Unit 9 - Pillar/ Level work

Pillar/Level Work

Introduction

For this assignment we have been asked to design an asset or more accurately a pillar for the splash damage brief.  The pillar can be anything we like in terms of design, but obviously must be a pillar.

Details of what has been asked:

·         Brain storm Ideas based upon Splash damage Brief Mind map result.  ·         Produce a Mood Board of your idea with detailed reference’s. ·         Design a game asset based upon the map type capture the flag/team based. ·         Concept out your result : produce thumb nail sketch.  ·         Model basic shape matching your concept export to Unreal. ·         Present your result Peer review result.  ·         Using the on line forum test and peer review level design based upon the criteria. Blog all results.

Mind Maps, lists, general ideas

I began the process for designing a pillar by starting with mind maps and lists for ideas for levels and pillars.
This was done by working in groups, as well as working by ones self.  The ideas was to to just write down ideas that came to mind for inspiration for levels and pillars.  The idea behind developing mind maps, lists and mood boards is to get initial ideas together, and get straight into the development stage in designing a pillar, what we want the pillar to look like.

Once brainstorming was done, I began creating a mood board on Pinterest for further ideas and inspiration.  We then went back into groups to form a critique to get feedback on each others ideas and mood boards so far and possibilities for improvements moving forward with our projects.  As well as creating mood boards, mind maps and forum critiques, we are required to write a daily blog on what we have done on our projects moving forward.  By blogging the process, through thoughts, ideas and inspiration to design and construction, it is helpful when looking back for future references to see on what can be improved on in a constant need to improve and learn.

Moodboards

After the listing and mind mapping phase was done, the next thing was to use Pinterest and build mood boards for inspiration.  The idea was to just get initial thoughts together in looking at a various range of places of inspiration.  Whilst gathering images together, I also made a small description on my I had picked these images for my Mood Board and why the image was inspiring me.

With the three mood boards I was trying to gain further ideas on construction materials, design, possibly even decoration of the pillar, even if for meaning or just for decoration sake.  I also tried to be as diverse as possible in gaining inspiration from as many sources as possible.  I really like the worn, used look, nature taking back from what man took from it look, which can be seen from the mood board images I have chosen. Thrown in the mix with the love of history and science fiction the end result could be good.  On hindsight, I think my mood boards have been too diverse.  I have found sometimes I get overwhelmed by too many ideas and all though this is not a bad thing, I need to learn to narrow down what I want to do or achieve with the end product.  I should have dedicated a mood board for each idea rather than doing mood boards each being so diverse.


Pillar Design (Thumbnails sketches)

From the mood boards which I had gathered so much inspiration, I began to do some sketches in my sketch book on what my pillar might look like.  Still going with inspiration drawn from the mood boards with the worn look, or nature taking back from  what had been there before.  I also began playing with the possibility of having some sort of science fiction influence.  Having lights or that maybe in a back story the pillar might have once had a purpose of some sort.  For future reference, I think I should have done for sketches for ideas.  I feel I have hindered myself by not doing more sketches for all the ideas and inspirations drawn from the likes of the lists, mind maps and mood boards.  I have not carried those inspiration forward enough with greater detail that could have have been achieved.

Pillar

Above is my concept pillar so far.  Much to be desired I feel.  From feedback I have established that I need to do more research on Maya, and where to get ideas for concepts and how to improve my skills, with which tutorials to watch.  I think I need to sit down and watch a lot of you tube tutorials on Maya, step by step and take notes.  From there put more practise in.  My other criticism of myself would I can be very indecisive about making final decisions and need to just go with it so to speak.  At the moment though at my current skill level its probably best I try not to over complicate things and keep them simple, and later I can go back and improve once I get to grips with things on Maya.  However I feel I have scared myself a little with using Maya.  More experimentation moving forward with the creation and development phase!

Above are images of my pillar and exporting it into real engine and learning about the export process, also giving the pillar a surface as well as learning how to clear history in the processes.  I've also been learning about centring the pillar in Maya.  Also learning about problems that might occur during the import/ export process. Scale.  Making sure the scale is correct in Maya but exporting it to unreal.  Another problem can be the saving process.  Making sure the file has been saved to the same file location when saving it on different computers.   These are all important things that need to be remembered and learnt for moving forward, in avoiding potential problems that might arise in that exporting from Maya to unreal and then trying to carry on working in previously saved work from another location, and making sure everything is still accessible and fully working as it should be.  It is important to make sure everything is working correctly and has been saved where it should be, as the consequences could be a lot of time spent working to improve the asset for example and then later on not being able to find ones work.  It has also been important in learning about the export process as I need to become competent at this process as I will be exporting to real engine more an more in future projects.

Peer Review (Critique)

The three questions I asked on my peer review were the following:

1. My Maya skills are to be desired, what techniques or ways could you advise to improve this?

2.  Is there anything I can improve on on my current level of Maya?

3. Should I do more research and are there any places I should be looking at?

The general consensus and feedback was looking at more tutorials online and to keep practising, and as pointed out by Daniel Perez, making notes at the same time whilst practising, which would help in the learning process and as the saying goes, throw enough mud at a wall, some will begin to stick.  Its just a case of finding a system that works well in learning for me and running with it. 

 Another peer also helpfully pointed out, ( Darren Caveney) finding my own way of learning, so it eventually becomes easier and faster to get to grips with tools etc, and pointed me in a helpful direction of some helpful tutorials to look at on YouTube. 

Daniel Thompson pointed out although the model is very basic, it is nothing to be worried about as it can be improved through the likes of Photoshop or Mudbox.  He also added I should give some thought on the following three thoughts: Location, Environment, Small / Big,. which would help me again moving forward in the future.

A lot of positive feedback which I need to implement straight way for success to take hold.  Practise and research more and the results will come.

Final Peer review

1. This is the product I have produced, I don't feel this product is good enough and I am disappointed with what I have produced, should i have done more with detail or texture?

2.  Should I have done more in the design process with the pillar to create something more similar to what I had been looking at in my mood boards to compared to what I have produced?

3. I have much to be desired in producing the product I want in Maya, where should I be looking to, to improve technique going forward?

Generally, although I feel I could have done more with the model, my peers think the shape itself is not a problem as only a basic shape is required at this point.  They all gave pointers in improving detail by importing images from the likes of Photoshop or doing textures and engravings as suggested by Darren Caveney to give the pillar more depth.  For improving my skills, on line tutorials and forums seem like the likely place to look.  Andrew pointed out keeping to what I had looked at in my mood boards, but again using textures to give the model more depth.  Liam pointed out using deformers on the model like a flare tool to maybe give it more depth.

I need to take all this feedback on board an start actioning it.  Learning more techniques, just keep practising on Maya, watching tutorials online, and just gathering as much relevant information as possible and keep practising to improve.

Conclusion

Although I am new to Maya, I feel now looking back on the unit I could have done more with the pillar, and I have possibly restricted myself by keeping things too simple.  I need to make up lost time and ground by watching tutorials and putting this advice and feed back from the peer reviews into practise, and developing my Maya skills to a more higher standard. 

With this unit almost over, getting to grips with the tools available, has given me more thought and ideas on how I should handle cutting the learning curve moving forward.  As well as ideas for the pillar design.  Maybe begin with more sketch work and doing more mood boards first then moving on to Maya once I have a more defined idea it is I want to create.  With Maya being so vast, you can easily lose yourself and get off track with any definite ideas first on which to work on, or knowing in which direction you want your idea heading. Although this is all a lot to take in and there are a lot of areas to improve on in terms of skill and knowledge, also being more decisive in my decision making for the design and development process, and be more willing to take more risks and learn from the mistakes, for experimentation and learning purposes.  I do feel now looking back on the process in design and development, I could have achieved more in the design and development of the pillar compared to what I have currently done.  In other words I should push myself more in what I can achieve and and not be scared to experiment.  Also link my mind maps, lists, sketches, and design and production all together to see the progress.  Looking back on if I had more time to achieve or would I have done things differently then definetley.  However I can only learn from my mistakes and being cautious with this unit, and now feeling more confident and looking at what my peers have done and what feedback they given me, I should throw myself more into creating something more detailed than less simple because of what might go wrong, and just go with it.  I also better focus on my mood boards giving me a better and obvious train of thought, and doing more sketches for the design process!!

Maya Tools

Going over Maya techniques, setting up shapes, i.e. cubes, learning about view ports, the different options available on the task bars.  Also creating new shapes from the existing ones and changing shapes using polygon cylinder options, poly tool set, etc.  This involved learning about the split edge learning tools, and trying them out on different shapes to experiment with. 

I have also been learning about the combine tool and bridge tool, and seeing the potential of these tool, as well as the split edge tools, working on various different shapes.

This has also involved continuing working with vertex and faces, UV, Object mode, and edges.  Using all these in collaboration with the information about the tools on the tool shelves, it is giving more possibilities on what is achievable.  

• Creating Polygon Objects

Creating a polygon object is the beginning of creating any model.  Taking a basic shape and then forming and sculpting it into what you need it to be using the various other tools in Maya at your disposal.  

• Soft Select

Another type of selection I can use is soft selection, this allows you to grab multiple parts of the model around the selected part. The area of the model you can alter, and be changed by reducing or increasing the soft selection area.  

• Extrude Tool

The extrude tool extrudes faces,edges and vertices's to the way or direction you need it to be to create the model you want. To use the extrude tool you select the parts you want to change i.e. faces, edges, vertices's and extrude, then edit mesh and extrude on the menu bar.  This can be very useful in developing the model you want it to be from a basic shape such as a cylinder or square.  

• Polygon Bevel tool

 The bevel tool can be used to bend an edge that has been selected and alter the shape of your model to another degree.  It can be said that the bevel tool is similar to the extrude tool, in that it can bend faces, edges etc, but with the bevel tool you can grab groups of faces or edges at the same time.  This can be an advantage grabbing groups of faces simultaneously over changing and manipulating one at a time.  Saving time being the obvious advantage.   

• Smooth edge action

The the smooth edge action can be used to take edge what is hard or blocked and smooth it out such as edges on pipes and cylinders that are visible when they shouldn't be, giving the shape are more realistic or naturally flowing, than un-natural or staged appearance.

• Edge Loop Tool

The edge loop tool can be used to create loops right around the shape to manipulate the shape further. Go to mesh tools and select the insert edge loop tool and select were you want to insert the loop on the model. This is hand with the extrude tool, can help to develop the model further, adapting and changing it from its original/ basic form, i.e. cylinder or square to anything, like a plane, hat or a pillar.

• Mesh Bridge

The bridge tool uses bridges to bring edges or faces together, surface to surface.  This tool can be used to create an edge across to other faces in bringing them together or rather bridging them together, to form nicely as one unit.

• Mesh Split

The Mesh split tool is another option that can be used to add edges across faces of mesh, by creating more divisons, giving you more options to manipulate your model when working to create a particular shape.  This is an adanvtage in giving you more choices in developing or manipulating the model further in potentially adding more detail.

• Mesh Booleans

The Boolean tool can gives the choice to separate meshes that are combined.  Again this is another way off altering the model to what you want it to look like. 

• Boolean operations

Using Mesh tools, experimenting with Boolean operations and learning about the differences between the three operations:

• Union
• Difference 
• Intersection

Using a random shape, (cube) experimenting in Maya what these tools/ options can do within Maya.

Union: Welding pieces together.
Difference: Taking two objects and one sculpting out of the other.
Intersection: Both objects joining together producing a net result.

Other tools looked at, changing from Polygon to Animation, deformer - lattice, one shape on top of another and manipulating beneath that shape, helping to control a model of high resolution.

Another tool was bond deformer and flare deformer.

•  Flare deformer

The flare deformer can be used to bulge a part of the model if you were to create models such as barrels, tunnels, guns or a vase etc, giving you a unique shape or opportunity to create a unique shape within the program.