Maths and new model

Today we learned about standard deviation, something I was taught in school briefly and not very well. I wrote down some notes on my phone and I believe they explain everything well enough.

Standard deviation Mean, median, mode and range Mean = average: add all the numbers together then divide by how many there are Median = in a number line it's the number in the center Mode = most common number Range = highest minus the lowest What is probability? Probability is the chance of something happening. What is variance? The variance is the average of the squared differences from the mean, get the mean, then take the mean away from each number, then square the results, add them together and get the mean from the new numbers. 8, (25, 16, 9, 1, 1, 16, 64) / 6 -- sample 22 population 18.8 22 = 4.69 18.6 = 4.34


In school I never really could get my head around it all , with most of my teachers using different methods that were over-complex and made no sense to me, but using the method I learned today I already know it to a certain degree. I feel as though I could easily answer a question on standard deviation even though I've only just been taught it, so when I revise it over the next few days it should stick pretty quickly.

Other than maths I started making some of the reusable models I wrote about in a previous blog, things such as crates, clutter, and barrels, and today i started with a barrel.

I started by browsing google images to get a reference and found this, it's really simple both to model and to texture, but should fit its purpose.

To make the barrel I simply made a cylinder roughly to scale as the reference image, then I used the face selector tool and made them larger around the center, this gave the effect you can see above.

Texturing was fairly easy as well, I just used a simple wood plank texture and then cropped a metal texture down to size for the horizontal connectors.

Horror game progress and model

I've been playing some Dark Souls 1 recently to get ready for Dark Souls 3 and it brought up a few questions, firstly, why is this game so addictive? And secondly, why aren't more games challenging? For anyone that doesn't know Dark Souls is a notoriously difficult game in which every enemy has a decent chance of killing you, and although its rage-educing gameplay can be infuriating at times, I really can't stop playing it.

It made me think about the game I'm currently working on, up until now I've very much left the gameplay at the bottom of the list and have focussed on the models and setting. Now however the gameplay is going to be one of the key elements, we're aiming to make the game both horrifically scary, and much more difficult than other games. It wont be impossible, but the player will really need to think about what he/she is doing to really advance, as well as knowing whether an enemy is worth attacking.

Finley and I are spending all of tomorrow morning creating models and other assets for the game, hopefully getting some form of playable mini-demo. We're both modelling and texturing at the moment without too many issues.

Earlier I made a table that could be used throughout the game, the model was fairly simple to make, but in my opinion it looks fairly nice.

Texturing it was again not very difficult, I've started taking more care with getting edges in line, so this took a little longer. I'd say from UV Unwrapping to a finished texture document took about 20 minutes. I had no issues with it and actually enjoyed trying to make it look slightly worn, I'm starting to notice improvements myself.

Here's what it looks like in the level I made in Unity.

It looks a bit under-saturated due to the lighting, however we're going to have lanterns and pit fires placed throughout the level, so it should resemble the render displayed above.

I'm looking forward to getting this all started properly, we have a good gameplay idea in place and should have no problem getting everything in place, it's just going to take a fair bit of work and time.

Knife model!

I spent the afternoon making and texturing a model, and since I've made numerous swords and shields I decided to make a small knife. I wanted to keep it simple both with the model and the texture, similar to Team Fortress 2.

The model was simple to make, I started at the hilt and then extruded a cylinder for the handle, after the handle was finished I used the same method I use for a sword and made the blade. Then I had to texture it.

I found the texturing process to be fairly easy this time around, pretty much picturing the wireframe as a canvas. I think the model overall looks really good, much better than I had first anticipated.

Artist for Inspiration

With the gaming industry developing as fast as it is more and more developers are pushing the boat out with different styles and settings, often using artists from throughout history as inspiration. There's really no limit, with games such as Psychonauts and Super Hot using unusual art styles that were never around in games just 15 years ago.

I was going to use Salvador Dali's work as inspiration, but finding games that used effects similar to is was near impossible, so I settled on Francis Bacon an artist that made some really macabre paintings. There are so many horror games that use characters similar to Bacon's work, such as The Amnesia Series, Penumbra, and Outlast.

His odd style of work is present in many psychological horrors, and since its one of my favorite game genres I'll have more than enough information going into this. There is a game called Layers of Fear in which you play as a failing artist surrounded by eerie paintings that resemble his work, if the developers didn't take inspiration from Bacon then I'll be surprised.

photoshop and vinyl model

I've made numerous 1000 x 1000 images that are based on 80s vinyl covers and I've talked about making a vinyl cover model. I chose the brightest image to start with which is this one:

The model itself was really simple to make, I just made a cube with an equal square on top, then I flattened the edges slightly to give the 'aged' effect.

Obviously with the model being square, it was simple to both unwrap and to texture, when it came to texturing I just had to get the png I made, (top of the post) and just changed the size to match the square.

I decided to render the model in 3ds max to get the full detail.

Overall I like the way the model looks, even though its really simple, it was always going to look decent even if I had used a rubbish model. I'll use the same model for future pieces I make, such as this:

As always I'll keep posting on each piece I make.

Update on medieval models

With the medieval weapons coming along nicely I've decided to begin making a scene on Unity to display them properly. Its set in a dungeon with the player starting in a doorway leading into the main room, I'd like the room to be circular, but keep the textures tidy so right now the room could turn out to be any shape. Along with displaying some models the room will also be home to my horror game, as the forest setting I made previously didn't feel up to scratch.

Of course this means that more models will need to be made including wall torches, prison bars, doorways, and perhaps a statue. I've created a door to start that will be displayed behind the players initial spawn point.

I used a wooden texture and mirrored it to give the door some symmetry then drew a line using a basic brush down the centre, and finally added some door handles that match the scene.

I think the door looks nice, for something the player will take very little notice of I think it fits its purpose well. I'm also really happy the texture isn't stretched in any noticeable way as that was an issue with some previous models.

  

New sword model (and how I made it)

The other day I modelled and textured a shield, it was the first textured model I can say I like, and even then I don't like it too much. It fit the theme of a medieval armoury that Finley and I are currently working on and I wrote about making a more complex model such as a dagger as my next task.

I've decided on making a simple one-handed sword, something I've made previously but in more detail. Despite the model being simple I actually much prefer it to my other sword I made a few weeks ago just because of a technique that brings out the edges.

So imagine this is your sword's blade, it has two edges, one on either side, to get a centre point you simply connect the edges like this:

Then you do the same on both of the side faces.

Then you remove the areas between the connecting lines.

Once the faces have been deleted simple use the 'bridge' tool on the edges to make a new face.

Repeat on all 4 sides and you will be left with a new sword-like blade that you can alter and change to your liking.

Using this method above I made a sword blade that had no super-thin faces which helped so much when it came to the unwrapping. For someone that hates the thought of unwrapping any object with more than 8 faces, this model was fairly easy, I just put some music on and then after a few minutes I had completed it.

Heres what it looks like.

The texturing job is actually fairly nice, its not over-complex, nor is it too simple, its what I was hoping for going into this project. With this ticked off the list I can move on to other weapon models.

Heres what the sword looks like in a first person view in Unity.

Animation and New Model!

We started animating today using either Maya, or Flash depending on whether you were making a 3d, or 2d animation. I decided on trying a 2d animation since I've had a little bit of experience in the past. It's like texturing for me, just because its not the most difficult thing, but it takes a while to get a good product.

Years ago I used a program called Pivot that allowed me to control multiple stickmen and all of their limbs. Although it seems useless, the frame-by-frame process that Pivot uses has left some helpful information. Leaving characters from frame to frame was an issue I always ran into, I'd work on one fight seen on one side of the screen and progress a few frames then realise that the other fight scene has stopped entirely, its an issue I don't think I'll have anymore.

I decided on making and texturing a model as well, one that would be fairly easy to texture and would fit the theme for Finley and I's project. I had a pretty narrow selection to choose from, and eventually settled on a shield.

It's really basic and the texturing could be cleaner, but I had no issues unwrapping or texturing it at all, my next model will be more complex, maybe a dagger of some form. I'm actually quite looking forward to the outcome.

The last image is the rendered outcome, which is what the shield would look like in game, its slightly stretched but isn't too bad.

12 Principles of Animation

Principles of animation

1: squash and stretch 

Defines how rigid or soft an object is by distorting the shape. Can be used to show movement or exaggerate faces.

2: Anticipation 

Throwing a punch or winding back a leg before taking a shot. Helps the viewer

understand what will happen.

3: staging 

When does it take place, such as the season and setting. For example showing

a tree with brown leaves to show that it is set in Autumn or  showing a dark house

in a line of bright colorful houses to show horror.

4: straight ahead and pose to pose

Straight ahead = image to image one after the other. Pose to pose = selecting main poses and then going back and filling the gaps. 

5: follow through and overlapping action

Limbs, clothing and appendages, movements don't just stop dead.

When a punch is thrown the hand doesn't abruptly stop still, it continues.

6: slow in slow out

Objects speed up and slow down, a bullet won't be slow but the guns recoil will.

Human movements also do this, you turn your head slowly at the beginning and end of the

action.

7: arcs

Often relies on ease in ease out, circular paths are natural 

A person's head follows a circular motion when he/she is walking sue

to the up and down motion of the feet.

8: secondary animation

Extra little bits of animation, supports the main movement, often hands or facial features.  

When someone stomps up the stairs in anger they might clench their fists to 

show it.

9: timing 

Number of frames between movements.

Low frames = fast

High frames = slow 

10: exaggeration 

Pushing movements and poses to the extremes. Make more impact. 

Such as a man pulling out a stupidly large hammer to kill a 

small fly.

11: solid drawing

More relevant in 2d animation, design characters with a 3D forms, use solid shapes.

It keeps the animation from looking flat.

12: appeal

Making animation interesting to the viewer,  designing characters to attract the viewer. Bad guys can be appealing.

Weekend Work

I've started texturing more often now, and I've realised that I hadn't really textured enough simple models which is an important step. I tried to texture my Codsworth model as soon as I learned to UV unwrap and just got lost, but if I had started with a crate or a barrel and then progressively upgraded to more complex model then I wouldn't have a problem. So that's what I'm going to do, start now and then before long I'll have texturing in the bag.

Other than texturing I've just dabbled in some other projects, some of which are from last year and need completing. 

Here's another 80s inspired vinyl cover, I tried to go for a more simplistic style as all my previous pieces seemed to be getting more and more detailed. 

I think I wrote about making a vinyl cover model and putting these images on as textures, but I thought I'd make sure.

CannyRunner is my first solo game, I made it shortly after I started the course and go back to it every few weeks to add new things to it, but never seem to get anywhere. Its the project I'm most comfortable with working on since everything is made in photoshop. I'd like to get a menu screen with a level selector in place, but I don't really have time. Maybe when we start animating I can fit in making my own character that can move about nicely.

Adding levels and new enemies is also something I love, with the small red berries being able to circle around ledges, (such as the one at the top of the screen), to the rotating blueberries that give the player a short window of room to get from ledge to ledge, (such as the two berries at the bottom of the screen). If I do continue making this, I'd like to have different settings with different enemies that have special attacks.

My personal VFX project is nearing completion (finally) and should be finished around the beginning of the Easter Holidays. The reason its taken so long is simply that I've never been happy enough with the outcome, and have either cut, changed, or completely restarted it numerous times. Now though I'm happy, the outcome is looking promising.

New Models, Screenshots and texturing progress

To go with the weapon theme, I've decided to try two models I couldn't do a few months ago to see how much progress I'd really made. I started with a warhammer that would fit into the medieval collection Finley and I have started, and then a sniper rifle just because I've always wanted to make one.

Along with these models I also used Finley's models in my Unity level to showcase them in a similar environment to the era they're from. He's textured a sword and it looks really nice, He'll probably have made a post about it on his blog. Since the sword was displayed on my computer I took some screenshots for him to showcase the model.

I used Photoshop to enhance the vibrance and added some lens flares, but the effect can be easily replicated in Unity itself, I'll play about with the levels and add a skybox soon then I'll add some of the new models I have.

Speaking of new models, I tried modelling and texturing a bridge similar to the one near Riverwood in Skyrim.

The model was very simplistic, so I could give texturing a good go and it worked to an extent. I found a decent texture and spent about half an hour putting the texture in place. The outcome wasn't pretty at all because I'd left out two faces and the texture itself was stretched horribly. Although it seems like a massive failure, I did understood what I was doing with both the UV unwrapping and the Photoshopping sides of things, I'll keep at it and if I spend more time being thorough I might get texturing down.

More Simple Artwork & Model Set

I've kept on making simple art pieces over the past few days averaging about 1 a day. I'm really enjoying making these, they're not very difficult but they're pulling me towards using tools that I rarely go near on Photoshop. The warp tool for instance, I never thought I'd need to use it, then I make an '80s Synth-based' album cover and its the most used tool.

Anyway I'm going to keep making things each being completely different to the last, it usually depends on the mood the music I'm listening too gives me.

Along with these I've started a new project with Finley making models of a medieval armoury, it'll include swords, daggers, axes, spears, and much more. There isn't really a purpose for it, but if we ever need to make a medieval game it'll be nice to have a full set on stand-by.

VFX Pipeline

Research and Development:

Since our shoot was very similar to a short skit, I looked into some indie projects on Youtube, finding media that was similar to our own was difficult, however I found a few videos on channels such as Tomska from a few years ago that I really liked the look of. Even the effect of cloning was used in one of his videos and looked great.

Reference Images:

Reference images are used to get a rough idea of what the scene will look like on the whole, it helps to see if areas will look a mess and if it will suit the project. Since we used our classroom we didn't really need reference images, I moved the camera around to get the cleanest-looking shot, but other than that we had an idea of what the outcome would be.

Pre-Vis:

We used Maya to plan out a scene for a project before we changed the whole idea. Pre-Vis is where you use a program to get a layout of the scene, for example we modelled a rough bar/saloon for our previous project. It helps get an idea of what the final project will look like and helps in editing.

Modelling:

Modelling is used to make objects for a scene and are usually used for items in the background, or used to replicate objects such as cars in an action scene. We didn't use any models for our shoot because the classroom had more than enough, however I have personally used plenty of models for other projects that could easily fit into a scene.

LIDAR:

LIDAR, (Light and Radar) is used for reference on a larger scale to get a reference. It was used in the Avengers to get a reference of what the city looked like, they did this by flying a helicopter around and getting a radar image. We obviously don't have the ability to use this, nor do we need to right now.

Film Scans:

Film Scans are used to get footage from a reel of film, many companies will use film varying from 70mm to 15mm and more, films such as Star Wars used 70mm film. We didn't use film, and instead decided on digital cameras which are more than suitable for the projects we were working on.

Look Development:

Look development is getting a shot to look the way you want it, making sure that all the shots have the correct feel to match the project settings. We didn't have to do this for our project, but perhaps in the future I'll try it if I work on something large enough.

Lighting and Rendering:

Lighting and rendering is a process used in post to get the lighting correct and to ensure that materials suit the project, an example is making sure a light reflects of a metal correctly and making sure the metal looks high quality. I didn't use lighting or rendering for this project, however I have used it in previous works and plan to use it in the future as well.

Texturing:

To texture a model you need to open up a program such as 3ds max and use a UV unwrap tool to get a net-like image which you can apply texture to. Using something like photoshop you then add a texture to the net and then apply the net to the model, if its all correct then the model should have a nice texture on all faces.

Rigging:

Rigging is used after modelling and is used to animate the model, every model has some form of skeleton which can be moved around. It makes animating the model easier than just moving faces or edges. We haven't used it yet, however I'd like to get into it in a future project.

Tracking:

Tracking is used during moving shots to keep objects in place and to track movements. It can be used for a model that is added in post to keep it in place when the camera is moving. It is also used to track an actors face before adding an overlay such as the one used in Pirates of the Caribbean for Davey Jones. We have used tracking to keep a cup still in a shot and to put a hat on a mans head when the shot is moving.

Effects Animation:

Effects Animation is used to add effects such as dust clouds or speckles on the screen, it is meant to be more immersive to the viewer and is added in post. I haven't used it yet but a recent project may need it.

Grading:

Grading is a technique that involves enhancing a colour in a scene to match the projects atmosphere, for example a depressing scene may highlight the deep blues and greys, while a more upbeat scene may highlight the reds and yellows to make the scene feel warmer. I've used this in some projects outside of college, but not much.

Rotoscoping:

Rotoscoping involves an animator drawing over the characters shot by shot, I haven't used it in any of my projects thus far, but may in the future.

Elemental Shoot:

Elemental Shoot is where you record the elements, (rain, fire, etc) an use them in a project, it could be just recording a rainstorm on a phone and using that. Mad Max used an iPhone 6 to record fire and it was used in the final cut. I'm unsure when I'll use this, or if I'll even use it in the future.

Plate Preparation:

After all the shots have been taken you go through all of them and remove things that wont make it, anything such as rubbish, or dirt that won't make the final cut are then removed. Advertisements are also removed. I've used a variation of this method to remove some HUD with gameplay recordings and I'll more than likely use it in future projects.