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9781598632705

Game Character Design Complete : Using 3Ds Max 8 and Adobe Photoshop CS2

by
  • ISBN13:

    9781598632705

  • ISBN10:

    1598632701

  • Edition: CD
  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2006-06-16
  • Publisher: Cengage Learning Ptr
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Summary

A game is only as intriguing as the characters that inhabit its world. Game Character Design Complete demonstrates each step of modeling, texturing, animating, and exporting compelling characters for your games. You?ll learn how to model in 3ds Max from sketch references, texture in Adobe Photoshop, rig bones, and animate a character back in 3ds Max. Game Character Design Complete covers all aspects of character creation-from the technical to the artistic. Don?t worry if your artistic ability isn?t awe-inspiring. You?ll cover every aspect of the design process in easy-to-follow steps, including texturing and animating your character. If you have a working knowledge of 2D and 3D graphics, then you have all of the skills you need to begin creating cool characters for your games.

Table of Contents

Introductionp. xii
3D Game Character Design Basicsp. 1
Character Conceptp. 2
Game Stylesp. 3
Character Typep. 6
Sketch Artp. 7
Modelingp. 7
Modeling Techniquesp. 8
Repairing, Adjusting, and Optimizingp. 9
3D Modeling File Typesp. 9
UV Unwrapping and Mappingp. 9
Texturingp. 11
Shadersp. 11
Bump Mapsp. 12
Normal Mapsp. 13
Texture Map File Typesp. 13
Skeletal Riggingp. 14
Animatingp. 15
Game Engine Exportingp. 16
Engine File Typesp. 16
Summaryp. 16
Preparing to Model: Configuring 3ds Max and Referencing Sketch Artp. 19
Hardware and Software Considerationsp. 20
Choosing a Proper Video Cardp. 20
Graphics Software and Driversp. 20
Monitors and Settingsp. 21
Configuring the Max 8 Environmentp. 21
Orthogonal Sketch Artp. 23
The HICKS Rebuild #2A163 Backgroundp. 24
Creating Reference Planes in 3ds Max 8p. 24
Summaryp. 29
Box Modeling in 3ds Max 8p. 31
Environmental Considerations Before You Beginp. 32
Modeling the Bootp. 32
Shaping the Pants (Lower Body)p. 35
Adding Some Military Detailp. 39
Creating the Upper Bodyp. 41
Forming the Torsop. 41
Forming the Shoulders and Armsp. 45
Forming the Handsp. 48
Detailing the Torsop. 50
Creating the Headp. 53
Making the Facep. 53
Finishing the Headp. 57
Summaryp. 60
Mesh Optimization in 3ds Maxp. 63
Analyzing the Character Mesh Using STL Checkp. 63
Isolating Mesh Elementsp. 65
Fixing Mesh Errorsp. 66
Reattaching Elements and Test Optimizingp. 68
Changing the Character's Pivot Pointp. 69
Summaryp. 71
UV Mapping the Character in 3ds Maxp. 73
The Mapping Processp. 73
Selecting Body Partsp. 75
Defining Seamsp. 75
Stretching the Peltp. 76
Positioning the UVsp. 76
Stitching Edgesp. 77
Packing UVsp. 77
Unwrap the Bootsp. 77
Unwrap the Legsp. 80
Unwrap the Arms and Handsp. 84
Unwrap the Bodyp. 87
Unwrap the Eyesp. 89
Unwrap the Headp. 90
Pack the Mapp. 92
Rendering Templatesp. 92
Update and View the Results in Maxp. 93
Summaryp. 93
Skin Texturing with Photoshop CS2p. 95
Thoughts on Texturingp. 95
Texturing Techniques We'll Utilizep. 97
Fixing UVs: Add a Checkerboard Mapp. 97
Texturing Hicksp. 105
Rendering Templatesp. 105
Opening the UV Templates in Photoshopp. 106
Texturing the Headp. 107
Texturing the Eyesp. 111
Texturing the Torso, Arms, Legs, and Bootsp. 113
Texturing the Arms and Handsp. 116
Cleaning Upp. 116
Preparing the Map for 3ds Maxp. 117
Applying Textures in 3ds Maxp. 117
Baking Textures in 3ds Maxp. 118
Summaryp. 121
Rigging a Character with Biped in 3ds Maxp. 123
How 3ds Max Works with Charactersp. 124
Adding and Attaching a Bipedp. 125
Weighting the Modelp. 137
Smooth Versus Rigid Bindingp. 144
Creating a Root Posep. 146
Summaryp. 146
Character Animation in 3ds Maxp. 149
Animating with Keyframesp. 149
Creating Walk and Run Cycles with Bipedp. 154
Creating Facial Expressions with Morph Targetsp. 158
Adding and Manipulating Dummy Nodesp. 162
Linking the Nodesp. 166
LODsp. 166
Exporting and Viewing the Hicks Model in Torquep. 168
Last Note on Other Game Enginesp. 168
Summaryp. 169
3ds Max 8 and Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcutsp. 171
3ds Max 8 Keyboard Shortcutsp. 171
Remapping Commonly Used Max Shortcutsp. 171
Photoshop CS2 Keyboard Shortcutsp. 173
Related Web Sites and Linksp. 175
Indexp. 181
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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