Game character design complete : using 3ds Max 8 and Adobe Photoshop CS2

216 Pages·2007·13.03 MB·English

by  David Franson

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Sleep is overrated.
A nightly activity that by me is hated.
It disrupts my busy life,
And fills my nights full of strife.
I’d rather stay awake and keep on working,
Instead of feeling like my deadlines I’m shirking.
If I didn’t sleep, I wouldn’t need a bed,
And I’d have another room in my house instead.
Wearing pajamas is such a fashion bore,
And changing into them is always such a chore.
If I could stay awake, I’d get so much done,
And maybe even have time to have some fun.
So tonight, I’ll start my life with no sleep,
It shouldn’t be a schedule too hard to keep.
It will really make my life one of ease,
If I could just get away from all these ZZZs.
So before I start, I’ll just lie down for a second,
And start my plan after a couple days of sleep, I reckon.
This book is dedicated to Michelle, who understands what it means to lack sleep.
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Acknowledgments
There are so many people to I’d also like to thank all the people worked on the CD and the cover,and
acknowledge on this project who work for Autodesk and Adobe for those who laid out, proofread, and
that I guess I’d better just jump creating such cool tools.3ds Max and indexed.The end result looks great!
in and get started.First,I’d have to say Photoshop are not only professional-
Big thanks to David who spearheaded
thanks to Ridley Scott and the design level tools,but they also make the cre-
this project,outlined and wrote most
team who worked on the Alien films. ative process easy and fun. Keep up
of the chapters,and added his enthu-
These movies are just plain awesome the good work. The groups behind
siastic and expert experience to the
and inspiring for artists and character the various game engines are also
book. David got so busy doing cool
designers.Thanks also to the numer- awesome.
stuffthat he didn’t have time to finish
ous design teams behind the recent
Thanks also to the excellent staff at this book, but the book carries his
slew of cool games like Unreal,
Thomson. Emi Smith and Karen Gill spirit throughout.
DOOM,Halo,Half-Life,Splinter Cell,
have offered a huge amount of help
and numerous other games that make Finally, thanks to my family for their
and have made this book possible
working in the game industry so love and support. It is hard to work
when it seemed to be on the verge of
much fun.You guys rock,and I salute around computer book authors at
disappearing completely.You two are
you. times, but your patience makes it all
the greatest! Thanks also to the rest of
worth it.
the behind-the-scenes team at
Thomson, including those who —Eric Thomas
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About the Authors
David Fransonhas been a profession- Eric Thomas is a longtime 3ds Max
al in the field of networking, pro- user extending all the way back to
gramming,and 2D and 3D computer DOS days. During his years with the
graphics since 1990. In 2000, he program, he’s seen a number of
resigned his position as information changes and a dramatic shift in how
technology director of one of the the software is used. Eric has used
largest entertainment law firms in Max to create a variety of projects
New York City to pursue a full-time from movies and games. He is cur-
career in game development.He is the rently working as the creative director
author of 2D Artwork and 3D for Side Pictures Inc.,a firm specializ-
Modeling for Game Artists, The Dark ing in 3d games and visualization
Side of Game Texturing, and the full- tools.
page article “How Video Games Are
Made,”which appeared in 45 newspa-
pers worldwide.He has also produced
digital artwork for 3D video games,
film,and television.
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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii Skeletal Rigging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Animating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Chapter 1 Game Engine Exporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
3D Game Character Design Basics . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Engine File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Character Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Game Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Chapter 2
Character Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Preparing to Model: Configuring 3ds Max
Sketch Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
and Referencing Sketch Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Hardware and Software Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Modeling Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Choosing a Proper Video Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Repairing, Adjusting, and Optimizing . . . . . . . . . .9
Graphics Software and Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
3D Modeling File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Monitors and Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
UV Unwrapping and Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Configuring the Max 8 Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Texturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Orthogonal Sketch Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Shaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
The HICKS Rebuild #2A163 Background . . . . . . . .24
Bump Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Creating Reference Planes in 3ds Max 8 . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Normal Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Texture Map File Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
x Contents
Chapter 3 Chapter 5
Box Modeling in 3ds Max 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 UV Mapping the Character in 3ds Max . . . . . . .73
Environmental Considerations Before You Begin . . . . .32 The Mapping Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Modeling the Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Selecting Body Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Shaping the Pants (Lower Body) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Defining Seams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Adding Some Military Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Stretching the Pelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Creating the Upper Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Positioning the UVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Forming the Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Stitching Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Forming the Shoulders and Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Packing UVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Forming the Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Step 1: Unwrap the Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Detailing the Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Step 2: Unwrap the Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Creating the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Step 3: Unwrap the Arms and Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Making the Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Step 4: Unwrap the Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Finishing the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Step 5: Unwrap the Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Step 6: Unwrap the Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Pack the Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Chapter 4 Rendering Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Mesh Optimization in 3ds Max . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Update and View the Results in Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Analyzing the Character Mesh Using STL Check . . . . . .63 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Isolating Mesh Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Fixing Mesh Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Reattaching Elements and Test Optimizing . . . . . . . . . .68
Changing the Character’s Pivot Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71