Enviromental design

3D enviromental design

Action Plan 

3-4 weeks research: Look at various artist research to gain inspiration and ideas to later develop in project.

5-9 week Start modelling: Create a project folder in MAYA and start modelling.

10 week - Start constructing UV maps

11 week - transfer UV maps to Photoshop and start texturing.

12 week - Apply textures then upload to blog and do evaluation

Research...

Below is a quick power point showing some different artists work, showing some of the various styles in which was produced. Some of the artist have gone for a realistic look while some are more abstract or cartoon like.

After looking at some of the above examples a question I need to ask myself; 

•  What style am I doing going to use?
• What type of building enviroment do I want to start modelling? Modern, old?
• Inside a room or the outside of a building?
• What software will I be using? How will I use it?
• What is my plan? Do I have a plan?
• What resources will I need?

• What modelling software is used for games? The software used for modelling is Maya, Mudbox, 3Ds max, motion builder, Stingray, Scaleform, Beast.

• What is high/low poly modelling? The term low poly is used for a small number of polygons used. The term high poly is used for a higher number of polygons used in 3D computer graphics.

• What are polygons? Polygons are a area that are defined by lines on the 3D modelled shape.

• What are faces/edges/vertices? A face is the clear area that is inside various edges (lines), the edges are the lines within the shape and the vertices is the point where the edges connect together.

• What is extruding? Extruding is when you select a face and want to add on an extended part to a face without adding an extra shape.

• What is bridging? Bridging is when you select two edges opposing each other and a face is needed between each edge to close of the gap.

• What is ambient occlusion? Ambient occlusion is the method used to judge how much lighting should be shinning on a surface within the model or game.

UV's

• What are UV's? UV's are a texture map that can be aromatically generated, the purpose of UV's is to add texture to a 3D model by breaking it down into a 2D map. 
• UV software about is UV mapper, Unfold3D.
• A texture map is the breakdown of the 3D model broken down into a 2D map. 

• What are booleans?

Practical research

Done in Maya this is a Garage scene that I have previously done using the different techniques to model the shapes.

Dice project using a simple polygonal cube with different UV nets to add colour, shiny surface and definition in the dots.

Bowl, made using Nurbs then being transformed into polygons.



 Buildings...

Power point about what I plan to design...

Moodboard

Action plan to overcome any problems when modelling in future will be to research and look at other peoples way of modelling on you tube to see if I can learn any techniques that may benefit me during my next modelling project or to ask others how they would approach modelling each item and how the would approach doing the UV's. When completely stuck ask for advice and guidance from my tutors.


My 3D model on Maya and working progress

Modelling

This is the house I am going to model in Maya, using the same shape and beam, window and door placement. My intentions is to replicate this but enhance it's appearance by adding wood textures to the beam and a shiny surface for the window.

Step one

Selecting a polygon cube, I resized it using the scale tool making it larger to give me a better surface area to work with. Then using the same tool and elongating it according to the size I see fit for my reference image.

Step two

Using the face selection, I selected the top of the cube then clicked extrude in the modelling toolkit. Doing this twice to attain this shape. This is so i can get an even shape for my top cube shape. 

Step three

Repeating the same procedure from step two I made the roof. To get the point I used the face tool and then clicked add divisions in the modelling toolkit. With the added division using the select edge and selected the edge going long ways down my 3D model. Then using the move tool I drag the edge up away from the model and adjusted its height according to my reference image to match accordingly.  

Step four

Adding the wooden beams I use a single polygon plane and adjusted its size using the scale tool measuring up its length and width using the basic building model as reference to size it adjusting the size, looking at my reference image repeatedly to adjust as i see fit. I also use to rotate tool to rotate it to align with the side of the building. To do the rest of the beams I select the whole of the plane and pressed Ctrl and D to duplicate, using the move tool to drag it over and realign where the next beam goes according to my reference image. 

Step 5
After some discussion, it was decided my original build wasn't of very good quality. So a new way was showed to me how I could improve. Then I attempted to model in this way. Starting with a polygon cube, I adjusted the size and shape with the scale tool to make it larger and more rectangular shaped. Then using face selection I extruded the top face outwards to create the base for my next extrusion to make the top part of the building before the roof. The same process was done for the roof, to get the apex of the roof I selected two vertices on the top corners clicked and held shift and right click on the mouse to open a menu. Then hovered over merge vertices and then over merge vertices to centre to create the apex. This had to be done twice. Doing the build in this method is more time effective and gives more clean and smooth edges around the model.

Step 6
To make the roof separate I had to select all the faces together. Then press and hold shift and right click and go down to separate faces and click on it. This then gives my two separate objects which when it comes to texturing and UVing it will make it easier.

Step 7

Starting again from the beginning. I selected a polygonal cube and used the move tool to bring it above the grid. Then press Q to quit. Then used the re-scale tool to make the polygonal cube larger and more elongated in shape. Then selecting face, I selected the top face and clicked on extrude in the modelling toolkit. Using the re-scale tool I clicked the centre yellow cube and scaled it out larger to create an overhang on the polygonal cube. Then pressing Q to quit. I repeated the same steps by selecting the top face but instead of extruding outwards I now extruded upwards to gain the second floor of my Tudor house. To create the top polygonal cube I repeated the same previous steps. 

Step 8
To create the roofs apex I selected opposing vertices on the one side holding shift to select multiple vertices then pressed and hold shift and right click and moved the mouse over merge vertices and then over merge vertices to centre and left clicked.

Step 9
Detaching the roof. To detach the roof I had to select the faces that make up the roof clicking each face whilst holding Shift on the keyboard. This is so I can select multiple faces at a time. Once selected, I hold Shift and right click and a menu comes up. Scroll down the menu and click on detach faces, this will then detach the separate faces and my roof is now separate. The purpose for this is If i modell more buildings I can duplicate the same roof and reuse it and it also makes it easier to UV.

Step 10

Making windows, to make the windows I selected a polygonal plane. Moved it above the grid with the move tool and re-scaled it evenly. Then selecting face, I select multiple faces whilst holding shift and then hit delete on the keyboard. The reason I do this is to create the shape I want to my window. Then I press Q to quit. I then select my remaining faces and click extrude in my modelling toolkit and extrude outwards a little to add some depth to my shape window that will be re-used around my entire build. I press Ctrl and D to duplicate and I duplicated an extra 5 from my original as the windows are all the same shape and roughly size. 

Step 11

Creating the beams around my Tudor house. To create the beams I followed the exact steps previously found in step 10, the only difference is the shape I created.

Step 12

Tilling the roof. To tile the roof I used a polygonal plane, selected the faces whilst holding shift to select multiple faces until I had one face left and deleted the rest using the backspace button on the keyboard. Used the scale tool to scale it to size and the moved it to the corner of my roof. To do the rest of the tiles I press Ctrl and D to duplicate and use the move tool to place the other tiles along the roof. Duplicating them with save me time and be more efficient. 

Step 13

Doing the support beams. To do the support beams I got a polygonal cylinder and used the scale tool to scale down its circumference and elongate its shape. Checking it for size comparison against my model. Once happy I moved the cylinder just below and away from the wall and then clicked Ctrl and D on the keyboard to duplicate to save time and be more efficient in modelling.

Step 14

The wooden arched beams. To do the arched beams I got a polygonal cube and used the scale tool to scale down its width and add to its length. Then I pressed Q to quit. I then selected the edges going around the circumference and clicked on connect in the modelling toolkit to add more divisions down my polygonal cube then pressed Q to quit. Change settings to animation, select the newly created polygonal shape. Go over deform, nonlinear and then bend. Then select the shape and the bend and go into attributes where you adjust the sliders until you find a shape that fits. Then press Q to quit. To create the rest of the beams I just used the move tool, scale tool and Ctrl and D to duplicate the arched beam to replicate around the Tudor house. 

UV maps/texturing

Step 15

UVing, to Uv the roof I opened up UV editor and then opened the UV planar menu. Then I selected the top faces of the roof from the Y angle, changed the settings to Y angle, keep image width/height ratio and insert projectors before deformers. Then clicked apply. I then put the shaders on to allow me to see it easier but also to make sure the faces are facing the right way. If it is highlighted blue it is facing the right way. If it is red it is facing the wrong way. I then selected the bottom circumference faces at the bottom of the roof with the same settings, It came up red so it was facing the wrong way, to correct it I flipped it with the flip tool located in the top menu bar. Then selected a side edge on the outside of the shape and held shift and right click, a menu comes up and then I click on move and sew to sew the edges together to build up my UV texture map.  Repeating a similar process for the rectangular faces but changing the axis before clicking apply and one side had to be flipped to make it the right way round before I sew the edges together. I then add a texture which I do by right clicking then add new material which I selected lambert. A menu will come up on the side in attributes editor. I click on the box next to where it says colour and click checkered. 

Step 16

Continuing UVing following the same procedure as step 15.

Step 17

UVing the different parts of the Tudor house. The roof tiles, the beams, the windows.

Creating texture in Photoshop and applying to 3D model

Step 18

Maya to Photoshop texturing. Open up Tudor house in Maya, clicked on my beam and opened the UV editor. Then I clicked on the polygons menu and went down to UV snapshot. Saved it as outUVs. Then I went into Photoshop and opened the file 'outUVs'. I then obtained a reference image showing closely the detail of weathered beams and then started painting. Unfortunately I could not match the same detail whilst painting as I have previously hurt my hand. After painting I then saved it out as a JPEG file labelled UVin saved into the image folder of my project folder. Opened up Maya clicked on my selected object and the right clicked for a menu to come up. Then clicked assign new material, selected Lambert. Clicked on the colour options box and selected file. I then clicked the file icon and found UVin within my project folder and applied it. 

My analysis of how I tackled the problem of not knowing how to transfer the UV's from MAYA to Photoshop was very effective. Researching how to do this effectively on youtube saved me time and was efficient as if I had waited to ask someone for guidance I would of waited at least twice as long. Researching it on youtube will defiantly be a way of tacking problems during modelling on maya.

Step 19

My finished textured product. Unfortunately not to the highest quality due to an injured hand but the positive is that I completed the whole process.

Evaluation

Starting the 2D concept.

 I started of looking at different environmental artists and different building structures. This allowed me to start narrowing down what I would like to produce and model later down the line which was eventually decided to be a periodic building (a Tudor house).

 I learnt there is such a wide variety to choose from within an environment, not just buildings, but wells, trees, grass and so on. The reason for my choice in the tudor house was because I haven't really seen many digital 3D models of Tudor houses created before.

I conclude that my research went quite well and I felt happy with what I had chosen as the body shape was fairly simple and the many details appeared to be things I could just duplicate when modelling.

Doing the modelling.

The build itself was a very basic shape with the main details being the tiles, beams and windows which once the basic shape of the building was made was fairly OK to model in size comparison to the main body of the build. 

Unfortunately my first build didn't have very clean topology so I had to begin again as beginning with I did find it difficult and I was surprised as to how time consuming it was.

I conclude that there was a poorly balanced timescale which left me somewhat stressed whilst trying to model and I had to learn how to improve my model during my project timeline which gave me less time for full completion.

The UVing and texturing.

During this time I had to learn again how to do a UV texture map and how to transfer the UV maps to Photoshop for texturing. 

I found this to be quite time consuming and due to time running out to complete the project all the UV maps and texturing was left incomplete and overall caused a lot of stress.

I conclude that my poor timescale allowed my Uv's and texturing to be incomplete which is rather disappointing and there will be room for improvement by practising in spare time.