Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter Overview
In this chapter we will be using the character style sheet of Aegis Chung as
designed and created by Jake Green to model, UV map, and texture the game
character. The image is downloadable on the accompanying web site ( http://www.
Creating3dGames.com ), although you might want to use your own design if you
have one that is better. Note that the Photoshop work of ensuring that the front and
side images are lined up has been done and these drawings are reasonably close.
So, if you are going to use your own, make sure you do the appropriate prep work.
Tutorial 8.1: Game Character Modeling:
Aegis Chung
As is the case in most of 3D, there are many ways to skin this cat. There are
almost as many methods of organic modeling as there are organic modelers.
The method we are going to use here is based upon the idea that most
muscles in our face tend to ring the orifice they manipulate. There are rings
of muscles around the eye and mouth. By creating polygons in rings around
these objects the forms are easier to find, and more importantly, the area can
deform in a more lifelike manner.
This is largely an additive method then. The method will start with a single
polygon, and the additional polygons will be extruded out from that.
As always, polycount will be important. Knowing how many extrusions to make and
how close to make them can be a tricky thing and is largely informed by experience.
It is not too hard to go back and eliminate unwanted rings. Similarly, it is fairly easy
to go back and add rings if added detail is needed. So as the forms are built, use the
screenshots as a rough guide to the density of polygons, but don't sweat it.
Polycount
For this character we will be aiming at the 15,000 tri mark. If there were going
to be 300 of this character on the screen at a time, this is likely too high. If this
is the only character to ever be seen we could probably go higher. But 15,000
is a very reasonable count with most hardware today and will allow for a good
balance of efficient modeling with engaging detail.
Image Planes in Photoshop
Step 1: Prepare resource image in Photoshop. If you are using the preprepared
images contained in the downloadable files on the resource web site ( http://
www.Creating3dGames.com ), you're set. There are four images of note: AC_
Front_Body, AC_Side_Body (both full body images), AC_Front_Head, and
AC_Side_Head (just head shots). If you're using your own, be sure to review the
steps in Appendix C, “Preparing Character Style Sheets.” At the end, be sure to
have two separate files, a Front view of the character and a Side view. Save the
files that will be used for reference in the sourceimages folder.
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