Arch Modelling and Normal Map Experimenting

So Dave (game's student) told me which designs he liked from the page of designs I sent him. I have now started doing some fairly quick models of them, and he is going to pick 1 or 2 from these. This is a little biased however as I have made more effort for the first ones middle section between the 2 sides therefore resulting in a better model in my opinion. However the other 2 designs still have there merits.

The design above is my favourite possibly because I spent a little bit more time on it.

This one I like for the computer terminal and protruding support sections.

This one is a bit more generic sci fi with miscellaneous pieces which could form pipe works, radiators, coolers etc. 

While modelling a floor panel from the earlier designs, It occured to me to try and generate a normal map from the geometry to reduce the poly count on the game. One of the tiles below is the normal map, the other is the high res geometry model. Can you tell which?

So yeh that was probably easy anyway. The right tile is the normal map. I find the process okay however there were a few hiccups. The process for this was generating a normal map from the top camera view. This was easy as it was a flat object. For things like the arch things above, these need a different process which I need to look into more.

Concepts for arch's and floor panels

Drawn up some concepts for the sci-fi corridors. My earlier prototypes were mainly for blocking out and testing how it would work. These are actual designs to which I will see which David likes best.

I feel like a couple of the designs I really had to force out, a feeling I think I get because of my lack of concept skills. Something that should be improved on.

After these, I need to draw up some wall sections, and concepts for the various environment details among many other models to be made.

As a tiny side note, I have managed to sort out getting time off work for my work experience in January. Great news. Now I just have to arrange some cheap decent accommodation.

Interview summary

Interview was yesterday and I think it went really well. It didn't seem so much as a formal interview, more a informal chat about my background and interests and some more details about the placement.

I am officially doing the 14th of January slot which gives me enough time to sort out work arrangements and accomodation (possibly hotel, b&b or temporary student accomodation).

I've also learnt that I will be using Luxology's Modo software during the time there and they are happy to put me in my preference of the modelling and texturing department :)

It was a pleasant chat and learning that the 2 guys that interviewed me had also started as work experience really gave me a boost of confidence in that should everything go well, sometime in the future I could possibly be hoping for a job there.

Aside from learning Modo software, as expected I will also be needed for runner jobs; getting teas and coffees, running to the shops, tidying up etc.

On a last note (albeit a very fun one) I was immediately surprised when I walked into the electric works to find they had a huge indoor helter skelter type slide. How brilliant is that?

Interview Tomorrow

The work experience interview is tomorrow, organised a tiny bit last minute. Spoke to the company on the phone today and had a reply shortly after. Still unsure which 2 week slot I am doing but I'm sure we can negotiate that.

While I am up there I will take the opportunity to look around the area at possible hotels/B&B's to stay in for  5 of the nights and come home at the weekend, then go back up again for 5 more nights the following week.

Also spoken more with the guy I'm doing work on his game for. He was happy with the early designs I showed and sent to him and he as managed to get the objects working fine in Unity. He also asked me to make some more modular pieces such as; rooms, corridors, cross section corridors, t section etc. So I worked on those quickly tonight and sent to him.

At the moment all my models have been rough around the edges, not aligned properly and don't match in certain areas. This is okay for the prototype/concept stage and is good for getting the ideas down quick. However for future models these should be aligned properly on the grid and match up perfectly on the grid so it looks seamless between 2 models. Also I don't have a particular poly count as such but I was told to be sensible. Use detail where its needed but don't go overboard sums it up pretty much.

I would post some pictures of the recent models but they are pretty boring and similar to the previous pictures so I will post some reference material I have been using to work from. Less so for the prototyping, more so for the final designs which I plan to sketch out some on the train tomorrow.

These range from photos, wireframe models, concept art, fully rendered 3D environments and even tabletop wargame scenery.

Red Star 3D Work Experience Interview

I have been sending some prospective emails over the past couple of months. Many I have had no response back which is the nature of the game. This one place called Red Star 3D in Sheffield fortunately has replied back to me and invited me for an interview. Great news for me!!!

At the minute I'm just in talks of when the interview will be but at this stage I know it will be for 2 weeks work experience some time between now and end of January. Due to work commitments I'm thinking January is the more ideal time for me, however, I would prefer sooner.

Here's a link to their site

http://www.redstar3d.com/index_home.asp

Work for a games student

So a games student (from my previous University) has gotten in contact with me about a 3rd year project of his, so I offered to help out. He needs me to model interior parts of a space ship like walls, floors, arches, doors, crates, sci fi type computers etc etc etc.

I haven't spoken to him an awful lot but he has given me a quick run through and its going to be a top down shooter set onboard a spaceship with sci fi styling. So I made these quick mock ups literally in a couple of hours. Nothing too detailed, just to get an idea if this is similar to what he is after.

An overdue update

So a fair bit to talk about recently.
Firstly, my old computer was on its last limbs so had to order a replacement, it runs fast and smooth great for 3D apps in general and especially speedy in mudbox thanks to the upgraded components.

If any geeks are concerned about the specs they are:

i5 3570k Processor 3.4GHz
16gb of DDR3 Memory
Nvidia Geforce 660Ti graphics card
1Tb Hard drive
(and to utilise the increased amount of memory, Windows 7 64bit)

Secondly, I have had the opportunity for some freelance work. It is unpaid and in the initial stages I'm just trying to prove myself and see if the client likes my work. I don't know how much I can discuss or show at the minute so won't say too much. However the general role of me at the minute is creating a 3D product visualisation and aiming for realism. This would be the first time I have gone for something super realistic so seems a challenge but not something far off what I can reach. I have produced work already but may only show it if I have permission.

Thirdly I am on the lookout for 3D jobs. I think my problem at the minute is lacking experience in the industry. I only have my degree to go on, nothing hands on inside a studio/company. So I am asking studios if they make take me on for work experience or as in intern. Or as a runner, whichever they see fit or whichever comes first.

Rifle model and weekly scheldue

Okay, so I have been really lacking in the posting lately. Not posted since august :/

So in the past couple of weeks I decided I needed to make myself a proper scheldue to stick to. It's not as strict as saying so much per day but simply gives me a certain amount of time per week. At the moment its 10 hours of 3D work, 1 hour of updating my blog, my website and my other sites like linked in and 2 hours of looking for jobs and sending prospective emails. This seems realistic on top of my normal job.

So yeh I think i mentioned i signed up to digital tutors and so far on this rifle project I've created this...

Its been really fun creating this. There are upsides and downsides to following this from a tutorial however. The upsides are that I have learnt a lot of new techniques for polygon modelling and making sure to keep quads etc. Some stuff i knew before but just couldn't work out certain problems. Another upside is this awesome gun model I've nearly finished on was creating from scratch by me.

The downsides are that this model is completely unoriginal and because i followed hours of tutorials I cannot claim much ownership to the work, however I am still quite proud of the process as a whole. Just need to get it finished. So yeh not really my model from scratch but still a nice looking model for my personal use. Not sure if this could be showreel'd or not.

Anyway I'm also thinking to make my showreel a more generalist approach I might need to do a bit of animation. Which should be okay, I will have to wait and see what else i have planned.