Complex UV Layout in Maya
Over the last couple of years UV layout in Maya has changed for the better. In this course we're going to be taking a look at some of those changes as we UV map an entire character
# 1 15-09-2006 , 12:49 AM
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Low Poly Game Character

This is the start of a low poly character I'm going to model, texture, rig, and animate doing a walk cycle. Going to try and hammer it out as fast as i can while maintaining quality. I don't have endless amounts of time but all my free time will be spent doing this. All constructive crit most welcome. Todays work:

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# 2 15-09-2006 , 03:34 AM
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cool. Looks like a good start. what sort of poly count are you going for?

# 3 15-09-2006 , 05:18 AM
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Good Start. The flow seems good, but...

There seems to be a few edges not going anywhere, the one on the temple should be removed and try to use less tris and get everything you can into quads:

The Forehead needs tidied up
The Ear should be quads (as much as you can)
The back of the neck has an edge but I cant see where its going

Bit picky but these things are quite small. and the good news is there doesn't seem to be any n-sided faces :attn:

As arran said, have you given yourself a poly count to aim for?


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# 4 15-09-2006 , 06:24 AM
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since it's a game model, he doesn't have to use quads.

Looks good so far!

# 5 15-09-2006 , 12:38 PM
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I'm another day from finishing the head. The edges that go nowhere are going to be the hairline. I've always quaded everything as much as i can and rest assured this will be quaded. I was even stupid enough to quad out my first car and make it one entire connected surface. Guess that habbit is hard to break.

I'm aiming for 5000 faces max.

I was told quading really doesn't matter so much unless you're going to animate something? If you look at the vast majority of models made with sub-d's it's a mess unless you convert it to poly's and choose the bzillion poly conversion?

Anyone have any good suggestions for the body and style of the charecter? What haven't you seen and what would you like to see if you were in the industry?

Thanks for the comments, keep em commin.

www.BrandonGBaxter.com


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# 6 15-09-2006 , 07:57 PM
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# 7 16-09-2006 , 09:58 AM
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Really nice start, can't wait to see some more!

You know what would look really cool, and to my memory, I can't recall seeing anything that was exactly what I'm thinking off...

I'm a big Cronenberg fan, and I always fancied seeing what a New Flesh would look like in-game! If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at Videodrome. James Woods ends up with a rather obscene looking slit down his stomach after an old scar comes to life, and he had a novel way of holstering his pistol. And the pistol... damn, as the movie goes on, his Walther really does become part of him!

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It would make for some cracking textures! Are you producing some high-poly normal maps for the character?

BTW, the flow looks kinda' similair to the Gnomon head tut. Did you follow that DVD to produce this? I was curious on your thoughts...

Oh, and tri's in a game mesh aren't that bad at all, after all, the mesh is triangulated before bringing into the game engine most of the time anyway. Just be aware that when you work out your poly count, for a completely quad mesh, you'll need to double the amount of polys (the poly count limits normally given to an artist referes to triangular faces).


Last edited by RitchieTheBrit; 16-09-2006 at 10:07 AM.
# 8 19-09-2006 , 12:41 AM
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Very unique idea, but I think I'll have to stay away from any sexual content in my models. A character with a vagina right in the middle of his chest just won't get me anywhere when I'm trying to get a job. Thanks for the post though.

So i have 2 full days now to complete the modeling and start texturing.:attn:

I've included a snap of Josh Nizzi's work I'm using as refference.

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# 9 19-09-2006 , 02:55 AM
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Hahaha! Well, like I said, it was a scar that opened up, honestly! And the appendage in Rabid wasn't phallic either! user added image

So are you following a tut for this?

# 10 19-09-2006 , 03:29 AM
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I've seen videodrome twice, he enjoyed playing with that slit, ew.
I'm following a tutorial yeah, but diverging away from it in design as always.

# 11 19-09-2006 , 12:23 PM
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It's coming together nicely, very nicely!

Is it the Gnomon tut you're following? I was thinking of buying those, but a mate lent me the body modelling disk, and it seems to assume a you know a bit about loops etc. I'm not a character modeller, so I found it hard to follow, but when I checked out Gnomons site, it appears that the fundementals are covered in the first disk (Head Modelling for Games).

# 12 20-09-2006 , 08:33 AM
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nice progress, the head has turned out well (I like the hairdo). The body is looking good too.

Did you draw the ortho outline views from the reference pics?

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# 13 20-09-2006 , 09:14 AM
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I'd say it looks that way, T1ck, the accessories are almost identical to the referance on the right.

I can't wait to see this sucker textured! Are you going to use normal mapping for the detailed areas?

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