Sunday 31 March 2013

Making the Skateboard Model

Making the Skateboard model, I tried my best to follow the earlier video (It's in time lapse, you see)

 I made a box, then edited the vertices to create a curved edge. Adjusting the scale, I made the end bow out a little (this is important to give the nose and tail the right shape)
 From there. I highlighted the ends and rotated them slightly. This added the kink you see in the side view.
I dipped the centre of the deck in slightly to give the correct shape of the deck (It's slightly concave, you see). Using the "Symmetry" tool from the drop down, I completed the shape of the deck.

From here, I will be texturing the model. This will give me the experience I need to create the Hoverboard. It is the same process, just the board is shaped slightly different. 

Friday 29 March 2013

Skateboard model video.

This shows a set up for a complete skateboard. I can use this to help with making the Hoverboard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcYZgKmX3DQ

Monday 18 March 2013

Depth Of Field test

Using After Effects and two photographs, I put together a test piece.

I masked out a photograph of a skateboarder, then placed it onto a Background of a road.
Enabling a 3D layer, I moved the background back on the Z-axis, then scaled up to fill the frame.
Adding a camera with DOF enabled, I changed the focus to keep the skater crisp, blurring the background. I then keyframed a dolly, making the skater appear to move faster than the background itself.
This was just a piece I put together as proof of concept. It's an effect I plan to use on the final piece as a break away section, transitioning from scene to scene. In my mind, it would be done when introducing a character being interviewed; "Hi, I'm Chris" *Transition showing Chris on the hoverboard*

This effect is used in both film and game,
Film example, The Walking Dead Intro (AMC);
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_651539&feature=iv&src_vid=O8W9qr7DB-o&v=yYveggi9zxI
Centipede running across shells and Prison pan at the end are good examples of this.

Game example, Infamous (PS3, Sucker Punch)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV45E6D47Hw
The Cutscenes in InFamous (And Infamous2) are done in a comic style, subtle animation for the character animation, backgrounds holding the more "In Your Face" animation. Using the different Planes, it adds great effect, adding depth to the 2D art.

Hoverboards in Media

http://www.ketzer.com/backtothefuture/mattel_hoverboard.jpg
The Mattel Hoverboard as seen in Back To The Future: Part 2

http://www.mobilemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/pitbull-hoverboard.jpeg
The Pitbull, as seen in Back To The Future: Part 2

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90339
This is stunning. A member of Polycount forums created the Pitbull in 3D. The thread shows not only the model, but materials being added, too. A great piece of reference.

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/189/3/6/hoverboard_concept_by_jarrodhasenjager-d56fs8e.jpg
Jarrod Hasenjager's concept for a hoverboard. Heavily based on a Snowboard, but still a great piece of work and reference.

http://goldenarmor.com/storage/Notechdone.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1361341965808
No Tech Done. A pretty cool looking board, when making my own hoverboard, a shape like this, cut out pieces, not just a pill shaped deck, is what I would aim toward.

http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/airbladescr/airbladescr_screen003.jpg
Airblade was a great PS2 game, putting the player in control of a skateboarder/courier who gets his hands on a prototype hoverboard, but the company who created the board are hot on his tail.
This shot shows the underneath of the board really well.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/agg/screen300/drs400/s447/s447482k8a1.jpg
A smaller chot, but showing the top of the board with it's griptape.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk5ZqKlaNZU/TmuWq2MQtXI/AAAAAAAAHSU/RVOiWHyy2ao/s1600/airblade_playstation_2.jpg
A close up of the neon edges of the board, which add to it's anti-gravity abilities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4eY530FZmDs#t=53s
Gameplay footage of Airblade (PS2)

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Scene Rendering

Being tasked to create a Scene (Either taking ideas for Semester One's "A Brave New World" project, or our new Media Project)

In class version of a Funbox with two rails and a divider, plus a Quater and a kicker left to the side.
I was just messing with 3Ds Max to test how the shapes would join together (especially for the rails, they are cylinders with a Bend feature, then grouped to other cylinders). I made the stairs using a line tool and Extruding it out (something that I have kept for the following image, too). The Kicker (and the ramped end of the Funbox is made using a Box, which I edited the vertices to create a wedge shape.
I redid the Skatepark into this small section of The Berrics, one of the most AWESOME skateparks going. Run by Steve Berra and Eric Koston. Creating the stair sets in the same way as in the previous shot (with the line tool and extruding), to prepare for skinning, I've added a separate face on the walled sections of the stairs to allow for easier editing, making them a different material to their bases.

This is the shot I used to base the model;

Monday 11 March 2013

CAGED stuff.

Well, discovered that Flash CS6 has IK abilities, something I've used in 3Ds Max, so I knew I had to give it a shot.
This is that shot.
John Travolta waving is done with IK connections. The head nodding is Frame by Frame.

Monday 4 March 2013

Motion Blur

Another task I was set was using Motion Blur.
Using the same objects as earlier, in the Depth Of Field tests, I created a Motion Blur:
Motion Blur Test

Depth Of Field

Using 3Ds Max, I was tasked with using Depth Of Field.
Using Three shapes and a ground plane, then adding lighting to highlight the effect, I came up with this:
Middle in focus
Distant Object in focus
Closest Object in focus

Images of the DOF
Distant focus

Mid focus

Close Focus