thanks for the comments user added image

Yeah the form of the arms im going to mold to the high poly version. I'm really struggling to decide what information to put in... in regards to muscle, elbow and fore arm information as the character is in a complete body suit. I do agree though the arms are too cylinder like!

Here's a close up of the upper body/head:

user added image

Here is the character im modeling for those who don't know of Gears of War user added image :
user added image

Cheers,

J.

# 6 19-01-2007 , 06:20 PM
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Haha that's such a cool idea! Marcus is such a cool-looking character!
Good luck to you user added image Will love to see the finished product!

# 7 19-01-2007 , 06:22 PM
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That is looking sweet! Maybe making the hands bigger would make them look like the gloves, and add a bicep bulge and pinch in the elbows. The face is spot on! Nice edge loop usage, looking forward to seeing the progress in this!


If you believe in telekinesis, raise my right hand.
# 8 19-01-2007 , 06:29 PM
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ZeroAlarm : Marcus! Is that his name... Thanks, been wondering that for awhile user added image I don't have an Xbox 360 so I don't have much of a clue in regards to storyline etc... I chose this character because of the ties to the Unreal 3 engine. Thanks for the kind comments user added image

j5ive: Thanks for the kind comments!user added image I agree on the hand size, and i'll be sure to add more detail to the arms.

Cheers,

J.

# 9 20-01-2007 , 12:40 PM
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Jamie

Looks good lad...

The guys from work say 'hi' by the way....

Ive not done any normal mapping yet, how are you finding it? And have you got Z yet?

Jay

# 10 20-01-2007 , 03:25 PM
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Cheers Jay and a hello from me to the team, hope everyones had a good Xmas & New Year! user added image


Normal mapping isn't too bad, but Maya is excruciatingly slow at calculating them. I've only encountered afew problems mainly due to stretching in the Uv's or not enough resolution in the low poly mesh.

Working on the High res model as we speak, here's an update thus far:


user added image

C & C most welcome although probably not a lot to crit atm user added image

J.

# 11 20-01-2007 , 04:22 PM
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Hey dude,

I nkow its a long time ago and a different thread, but could you point me in the direction of creating your own HDR images, ive got the lense but aint a clue on how to create a say sky panorame hdr, if you know what I mean?

cheers

Steve


"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle
# 12 21-01-2007 , 09:46 AM
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Jamie,

Make the model as hi in polys as you dare go then from that, create the normal map, then put it on a lower res version, then you should have something pretty darn close to the high. I'd say around 8k polys should do you nicely to start with on the lo res...though somebody else may know better...

Jay

# 13 23-01-2007 , 11:54 AM
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Jay your right on that but incredibly high poly isn't really necessary as long as the polys are in the right place. Nice work too btw and don't forget to leave the low poly versions normals un-smoothed so you don't get a messy result. Oh and have you found out how to render normal maps in software? I tried a while ago so many times that trying again would drain my lifeuser added image

# 14 23-01-2007 , 02:47 PM
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Hey Spacegoat

Thanks for the heads up, Im not experienced in the Lo poly dept, only have a bit of theory to my name on that. I did however see a real nice 4400 poly character today, over on another site, it was a good job, I'll have to find it and post it for all to see.

Cheers
Jay

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