Sculptris

Constraints Of 3D

Why do poly counts matter
All type of polygons have constraints. If there is too many polygons it can effect the game in many ways such as lower frame rates , slow scrolling , slow zooming , game freezes , system freezes , graphic related errors  and graphic anomalies.

Personal Computer
The polygon constraints on a pc varies massively because developers make games with different benchmarks to run on a vary of pc's. It mainly depends on the game and what software is out at the time. For example Half Life 2 in 2004 - Alyx Vance had 8323 polygons which was a main character. A more common character where a couple would be on screen at once had around 4682. A more recent high demanding game such as Crysis in 2007 for the main character uses round 60k - 80k whereas a teammate uses round 22k - 24k and an enemy korean solder round 12k - 16k. This shows the constraints of a game can change rapidly. The thing about polygons on pc is that it can handle a lot higher than consoles if you have a high spec pc.

Polygons in head

Home Console
The current generation of consoles have increased the amount of polygons it can handle. The max a large model can have on the ps3 is probably 150k polygons since Lair had that amount on the dragon and that game had quite a lot of fps lag.On a smaller model than a such as a car in gran turismo 5 a car had 200k polygons.On the Xbox 360 a launch game such as gears of war for the main character had 15k polygons because it was badly optimised. A game like lost planet had loads of polygons used. A main character would have round 17k polygons but the background had an estimate of 500k polygons. The cap on consoles is a lot lower than pc's but is still quite high. The advantage of making of making a a game for a console is you have a set limit of how much polygons and quality of textures you can use.

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=126802

Polygons of car in xbox game

Mobile Devices
Mobile devices have a much lower polygon count that consoles and pc since it has greater limitations since it has smaller processors. They would only have a max of round 50k for the iPhone 3gs

Example of a game on the iphone

Modifers: Shell,Symetry,Bend,Skew & Taper

Loft Object

Loft Object

Boolean and Opacity

 

I created a 2d outline using the sline tool of a window. I used smooth tool on the top edges to make it rounded like a window.

 

I use the UVW map modifier tool to make a solid shape and extruded it to make it 3d. I move copy the shape to make 2 of the same shape. I used the scale tool to make the shape smaller to make the hole for the window.

 

 

I copy the smaller shape and scale the second one thinner to make the glass for the window. I scaled the first smaller shape thicker so it can intercept the big shape.

 

When the shape was being intercepted I selected the big shape and went onto compound objects tab. On this I chose boolean and used operation subraction (A-B) to take out the thicker shape to make the hole.This hole is the same size as the thinner shape so i just move that into the hole to make the glass.

 To make the glass opace I go on the material editor and put opacity on 50 to make it half transparent. I then go on photoshop and make a tiff file which uses the alpha channel. I put this tiff file in diffuse map and opacity map. On both maps I choose Alpha source image alpha

 

 

Texturing Objects

Textures

 

Material Browser selecting bitmap



To make a 3d model look realistic and look like its meant to , you need to texture the object. I had to make a crate and make one look like a metal crate and a wooden one. I select diffuse colour and select bitmap on there.



The texture on the sphere

When i select the texture that I've chose it puts it onto this menu. Before I put it on a model I have to select show shaded material in viewpoint.I then repeat for the second texture.

This shows both of the textures. To apply them to the model I just drag which one I want onto the correct model. This is what it looks like below.

 

To make the texture mapped properly I had to modify it. On the modify list I need to select UVW Map and select the "Box" mapt  



 

When making my own texture for the sphere I had to use a different mapping style on the UVW Map modifier

Here is the comparison between my bitmap and what it looks like on the object.

 

 

Geometric Theory

Geometic Theory/Mesh Construction
I had to make a 3d model of a temple from a picture. I had to identifty the elements that make up the 3d model. I also have to explain how 3d models are positions.

 

This is making the pillars and making them ridged and thinner at the top of the pillar

I made the base out of different size cuboids and raised each one. I made one pillar by making a cylinder and making every other edge at the top go in towards the centre. I then made tyhe whole top of the pillar smaller than the bottom.


Im making the top of the piller and lining it up with the box on top.

I made another cyliner and made one side a lot smaller to represent a cone like shape. I then lined it up with the pillar and but a box ontop of that. I then copied the original pillar and made multiple of the same object. This is easier and makes it more precise so they all look exactly the same. Its also a lot faster than doing each one induvidially.


 

Rotating the tops of the pillars and lining them up again

After I'd done half the pillars I noticed the dark blue cone is the wrong way round. To fix it I selected them all and rotated them. This made then unlined so I had to line them all up again and make sure they wernt floating. To fix this I should have deleted them all and just done one and copied them again. I used the move rotate and scale tool doing this.


Shows finishing the pillars and making sure they are all there

I carry on copying the pillars to get them all the way round. I made the base bigger to get the exact amount of pillars on each side.I also had to make the spacing right so I tried to make it the same just by looking at it.

Doing the roofing around the edges but not in the centre

To make the roofing I made cuboids for the sides and front. At the front of the temple I noticed it was slanted. To get it slanted I made to cuboids and used the edit mesh tool to modify the shape of the cuboid.

I selected the edges on one side and edited them and scaled then down to a slant. I then do the same on the other side.

To present my work I needed to make it into an animation where I circle around it or zoom in. Something which shows the 3d aspect. To do this I had to create a free camera and set frames in different places. This will move the camera automatically between the frames smoothly and make it look like its going round the temple.

Mesh construction:Extrusion & Box Modelling

Mesh construction:Extrusion & Box Modelling

To make the Recognizer I had to make a dimentional shape using splicing and then make it 3d. To do this I made the 2d shape using the splice tool with either line or rectangle. Once I had the 2d shape I had to make it 3d.

To do this I had to convert the shape into an editable poly. This filled in the shape. To make it 3d I had to extrude it.

I used the extrude tool which extrends the shape. I chose a size which looked like the picture and repeated for all the shapes.

Sword

Firstly you make a cuboid in the center of the grid. I inset the top shape and scale it so its thin. I then extrude it twice. With the second extruded part I scale the top to make it to a point. I can then change the width and length of the blade.

To make the handle I inset the box at the bottom and scaled it thinner so it looks like a handle. I then textures the handle blue and textures the rest a metal colour

Applications Of 3d

Unit 66:3d Modelling

Television
For television I looked at different cartoons and adverts and found one for Anifex

Virtual Construction Advert

They use CAD to make the animation and 3d modelling.They use Computer Aided Design to animate because it uses a 3d wire frame to model it to look 3d. The advantage of animating it is to grab the audiences attention and makes it so theres no limit of what you can do. It can also get the point across faster than a normal advert.

 

http://anifex.com/services/3d-product-animations/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_design#Types

 

Film

I researched a film I've watched before which is animated called Car's

                                         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rZUq1-4o40

Cars 2006

The film was produced by Pixar.The production designer was Bob Pauly. It uses Renderman which is a 3d modelling software used by Pixar in a range of films. They advantage of animating the whole film is you can do anything with it and there's no limits. Also it makes it alot cheaper than doing a film with real cars and explosions. (and talking cars in real life would be hard to do). Making the models 3d makes it more immersive and entertaining to watch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cars_(film)#Production

http://renderman.pixar.com/view/about-renderman

Games
I looked around on the internet for a good video showing the 3d modelling in games. As nearly all games use 3d models now I tried to find a good example.

A developer using 3ds max to make a model

In this video it shows how the developer uses 3ds max to make a model for one of the animals in their indie game "Penalty Of Heroes". Using 3ds max he can copy the concept art that someone has drawn and transfer it onto the computer to animate it. He does this by making the outline of the picture and doubling it for either side of the animal. Then he makes the body of the animal to make it the right thickness , shape etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y1NEkxcVTw

Web

There are many flash websites being made since browsers now are fast enough to run them. 

Emergence Day - A gears of war flash website

Emergence day is a website which uses flash to make a moving gears of war background. It uses 3d models in it to make it look more 3d. It is made by Saizen Media Studios who make other flash websites like it.It helps make the viewer of the website get more involved and enjoy exploring the topic as its more interesting.

http://www.koflash.com/emergence-day/

Education 
It is used in education for loads of things. For example in medicine,

An example of a 3d model of a human body part

its used to see the human body in 3d and to see how the body moves. For example to see at what angle your arm can rotate. It is animated inside the program 3ds max. You just make out the shape of body parts and people explore it so they can learn. It is used in most medical schools and colleges.
http://meded.ucsd.edu/index.cfm/edcom/web_app_development/grantsupported_projects/virtual_reality/3d_models/

Architectural Walkthrough 
It is also used so architects can create structures before they build them.

Architecture website 

Companies use CGI and CAD to make 3d models of houses and buildings. It shows the buyer and builder an idea of how its going to look if they want to change it. This is better because they can change what they want before it gets built. People create models of the houses in different programs such as 3ds max and animate it so the person looking at it can interact and look around themselves.

http://www.pixelperfect.co.uk/ 

http://3d-walkthrough-rendering.outsourcing-services-india.com/3d-modeling.php 

Product Design
3d modelling in product design is used to get a picture of the product and see what it will look like.

Example of a 3d model product design

Designers make 3d models of there products so they can visulise what it looks like and if it would work. They use different programs to make the models but something like 3ds max would work. They can also texture the product to see what would look best and show it to customers to see what they think.
http://3d-walkthrough-rendering.outsourcing-services-india.com/3D-product-modeling.php
http://www.doschdesign.com/products/3d

Animation
Animation can be every form of 3d modelling. Its used in film , tv , gaming , etc.

Video on the animation of a 3d model

This is an animation of a 3d model of a car. It shows each part of the car going together to get the whole product. The advantages of animating a 3d model is it interests the viewer and shows what goes into the finished product. Nearly all of the examples here are animations and all the advantages are mainly specific to the type of product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZvFZV_8G4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aFv7NPoVUE

Models
Models are the actual object on the computer. It can be 2d or 3d. Its used in each example here and is the main thing needed as you make the model 3d. Its the car or the persons face. You can make models in every single drawing program on the computer and a program like 3ds max makes it 3d.

3d model of a gun 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLViswQd-s0