HA7 Task 6 - Constraints

Constraints
Polygons vs ...triangles?
When discussing polygon count, people are actually referring to the count of triangles. Why triangles? Why not actual polygons? Well, triangles don't take up as much file space as a polygon. Triangles will be used in games to make sure that every system running it will run at a good FPS at a good resolution (preferably 1080p 60fps). Most hardware is built more optimised for rendering triangles anyway. Also, word of advice, if your software is telling you how many polygons your model has, it's best to change it to tell you the amount of triangles it has, as it's a lot more accurate. So why use polygons?
Well... they're not entirely useless. You see, if you're making a box, or mostly anything that is a four sided polygon, it's best to rather use polygons as it's not going to use a lot of memory. Unless you're making a city of boxes the size of America, in which case you're crazy, creative and pretty much going to create destruction in a matter of seconds if those boxes have realistic physics.
Triangles and polygons are a bit like the 3DS and PS Vita; The vita isn't completely useless of a platform to develop for but the 3DS does seem more optimal due to the bigger install base.

Triangle count vs vertex count
This is a very complex thing to explain, even I don't understand it 100% when explained, but there is a simple way to explain it: The more triangle and vertex count on a model there are, the bigger file size. As established previously, triangles take up less file size, so using Vertex isn't as optimal but like Polygons they have their uses.

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Rendering types
Real-Time rendering is what you'd expect, something rendering an object in real time. This is most commonly used in games, as the point of a game is to have interactive experiences, whether in a small hallway, or in a big open environment. It is also being used in animated movies but only in the development process.



Warning: Grand Theft Auto's footage contains extreme violence, racial slurs and explicit language. Though, are you really surprised? It's Grand Theft Auto, it's like calling South Park out for being deliberately offensive.

Nonreal-time rendering is mostly used in movies but is also used in video games, they don't effect the hardware it's running on much since it's already rendered. They take. however, a really long time to render and puts computers rendering the scenes out of commission for a long.




Warning: Deadpool Test Footage contains a lot of violence and forth wall jokes. All these videos contain spoilers, please watch with caution,

Sources:
http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/25/dragon-making-main/

HA7 Task 5 - 3D Development Software

Click images for source

Blender

A free modelling software that is also open source, meaning anyone can change the coding to make it suit them the most, like Google's mobile platform, Android. Like most software, you can use it for modelling, animation, rigging, and other common features. It's free to use both commercially and educationally, allowing a great deal of users to learn 3D modelling, animation and so on with accessible software.

Supports Linux, Mac and Windows.

Lightwave
Lightwave is a package of software specifically for modeling, animations, and other 3D related content, for the price of $995 (£639.21 approx). The most important one we're going to focus on is Modeler. Modeler does what any other modeling software does: Allow you to create a 3D model for use in things like games, movies, and other forms of media.

Supports Mac and Windows.



Maya
Maya is a subscription based software that provides the tools to do 3D simulation, modelling, animation and render your final products. It allows artists to create a complete set of tools to get creative with.

Monthly costs start at £145

Supports Linux, Mac and Windows.

HA7 Task 4 - Mesh Construction

Polygonal Modelling

Mario player model - Mario 64 (source)

This sort of modelling is a way to model objects by approximating the surfaces of the model using polygons. It's the best/only option for when it comes to creating characters/objects for video games. The process of making these models are manual, so you'll have to know what you're doing.

Primitive Modelling

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One of the most common ways of constructing meshes is by getting a bunch of primitive shapes and putting them together. "What are primitive shapes?!" you may ask. Well, primitive shapes are things like disks (2D object), squares, spheres, cubes, cylinders, and other very basic shapes.

Box Modelling

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Box modelling is getting a primitive shape, then morphing and manipulating it into another, more detailed object. It's one of the more popular ways of making 3D models, using either the Subdivide tool or the Extrude tool, each host different properties.

Extruding is when you get one or more polygon face(s) and extend it, whether in a straight line or diagonally. It's basically extending a flat surface into a longer, wider flat surface that you can do more with.

Subdividing is when you split polygon faces and edges into smaller pieces. Like, when you have a full bar of chocolate, then decide to remove each piece of it into little squares, only it's on a computer and eating it will result in a trip to the hospital and/or death.

Extrusion Modelling

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This modelling technique is the second most common way of modelling, it allows users to turns 2D shapes that are traced from a photo or a neat little drawing your kid drew and you keep on the fridge (or just a regular drawing, what ever floats your boat) and makes it 3D, and it'll still keep the shape of the original. Like I said at the beginning, this is a very common technique as it can be used to create a wide verity of things, such as faces, hands, and possibly other body limbs mind out of the gutter, please...

Sketch Modelling

Sketch Modelling is a extremely simple and user friendly way of modelling, and one of the best ways of modelling for beginners. That's pretty much it, not much else to really explain... the dragon looks cool though. I mean it looks more like a demon than a dragon but still cool, right?

HA7 Task 3 - Geometric Theory

In games design, there's a thing that's used a lot. It's given people nightmares, kept people up at night, and has even lead up-to people crying in the corner of the room trying to understand what it all means. It's called... maths (and I guess the fear of mortality and the meaning of life but that isn't really all that relevant at the moment).

So, what is this... maths... used for? Well, everything and anything. Why do you never see it? Because it's done inside of a device people use every day, including you right now, called a computer! These wonderful technological advancements have been used since the 80's and have consumed our lives to the point where it's a necessity. They also calculate maths every second of every day while you use them! Even your pocket computer does it! Apple's even does it while it's not in use, sadly leading to the death of many acidic power bricks (or as you know it as, the battery) midway through everyday...

These maths are used to also make a neat little invention called vector graphics! There's two kinds of vector graphics: 2 dimensional (2D) and 3 dimensional (3D).

2D vector artwork is done by the computer using maths to create lines, lines that can be used to create images, images that can be used to create a 3D image, a 3D image that can be used t- you get the point. How does the computer use maths to create a vector image? Well, the computer uses something called the Cartesian Coordinates System!
The coordinate system uses two axes (not the sharp, deadly kind) named X and Y. Say hello X an Y. Oh, wait, I forgot, they're numbers, forget what I said.
X and Y are the axes that help maths know where to plot the end and start points of the paths (aka the aforementioned lines) and joining them together with said path(s). But wait, there's more! You can colour your vector artwork, as making a shapes out of the paths/lines can make them able to be coloured. Even the lines can have their colour and thickness changed.

X and Y are good and all, but what if I told you there was a 3rd axis? Mind blowing, right?! Where is it? What is it called? Why does it exist? Why isn't Taco Bell in England?! I can answer all those questions (minus the 4th one)! The 3rd axis points up to the sky, while the other two lay flat on the ground, it's name is Z and it exists to help make 3D models, like it helps with 2D vectors (why would it surprise you? This entire unit is called "3D Modelling"...)! 3D models also use the Cartesian Coordinates System, meaning it too can use the X and Y axis, along with the Z axis.
How does it compare to Vectors? Well, they have lines and points (connects the lines together). However, unlike vectors, 3D models have edges, polygons, surfaces, and faces (not the smiley kind). It also adds depth to the entire thing.

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So, who invented the Cartesian Coordinates System? Well, by René Descartes. His invention of the Cartesian Coordinates System revolutionised the maths and gave us what we know about maths today! He figured out how to do the impossible (well, what used to be impossible), combine Euclidean geometry with algebra. He also had really nice hair! It isn't relevant but damn it's great and curly!

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Basic objects, aka primitives, are basic shapes that are pre-made in any software to help you make other models. You have your standard shapes, such as; box, sphere, cylinder, etc. Some software come with triangular based shapes, such as Cones and Pyramids. Just because a shape has been made, doesn't mean it's like that forever as they can be edited to your hearts contempt immediately after, so they're great for if you want to use primitive shapes as a starting point.

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There are also extended primitive shapes, though I can not begin to tell you what they are.

Models can also have specific textures added to them, you can even add images to individual polygons. This is what we call: surfacing. Surfacing is like adding paint to something, each change of colour in the paint is a different meaning to the painted object.

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The Blue, Yellow and Gray would be named different things, and the colour choice is to remind the person making it that the things in different colours are different parts of the object.

HA8 Task 7

Here is an evaluation on my work, according to reviews of both my class mates and random students who were willing to review it.

The textures in the eyes could of been clearer, though those textures weren't originally meant to be seen so that's my fault for not properly making the polygons that were meant to cover that area.

The entire model has a lack of polygons to make it smooth, it just comes off as a jagged mess and something that'd be in a 3DS game, or at the very least, a PS2 game.

There were a lack of details in some areas that I didn't put onto the dome. The underneath, however, is considered quite good, with lovely designed bristles and great attention to detail on the wheels, it also has quite a good use of textures that make the bristles, wheels and plastic mold on the bottom, making the top look nice and shinny while the bottom look like it's been used heavily. Everyone seems to like the underside the most, due to the amount of detail it has.

Someone said the front, where the face is, look creepy due to the soulless, black eyes that could be ultra scary if some lights were put into it. I reassured them that they were speakers, and the mouth was actually a compartment that would holster the device that is being used to play the music out of its speakers from.

HA8 Task 6 - Presentation

This is the Roomba from the left side of its face

This is the Roomba from the right side of its face

This is the Roomba's cupholder

This is the Roomba's from underneath

This is the Roomba's pivot wheel, that sits at the back

 This is the Roomba's device holder, for things like your iOS or Android device

 This is the Roomba's speakers, that connect via Bluetooth to your phone.

This is the Roomba's vacuum area. It collects dirt from the bristles and sucks up the dirt from the bristles

This is the Roomba's speakers and device holder

This is the Roomba's dome, it's a little dirty

This is the Roomba's face

HA8 Task 5

Production log

30/4/2015

This was of course updated every week during the entire course. I noticed that I was rapidly reaching my deadline, and there was a lot of work I hadn't done at that time.

15/05/2015

These are the robots I thought about during this task. I wanted a companion who you could feel a connection with, who you could care about, and who would be loyal to you. But at the same time, I didn't know what I wanted since the possibilities are endless with what I could create.

16/05/2015

I made four designs that I really wanted to make or I could put onto paper. I had an extremely articulate robot who could do almost anything you wanted; a roomba which could play music, hoover your floors, and also hold your drink; a very generic robot who would do simple tasks; and a broken, battered and ruined version of the same robot who is hanging on their last piece of power. I guess you could call the last one a metaphor for how I didn't end up using it.

17/05/2015

As you can see, I first started with the heavily articulated one, but decided it'd be too complicated to draw. I then decided simplicity would be the best course of action, and would benefit me more in the end. I went with the Roomba instead, as I knew he wouldn't take me long and had less complicated shapes.

19/05/2015

The images may not be in order, but this is all my work being documented. Everything in my final product has been documented here.

12/06/2015