Recent projects have proved the usefulness of sticking two things together–or taking one thing from something else–but what, really, is the big deal? There are three types of booleans: unions, subtractions, and intersections. Subtractions are, in my humble opinion, probably the most useful type. It's easy to add detailing to an object by subtracting other objects from it–personally, I've used it to make decorative grooves and even carved-in writing. It also makes it easier to make larger changes that might be harder to design by just manipulating an edit poly, especially if the subtracted section is curved. I've used this to hollow out containers of all sorts, including some clumsily-made coffee cups from the days when I didn't know what a lathe was. It's also helpful for designing models of mechanisms and such, such as making the groove for a switch. I used it recently to level off the bottom of a sphere at an angle when doing it by manipulating the polygons resulted in a jagged, choppy mess. Intersections keep the area of overlap between two objects. I haven't actually done much with this yet, but it has produced some interesting shapes, including a cube with rounded corners and edges that didn't quite look like a chamfer box. As with subtraction, it looks like it's useful for situations where editing the polygons might get messy or inconvenient. I think it's definitely worth experimenting more. Unions are interesting because they are, in my opinion, the least outright necessary. There aren't a lot of situations where a union is outright vital to the model. You can group things together other ways, such as with actual groups. Sure, combining objects makes things like modifiers and textures easier, but there are workarounds for that. So what's a union good for? It reduces polygons, and reducing polygons is always something to keep in mind when designing for a video game. A large amount of polygons means a large amount of loading time, and therefore horrible lag if you don't have a beefy computer; limiting your player base to the people that do is an unwise choice and will probably make the community mad. Also, as I said before, unions make texturing, using modifiers, and generally just moving the model around easier. They might not be strictly necessary in every case, but they're very useful. So, to summarize:
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We got back into 3D modeling pretty recently, and one of the key things that's stuck with me is how to work with splines. Where has this been all my life? Splines are basically 2D lines and shapes in a 3D program. As far as 3ds Max goes, they're incredibly easy to create–easier, ironically, than working with a pen tool in most 2D programs I've used–and can be converted into 3D objects using modifiers like lathe and extrude. This has given me so much more freedom to create unique shapes; I honestly really wish I had worked more with splines earlier. Lathe, especially, has been incredibly useful. It's essentially spinning a 2D shape and around an axis to make a 3D shape. This means I can make any kind of rounded object with ease. So far that's included bowls, candlesticks, plates, wineglasses, cups, and even a table. I've currently got a model of a flan (or a gelatin mold, depending on your point of view) in the works, and I'm working out in my head how I'm going to make a character I dreamed up when I was younger–the clothes and hat are essentially completely rounded, which will make it easy to draw a cross section and lathe it. A few modifications to the newly created 3D meshes should take care of whatever the splines can't. Unfortunately the normals on lathes tend to freak out, and I've ended up with huge dark patches on some of my models where the shading didn't work. The extrude modifier has also been helpful, though it does have its downsides. The sides of an extrusion are always flat, and as I haven't yet discovered how to get more vertices on the inside of a spline shape, I ended up with some awkward looking spoons and forks, as well as an unfortunately blocky coffee cup handle that looked like it would be uncomfortable to hold. The flat sides should be pretty easy to fix with a simple chamfer modifier. As for the internal spline vertices, I'll have to experiment and see if I can find a way. I'm still dissatisfied with that spoon; it looked like a bent spatula, because the only way I could get the middle to sink in was to lower points on the sides of the spoon as well, creating a tool that might help you dig through dirt–or maybe beans–but couldn't hold soup without spilling it. In addition to these two modifiers, I seem to remember something else I used a year or two ago, something similar to extrude but where you have to pick a spline shape that will determine the circumference of the extrusion. I've been digging through the modify panel, so far with no luck, but I'm sure I'll find it. So, to summarize:
Excuse the horrible pun in the title. Anyway, I'm close to being an adult, and that means I have to start seriously thinking about careers, and one of the huge keys to that in the gaming industry is having a good portfolio. One of the main points of GameIndustry International's interview of a team from Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) was the importance of a good portfolio. Game programs need to teach students core industry skills, rather than only software-specific information, and give them the opportunity to create a solid base of work. Students have to be competitive entering the industry, and the best way to be competitive is to show proof of one's skills; game companies look very seriously at portfolios when evaluating a candidate. With that considered, I need to start taking this portfolio very seriously, as one day it just might get me a job. That is, to be honest, a little terrifying for me, considering that at least for the moment, I'm more of a programmer than an artist, and producing a full game is going to take a lot longer than making a piece of art–unless making art should be taking me much longer. Additionally, this class isn't even about programming, so I won't be focusing on that anyway. For the moment, I need to start working on art, probably both 2D and 3D, as often as possible, and it has to be good art–which is not my specialty. I guess I have a whole year to learn. There needs to be variety, too, and actual drawing skill, not my sad attempts at creating hilariously cartoonish illustrations based more on Photoshop loopholes than any real talent–or worse, quick photo edits that don't require anything more than basic knowledge of the program. I should probably also learn to use that drawing pad I've got laying around. In my own defense, I don't claim to be a good artist. In terms of revamping the actual presentation of the portfolio, I really ought to fix the sizing of my images, and maybe come up with a better caption format. In the future, this portfolio will obviously feature a lot more code-based works, seeing as I most likely will look for programming jobs. Making your own game is a huge boost to a portfolio, especially a good game. I've done it before, but it was sloppy and unfinished; I've been meaning to fix it up for a while now. I'd most likely have a section under Student Work leading to downloads for my game(s). Videos of gameplay would also be helpful. So, to summarize:
Citations:
“How to Build a Game Designer Portfolio: 2018 Guide.” The Ultimate Resource for Video Game Design, 2 June 2019, https://www.gamedesigning.org/career/game-design-portfolio/. Mann, Simon. “Game Design Portfolio-Building Tips from a Creative Assembly Vet.” Gamasutra Article, 17 Apr. 2018, https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/316629/Game_design_portfoliobuilding_tips_from_a_Creative_Assembly_vet.php. “Your Game Portfolio Is Your Greatest Asset.” GamesIndustry.biz, 30 Apr. 2014, https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-04-30-your-game-portfolio-is-your-greatest-asset. |
AuthorI'm moving on to my 4th (and final) year as a Game Art & Design student at Durham School of the Arts. I'd like to call myself an artist, but I'm a programmer at heart. Archives
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