Game Character Modeling and Animation with 3ds Max

358 Pages·2007·28.81 MB·English

by  Yancey Clinton

Game Character Modeling and
Animation with 3ds Max
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Game Character Modeling and Yancey Clinton
Animation with 3ds Max
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Clinton, Yancey.
Game character modeling and animation with 3ds max / Yancey Clinton.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-240-80978-6 (alk . paper) 1. Computer animation.
2. 3ds max (Computer file) 3. Computer graphics. 4. Computer games—
Design. I. Title.
TR897.7.C56 2007
794.8'1669—dc22 2007030285
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-240-80978-6
ISBN: 978-0-240-80978-8 (DVD)
For information on all Focal Press publications
visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com
07 08 09 10 11 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Introduction ix
Who Is This Book For? ix
How Is This Book Different? x
What It Takes to Make a
3D Character ....................1
Hardware Resources ................................1
Software Resources ..................................2
Time Resources ........................................2
Of MODs, Maps, and Machinima ...........3
An Introduction to the
3D Environment .................................5
What Makes Up A 3d Character? ............7
Mesh ........................................................7
Texture .....................................................8
Skeleton ...................................................9
v
vi Contents
Animation .............................................10 Getting the Boot ....................................78
Compiling .............................................11 Getting in Shape ...................................82
The Process ...........................................11 Mirror, Mirror ........................................88
Building a Better Head .........................93
The Toolbox ..........................................11
The 3ds Max Interface ...........................11 Getting a Head......................................93
Primitive Creation ..................................12 Eye Contact ...........................................96
Viewport Navigation ..............................13 A Deep Stare .........................................96
Making Selections..................................15 Mouthing Off ........................................99
Primitive Editing ..................................16 Take It on the Chin .............................101
Making a Face ....................................103
Transforms ............................................16
The Old Noggin..................................105
Parameters ............................................24
Right on the Nose ...............................108
Modifiers ...............................................25
Spline Modeling ...................................31 Forehead ............................................113
Getting Cheeky ...................................115
What Is Spline Modeling? ......................31
Face the Facts .....................................117
Creation ................................................32
A Hole in the Head .............................117
Editing ..................................................33
Going Poly Again ................................119
The Leaf Tutorial ..................................35
Smooth Sailing ...................................127
Part One: Modeling ...............................35
Off the Top of Your Head ....................130
The Material Editor ................................41
The Leaf Tutorial ..................................48
Part Two: Texturing ...............................48
The Unwrap .......................143
Conclusion ...........................................52
Body Unwrap .....................................144
Checkers ............................................144
Modeling a 3D Character ...53 Mapping ............................................145
Getting Things Square ........................146
Character Design ..................................53
The Back ............................................148
Building a Better Body .........................54
Arms ..................................................148
Tracing the Outline ................................55 The Seam ...........................................149
Filling It In .............................................55 The Hand ...........................................150
Making the Grid ....................................57 The Next Leg ......................................150
Check Your Work ...................................59 The Boot ............................................152
Going 3D ..............................................60 Flatting It Out ....................................154
Fixing a Hole .........................................63 Point by Point .....................................155
Almost Halftime .....................................64 Breaking the Mold ..............................158
Mirror ...................................................66 The Head ...........................................177
Getting Attached ...................................68 Face ...................................................180
The Shape of Things ..............................71 Putting It Together .............................185
Going Poly ............................................72 Exporting UVW Maps .........................188
Lending a Hand .....................................73 Another Option ..................................189
Contents vii
Photo -Realistic Exportation .......................301
Map Making .................193
ActorX ................................................301
Photo-Realistic, Realistic, and Cartoon Importing ...........................................305
Detail ...........................................193 Ugh, Text Work ..................................312
Creating a Realistic Map ......................196
Tileable Textures ..................................221
Exporting from Photoshop ...................229
Animation .........................319
Shadows and Creases ....................229
The Bad Luck Elf .................................320
ActorX ................................................324
Unreal Editor ......................................325
Model Motion ...................237
Introduction to Character Studio ......237
Biped ...................................................239 Appendix A ........................331
Figure .................................................240
The Max Setup ....................................334
Fitting In ............................................242
Funny Bones .......................................245
The Bouncing Ball ...............................246
Appendix B ........................337
Biped Animation .................................252
Pre-Made Animations .........................253
Footstep Mode ...................................254
Motion Flow Mode .............................255
Index ..................................343
FK/IK and the Biped ............................260
A Simple Arm Rig ................................262
FK Animation ......................................265
IK Animation ......................................268
Freeform Mode ...................................271
Biped Footsteps ..................................273
One Small Fix Before Rigging,
for Models Used in UT2004 ...........278
The Body Rig ......................................280
The Head Rig ......................................292
Testing...Testing .................................296
Advanced Vertex Animation ..............298
Physique’s Bulge .................................298
Skin Morph ........................................298
Morpher .............................................299
Skin Wrap ..........................................299
Conclusion .........................................299
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Introduction
Figure I.1
Welcome! You have just taken your first step into a larger world.
The virtual world is an infinite space inside the box where you
can create a world of your own—one in which you can have total
control and manipulate all the rules of physics as you see fit. In
this book, we will explore one aspect of that world: characters. As
I lead you though the process, you will be introduced to the tools
and methods of the video game artist. By the time you are finished
with the book, I hope you will be excited enough to continue your
exploration of this limitless world.
Who Is This Book For?
This is a book for the avid gamer who wants to take his or her real-
time adventures to the next level: customization. This book is also
for anyone interested in making a career in game production. Have
you ever wanted to improve upon your existing games or perhaps
even had an idea for a game you would like to play? You’re in luck!
The tools that are readily available and included with this book will
ix