David Franson . Eric Thomas
Using 3DS . MAX 8 and Adobe Photoshop CS2
Sleep is overrated.
A nightly activity that by me is hated.
It disrupts my busy life,
And fills my nights full of strife.
I’d rather stay awake and keep on working,
Instead of feeling like my deadlines I’m shirking.
If I didn’t sleep, I wouldn’t need a bed,
And I’d have another room in my house instead.
Wearing pajamas is such a fashion bore,
And changing into them is always such a chore.
If I could stay awake, I’d get so much done,
And maybe even have time to have some fun.
So tonight, I’ll start my life with no sleep,
It shouldn’t be a schedule too hard to keep.
It will really make my life one of ease,
If I could just get away from all these ZZZs.
So before I start, I’ll just lie down for a second,
And start my plan after a couple days of sleep, I reckon.
This book is dedicated to Michelle, who understands what it means to lack sleep.
A nightly activity that by me is hated.
It disrupts my busy life,
And fills my nights full of strife.
I’d rather stay awake and keep on working,
Instead of feeling like my deadlines I’m shirking.
If I didn’t sleep, I wouldn’t need a bed,
And I’d have another room in my house instead.
Wearing pajamas is such a fashion bore,
And changing into them is always such a chore.
If I could stay awake, I’d get so much done,
And maybe even have time to have some fun.
So tonight, I’ll start my life with no sleep,
It shouldn’t be a schedule too hard to keep.
It will really make my life one of ease,
If I could just get away from all these ZZZs.
So before I start, I’ll just lie down for a second,
And start my plan after a couple days of sleep, I reckon.
This book is dedicated to Michelle, who understands what it means to lack sleep.
 |
| Game Character Design Complete |
There are so many people to acknowledge on this project
that I guess I’d better just jump in and get started. First, I’d have to say
thanks to Ridley Scott and the design team who worked on the Alien films.
These movies are just plain awesome and inspiring for artists and character
designers. Thanks also to the numerous design teams behind the recent
slew of cool games like Unreal, DOOM, Halo, Half-Life, Splinter Cell,
and numerous other games that make working in the game industry so
much fun. You guys rock, and I salute you.
I’d also like to thank all the people who work for Autodesk and Adobe for
creating such cool tools. 3ds Max and Photoshop are not only professionallevel
tools, but they also make the creative process easy and fun. Keep up
the good work. The groups behind the various game engines are also awesome.
Thanks also to the excellent staff at Thomson. Emi Smith and Karen Gill
have offered a huge amount of help and have made this book possible
when it seemed to be on the verge of disappearing completely. You two are
the greatest! Thanks also to the rest of the behind-the-scenes team at
Thomson, including those who worked on the CD and the cover, and
those who laid out, proofread, and indexed. The end result looks great!
Big thanks to David who spearheaded this project, outlined and wrote most
of the chapters, and added his enthusiastic and expert experience to the
book. David got so busy doing cool stuff that he didn’t have time to finish
this book, but the book carries his spirit throughout.
Finally, thanks to my family for their love and support. It is hard to work
around computer book authors at times, but your patience makes it all worth it.
—Eric Thomas
About the Authors
David Franson has been a professional in the field of networking, programming, and 2D and 3D computer graphics since 1990. In 2000, he resigned his position as information technology director of one of the largest entertainment law firms in New York City to pursue a full-time career in game development.He is the author of 2D Artwork and 3D Modeling for Game Artists, The Dark Side of Game Texturing, and the fullpage article “How Video Games Are Made,” which appeared in 45 newspapers worldwide. He has also produced digital artwork for 3D video games, film, and television.
Eric Thomas is a longtime 3ds Max user extending all the way back to DOS days. During his years with the program, he’s seen a number of changes and a dramatic shift in how the software is used. Eric has used Max to create a variety of projects from movies and games. He is currently working as the creative director for Side Pictures Inc., a firm specializing in 3d games and visualization tools.
Introduction
DOOM 3. Half-Life 2. Movies like Resident Evil and Alien. Take characters from those games and movies, merge them, and you’ll get a totally cool game character. The 3D game characters in my mind are almost always dark, sinister, or have some killer attitude deserving of any cool video game shelved on today’s software market. Standing next to these vicious creatures of the night is a badass hero with a futuristic weapon that puts evil in its place. Imagine some being that if physically present would scare the living hell out of the player and the uber-cool soldier for the being to fight against.Welcome to my world of game character design complete. My intentions with this book are to demonstrate all steps and aspects of modeling, texturing, and animating a heroic game character. What I will show you will be how to model in
Autodesk 3ds Max 8 from sketch references, texture in Adobe Photoshop CS2 (version 9), and then rig bones and animate a character in 3ds Max 8. This is both a technical and a creative art book. You can’t have just one skill in 3D game art design nowadays, so I’ll saturate you with all the necessary tools and skills to get you to know how to hand over a finished character
model for any 3D video game development company using only the aforementioned software tools and a hardcore, geared-up, creative brain
What You Need to Know
I’m not much of a Macintosh person, although game content creation is
possible with that platform. However, for this book, you need to have a solid,
working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and the ability to manipulate
and handle files. You’ll be creating and juggling files all over the place, so
keep that in mind when creating your game characters.
Also, I don’t assume you have decent artistic ability, especially when it
comes to computer graphics. I will walk you through step by step with
the design process—the most difficult being the texturing and animating of
the character. But don’t fret. Most of my techniques involve simple mesh
modeling techniques (like working with clay), use of some general
Photoshop tools and filters, and lots of experimentation.
Finally, I won’t be introducing 3ds Max or Photoshop as I would to a
beginner. This is an intermediatelevel book where I assume you’ve
poked around with 2D and 3D graphics programs and aren’t wholly
unfamiliar with what’s going on. My tutorials are stepwise, and simply following
them verbatim will produce the results you’re looking for.A beginning
graphics arts student with the acumen to figure out software packages
in general can easily cut through this book. I also understand that these
programs are expensive and that demos are always limited by either the
inability to save work or by a 30-day trial period, but this is software that a
majority of game artists must know to work for a game development house.
The cheap stuff, such as freeware and the like, simply won’t do. It isn’t powerful
enough to get the job done for the big games. The other competing
titles like Maya and SOFTIMAGE are also popular and are just as or more
expensive, but knowing how to do character design work in 3ds Max will
easily get your foot in the door with the latter.
Note
You can use many of this book’s modeling
and texturing tutorials with previous
versions of 3ds Max (5, 6, and 7)
and Photoshop (6, 7, and 8).
What You Need to Have
The type of computer that you need to create these killer characters is the
same type of machine that you use to play these types of games. Just like
with first-person shooter games, the faster the computer and the more
memory you have, the better. To get the most from this book, here is a list of the minimum system you need:
■ Intel Pentium III or later processor or AMD running at 500MHz minimum (Dual Intel Xeon or dual AMD Athalon or Opteron [32 bit] system recommended).
■ Primary operating systems: Windows XP Professional (SP1),Windows 2000 (SP4), or Windows XP Home (SP1).
■ 512MB of RAM (1GB or higher recommended).
■ Graphics card supporting 1024×768 16-bit color with 64MB RAM. (OpenGL and
Direct3D hardware acceleration supported; 3D graphics accelerator
1280×1024 32-bit color with 256MB RAM preferred.)
■ CD-ROM drive.
■ Optional: sound card and speakers; cabling for TCP/IPcompliant network; 3D hardware graphics acceleration; video input and output devices; joystick; 3-button mouse.
■ A graphics tablet (optional), which greatly helps with texturing.
■ Internet Explorer 6. Also, having a digitizing tablet like a Wacom is helpful. Mine is a 4×6, and
it’s great for texturing. It lets you sketch as if you’re drawing on paper and ideally incorporates itself with
Photoshop. The Wacoms are pressure sensitive, so the harder you press on
the tablet, the thicker the brush lines are.
Finally, please check out the Web sites in Appendix B,“Related Web Sites and
Links.” I didn’t figure out everything in this book on my own! I spent years
perusing Web sites and learning techniques and info to create this stuff. If
you want a job in this industry, do this type of homework. In the end, you’ll
have a remarkable portfolio.
How This Book Is Organized
As a game character development book, what you hold in your hands
follows the general visual art workflow pattern of most game development
companies. In Chapter 1, “3D Game Character Design Basics,” we’ll
go step by step through the general character creation process, which
includes 2D and 3D computer art concepts, file and image formatting,
and some art history. Then in Chapter 2, “Preparing to Model: Configuring
3ds Max and Referencing Sketch Art,” we’ll start off with character sketches
and setting up the 3ds Max 8 environment in preparation for modeling the
book’s character. Just about every 3D design is referenced by sketches, so
we’ll use them to develop a 3D character model.
The meat of the book will be Chapters 3 through 6, using the primary software
tools to create the character’s foundation—that is, the 3D mesh and
skin textures. These chapters are as follows:
■ Chapter 3: “Box Modeling in 3ds Max 8”
■ Chapter 4: “Mesh Optimization in 3ds Max”
■ Chapter 5: “UV Mapping the Character in 3ds Max”
■ Chapter 6: “Skin Texturing with Photoshop CS2”
Then I introduce rigging and animation
using 3ds Max’s Biped feature in Chapters 7 and 8:
■ Chapter 7: “Rigging a Character with Biped in 3ds Max”
■ Chapter 8: “Character Animation in 3ds Max”
This book also has two appendixes.
Appendix A, “3ds Max 8 and Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcuts,” is a
perfect reference for making your modeling and texturing work go
quickly, and Appendix B, “Related Web Sites and Links,” is a great listing
of sites that you should visit often to keep up to date with your visual art
techniques or for general information in this field.
Screenshot
Purchase Now !
Just with Paypal
Just with Paypal
Product details
Price
|
|
|---|---|
File Size
| 13,512 KB |
Pages
|
217 p |
File Type
|
PDF format |
ISBN-10
ISBN-13 | 1-59863-270-1 978-1-59863-270-5 |
Copyright
| 2007 Thomson Course Technology |
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii
Chapter 1
3D Game Character Design Basics
Character Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Game Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Character Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Sketch Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Modeling Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Repairing, Adjusting, and Optimizing . . . . . . . . . .9
3D Modeling File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
UV Unwrapping and Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Texturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Shaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Bump Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Normal Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Texture Map File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Skeletal Rigging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Animating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Game Engine Exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Engine File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Chapter 2
Preparing to Model:
Configuring 3ds Max and Referencing Sketch Art
Hardware and Software Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Choosing a Proper Video Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Graphics Software and Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Monitors and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Configuring the Max 8 Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Orthogonal Sketch Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
The HICKS Rebuild #2A163 Background . . . . . . . .24
Creating Reference Planes in 3ds Max 8 . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Chapter 3
Box Modeling in 3ds Max 8
Environmental Considerations Before You Begin . . . . .32
Modeling the Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Shaping the Pants (Lower Body) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Adding Some Military Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Creating the Upper Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Forming the Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Forming the Shoulders and Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Forming the Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Detailing the Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Creating the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Making the Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Finishing the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Chapter 4
Mesh Optimization in 3ds Max
Analyzing the Character Mesh Using STL Check . . . . . .63
Isolating Mesh Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Fixing Mesh Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Reattaching Elements and Test Optimizing . . . . . . . . . .68
Changing the Character’s Pivot Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Chapter 5
UV Mapping the Character in 3ds Max
The Mapping Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Selecting Body Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Defining Seams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Stretching the Pelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Positioning the UVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Stitching Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Packing UVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Step 1: Unwrap the Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Step 2: Unwrap the Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Step 3: Unwrap the Arms and Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Step 4: Unwrap the Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Step 5: Unwrap the Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Step 6: Unwrap the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Pack the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Rendering Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Update and View the Results in Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Chapter 6
Skin Texturing with Photoshop CS2
Thoughts on Texturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Texturing Techniques We’ll Utilize . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Fixing UVs: Add a Checkerboard Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Texturing Hicks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Rendering Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Opening the UV Templates in Photoshop . . . . . .106
Texturing the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107
Texturing the Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Texturing the Torso, Arms, Legs, and Boots . . . .113
Texturing the Arms and Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Cleaning Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Preparing the Map for 3ds Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Applying Textures in 3ds Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Baking Textures in 3ds Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Chapter 7
Rigging a Character with Biped in 3ds Max
How 3ds Max Works with Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Adding and Attaching a Biped . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Weighting the Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137
Smooth Versus Rigid Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Creating a Root Pose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Chapter 8
Character Animation in 3ds Max
Animating with Keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Creating Walk and Run Cycles with Biped . . . . . . . . .154
Creating Facial Expressions with Morph Targets . . . . .158
Adding and Manipulating Dummy Nodes . . . . . . . . . .162
Linking the Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
LODs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Exporting and Viewing the Hicks Model in Torque . . .168
Last Note on Other Game Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Appendix A
3ds Max 8 and Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcuts
3ds Max 8 Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
Remapping Commonly Used Max Shortcuts . . . .171
Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Appendix B
Related Web Sites and Links
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
●▬▬▬▬▬❂❂❂▬▬▬▬▬●
●▬▬❂❂▬▬●
●▬❂▬●
●❂●
═════● ●═════
