Game art tutorials

[tucho]

In this section you can post links of 2D/3D game art tutorials

One small tutorial about the unwrapping of a low poly model, perfect for Glest game.

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[img]http://www.glest.org/files/images/tutorial_unwrap_english.jpg[/img]

[url=http://www.glest.org/files/images/tutorial_unwrap.jpg]Spanish version of this tutorial[/url]
And some tutorial links:

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[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=341&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft modeling[/url]

[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=351&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft texturing[/url]

[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=360&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft animating[/url]
some modeling and texturing tutorials

[sackofcatfood]

So this was done using... 3ds max?

I don't suppose there might be other software/ways of producing models for Glest, would there?

The pricetag on 3ds max seems to be quite pricey ($3,495) and is more than I could ever afford.

[Hande]

I hope someone could make it:

Blender Support??
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[url=http://www.glest.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=384]http://www.glest.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=384[/url]

[tucho]

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[url=http://www4.discreet.com/products/]here[/url] you can download a free trial of 3ds max

[tucho]

The Glest export plugin for max 6 works too with max 7

[tucho]

Usually with the Discreet's trials you can save your works, I didn´t download the Max7 trial but I think there is no problem to save and export your works. If someone has worked with the max 7 trial and the G3D export plugin, could please confirm this?

think you can give a tutorial on animating?

I'm a very bad animator, for this reason I use the character studio, because by this way I can use motion capture files from other people and retouch these animations to make an animation valid for Glest.

When I have some time I will make a little tutorial, but all of you must know about character studio is in this tutorial:

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[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=360&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]TUTORIAL[/url]

[tucho]

You can't import g3d files, but for export copy the G3d export plugin for max 6 in the plugin folder of your 3ds max and you must can export your models to g3d format

[josepzin]

Somebody want to make a export plugin for Blender??

[Speedator]

I tried to do a plugin, because I myself work with blender now.
But I found out, that I am not good enough in programming for such a plugin.
Maybe we should try to ask in the blender-community.

[seltsamuel]

when i have the Blender plugin ready u even have one for Milkshape 3d
because Blender is free downloadable and has milksahpe Im/Export.
I hope to release the Im/Exporter for blender about latest wednesday this week depending on my time i have to develop this. its no easy task.

Seltsamuel

[Guzpido Krush]

seltsamuel... thank you!!!

I'm far from an average programmer... in the newb direction, not the opposite hehe

but can you share any detail of your quest?


Here's an idea for the future... something like a model generator...

It would be great to apply the XML concept of tech customization to modelling!!! .? like...

triglops.xml

<name=Triglops />
<head=medium />
<body=large />
<bottom=small />
<arms=3 />
<arm[2]=scimitar />

Like, a modeller program that would patch different parts of bodies, much like Neverwinter nights in terms of choosing you character's head/clothes... but in this case we would be more concerned with the 3d model, not the textures... This program would need a huge database of prefab models, with different parts of bodies (wings, tails, legs, axes, helmets, etc).
The user would just send attributes and the program could generate g3d files. If this 'lego' approach works, then creating a new model would be just a matter of writing a few text lines.  

[Speedator]

Those patchworkmodels mostly  look ugly in 3D.
And do not see any reason to do so, for a RTS like that. If you would develop a RPG it makes more sense.

[Guzpido Krush]

yeah, nevermind that.... i dont know why I suggested that... guess I got too excited about the XML customizing... hehe...

but i forgot to highlight in my topic, this is a TOOL for MODding, not for the 'retail' version of the game.

[Ka]

there´s a better way, much easier then dragging the edges around in the UVW-unwrapper

after finishing the model, add an uvw-unwarp modifier as used to, then go to subobject level face in this modifier rollout (so you can select the faces for the mapping process) and hit ctrl + a (=select all). next, click on edit button, so u see the checker layout.

there you go to mapping -> normal mapping.
change the mapping type to: box mapping : in the dropdown.
spacing and the checkboxes can stay checked and at 0.02

hit OK:

that´s it, the mapper extracts the different polygongroups by itself, aligns them, and, as for my tests and experience, the checkermap is same size on every poly of the model.

you can now arrange the different element, check "select element" and draw selectionboxes around the parts of the model and move them, rotate them (+ / - 90 degrees) and / or mirror them.

i, for example, do use for each arm the same imagearea, so i mirror the second arm-parts and put them exactly above the others. so you can save space, and scale the rest to use a bigger area in the image (=better detail in game)... but IF you will scale something, you can select everything again, and scale afterwards, so all checkers in the map are still in the same size.


*edited: in addition, throughout the box mapping type, you have much better control over the sideviews of the model, which is more useful in general for the design process, in my opinion.
ka

[Ka]

another different way, in this case for the export of the mapping wireframes: in the uvw unwrap mapping window (clickin on "edit" in the modifier rollout) after you have finished your final uvw layout (so all checkers are same size), just zoom out, so you can see all borders of the area, then hit alt + "printscreen"-key on your keyboard (above insert / einfügen). that will copy the active window as an image into the clipboard.

in photoshop, go to file - new (or ctrl + n), click ok (or enter), and then edit - paste (or ctrl + v).

you have now a screenshot of the unwrap uvwmapping-window.

next go to: image - adjustments - hue saturation, select "blue" in the dropdown and desaturate them, so the blue grid disappears. (for me it´s -91 saturation, and - 33 lightness), and select "greens" and increase their lightness, so they get brighter. hit ok.

next: image - adjustment - desaturate. this removes all color information, making the image grayscale

next: image - adjustments - brightness / contrast increase the contrast and decrease the brightness, so the background is black and all lines of the wireframes are smooth and white or light gray.

open a new image (your actual texture workarea) with e.g. 256 x 256 pixels with a black background, and copy the prepared image with the uvw wrap layout into it. tranform it, so the layout of the mapping coordinates is exactly within the borders of the texture-workspace-image..

so, almost done, our new layer will stay on top in the photoshop layer list, and you just have to switch the blending mode to : screen.
all white lines will be visible, all black areas are transparent. you can decrease the opacity a little bit, so you can see even the borders below a white wireframe line.

with gimp it should work the same way, similar, cos gimp alos supports blending modes, etc as far as i know...

thx 4 attention
ka

[Ka]

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=21263

this is the tutoial list at cgtalk.com, a collection of links to every topic thinkable (at least almost). you will find low polygon modelling, texturing, etc infos inside, too...

ka
www.3dtowns.at

[edu.ccufg]

Hey tucho, can you release a low polygon modeling tutorial? And if is possible, release a 2d art tuto too... I wanna to make some low polygon models, but the tutorials to 3d studio is rare... =P

Thanks for all

[tucho]

take a look to this tutorials

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[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=341&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft modeling[/url]

[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=351&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft texturing[/url]

[url=http://www.3dkingdom.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=360&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]low poly Lara Croft animating[/url]
this tutorials was very useful for me when I am starting to make the glest models.

This

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[url=http://www.glest.org/files/misc/Glest_model.zip]generic glest model[/url] can be useful for you too.

[toph]

i also like these lara-tuts, they are really easy to understand and make

[Enigma]

does anyone have the blender plugin? kinda need it

[VIN100]

Enigma : a small search of "blender" on the forum and you find this topic that (I hope) tell what you want to know :

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[url=http://www.glest.org/board2/viewtopic.php?t=1088]http://www.glest.org/board2/viewtopic.php?t=1088[/url]

[Enigma]

... oops.


I can be really lazy sometimes  

[Mr.Flibbles]

You know reading all those tutorials on 3dsmax UV mapping makes me glad I use Blender instead. It is so much easier to UV map and skin models in Blender.

[Chimaira]

seltsamuel... thank you!!!

I'm far from an average programmer... in the newb direction, not the opposite hehe

but can you share any detail of your quest?


Here's an idea for the future... something like a model generator...

It would be great to apply the XML concept of tech customization to modelling!!! .? like...

triglops.xml

<name=Triglops />
<head=medium />
<body=large />
<bottom=small />
<arms=3 />
<arm[2]=scimitar />

Like, a modeller program that would patch different parts of bodies, much like Neverwinter nights in terms of choosing you character's head/clothes... but in this case we would be more concerned with the 3d model, not the textures... This program would need a huge database of prefab models, with different parts of bodies (wings, tails, legs, axes, helmets, etc).
The user would just send attributes and the program could generate g3d files. If this 'lego' approach works, then creating a new model would be just a matter of writing a few text lines.  

This would be a good idea for shields, swords, helmets, etc...because I want to mod it so there are lots of upgrades and when you upgrade something like weapons it will change to a bigger or different colored sword. Also do this with materials too, so when you upgrade armor it will change from a leather look to a chain mail look.

[ilivetomod]

ermmm....how exactly do you UV unwrap in blender? i just need to know the menu to go to and ill be fine...i couldn't find anythin about UV mapping in the noob to pro manual and the plugins don't seem to work