Gameplay and Interactivity: Overlapping

Just a quick blog post this time noticing a new issue with my modeling. That cool texture actually turned out to be overlapping vertices. This happens when model's get overlapped. I'm not entirely sure if I'll have the time to remodel these in time for the final hand in, but is yet another learning experience with Maya that will have to be considered when modeling in the future.

Visual Design: Tank

For this weeks assignment we had to create a tank using values in two point perspective, which is traditionally used when designing vehicles.




I wanted to create something that looked cobbled together but still functional. Rusty, yet futuristic.


I created a mood board full of clunky looking machinery from anime, gaming and toys. Ashley Wood is a comic artist who now creates toys professionally. They always have a cool aesthetic whilst looking chunky and practical. Combining this with an Ian McQue look was my aim.

Midway through drawing the final design I realized it would be difficult to figure out the correct lighting with such a complex series of shapes attached to the main vehicle. The legs and flags didn't help things at all. If I had chosen a less complex design, I would have been able to push the values further, which the task required of us.

All in all, it was an interesting exercise. I've learnt to not go totally over the top in the design stages, too early on. It really can hinder you when working out basic lighting.

3D Art: Terrain and Channels

This week we were taught how to texture models with materials made out of multiple different images.


Initially we had to create a UV map out of a plane in Maya and then open it up in Photoshop. We then used the tutors stock textures - Rock, grass and sand and manipulated them to look more unique. After this, we had to add a ShaderFX material to our Maya model and import the different images. We would then link them to the model in different colour channels to create a unique looking texture on the Plane.


My original texture ended up looking quite stretched and low resolution. It works as a place holder but in the long term I need to look for a higher quality solution...




*Update* 19th November:

Now that I have subsequently been introduced to Quixel, I created a far better looking texture for my terrain. This combined with my sculpted surfaces created a pretty cool look, far more along the lines I was going for. Yay Quixel!

Visual Design: Perspective in environment - Scifi Room

This week we were set the task of creating a typical science fiction room within 2 point perspective.

In the last session, we were introduced to Photoshops built in pen and ruler tools. They are very easy to work with and are excellent at setting up perspective grids to follow when designing architecture or tech. Anything really with inorganic lines to ground them.

First things first: Moodboard! I went for classic, utilitarian sci fi aesthetics. Alien and the Nostromo are HUGE influences on how I visualize science fiction environments.

I started off with a very loose sketch as to not be too precious with details. Using the grey wash I created some basic values to render colour from later on.

After sketching out a design I was happy with, I lined up the perspective rulers and began working in details. I wanted to keep the linework very basic and use colour to indicate the tone and atmosphere. In terms of line work, I decided to go with something a bit more comic based. I'm loving digital painting and will definitely tackle environments in that style later on down the line, but I just had the urge to go back to my roots for this project.

This was a fun exercise and I hadn't used rulers within Photoshop before so this was a very handy one. I usually use other applications for my perspective grids so it was great to go back to basics. If I was to do this again, I'd really go a step further with the colouring to really push the lighting and textures. It looks a little amateur compared to my other work - Next time, I'll definitely paint this from scratch to have it feel aesthetically closer to the rest of my work. The line work could also do with looking a little less hand drawn too. Live and learn!

Visual Design: Tentacles

This week's task involved creating a creature that features at least 6 tentacles in its design. It couldn't be in a non realistic style which suited me just fine.

I started off with these quick water colour studies to find features, colour schemes and shapes that I really loved. I tried to go for more variation this time trying to avoid my more typical bipedal designs. This is reflected in the mood board too.

After this, I opened up photoshop and drew a very gestural line drawing of my creature. I ended up with a lot of Giger influences throughout. The tentacles are actually a parasite that attaches itself to living creature and use its body to hunt for food on the deep sea floor. When the host body dies, it finds the next unfortunate victim.

As usual, I went for a silhouette before working in the values and colouring in Photoshop.

This one took a vast amount of time. I wanted the joints to look believable and put a lot of thought into the form and function of the parasite and its host. This is a piece I'm actually pretty proud of. Next time I'd consider pushing the limits with regards to the tentacle design. Really make them alien and violent looking.

Visual Design: Halloween

With this being the week of ghouls, we were given an excellent task. We have to take a texture set for a generic female 3d model and modify it in order to look more like a zombie.

It was the first time we had taken our visual design studies and utilised them in Maya. Painting textures for UV maps is something I never thought I'd enjoy but I really find value in it. Its definitely something to keep in mind.

I decided to use Nicholas Cage's expressive face as the base and took some gore cues from Two Face in The Dark Knight.

This ended up pretty creepy.