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Col
29-10-08, 22:20
I was wondering whether I should post this in the Photography forum or not, seeing as it's where every seems to post galleries and pictures. But because this won't contain any photos except where they are used as part of the image, it doesn't really classify itself as photography.

I've never used Maya before and lessons on 3D modelling have just started at uni on my course. I haven't had long in class regarding it, so I've just been fiddling around over the beginning of the holidays, trying to learn my way around it and how to actually make models and texturesd and stuff.

So here's my first completed 3D model. Well, I guess it could be more complete, like perhaps by putting it in a room (like a pub or bar), but for my first attempt, I'm very pleased with myself. It might look complicated or impressive or whatever you want to call it, but this was actually done with very few techniques and very basic shapes.

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/8177/snookertableqj7.jpg

Thoughts please?

Also, lets use this as a place to share your own work and see what's possible. Mainly what I'm after here is tips and techniques on how to use Maya, because I've taken a massive interest in it and want to learn more. If anyone wants to give me any tips though, remember that I'm an absolute beginner. :)

Monkey
29-10-08, 22:22
Will take a look when i get home, dunno if you know but i design games

Programmer and 3d modeller but i mainly use 3DS max and lightwave, 3ds cos its more supported than anything else and its just amaising at doing everything

And obviously some third party rendered for still shots

Col
29-10-08, 22:54
Hey, I didn't know you made video games. Do you work for a well-known company?

I'm only using Maya at the moment because it's what is taught at uni. Hopefully my strong interest in it will mean I learn a lot more very quickly and then I might feel more inclined to try other software like 3DS Max once my understanding of 3D has gotten to a decent useful stage.

Monkey
30-10-08, 10:10
No i dont work for a bid company, well in a way i do, i work for BT

But the game design is something i do myself, never gonna do it all myself obviously as there are many difference things to be done :P, modelling is just a tiny ammount of that.

Always looking for modellers, lanscape artists, texture artists, programmers and various others

alexnifty
30-10-08, 10:34
I did something good in 3DSMAX once:

http://nifty.deviantart.com/art/Infinity-Earth-491271

But then got bored :p and didn't touch it since.

Monkey
30-10-08, 14:38
Ha, you created a ball and textured it then rendered it... nice one :thumbsup:

alexnifty
30-10-08, 14:52
Your U3 level looked pants btw :thumbsup:


And its actually several spheres. One is upper atmosphere, one is lower, one is earth. Earth has two textures on it, one for day, one for night which change depending on where the sun is placed.

So ner, it's not just a textured ball.

Monkey
30-10-08, 15:07
Its not finnished, all the textures were temporary and ive only got the base models in i so far, and have you made a level in unreal editor?

No...

it is very awkward to say the least :P

jonwoad
30-10-08, 15:08
Can we play nicely please children?

Monkey
30-10-08, 15:31
Who isnt playing nicely, i know i am?

alexnifty
30-10-08, 17:41
Its not finnished, all the textures were temporary and ive only got the base models in i so far, and have you made a level in unreal editor?

No...

it is very awkward to say the least :P


When the games were first around I made single and multiplayer levels for Quake 2 [using QED2], Unreal, Half-Life, Red-Alert, and Tiberian Sun.

So yes I have used unrealEd.

Monkey
30-10-08, 18:19
Ha fair enough then, anything as big as that level?

M4T VW
31-10-08, 10:26
I can draw 3D in autocad, Stick that in your pipe and smoke it:P

Col
01-11-08, 17:59
Not quite sure how to explain this, but here goes:

You know how a cylinder is a circle with a height to it, but unlike a sphere, the cross-section is the same shape and size the whole way through? I was just wandering how you would make an awkward shape and then give it height like that, where the cross-section is the same all the way through? Like an irregular prism? Or a prism of an awkward shape. How would you do that in Maya? I know how to revolve a curve to make a cylindrical awkward shape, like a vase for example, but how would you make a prism-style one?

If that makes sense. :) In Maya.

Monkey
17-11-08, 09:23
If you were using 3ds i could help you, but your not

If you want to use 3ds max you could always go to softpedia.com and download the trial for 2009 version :D

coiler
17-11-08, 09:41
I used to design some kingpin multiplayer levels for our $DON$ clan back in the day. Very time consuming but great job satisfaction when complete.

Monkey
17-11-08, 09:43
Too right, im designing a model of a car at the minute, a porche 911 slanty nose one, been working on it for a week now

Col
17-11-08, 11:34
S'alright. I found out how to do it. I'm thinking, for my 3D Modelling And Compositing unit at uni (might be a bit ambitious), I'm going to try making a room with lots of things in it, and a Scalextric track running around it, then I'll put the camera on the track as if its looking through a windscreen or on the bonnet of a car, and animate it going round the track. We've started very basic lessons on rigging and animation now, although I can't help thinking we've missed a hell of a lot of modelling lessons to do that. We just don't seem to have done much.

Oh, also:

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/493/snookertableshadowbs0.jpg

Better?

coiler
17-11-08, 13:09
apart from the shadow looks the same!

Col
17-11-08, 16:20
It is!

Col
08-06-09, 15:51
nvm

Monkey
09-06-09, 15:27
One of the most time consuming parts is getting lighting to look realistic, and getting textures to work well, displace, bump, reflect and what not

Col
09-06-09, 15:46
I find the texturing the most annoying part, because when you're in any sort of working view instead of rendering, it doesn't look like it's supposed to because it's all scaled down so that the program still runs at a good enough speed to work in. So you have to keep making minor adjustments and re-rendering.

And where I've put "nvm" up above, I think I will actually post the question:

I have a camera moving along a path over 310 frames. The camera has a centre of interest which it has to remain facing as it moves along the path. Why does it not do that? When I place the camera on the path, it seems to revert to its default angle when you first create the camera and it won't let me change it. It just points in the same direction all along the path, rather than facing its centre of interest as it passes.

Monkey
09-06-09, 16:10
I find the texturing the most annoying part, because when you're in any sort of working view instead of rendering, it doesn't look like it's supposed to because it's all scaled down so that the program still runs at a good enough speed to work in. So you have to keep making minor adjustments and re-rendering.

Well if it's any thing like 3DS you will be able to adjust the scale of images in the workspace


I have a camera moving along a path over 310 frames. The camera has a centre of interest which it has to remain facing as it moves along the path. Why does it not do that? When I place the camera on the path, it seems to revert to its default angle when you first create the camera and it won't let me change it. It just points in the same direction all along the path, rather than facing its centre of interest as it passes.
Not sure at all how to answer that, as I said 3DS :P