How goes the sculpting/modeling the characters for animation
I mess up the thread. Here is in detail, what is my question is.
For animation part of the production, for game or movie.
I saw on behind the scene either for game animation, like wow, Gears of wars, Mass effects, they use game models, that will be used for game engine. So, i understand that, the poly cont play huge part of the model.
But, on movies, or cinematic trailers, like new trailer from Blur, on LoL game, or Iron man. The models very low, now near realistic or high poly.
But on the screen, they are high poly or not?
So my question is, Which model is animated first? The low/mid poly, and then on that model, is applied high poly details via maps? Or directly on high poly model are the rigs, and with help of texture, light, compo, they achieve so high realistic animation.
Sorry i am confused.
For animation part of the production, for game or movie.
I saw on behind the scene either for game animation, like wow, Gears of wars, Mass effects, they use game models, that will be used for game engine. So, i understand that, the poly cont play huge part of the model.
But, on movies, or cinematic trailers, like new trailer from Blur, on LoL game, or Iron man. The models very low, now near realistic or high poly.
But on the screen, they are high poly or not?
So my question is, Which model is animated first? The low/mid poly, and then on that model, is applied high poly details via maps? Or directly on high poly model are the rigs, and with help of texture, light, compo, they achieve so high realistic animation.
Sorry i am confused.
Replies
Edit the mocap clips on the low poly or proxy mesh. Final renders on the high, after all motions are approved and where displacements maps (and other maps that can slow realtime viewport playback) are usually used over normal maps for game trailer style movies since they do a better job showing silhouette details in close ups.
But it's conceivable a future version of Zbrush will have a better character animation feature than it has now (dopesheets and curve editors!) that lets you animate in z using your highest division textured sculpt and lets you export the keyframes and a lower poly rigged and skinned version with the associated textures to another 3d software. Or maybe just straight to a commonly used game engine.
So what maps are used for close ups cinematic trailers?
It has to be high poly or it'll look shit. They show same trailers in movie houses so the textures and geo have to hold up. I know they show gameplay quality but for hype purposes they usually use the same standards as cg for film.
How is that done? You can transfer animation clips from the proxy to the high for testing (to check for deformation errors for example) or final render.
What maps? At the highest production level like for Blur, there's a lot. Key search word is shaders. If you enable all shaders and hi res geo while you animate you either need a kickass rig or you'll be waiting buckets (pun intended) for the viewport to refresh.
First bold, i don't really understand, what do you mean transfer animation clips from proxy to high? What does that means?
Second bold, Is there some specific program to use complicated shaders? I know about Blizzard use Render Man from Pixar. So these shadres are written?
Any specific online course, that teach these things learning and writing shaders?
And now some follow up questions, Sorry, i want to know things how are done.
Can you write in order, how are things are done for cinematic animation purpose?
This is what i mean.
After character/creature got sculpted in Zbrush, and got approved from Art Director, or i don't know who give this task. So, you got high poly sculpted character, with armor, accessories, likeness. The next thing come re-toplogy right?
So you now need to do retoplogy the character, so to be ready for rigging and then animation? because this character won't go in game for now, the polycont doesn't matter, or does matter? How to know how much polygon needs to be rigged friendly? For example Diablo 3 Cinematic trailer. Do you have some information how much polycont the characters were? For example Azmodan?
Now i have retopo character and it is ready to be rigged. But, before get the rigs on it. When the maps with the details from high poly is applied? After the retopo character are rigged or after that?
Sure, if somebody pays me to write it.
Here's animation applied to proxy mesh (untextured, just a representation of the full model, good for visual aid and playback speed).
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Cmon please, I really want to know.
Aha-ha-ha-hhhkkk-hhhkkk
Just kidding.
Watch the Last of Us channel videos for the latest techniques!
http://www.youtube.com/user/thelastofusHD?feature=watch
Maybe checkout Blender movie behind the scenes like for Sintel and Tears of Steel. Doesn't matter if they're not made for games. Different tools but same techniques and process. I think you can even download some of the actual project files.