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Hyper accelerated gerbil ball.... seriously.

brianmumphrey
polycounter lvl 9
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brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
Hey all!

Fairly new to 3ds max and modeling in general. This is my 2nd full personal project I'm working on besides the tutorials I've done up until now so forgive me for any blatant ignorance as I have a lot to learn and it's all from forums and tutorials so far.

One of my main concerns for this is the triangles that are at the center of the ball on each side. I've herd a lot in tutorials and from reading forums that it's best to avoid triangles on high poly models, mainly for animation purposes. It's cleaner topology from what I can see, and a lot of the forums I've read say that " if you build something for Zbrush (highpoly) then you should try to avoid triangles. Only on the ingame, low res model can and should you use triangles." One side will not be a problem as I will be changing the topology so that it's a segmented door that opens. The other side though is a glass wall to show the gerbil inside, so the glass wall itself will not be in motion.

All comments, critiques, and verbal bashing are welcome as I'm so new anything helps.

Here's the concept work I did for it:

[IMG][/img]x-2unitdesign_zps65a81513.jpg

and the model I just started:

[IMG][/img]x2unit_lowpoly_model_zps7b751fea.jpg

Thanks for looking!

My website ( currently under construction): http://www.brian-mumphrey-design.com/home-page.html

blog: http://brianmumphrey.blogspot.com/
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    Thank you! I appreciate the response. Like I said I'm so new I like to confirm what I've herd or read is true and not just a single point of view. I'm learning that there's a lot of problems that can be solved a variety of ways, at the same time certain things that just work better than others. Trying to narrow those down early on and get into good habits of setting up my topology in a way that's easy to manipulate for the best looking model. Thanks again! I'll keep posting as I move along to show progress!
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    Here's my progress so far. This being my first major model in 3Ds max besides, tutorials, I've been taking my time and trying my best to make sure I have easy to work with topology. The center of the circle on the hatch will be cut up so there's no more than 4 sides once I get to making the hatch. I'm concerned I'm making a nightmare fore my self as far as when I go to limit the poly count so it can be used in game, but that's part of learning and experience. This will be the main character/vehicle in the game so a decently high count isn't too bad ( the gerbil inside will be seen through the glass but for the most part game play will feature the gerbil ball. The gerbil will occasionally get out to reach smaller areas the ball can't go for game play purposes.) The legs I have modeled so far are stand ins until I can model some more detailed ones. So far the legs will only be open when the Gerbil gets out so the ball will stabilize. The main function of the ball is to roll on the center track so I'm focusing on just getting the ball done to a point where I can animate that. Once I get a feel for rigging and animation I'll see if it's feasible for me to make a walk cycle just to give the vehicle more depth. Comments and critiques always welcome!

    [IMG][/img]Legs_Closed_zps226b01ab.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Legs_Closed_wireframes_zpse7de674c.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Legs_Extended_zpsc3785c6c.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Legs_Extended_wireframes_zps0f45c9bf.jpg
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    Small update. Still have to paint and add some details such as wear and tear as well as some of the interior left to do.


    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wip_zps2f0f1c36.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wip3_zpsa9ed42e3.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wip2_zpsacd32ea6.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wip4_zps0a264591.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wip5_zps32ed09b3.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wireframes_zps2fc08cb8.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Highpolyx2wireframes2_zps9594c7df.jpg
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    A W.I.P. environment concept for the game the Gerbil ball will be used in. Want to add more life to the image with some other animals, plants and bad guys you may encounter along with some possible ruins and man made structures mixed in.

    [IMG][/img]greenhills3_zps92f20b54.jpg
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    Small update, got a little bit more done. Still need to paint the enemies in the foreground and maybe add some varying vegetation like different flowers and vines.

    [IMG][/img]greenhills3_zpse71f6a27.jpg
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  • Dubzski
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    Dubzski polycounter lvl 11
    This is a great idea, made me smile! Can totally imagine some kind of steampunky hamster/gerbil piloting this thing with the goggles and casually thrown scarf xD
    Looking forward to seeing progress.
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    Added a little more. For the most part finished, although I might go in and work on it some more if I get the time. Moving onto the prototype phase for controls while I work on the low poly model of the ball and a high poly version of the gerbil.

    [IMG][/img]greenhillsfinal_zps7ff0f4a6.jpg

    Here's some older concept work for some of the characters and ball for the curious:

    [IMG][/img]Profversions_zpsb9c40eed.jpg

    [IMG][/img]Gerbit_zpsb28424bc.jpg

    [IMG][/img]virbil_zpscac21440.jpg

    [IMG][/img]x-2unit_zps1aaed885.jpg
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  • evilblah
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    evilblah polycounter lvl 18
    This thread is awesome. I dig the designs a lot. Virbil's third helmet design and the third professor are my favorites.
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  • brianmumphrey
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    brianmumphrey polycounter lvl 9
    evilblah - Thank you! The 3rd professor seems to be a favorite among anyone I've show these to. He's def the one getting modeled!

    dustinbrown - Thank you! As far as the panel seams, that's a really good point and something I hadn't really thought of or noticed until you said something and I agree completely. Hopefully that will also help out the silhouette a bit too, as it being a sphere it has literally no silhouette.

    My main concern overall as this being the main character (the ball and Virbil) that it just being a ball with a Gerbil inside is a REALLY bad silhouette. It's the only thing in the game that's going to be spherical so it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm hoping through interior lighting in the ball and in the environment I can bring out Virbil's silhouette more to combat the really basic round silhouette the ball makes. That with wider seams and more details and paint on the ball I'm hoping for a decent main character to play with.

    I was considering redoing the whole model to be honest as I think what I have done isn't much and could be better built now that I have more experience. I think then I can widen a lot of the seams early on and take care of the other mistakes I made the first time around that I've tried to hide.

    Thanks for all your reply's!
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