Mech Model Update

Update

Here is an update on the mech 3D model I have been working on. To get into specifics About what I have done with it now is I have taken the 3D model from Autodesk Maya and transferred the model into Pixelogics Z Brush. I have used z brush to add some stock program details as well as some of my own little scuffs and detail work I especially like the chain gun pack that is on the characters back. I think it has a few nice little touches mostly the paneling which is making it stand out a little more than before as well as the paneling that is now on the guns themselves.

In theory what should happen once I finish the high poly I should be able to do a normal bake onto the low poly UV Maps. This will allow me to have a 10 to 15000 poly count model instead of one running in the millions which there is no way Maya could handle. Then I will take the high poly normal map and add it which will in turn give the model an illusion of having the detail work it has in the high poly. 

Another feature I like is one I recently found in Z Brush do to a teacher and that is the curve brushes which allowed me to string the chain gun bullets together without copious hours of work as well. All in all I think the model is still coming together fairly well and I am learning a lot about Z brush which will help me in the future of this business. I find myself enjoying the work rather than mourning it which is a nice change.

Character Model

Character Model

This is a character model I was working on last quarter I like the way it turned out. However I think the textures are kind of plain. The assignment was pretty basic and was literally just to make a character from scratch to be ready to model. Did I do well yes if you could see the wire frame of the character you would be able to see that the character has fairly clean topology. Is it perfect? by no means is that the case. This was actually my first character model I have ever worked on so for a first good on ya try I would say I did fairly well.

There are things i am not fond of on this image one of them is that the character though it is hard to see does not have eyes. It is a simple fix however it should've been done. Another thing I don't like is that the gaps in the armor should've been like a latex type look however I had issues with that part. For some reasons the textures weren't showing up in the programs right.

The programs that were used in this was a fairly standard pipeline for me now. Started off modeling the character in Maya. For those who don't know Z Brush is hard for doing anything hard surface because flat edges are difficult. After using Maya for the low poly model I used Z Brush to make the high poly model. Then used X Normals to bake the normal maps and ambient occlusion using the high and low poly models. Then I used those maps and Quixel Suites to make the final colored maps. All in all I loved this assignment it allowed me to figure out that I really enjoy modeling and texturing.

Mech Model Update

Here is an updated version of the Mech suit that I have been working on. I am loving how it is turning out. It is still all a Maya model I am working on getting it to Z Brush to get a high poly model to form a Normal map for the model. As you can see the model is coming along and has a couple nice new additions that really make the model have an extra little pizaz.

So far the new additions are, well the other half of the model for one, as well as some nice wires that run through the model. Lastly I modeled the cockpit chair with two joystick style controls so the model makes some movement for it actually make sense. The wires were done using a wire jumbling script that creates wires in a relative area using NURBS curves.

The model itself is coming along great and the plan is to have it finished up soon. I plan to take the back pack for the chain gun ammo and connect it to the actual guns. I am most proud that the low poly count is under 10,000 which is very good compared to what I normally do. Normally my poly-count is around 40,000 which inst to bad for animation but I need to start trying to keep my models under 10,000 if I can.

I am enjoying the project so far and think that this will be a main addition to my reel and hope to make it look as realistic as possible. It really reminds me of the movie Aliens which is what I was kind of going for and the model actually makes sense.