MDDN 241 - Rendering

Rendering

Scenes didn't end up matching when i rendered out. The terrain material and the whole scene was off a bit.

Checked the cameras, materials and smoothness of the terrain. Changed the terrain material from a blin to a Lambert so it wasn't reflective. Changed the focal point of each camera on every scene to match as that's what was causing the scenes to be off centered. Tutor helped me fix the other problem with the terrain by showing me that one some of the scenes the mesh wasn't smoothed. Was a quick fix by selecting and pressing 3 on the keyboard.

MDDN 241 - Lighting

Lighting

Have been thinking about lighting throughout my project but have been pretty stumped on how i want to archive it. Stumbled upon a video that shows about a physical sun/sky lighting in maya. 

Inspiration video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgVLvTBZP88

After learning the base of it explored changing different parts such as the gamma, shadows and gain. 

MDDN 241 - Materials with no lighting

Materials no lighting

Materials on objects without any lighting. Was test rendering gravity with materials on.

MDDN 241 - Scene 3 - 4

Scenes 3 and 4 textures

 Used as a colour and bump map to make the look of obsidian.

 Used on the melting rock as molten rock.

Used as lava that comes out of the ground when rock hits.

MDDN 241 - Textures

Textures

Texture used on the modeled terrain.

bump map of rock. Was exported from Mudbox where i modeled the rock

Rock texture colour.

MDDN 241 - Animating

Animating

With experimenting with the gravity functions more i found out that i couldn't key frame other stuff. I'm splitting my project into separate scenes.

1. Falling rock with camera following.
2. rest of falling rock but with gravity so it shatters
3. lava material shows through slowly
4. rock melts down before turning into obsidian.

MDDN 241 - Gravity tests

Gravity tests

Link to test render of gravity animation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shl1LoNv1c&feature=youtu.be

Changed my idea not having the diamond involved anymore. Wanted to make my video tell more of a story between the material changes. When the rock hits the environment modeled lava will come out melting the rock before it turning into obsidian.

MDDN 241 - Cracking experiment

Cracking experiment

Went through various experiments of trying to get the cracking of the rock correct so the diamond will be shown. Looked at numerous tutorials and explored different cracking and shattering techniques but can't seem to match one on to how i want to animate my objects. After talking to the tutor about how to animate my object more he suggested a way with it colliding with an object.

MDDN 241 - Diamond material texture

Diamond material texture

 After playing about myself and also following parts of tutorials i have come up with this as a end result for the object that comes out of the rock after being cracked. I didn't end up putting the refractions and reflections up a lot as the render time would be too huge. Material is easily noticeable that it's a diamond even with the lower quality in the first image.

MDDN 241 - Diamond model

Diamond modeling

Began to model the second object of the animation for when the diamond falls out of the rock after it breaking. Modeled a diamond by following a tutorial as it's exactly what i wanted. duplicated the diamond putting it inside off its self for the refraction in the material. 

MDDN 251 - How buttons work

How buttons/analog sticks work on a PlayStation controller

Top layer of circuit. Wraps around connecting to the motherboard.

Each button on the Playstation controller is a switch so when pressed down applying pressure two bits of conductive material the metal disk is in contact with the two metal strips. The controller senses that the circuit is closed and sends the information to the PSX.

Two variable resistors or known as potentiometers are positioned at right angles to each other below the joystick. Each one has current that flows through them consistently but the amount of current is determined by the amount of resistance. Depending on the position of the analog stick the resistance is increased or decreased. The PSX determines the exact angle of the analog stick being held by monitoring the potentiometers (variable resistors).

MDDN 241 - Terrain model

Modeled terrain

After having a brief play with the shatter effects i started to watch some youtube videos to see what can be done with shattering an object in maya. I decided to look at how to make a low polly terrain with using the sculpting brushes. This was the outcome before it gets textured with a rocky/dirt texture.

MDDN 241 - Cracking experiment

Cracking experiment 

Started to look at the way i can animate cracking the rock in half. This tool that i use changes the mesh of the polygons and makes you able to pull the object apart. I may be able to do something like this horizontally and find out how to make some parts break off and crumble for a more realistic effect.

MDDN 241 - Mudbox model

Mudbox model

Experimented with a method of creating my forms in mudbox. I created a rectangle in Maya and slicing it horizontal and vertical before importing it into Mudbox. I increased the polygon count before i started to morph the object to get it to look more like a rock. When i was satisfied i imported it back into Maya but found that it would be to long to animate as the polygon count was really high. 

Simplified the form in mudbox and made a texture map of the form created. Used the simplified form in Maya with the texture map on it making the same effect as i had made in Mudbox but with lower polygon count.

Texture map from Mudbox without simplified Mudbox form.

MDDDN 241 - Tutorial

In class tutorial

Had an in class modeling tutorial where we learnt how to set up images ready to model with the right dimensions, extrude and model the half shape of an item and then snap it to the grid. Use a tool to make it symmetrical after the one side has been modeled.

I didn't finish modeling it, i just wanted to get use to using cut tools and deleting mesh faces and modeling using planes before closing off the mesh again.

 

MDDN 251 - Research proposal

Research proposal

 

 Research proposal on my three items that i had chosen, Transonic stereo remote, Cannon power shot camera, and Sony PlayStation 2 remote. I chose the controller as i found i had a better idea with it. I'm interested to see how it goes as i start to get into making it more.

 

MDDN 241 - Concepts

Concepts

Concept one has been inspired by Salvador Dali. The texture that it goes through is that it starts off as something like a beach ball and then becomes gooey and partly transparent. After regaining its shape as a blob on the floor it hardens into a rock before being squished as if it has been suffocated. 

Concept two has been inspired by Hannah Hoch. It starts out as a rock like material before cracking and crumbling open with a diamond like shape breaking out then crumbling from the bottom up. shows the pieces dropping and shattering on the ground before melting into a goo. At the end something else can also reformed.

Concept three has been inspired by Francis bacon. The starting texture would be a ridged metal then form into something like a cell splitting and then as it touches something one side blows out abstracted with triangles and the form into a tentacle like creature where the artist model Laszlo Moholy-Nagy could come in with the use of shadows projected.

MDDN 241 - Texture photos

Texture pictures

Went for a walk looking for some possible textures that could be worked into my project and ended up with a range of different types. They could look and work really well if used right. The textures are made up of metal plate, corrugated iron, carpet, spray paint on concrete wall.

MDDN 251 - Introduction

Introduction

Went through what the course involves and tutors talked about the kind of work that they have done and companies that they have been with. 

Looked through past students work and what can be achieved though the course. 

Watched some videos on how the right way to solder before we went off and started to attempt to strip a wire, clean the soldering iron, and solder the wires ends together to form a loop.

MDDN 241 - Introduction

Introduction

 Went through in class the outline of the course and what is going to be involved.

Looked at Project one and students work from previous years.

Started basic training on Maya through the site http://www.lynda.com/

Tutor took the class through a tutorial on modeling a violin where we are learning how to set up pictures, model with extruding, subdividing, and cutting the object shape.