Autdesk Maya Lesson 5: Dynamics Part 3 (Omni Emitters)

This is my outcome from the dynamic tutorial.

Part A (Narrative) - Character Modelling (Refinement of Feet and Arms)

With the help and advice from Alan, I have gone and adjusted the feet and arms of our character. The geometry now flows better and also the feet of our character is not very blocky as it does not make sense in the 3D world.

Part A (Narrative) - Character Modelling (Feet)

The character's feet, modelled.

Development of the feet. It was made bigger.

I faced a couple of problems while I was modelling the feet. Initially, I had the feet modelled separately and thought I could extrude part of the body and join it later. However, after trying to do so, I messed up the geometry flow. It was the same problem I had when I was modelling the arm earlier. I had a different object for it and tried to merge it to the body. After some trial and error, I managed to solve the issue and the geometry on the feet now runs correctly throughout.

Part A (Narrative) - Character Modelling (Arms & Ruffled Cuffs)

After a discussion with Alan on how to go about modelling the cuffs, we have decided to make it as a separate object and use wrap deformers when we animate it later. This will give us more room to animate that area of the hand. Additionally, with regards to the body, we have decided to make it less square so that the geometry will flow better towards the neck and the feet.

The minor adjustments I have made to the model has made our character look better overall. I am now working on the feet so that it joins to the body. Afterwards, I will be working on the facial features and the neck.

Part B (Character) - Character Sketches

This was my initial idea of making it more tetris like.

Initial Game Design Idea

However, after going away and have rethinking of my game idea, I have decided to make an educational robotic game of which Justin have said that he thinks it was going to be an interesting concept. Here's some sketches of possible characters.

Character Sketches

Part B (Character) - Environment Exercise

During our character class, we looked into environments. We were then tasked to create an environment for the character we were given. I got Mario. Having how the game in mind, I've created different levels for him as he is always travelling.

The second part of the class, I got the phrase Horrifying Temple. I have decided to used pointy shapes as learnt from previous class to create evilness. I tried creating a one eyed, temple with  sharp teeth as it's doorway. 

Part A (Narrative) - Character Modelling (Head & Body)

Since we have the orthographics of the character done, we have decided to ahead on and model it. This is the character's WIP.

Part B (Character) - Definitive Game Idea

The game I am thinking of creating has the basic idea of Pipe Mania.

Game Type: Smart Device App Game (Single Player)

Audience: General Audience (7 years and above)

Environment: Futuristic Construction Site (Changes at every new level)

Characters: Robots

Concept: Building and designing the ultimate robot

Mechanics: Speed & Strategy

Description:

This is an interactive, light and fun game. The player’s main aim is to be able to build an ultimate robot that will be shown on the right side of the screen. In order to get to the final robot, the player will have to go through different rounds and level of this game.

How the game works:

The player will work through a puzzle. To complete the puzzle, the player will connect the switches together to complete the circuit at an allocated time set for that round. A complete circuit will equate to fixing a limb of the robot.

Example: The first level of play has 3 rounds which means that the robot is divided into 3 sections. Upon the completion of the 3 rounds, a robot will be completed. The player will then progress to the second level where there are 5 rounds. This means that the robot in that level is divided into 5 sections. The difficulty will become progressively harder as play goes up each level.

Autdesk Maya Lesson 5: Dynamics Part 2 (Particles Grids)

In today's class, we were introduced to creating a fog in the old alley scene and here's my work from following the tutorial.

Part A (Narrative) - Character (Further Development)

After our tutorial we have decided to make him look more clumsy. In the sketches below, we have him at a resting position. We will continue to give him personality in different positions and situations to help exaggerate his clumsiness. We have taken the height back down slightly and made him circus-esque.

The above designs we created by Rosalyn.

Part A (Narrative) - Character Development

After some finalizing of what are character is we have decided on a Toy Monkey. We are thinking that he should be leaner however, need to find a good balance of monkey and toy and not delve more in one of those areas. Also we are thinking of materials that it could be made out of for example, wood, burlap or soft felt.

The above designs were created by Rosalyn and I went on to try to develop it further as per below.

However, after the tutorial with Alan, we've decided to go back to one of Rosalyn's design as she had one that suits our character's personality. She has then gone to develope several new designs from the discussions we had from our team meeting. Those designs are leaning towards what we are going after for our animation - a circus kind of feel.

Part B (Character) - Designing Characters Exercise.

For the character's class, we were tasked to design characters based on the word a friend got  for the Character Project. I got the word 'Stones'.  I went on to make a list of words that I thought has an association to the key word.  These are my sketches. Justin have also advised that I should refrain from trying to draw human like character of which I have taken into account as I go forward in my character project.

For the second  part of the class, we were asked to design a character from an existing character to fit it into the culture were given. For this task, I got Medieval and Solid Snake from Metal gear and here's my design for it.

Part A (Narrative) - Maya Blockout

We have our initial workshop concept art for our toy workshop and did a Maya blockout to get our heads around what to be included in the scene. 

Initial Concept Art

We know that this is very "Ikea" like set up so we're working on it to make it feel more loved. We are also looking into the textures. We will most probably have a painterly kind of textures for our animation.

Part B (Character) - Idea #2 & Its Concept

I went to look into more games and with the words I have, I felt that I have limited myself to creating just console games mainly because of the words 'Under Construction'. I felt the need for the player to be immersed in the game. However, I went on a further research and looked into the other types of possible game play which is either a device (Phone/Tablet) game and Computer games. 

So here's my second idea, where I think there is more potential in terms of character design. Instead of an app game, I thought of having it to be an app for smart devices.

App Influence Map

The idea behind this game would similar to tetris where blocks are stacked up. However, instead of blocks, it will be tools(eg, wheels, spanner) At the right side of the screen, it will the image of the robot in which the player should build. If the player is able to build exactly like the image, he will score the maximum number of points for the round. Though it is tools that will be dropping from the edge of the screen, it will metallic coloured instead of dull silver metals so that at the end of the round (when the time is up) the robot built by the player will be in colour. This will broaden the age group of players.

Below are some silhouettes of potential robot characters.

Silhouette of Robots

Part B (Character) - Influence Maps and Idea #1

After Tuesday's tutorial with Justin, I went to look into my 3 words again and came up with the influence maps of each word to see what I can further gather.

PLAY

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

ROBOTS

My idea for this Character project is to create a console game that will categorised under the Tower Defence/First Person Shooter/Stealth genre game. It is a story mode game where the setting will be in a city that has been attacked and was left destroyed with debris all over. The survivors will now how to source out for food supplies in order to stay alive. As the player roams around the city in search of it, he will come across a pit with a lot of tools. He would then need to build something (eg, a bridge) to cross over where he sees the food supplies. But when he picks a tool, he would set a timer and would have to build it within the time frame. Otherwise, the food will be eaten by the vultures circling the city.

In terms of character, there will be different robots he could choose from to help him complete the task. The different robots are designed in a way that it is task specific. The player will have to make a guess as to which robot he should choose to help him.