Thursday, 21 November 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - Texture tests with better UV - my face in maya and mudbox

During week 2, after creating my final poster using the split face dynamic shown in my blog post - NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - Development of a Poster 
"https://tobymroberts.blogspot.com/2019/11/next-gen-nescot-year-3-hnd-development.html", I decided to go back and edit the model that I had created by improving both the UV mapping and the textures on top.

Firstly, I began with the re-creation of the UV mapping. I did this by creating a cylindrical mapping and using the unfold function to flatten the mapping, before then using the optimize function to make the face visible and editable.

I then added the head to Mud-box and re-drew my texture onto the face so that it would fit with my new UV mapping. Next, I created a normal map (bump map) in Mud-box rather than Photoshop using the same tactic used to make the new texture, so it would fit the new map as well.

Afterwards, I added the model back to MAYA so that I could edit the Xgen hair and so that I could also render it again. I firstly thinned the hair on the head to a much lower amount. This looked incredibly good on the beard and eyebrows. Unfortunately, it caused an error to happen on the top of the head where it would show a glitch, with the hair mixed with the lightly deformed hair texture beneath.


My 'original final design' was much smoother and had a much lower texture compared to my newer version. However, I must admit that the lighting is somewhat better compared to my newer version due to some minor changes that I only noticed went wrong later.


My 'newer final design' has a much better texture that shows some bruising and the effects of the transformation on the skin. I also added a much needed bump map that greatly enhances the texture of the skin and improves the images detail. I also improved the eyes drastically by creating a new texture and bump map for each of them. Unfortunately, as previously stated I do not like the lighting as much as in my previous iteration. On the other hand, I much prefer this version compared to my 'original final design'.


In conclusion, I believe that I did very well due to the increased detail and appearance of the model, once again mixed with a the highly detailed background image, despite losing much of the dark and gloomy atmosphere. The two effects work well together. However, if I could change anything I would fix the error with the hair created on top of the head and I would improve the lighting of the final render.

Ultimately, I believe the improvements I made have personally improved my skills to a more professional degree. This is because the use of higher grade texture and mapping is widely used in the industry and is incredibly important to develop.
The VFX and Videogame industries require these high quality effects to sustain its audiences. This leads to employment being highly competitive and I would need more developments in my work for when I will enter it.

Saturday, 2 November 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - Development of a Poster

During week 1 we had been tasked with creating a professional movie poster using a split face dynamic based around a horror theme. After creating a 3D model of my face mixed with the monster face, I began to create ideas and backgrounds for my final poster.

For my first poster idea, I created a silhouette of my body coupled with the 3D model, a light fixture in the background and credits to go along with it. I got the background from the Internet and it worked very well with the design, but I didn't think the silhouette appearance was particularly good and the background wouldn't have fitted with another style.


Once I had created the initial poster, I decided to get my own background and went to explore for any backgrounds that I could use. Eventually I found an image I had taken from Pembroke castle (in Wales) when I had visited earlier in the year and decided that it was the perfect fit.


Next, I took the image of the hallway and added the 3D model to it alongside the credits and some additional shading to make some parts of the image darker. Unfortunately, I thought that the expression of the model wasn't particularly good and contemplated changing it.


Because of this, I decided to tilt the head forward to give the effect of the face sinisterly looking up. Also, I added more shading using the exposure tool and attempted to create a more creepy atmosphere.


In conclusion, I believe that I did well because of the detail and appearance of the model, a highly detailed image, in front of a dark and gloomy atmosphere. The two effects work well together. However, if I could change anything I would add more light exposure to the human half of the face in order to give more attention to it.

Friday, 1 November 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - my face model (completed)

During week 1 we were tasked with creating a model creation for the split-face poster. I did this by creating a beginning shape of a head then using a skull model that I made to then correctly proportion it. However, I ultimately used that version as a draft and instead looked into other means of creating an accurate and well textured head.

Eventually, I decided that my draft models topology wasn't good enough and started again by using a character modelling software called "MakeHuman" and used the default model as a bases for my head. From here, I reshaped the head into a more round visage and imported it into Maya.


Once it was imported into Maya, I began reshaping the head to more closely resemble myself. I did this by widening the nose, extending and elongating the forehead as well as smoothing the chin to loop more seamlessly.


Next, I chose to change the texture of the areas that I thought would eventually have hair on. This also allowed me to get the models proportions and topology correct alongside images that I had of my face.


Then I began elongating the chin, mouth and nose to fit a side view of my face. Afterwards I elongated the eyebrows and added detail to the cheeks and eyes to make them have a more bumpy texture.


My fifth course of action was to thin the sides of the head and begin texturing the eyes and teeth. I also improved the eye bags by making them stand out more prominently and started to smooth the chin again for a more even edge.


















Afterwards I added a texture to the model and began deforming the mouth. This would then become a hole in the side of the models mouth for added effect on the monster. I also began to elongate the side of the head where the monster would be, creating a lumpy effect.


Next I started by fully extending the side of the head outwards to create a large jaw effect as well as exaggerating the bumps to a much larger level. Once I had done this I finished the hole in the side of the mouth and made the ear on the monster side stick out in a much more pointy and vampiric manner.


Then, I began working on the jaw and mouth by creating a "Lattice" (deform option on the rigging tab) on the teeth and gums so that I could quickly and easily extend them across the deformed mouth seamlessly.


Finally, I used the XGen editor to create layer of hair across the chin and top of the human side of the head, allowing me to give a more realistic appearance to that side of the head. I also re-textured the gums and teeth to mix better with the rest of the body.

My final face model was based mostly around the 'reaper virus' from 'Blade' and the 'Thing' from 'The Thing'. However, I did take some elements from other movies into account as well. These can be seen in my blog post "NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - research : movies, directors and actors".


In conclusion, I believe I did well because of the detail of the model and how the textures blend together nicely due to the UV mapping. However, if I could improve this model I would edit the nose and monster ear to appear more accurate and detailed.

Monday, 28 October 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - VFX monster in media (video setup and planning)

During week 2 we had to work with the media students in order to create a horror video, showing a VFX monster that our class was tasked with creating. The story of the video consists of some reporters interviewing a group of, seemingly nice, cultists. However, when night falls and the reporters are in their tent, they are kidnapped and tied up as a sacrifice to the VFX monster.


For this task, both our class and the media class went to Holmbury St Mary Surrey Hills so that the media students could start filming and direct us on where VFX monster will be, as well as what it will do. The media students had two directors that were filming different parts of the video. Unfortunatly, they seemed rather unorganised due to the lack of comunication between each director and the fact that the director of the first half had no idea about the VFX monster.


Once we had arrived, the media students were already there and were setting up for filming. Luckly, the VFX monster was only shown in one scene, which meant that we only had to listen to one director. Annoyingly, the spot that the media students decided to pick out for the scene was off limits and inaccessable, as it was a staff only area. This led to our group scouting around for a suitible spot for filming.


Eventually, I found a small area that was easily accessable behind a small pond and told the director about the position. Despite this, the location of the final shot was still undecided, however, we had a mild understanding of the general vicinity and appearance of the VFX monster.


In conclusion, the trip was mostly a success, however, while there was some confusion at the beginning, we got most, if not all, of the information that we needed to create the VFX monster for their project.

Sunday, 27 October 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - EGX trip

On October 14th 2019, our class went to EGX at the Excel Centre London for a game convention in order to show companies our portfolio and to look at new games in development.

Firstly, I chose to explore and check out many of the upcoming games, both Indie and Tripple A (AAA). This led to me playing lots of the games shown at EGX and I helped give some insight to some developers on what I believed could be improved upon in their games.

After exploring for a while, I decided to start talking to some developers.

Firstly I talked to developers from the companies "Transfuser" and the "UK Games Fund". I showed my portfolio to some of the developers and talked to them about what job I would eventually want to do while also discussing with them about Linkedin.

Unfortunately due to the problems with 3G connection during the time at EGX I was unable to show them my blog or Linkedin account. So instead I showed them emergency backups of my work that I keep on hand on my phone. Despite this, I told them my Linkedin account details so that they would be able to contact me at a later date if they wanted to.

Next, I talked to developers in "Rebellion" and showed my portfolio. They seemed impressed with some of my models and gave me feedback on how I could go back and improve them. They also gave me some tips on getting into larger videogame companies and their expectations for qualifications.

Then, I talked to small Indie developers in "Zweihandler" and "NoMoreRobots", once again, showing my portfolio. Most of my conversation with "Zweihandler" was about their upcoming game that was still in its early stages and giving them constructive feedback. Afterwards, I talked to them about my portfolio and some useful software for their project due to their difficulties creating character models. As for "NoMoreRobots", we mostly talked about my portfolio and exchanged Linkedin details.


Finally, I watched multiple presentations talking about companies, new games and development in VFX and videogames. These mostly included different techniques for modeling and modeling softwares, as well as what most large companies are currently looking for.

In conclusion, I believe that the EGX trip was a success due to the large amount of information I received from the trip and from how I had enjoyed my time testing games and giving feedback (mostly to Indie developers).

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - Face Model Research

During week 1 we were tasked with creating a model creation for the split-face poster. I did this by creating a beginning shape of a head then using a skull model that I made to then correctly proportion it. However, firstly I created a Photoshop document and used an image of my face to draw the lines of movement, so that it would allow me to proportion the topology of my face.


I did this by colour-coding lines across the face for its visual directions and indents (indentations). These included the jaw (blue), indents (red), areas of no geometry (light green), the nose with the nose bridge (purple) and eye bag around the cheek, eyebrow and temple (green).



Once I had accurately created an appearance for my head's model, I began to check the topology of my model by changing the colour of many topology areas based around the segments of the Photoshop face.


Once I had then created the monster half of the model, I once again coloured each of the areas detailed as before.


In conclusion, I believe that the final version of my head's topology is good. However, it could be much better around the jaw due to the large (orange) loop around the mouth and chin. Instead I could have made this much smaller like how it is shown on the Photoshop concept image.

Monday, 7 October 2019

NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 3 HND - research : movies, directors and actors


During week 1 we were tasked with creating a model creation for the split-face poster. For this task, I chose to research different horror movies, directors and actors to act as inspiration or be used as cast in the poster later on.

For my first set of research I decided to look into David Cronenberg's and John carpenter's work in order to have a greater look into body horror, for example: "The Thing" and "The Fly". In both of these movies the monster consists of an grotesque creature that slowly consumes the body/mind of the character/s into its own collective or form.

In "The Thing" a group of researchers find a dog that is being chased by a group of Norwegian researchers. Once the dog is taken in however, The Thing begins slowly assimilating each of the researchers one by one. This is done by totally recreating the assimilated target with its own biology and pretending to be them. The transformations in the film were also often violent and gory as their bodies ripped apart against each-other while shaking rapidly. This gives the effect of the accumulation of flesh is fighting against itself and shows the transformation as significantly more horrific. This is especially seen in Plamer's transformation after the blood test, as his eyes swell and bleed, shaking violently and screeching demonically.

In "The Fly", a researcher is attempting to invent teleportation and eventually this pays off and it works. However, it goes wrong when he goes through the teleporter in a test, when a fly had flown in with him. This then leads to the slow transformation into a half human/fly hybrid. While this happens, the researcher's girlfriend is pregnant but it is unsure if the child was formed before or after the researcher merged with the fly. In the climax of the movie the researcher is almost completely changed into a monster and is attempting to merge in the teleporter with his girlfriend and unborn child an a fit of madness. The transformation in the film is slow and horrifying due to the slow pealing and inflammation of the skin while his body deforms and contorts into a monstrous appearance with his eyes being the only remaining gateway into his last part of humanity.


For my second set of research, I investigated Stephen Norrington and the movie "Blade 2" in the attempt of understanding the slow devolution and feral appearance of the vampires effected by the Reaper virus.

The Reaper virus is a mutated strain of the vampire virus in the Blade series that was made as an attempt to create a new form of vampire that was immune to sunlight, garlic or silver. When the new version of the virus was given to the leader of the vampires' son it did give them an immunity to silver and garlic, but didn't give any immunity to sunlight. Unfortunately, the virus had also mutated and heavily distorted his appearance and caused him to feed more regularly.

The transformation of a human or vampire into a reaper vampire caused hair loss, skin and eye discoloration while also transforming the hosts mouth to split open, catch its prey in its teeth and maximize its bite. Each mandible has a curved fang that secretes a antitoxin into its victim to hold it still. Then using their tongue, which had small fangs attached to the inner tendrils, it sucks the victims blood while also sanctimoniously infecting the victim.


My third set of research was set around Toby Wilkins and the movie "Splinter". In this movie there is a monstrous infection that causes black splinters to grow and overtake the body of an infected individual. The areas infected by this act are completely separate to the actual victim and will do anything to infect other individuals, including breaking their own victims limbs. The infection's transformations include large splinters growing from the infected/touched areas of the victims body and their bodies contort and break their own bones in the process.


The movie begins by showing an animal infected with the splinter infection attacking and infecting a gas station worker before cutting out. There is mystery to how the infection itself started however, it shows that it is an incredibly violent infection. After this, the small animal is hit by a group of people in a car, two of which are wanted thieves that are manipulating the other characters. One of the thieves pricks themself on one of the splinters on the animal with his hand but when he looks to remove it is it gone, as if it had sucked into their hand. Eventually they reach the gas station and find the infected man who attacks and infects the other thief as the rest barricade themselves in the gas station. This is where they first see the ferocity of the infection. Next, a police woman arrives after they call the police and she recognizes the remaining thief in the gas station and attempts to arrest them from outside. However, before she can do this the infected attack her and the survivors still remain trapped. Soon after this the infected break in and they hide in the cooler,  this is when they realise the infection can only see in infra red. At the same time, the first thief's hand begins to control itself and attack the other survivors while they attempt to hold it back. The hand breaks the mans arm attempting to get to them, before they finally cut it off and attempt an escape. They manage to escape by lowering their body temperature enough to not be seen and then destroying the gas station.


For my fourth set of research, I chose to research Justin Jones and the movie "Invasion of the Pod People"/"Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

The monsters of the movie are mostly an alien like plant based form of the people they have copied. They also act as some form of hive mind, screeching at any people who are seen and are not assimilated. However, they are easily tricked and in many scenes the survivors simply blend in with the crowds.

The way that they transform into this is by waiting for the victim to be asleep and then assimilating them into their collective. By using plant-life to simultaneously clone them and dissolve their real body they blend in more seamlessly, without others realising what has happened.



For my fifth set of research, I researched Stephen King and the movies "Pet Sematary", "IT" and "The Mist".

The Mist is a movie based around mystery and the actions of people in dire situations rather than the monsters themselves. The monsters throughout the movie are horrific creatures ranging from demonic bat like creatures to small deadly spiders and humongous tentacle covered hulking monsters.


The monster from "IT" is a demonic being that preys on the fears of children before eating their souls.

It transforms into many different creatures that are dictated by it's victims worst fears. Some of these transformations include: the undead, one of the children's missing brother and his trademark creepy clown.

The monsters in "Pet Sematary" mostly consist of the undead including a cat, dog and woman. Each of these undead have deathly glowing eyes. All of the monsters have an extremely intense rage and unnatural strength.



NEXT-GEN Nescot Year 4 HND - Going Indie (Final game, itch.io Link)

For the final part of my Game Development project (Topdown Shooter), I was required to upload my finished game to Itch.io, allowing my game ...