Thursday, 28 June 2012
Source SDK just Re-entered the game
With the release of the full suite of animation tools used to create the "Meet the..." series of animated trailers at http://www.sourcefilmmaker.com/ Valve have put thier engine back on the map.
Some of this functionality exists within UDK, and has been promised for some time for Cryengine 3, but by getting this out there Valve has made most bedroom developers look again at thier engine.
Nice move valve.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Opportunity at Criterion!
Criterion Games, the guys behind burnour/need for speed franchise titles are having an open day.
It's aimed specifically at y2 level 3students and all you need to do to have a chance at attending is fillout this form: http://www.criteriongames.com/openday/
It's aimed specifically at y2 level 3students and all you need to do to have a chance at attending is fillout this form: http://www.criteriongames.com/openday/
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
STEM event and 3D Printing!
We had an event the other week where we got together with the engineering department to explore some possibilities with their rapid prototype technology.
We had a few students sign on to the idea of using ZBrush to sculpt an "Alien" and to create a mesh suitable for print.
Pics below show some results.
We had a number of schools and almost 200 pupils come through to learn more about the area as part of the event, along with guys from Emco bringing some technology to demonstrate in the realm of 3D printing and scanning.
We also had a few worskstations upw ith HND design work on showing the scripting needed to make models work in a game environment
All reports are that it was a positive experience for the students, and let's hope that in a few years we see some of them coming through onto the course and into industry.
We had a few students sign on to the idea of using ZBrush to sculpt an "Alien" and to create a mesh suitable for print.
Pics below show some results.
We had a number of schools and almost 200 pupils come through to learn more about the area as part of the event, along with guys from Emco bringing some technology to demonstrate in the realm of 3D printing and scanning.
We also had a few worskstations upw ith HND design work on showing the scripting needed to make models work in a game environment
All reports are that it was a positive experience for the students, and let's hope that in a few years we see some of them coming through onto the course and into industry.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
HND Job Roles/Recruitment
Below you will find the project and roles that the HND are looking for as collaborators/contributors on thier Large Scale design project.
You are welcome to apply to contribute, please don;t commit to more than two, as that would likely be a considerable workload.
Send an email to my (drew.lord@bmetc.ac.uk) stating which roles you're interested in taking on, and I will pass that on to the HND students in question for them to contact you.
You are welcome to apply to contribute, please don;t commit to more than two, as that would likely be a considerable workload.
Send an email to my (drew.lord@bmetc.ac.uk) stating which roles you're interested in taking on, and I will pass that on to the HND students in question for them to contact you.
Legacy - Survival Horror 1st Person Post apoc.
Texture Artist
Skills needed
- Photoshop skills
- Both character and environment drawing
- Needs to be able to create good textures using UV map outlines within Photoshop
- Must be able to create tileable textures for ground planes.
- Must be able to work well in a group environment.
Role Explanation
Your role will be to create some concept art for the upcoming game “Legacy: Gen Survivors” up until the point where your skills are needed for texturing. Upon reaching the point of texturing in game assets you will be given a UV in which you will have to paint textures onto using Photoshop. As well as this you will need to create several textures which can be tiled and fit together in order to texture the ground plane of the level.
3D Artist
Skills needed
- Maya skills
- Environment/building modelling
- Needs to be able to create good quality meshes of building and environmental pieces
- Optional: Must be able to create UV’s for said models.
- Must be able to work well in a group environment.
Role Explanation
Your role will be to create some 3D models of environment pieces with some details. Mostly of large buildings, after this is done you must be able to either create your own UV or pass it on to the potential UV’er who will in turn then pass the finished UV onto the texture artist.
UV Creator/ 3D Artist
Skills needed
- Extensive skills of creating UV’s in Maya.
- Must be able to optimise the space given by the UV to give highest level of detail possible
- Must be able to find the correct place and weld some of the pieces of the mesh.
- Optional: Must be able to create 3D models
- Must be able to work well in a group environment.
Role Explanation
Your role will be to create the UV’s for any 3D model you are given and in turn pass on the finished UV to the texture artist. The UV’s must be welded and optimised in order to take up the most space possible. They then will need to be exported as 2048 x 2048. If you also have modelling skills they will be utilised in order to create more assets for the game world.
Unnamed Sci-Fi Project open world. (it's a trap!)
Job Roles
Texture Artist and Basic Modeller: Proficient with Photoshop and Maya and able to create seamless textures for mostly man made structures and to apply them in the correct format. You may also be called upon to create and texture basic pieces of geometry from concept art, and will likely be comprised of rock structures and furnishings for the environment.
Character Rigger: Rigging experience in Maya will be necessary. Able to Rig characters in preparation for simple animation, properly defining weights in joints and able to modify the geometry of the face to create blend shapes from concept art. Characters will be bipedal, but not typically shaped and with inhuman faces.
UV Artist: A UV Artist will be necessary for laying out the UVs of the level, character UVs will only be needed if I can’t figure out how to create them within ZBrush in time, will update this criteria soon with definitive answer. Until then someone who could do both if asked would be preferable.
Texture Artist and Basic Modeller: Proficient with Photoshop and Maya and able to create seamless textures for mostly man made structures and to apply them in the correct format. You may also be called upon to create and texture basic pieces of geometry from concept art, and will likely be comprised of rock structures and furnishings for the environment.
Character Rigger: Rigging experience in Maya will be necessary. Able to Rig characters in preparation for simple animation, properly defining weights in joints and able to modify the geometry of the face to create blend shapes from concept art. Characters will be bipedal, but not typically shaped and with inhuman faces.
UV Artist: A UV Artist will be necessary for laying out the UVs of the level, character UVs will only be needed if I can’t figure out how to create them within ZBrush in time, will update this criteria soon with definitive answer. Until then someone who could do both if asked would be preferable.
Frontlines first person shooter
3D Modellers
Need someone who has decent knowledge with 3DSMax or 3DSMaya that can create decent buildings.
Texture Artists
Need someone with good artistic skills that can use Photoshop and/or Zbrush and that has good knowledge of how tile texture from scratch.
UV Mappers
Need someone that has exceptional knowledge with 3DSMaya or 3DSMa, to be able to implement UVW Mapping onto a 3D object.
Arthurian Castle- Action Adventure Tim Burtonesque.
To complete this project I will need a 3D modeller who must be familiar with using the software’s Maya and Z-brush. I will need this person to model various items and architecture to insert into the scene, an example of this would be the wizard tower on the left side of my castle. It’s quite difficult to design the tower in Cryengine alone therefore will need to be created in Maya. I will also need a decent looking character model of Arthur since my level is from a third person perspective. Modelling is my weakest attribute so I need someone who’s very comfortable and independent when using the software as I won’t be of much use.
A texturer will also be needed to help me UV and create suitable images for the environment, e.g. designing a cobblestone texture that would be used as flooring in the castle. I will also need this person to possibly texture Arthur’s model. They must be comfortable with using Photoshop and Maya and be relatively decent at drawing.
The final person I need for the unit should have basic knowledge of all the software mentioned above as they won’t have a designated area to work in. I would simply like a person to flitter between various tasks and help whenever possible. If I need an extra person to help with modelling I will assign them to that position etc. The roles for this person will never be the same.
Those are the first four projects looking for team mebers.. there will be more in the next week.
Those are the first four projects looking for team mebers.. there will be more in the next week.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Normal service is resumed
ohmydays
so I went over to youtube to make a channel, in order to upload the shiny vids the HND Games and ND media guys came up with during yellow week..
I thought I was being clever when it asked me for details for the channel and I Used the department's name.. and age...
Apparently you cant have an account with gmail if you're six years old, and it promptly locked me out of everything.
I'm back now, and will get uploading later shortly.
here we go then.. the channel can be viewed here -
https://www.youtube.com/user/FEEDPixel
and the vids are embedded below
Not too shabby for three days work!
so I went over to youtube to make a channel, in order to upload the shiny vids the HND Games and ND media guys came up with during yellow week..
I thought I was being clever when it asked me for details for the channel and I Used the department's name.. and age...
Apparently you cant have an account with gmail if you're six years old, and it promptly locked me out of everything.
I'm back now, and will get uploading later shortly.
here we go then.. the channel can be viewed here -
https://www.youtube.com/user/FEEDPixel
and the vids are embedded below
Not too shabby for three days work!
Friday, 14 October 2011
HND session notes
Just a quick blog post here to remind my HND2 students of a few things..
Videocopilot is the site for after effects tutorials that I couldnt remember :)
Remember, design principles, visual materials, production considerations AND academic thought processes and theory are all intended to infill into this level/envronment design and animation breif. it's a biggie, so please try to take on board all of these features.
Narratology/Ludology of your design process so far can be a start point, but remember reward/risk/punishment models too.
monday - we will talk about your body of work, your portfolio and your representation of yourself, so remember to bring work!
Videocopilot is the site for after effects tutorials that I couldnt remember :)
Remember, design principles, visual materials, production considerations AND academic thought processes and theory are all intended to infill into this level/envronment design and animation breif. it's a biggie, so please try to take on board all of these features.
Narratology/Ludology of your design process so far can be a start point, but remember reward/risk/punishment models too.
monday - we will talk about your body of work, your portfolio and your representation of yourself, so remember to bring work!
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
HND2 Student forum
Level 5 students, working with CryEngine 3 have made themselves a forum on the web to collaborate when not in college.
if you fancy seeing what thhey are up to, or even contributing yourself, take a look here
if you fancy seeing what thhey are up to, or even contributing yourself, take a look here
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