I composited this series of idents using Nuke. I also created some of the 3d elements such as the arrows and the pyramids at Giza using Maya.
Substance Notes:
1: alt + mouse keys to navigate 3d.
2: seperate materials for parts in Maya - come in as sepearte shaders in SP
I completed the first introductory course on the official Unity learning programme. The next one is coding based and will be much more challenging. I have allowed 12 weeks to complete this next qualification.
This section of my course explains the interactive industry standards and conventions. Theres a typical series of production cycles similar to the film and TV linear content production business which I am already familiar with. I can therefore comparethem during this exercise.
Pre-Production
Storyline, planning, design , scheduling, deadlines, maps, UI, look and feel, testing, animatic, storyboard, budget planning, team building. To produce a design document. Pretty similar to film and TV pre-production which would plan out the scripts, shoots, design, post-production, budget and schedules. The film process would culminate in a script, storyboard and production budget and schedule.
Production
Team builds everything planned aiming to hit deadline and avoid 'feature creep' where more detail is added as it goes along. All assets have to be built and assembled - coded and set up so they work. A producer oversees deadlines and progress. 'Version control' is implemented so project can back track if necessary ( version control softwares include Github, Collaborate and PlasticsSCM ). Different from film and TV production which normally only involves the shooting and performance period.
Post-Production
Product is tested and amended until runs smoothly. Alpha Testing is done in house. Beta Testing is a limited release in order to smooth out bugs and receive feedback. This is different to traditional linear film post which normally involves editing, compositing, CGI, grading, exporting movies and alternate versions etc
Operations
Product is released and maintained, distributed, marketed, server support, bug fixes, website maintenance, promoteions etc.
Make and manipulate a Sprite:
2d objects include a library of Sprites. I made a circle shape and applied the 'knob' sprite to it. Then edited shape using the transform tool 'T' on keyboar same as Photoshop for free transform. Shift locks dimensions. Changing colour of the sprite is easy in the Inspector to the right.
Adding Components to 2d game objects:
In the Inspector the circle is given a rigidbody and a circle collider component - (added right at the bottom of the Inspector). A box is added below and also given similar components. Now the circle drops but stops when it hits the box or ground below.
Do NOT make changes whilst the game is running - changes will be lost.
Sprites and readymade 2d or 3d art can be found at the Unity Asset Store so I grabbed a few to make my next exercise. Sprites tend to be low rez png files with transparency. To load them you go to Window/ package managaer in Unity. if you download them from the asset store you can download into the Unity package manager and then from there import them into the project.
Publishing the game to WebGL so it runs on a browser requires the WebGL Publisher package to be loaded. Instructions are here
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| click pic to run my Egg Pachinko |
I have worked through a few of the basic tutorials in Unity. I've learned to navigate the UI and build from primitives. I've learned to add components to 3d models and give them physics attributes. I've learned to make prefabs - these are the same as Maya Instances.
The navigation is almose the same as Maya. F is the focus hotkey just the same.
The Inspector is the same as Maya's Attributes and Nukes Properties - it even sits on the right in the same place that those two position it.
The Project panel at the bottom contains assets and materials etc - the same way as the Aftereffects Project panel.
Hierachy panel on the left is the same as Maya's Inspector.
I made a practice 'game' where coloured barrels fall onto slopes and I adjusted the elements until one finally went the whole course and landed in the target area at the end. I then set about making a 'build' of the game scene ( choices are MacOs, Windows or WebGL )
The WebGL build can be seen here - its not super exciting but I have now published my first Unity project.
Some 3d environmental / architectural designs I have made whilst at SquareZero Ltd 2005-2013
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| Virtual set for corporate video 2005 |
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| Own architectural design for 3d video screen demo 2009 |
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| Own architectural design for 3d video screen demo 2009 |
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| Virtual set for TV chat show |
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| Virtual set for HealthZone TV |
Unity is a 3d real time engine which I was first made aware of around 2008. Our company SquareZero collaborated with a Unity company to create an AR demo of an inhaler for a medical company. We created the 3D model with an animation which they implemented for AR interactivity within Unity. Anyway I want to learn how to use Unity with my 3d assets so I can make interactive environments and possibly games. This comes from my recent interest in NFT land and metaverse spaces which are appearing everywhere and I want to be able to use my 3d skills in these spaces. As I read William Gibson's Neuromancer when it came out I thinks its fun that I could now be one of the architects of Cyberspace which he envisioned back then in the 80's.
I have a growing collection of VFX tutorials that I have made on my YouTube playlist. These were all made at or for the modules I teach at Greenwich University, London. Some of these were recorded in classes and some were pre-recorded from home.
My latest built from scratch low poly models. These represent Sumerian / Akkadian / Kuti / Mari warriors from Mesopotamia in about 2000 BC. I made a standard warrior and equipped some with axes, bows and javalins. One single texture map for all with some variations in faces and costumes. Each model is about only 2000 polys. There are normal and specular maps to add detail.
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| I handpainted textures and extended seams in Gimp |
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| ten basic poses and variations multiplied into army |
I have been modding 3d game characters for a while and really wanted to build some from scratch. With most of the work done during lockdown early summer 2020 I have just got round to finishing these models. They are low poly figures in multiple poses and with many possible variations in colours and costume texture maps. They should be easy to multiply into armies of hundreds without crashing anything. They are pretty historicaly accurate and researched I think. They include image, bump and transparency maps. They were made in Maya and rendered there with Arnold.
I wrote an earlier post showing basic steps to make a basic 3d character. I then made a movie tutorial ( my first one ever) . Unfortunately I put a music soundtrack on it and it was kicked off Youtube. I just found the edit files so went in and removed the music .. and here it is .. again ! This makes clean topology ready to rig mesh bipeds. Can be used for cartoony or much more realistic style characters. Click here to see the tutorial movie. The text based step by step instructions are here.
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| You can simulate 'bases' of army units for use in the game. Here are some classical Greek Spartans lined up. |
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| A medieval battle showing some of the simulated game props and terrain plus the TTS interface |
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| Low poly hordes of Dacian barbarians in Maya |
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| Adapted texture maps - to give more variations of paint jobs to miniatures |
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| figure in Maya - showing the low poly mesh. Fairly easy to pose - but needs attention at shoulders. |
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| Middle Imperial Romans - Auxhileries and Legionaries |
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| Still from a battle I lost - my Spartans were defeated by the Carthaginians around 250BC |
After making these conversions for ADG I decided to make some 3d models from scratch. I first created a rare early bronze age army ' the Sumerians'. After completing those I then made a Norman army. These figures have very low poly meshes, a mix of poses and weapons and also a large variety of texture maps.
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| bronze age warriors |
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| Normans |
