Outso Project - Character Design Dev 3 - Modelling Head

I didn't follow a tutorial as such for this but a more of a speed run-through video of box modelling the head. Pausing every second, I was able to see where to pull out points, add loops, cut in details like the nose, eyes and mouth. While working on this step by step, I learnt a lot about modelling the head and body in general and I began to feel more comfortable as I know where cuts should be placed and exactly how extra loops add extra smoothness and detail. Eye shape, the mouth and the nose can be adjusted to how I like if I want to change them later. Symmetry of course sped up workflow but it is needed to I can attach the half head to the half body, then I can add symmetry to that to carry on.

I made simple eyes from half cut sphere shapes to fit in the head and fit closely around the eyelids.

Outso Project - Character Design Dev 2 - Modelling Hands

A separate tutorial I followed to make a hand was quite detailed such as nails and so on but I ignored that as it cost too many tris for minute details on a character with a limited budget range. I box modelled the hand and fingers separately and attached and rearranged them to fit. Smaller details added were the bends in the fingers and raises in the knuckles and the chunkyness of the thumb on the palm and that is as far as I took it.

Outso Project - Character Design Dev 1 - Modelling Body

I have previously followed a couple of different tutorials on box modelling a body in general during my last 2 years on the course but I found one I was comfortable with. With this simple starting point, I was able build my desired body shape, add extra loops, cut in extra edge details and get proportions right with quick and easy changes. I found a simple realistic female body blueprint (reference link below) that I decided to follow while building in 3ds Max to get arm length, legs, curves, the neck and chest right, then I could alter them later if desired. I used symmetry down the middle of course which is recommended to speed work flow and get everything even.

Outso Project - Character Design

I was required to model and texture a female aviator character in 3DS Max based on the given concept with the brief. I decided to work closely to the concept to see if i could make her look convincing enough rather than create my own. Here is the concept painting:

Codies Vehicle Project Dev 5 - Complete

I used xoliul shader as required for this project but i used version 2.0 over 1.6 because i found the layout and functions easier. I learnt a lot within the time of texturing, how to make my own scratches, varied metal effects and specular overlays to get certain sheens, I enjoy using xoliul as you can see your models in real time so you get an idea of how it would look in game better than one shot renders. Overall im pleased with my outcome, there is room for improvement but i can work on that in future.

Instead of experimenting concepts of colours, i decided to finish with a pretty dull grey, hard sharp dangerous metal feel and look, still containing those streamlined futuristic elements but look like it is hard worn and has taken a beating and ramming with its sharp front and side arms and even though it has cannons for long range fire. All textures were hand painted in photoshop. Normals created using Xnormal. I added the cube map to create light blue reflections of the sky and a slight gloss to add a dark shine to the whole vehicle and a bit more to the scratches that show the metal is originally a lighter colour.

The last pic is my edited final, was just a quick one really.

Codies Vehicle Project Dev 4 - Environment

I wanted a simple, easy but convicing environment so i created my own clear daylight skydome then messed around with terrains mimicking the waves of sand dunes using the just the material editor and displace modifier to raise a flat plane mesh into my desired shape. I finished with a clean sandy texture, low specular and slight bump when light shines on it. I imported the sky and terrain into UDK to create a simple cube map so i can could generate reflections to use with xoliul shader when finalising my tank and its textures.

Codies Vehicle Project Dev 3

After pretty much cleaning up my model i was ready for unwrapping, these are the orthographic views on 3ds Max i created in case i wanted to paint over any variation in design or colour.

The problem i came across while unwrapping was, because there are many components to the tank and i used symmetry to create the other half of the tank, i still wanted to UVs to be separate so that i could texture variations on each side rather than symmetrical looking scratches. This left me with limited space on my UV template and you can see the results on my final product that areas that needed more detail actually look more blurry or less detailed than other parts. I could have used my space better in general but i will keep this in mind next time.