First Finished Character Model

As the post title suggests I have been using 3DS Max a bit recently and have created my own alien creature. This is the first time I've ever created a character and I have to say it's a right pain in the butt (Not bad for a first attempt though).

It has one itteration of TurboSmooth on it which took the poly count to just over 10,000. Modelling isn't an area I would like to get into as a career, but it's something I would like to be good at. A bit of practice in the mean time maybe?

This week I updated my planner to ver.2 which has revised timescales for different tasks I need to complete. It doesn't get any easier!

Today I'll be looking at designing a few aspects of my game level like the UI and some of the models I need.

I'd better get on with it then!

It's Scary!

Just a quick update on the current status of my course and what it has in store for me. In regards to my last post, I managed to put together my High Concept Document and am now working on the Treatment for my idea. This document is a bit longer than I originally thought it would have to be but no matter (I've even got a cover image for it).

Perhaps the biggest update I have is the addition of two more units to the ones we're already working on. Currently that's now; Games Design, Games Engines, 3D Environments and Production Management. The most important of these being the later, because it's for our End of Year Show (I'll post details of this in a later entry). I have been named one of the management team to help organise the final show, so watch in amazement as my blog post become nothing more than lines of gibberish as my sanity slowly creeps away.

I have been able to produce my Final Major Project Proposal Document (draft), which was much easier than I thought it would be, but possibly a bit longer than it needed to be.

I also have a new planner to help me organise myself during this stressful time, from which I have made a template available for the rest of the class to use.

Start Typing!

Oh boy, is there a lot of typing to do in these units. Yesterday we were given a session on high concept documents and how detailed they need to be. This was done in the way of PowerPoint presentation. It's not as long as a game design document would need to be as it outlines the concept rather than any designs.

Today I will be working on a research report with the aim of having a rough draft by the end of the day.

Unit 68 & Unit 72

Again we are doing two units at the same time, and with less time to do them. The units are 3D Environments and Games Design.

Obviously Games Design will be looking at concepts, developing ideas and producing design documentation. 3D Environments is looking at researching locations and developing using 3DS Max and Games Engines.


To start off I have updated my planning spreadsheet to help me judge my own progress. I've also organised folders on my hard drive for each unit.

Another Unit Down

There have not been as many entries for this unit as normal but it's nice to be able to say, 3D animation is over!

I would normally include my evaluation and finished pieces, but they are more personally linked than anything previously (We made our own personal idents which I would like to perfect before uploading).

Animal Planet Ident

This is a video I found on YouTube for the Animal Planet logo. Our task was to create an animal using the letters from the the word and animate it. I actually really like this video, I think it's well constructed and nicely animated.

My final render was only short in the end so I haven't uploaded it. Also I would like to add a background in the future. It has been included in my sketchbook.

Spider Animation

This was created shortly after a group session showing how to use the CATS system in 3DS Max. I constrained a dummy object to a path (which could be looped), and the parented the spider to the dummy.

The colours were chosen so that it could be seen clearly but ended up (unexpectedly)being the ones used by Spider-Man.