3D character MODELLING - First King Project

[Dorth]

We use it with animated characters. Revisit your pipeline. b3d is primarly an animated mesh format.

[lostanimator]

In order to get a functional workflow, we need stable formats for all model including characters, scene backgrounds and props, etc.

As the b3d pipeline forum last updated posts inform, there is no inminent intention to revise their dle file for max 2008, which doesn´t mean they won't.

We could actually export properly testing with max 7, as long as there was only one skin modifier applied to the mesh. A walk cycle with UVW map information was correctly displayed, although the exporter crashed and the only way to get the file was to copy the preview file and rename it, which worked fine while importingg in an irrlicht environment.

The .dle file for max 9 doesn't work on a functional , licensed 2008 max copy. There's an error message, and the format is not available in the menu.

As I see, unwrap3D seems to solve all this, though I can't see the need of most of it's features otherwise, but maybe I'm wrong about this. To be honest I didn't miss deepUV/ deeppaint3D while following poopinmymouth's tuts, tough I still wonder if I'll miss features as the superb 3D multichannel brushes for texture painting. I anyone knows of something remotely similar, please post a reference (otherwise I'll use photoshop CS3 and patience).

Will post if we (my company, which bought the max license last month) dedice to get a copy of unwrapUV, as it's reasonably cheap, and the pipeline option seems to be fading out. I'm sure Christian will have some say about this.

Any other suggestion will help, prefereably freeware or script based tools.

Thanks all for your interest.

[lostanimator]

They have updated the info on the pipeline for b3d

Found this. It takes away the error, though export fails due to some problem with the texture's path, surely due to my ignorance of the exporting options. Preview gives a memory access error, but normal export button generates a file.

It's a runtime VB update.

http://playerfactory.proboards25.com/in ... 671&page=1

Enjoy it, those who know how to use properly, I'll post references on the parameters when I get it working. I'm excited about sending tests to use with Christian's model viewer. Busy at the moment dealing with the hires model, but it'll be ready soon.

[Dorth]

I'm so happy they revived work on the pipelines after all those years

[lostanimator]

I've been testing on both hires modelling for the doggy figure, and textures painted directly with photoshop on the unwrapped tga (in progress). The results so far aren't bad with a polin color texture, but definetely normal mapping is worth a try.

Hope you like ir, it is just a test to get some smoothing and shadows, but I've still only worked a little on te chest and arm basic shape, just to see.

http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_fur.avi

Already exported with b3d, tomorrow I'll try to get it into christian's model viewer.

The plan is to give it a sharp muscular tone, so please wait for updated captures. Coming soon.

[JP]

Duuuuude..... That is looking sweet! When the normal mapping comes along it's gonna look incredible!

It looks a bit like Domo-kun with the fur XD

[lostanimator]

Hi again, just loaded the anubis static mesh in Christian's model viewer, to download the viewer, please check:

http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/ ... del+viewer

and it shows decent lighting and projected shadows right away, no problems loading at all. Haven't tried to load animated meshes yet.

This is how it looks at the moment.

http://www.caurium.com/irr/anubis_model_test.jpg

[christianclavet]

Thanks David. I have tested your mesh and found some little problems.

Some polygons are not "welded" togethers. If I subdivide the mesh in ZBrush, there are 2 part where I can see this.

- On the right ear (if you see the warrior from the front) (see last pic)
- Under the head

EDIT: This is fixed. I've sent back the corrections to David's emails. This was not a big problem. Only doubled vertices in some parts.

Here some pictures, had a little "playtime" in Zbrush to check your character. Can you correct those problem?

For theses pictures:
Theses will not be used in the game, it's only a practice. The final will be much better . This was only a quick test to see. I'll produce a Normal Map from ZBrush that we'll reapply on the mesh so it have this look but keep your low level poly count.

[JP]

Wowsers... that guy is MEAN! Looking awesome, is that with a normal map on it then? Or is it just a different texture?

[christianclavet]

Hi, JP!

It's a HIGH Poly version in ZBrush. There is not really any texture on this. It's all polys. (I've not even saved it.) Because it's was only to practice ZBrush and this high poly is not as good as I would like, it doesnt give justice to David's base mesh.

When I decide that the ZBrush will be as I like, I would save the Normal Map and remaps that on the low poly object. They should look very similar to the High Poly object. Check on info, on how was made the objects in GEARS OF WARS. We'll use a similar method.

I worked a little on the mesh David provided me in Lightwave to correct some little tiny details. (Doubled vertices so polygons won't be touching and left open areas, teeth polygons that were facing the wrong way, put bigger shoulders, ajusted a little the feets, ajusted the expression a little with the UV Map)

Here is the last screen.


Here what is look "Unretouched" in ZBrush now (Only subdivided the mesh, not done ANY details work (Imagine when getting in the detail work! )






David. I've sent you a mail with some correction I've made on your mesh. I've put that back in 3DS so you can edit it back.

For exporting to .B3D; I'd suggest that you put a bigger scale. IRRlicth doesnt have the same unit scale. try 70x or 80x the scale you have. You could import the DWARF.X object to ajust for the scale. (Use the dward as a reference for scale.)

[Halifax]

Wow christianclavet, David and youself are amazing modelers. I can see why you got that job at Ubisoft.

Keep up the amazing work David, that mesh is very professional. And also I would just like to know, for future reference, what is welded and unwelded? Like what's the problem/how does it look?

[fmx]

wow is the word

incredible work guys, can't wait to see more! Keep it up!

i'm a little curious, what kind of polycounts have you got so far with your zbrushed and in-game models?



Halifax,
i'm pretty sure Christian meant welding vertexes: it can happen sometimes when polygons which are supposed to use the same vertex don't end up doing it, so duplicate vertexes are created. this usually causes major issues with calculating normals and creating uv-maps.
by welding vertices in VERY close proximity, you end up with a seamless mesh of polygons using minimal amount of unique vertices.

i suck at explaining things, so if you don't understand yet, i'm sure someone will explain it better for you

[christianclavet]

Hi, FMX.

The low poly model is:
- 3,136 polygons,
- 1724 vertices

The Zbrush is subdivided at level 5:
- 602,112 polygons
- 604,512 vertices

Still surprising that my NVidia MX400 integrated card can work out that mesh well. My video card / apg slot are broken (overheat). My PC still can function but with only the integrated videocard.

[Halifax]

wow is the word

incredible work guys, can't wait to see more! Keep it up!

i'm a little curious, what kind of polycounts have you got so far with your zbrushed and in-game models?



Halifax,
i'm pretty sure Christian meant welding vertexes: it can happen sometimes when polygons which are supposed to use the same vertex don't end up doing it, so duplicate vertexes are created. this usually causes major issues with calculating normals and creating uv-maps.
by welding vertices in VERY close proximity, you end up with a seamless mesh of polygons using minimal amount of unique vertices.

i suck at explaining things, so if you don't understand yet, i'm sure someone will explain it better for you

Ah okay, haha, I am just familiar with a different naming in Blender. "Remove Doubles". I understand what it means to weld vertices though, thanks that explanation helps.

[christianclavet]

I had some more fun with Zbrush...

Now saved that version. I start to like it.

Here is a link to a YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Qh53Z_3F8






That was easy to get that detail so far, David your base mesh helped a lot, it's very well done.

Do you have an idea about the clothes? I'm not sure how to import and work them out in ZBrush.. I'll have to see, on how to do that.