Unreal Development Kit: Materials; An Introduction with Waylon Brinck is great. Just finished this DVD and wow, what a ton of information. I didn't think I really needed this DVD initially since I knew well how to work in the HyperShade in Maya and the Material editor in UDK is similar.
I'm really happy with how much I learned and how many gray areas were cleared up. I love how he broke down the math in a clear way. Some points I was like ARGH of course! now that makes sense! For example how the math behind how "levels" works in Photoshop. Not as complicated as I thought, totally get it.
This DVD is great for beginner-ish to advanced artist comfortable in another 3D app who want to get a solid base for materials in UDK.
This DVD well worth it. Only negative is the lessons are a little dry. I could only watch a few chapters a day, even tho I wanted to watch more.
4.5 stars could only be better with some jokes spattered in there. Top quality instruction, lots of practical, useful examples. Very happy with this purchase. Recommend.
Indie Game Development & Tutorials. Primarily Maya and UE4. Now with a hint of Chinese 5 spice!
Review: Gnomon Visual FX for Games
I'm a big believer in continuing education. As I continue to push from film FX into the game world, I buy anything I can get my hands on if it looks good. I took a risk on this one, The Gnomon Workshop: Visual FX for Games, I wasn't sure. It started off really bad, and I was afraid I wasted my money, but it quickly got really good.
I think the description is a little misleading, they push the software aspect of the DVD, like saying "Fume FX" where there is only a reference that "this was made in Fume FX". Very little how to do things explicitly. Its not even that engine centric, so this would definitely work for other engines as well.
Maxime walks you through a wide range of FX, breaking down how they're made and what to consider when creating them. He's got a lot of tips and tricks, and general good to know stuff. As a seasoned film FX artist I wondered how eye opening that would be. Some key areas I was like damn, I don't know if I would have thought of that!
Overall I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, not for everyone, but highly recommend and well worth the money for FX artist. Best for people who have a decent grasp of a game engine like UDK, and a 3D package.
Edit: I think I might give it 4.5 out of 5 since this is the only DVD I've gotten (ok Lighting too) that I've watched again. Its pretty good. Lots of little tips that with a re-watching you catch. Its a great resource as long as you know what to expect. Its a breakdown of game FX not so much how to make them from scratch.
I think the description is a little misleading, they push the software aspect of the DVD, like saying "Fume FX" where there is only a reference that "this was made in Fume FX". Very little how to do things explicitly. Its not even that engine centric, so this would definitely work for other engines as well.
Maxime walks you through a wide range of FX, breaking down how they're made and what to consider when creating them. He's got a lot of tips and tricks, and general good to know stuff. As a seasoned film FX artist I wondered how eye opening that would be. Some key areas I was like damn, I don't know if I would have thought of that!
Overall I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, not for everyone, but highly recommend and well worth the money for FX artist. Best for people who have a decent grasp of a game engine like UDK, and a 3D package.
Edit: I think I might give it 4.5 out of 5 since this is the only DVD I've gotten (ok Lighting too) that I've watched again. Its pretty good. Lots of little tips that with a re-watching you catch. Its a great resource as long as you know what to expect. Its a breakdown of game FX not so much how to make them from scratch.
Schools + DVD break-down
Thought I'd do a break-down of some of the schools and DVD's out there. This list is not comprehensive, more like, off the cuff what I think of the ones that pop into my head.
As far as DVD's
eat3d has the best UDK (I haven't tried their other stuff) but you can tell they put a lot of time an energy into the examples. I feel they make a high quality product.
Gnomon has the best in depth (maya and other 3d 2d stuff)
Gnomon also has the subscription service which is one of the best values in online education.
Digital Tutors always get the newest stuff out way before anyone else. Not as full in the FX categories but lots of topics and good introductions to many things.
and 3dbuzz is awesome all around. Really like those guys, and for the most part its free!
Schools:
Gnomon School, produces the best modelers because Alex teaches the best classes and pushes REALLY hard so everyone comes out a really good modeler, altho you can come out a lighter, rigger, animator too... And if you're lucky I teacher there from time to time doing FX Classes.
Full Sail, Ex'pression Center, and other crank 'em out high cost schools are not bad, but you have to work hard to take full advantage of your education. Thats another blog post, I'd recommend them to the right person, ideally someone with some collage experience.
Animation Mentor is the best animation school, pixar guys... and I know people who've gone and speak very highly of it.
fxphd is one of the best TD schools. I've seen some of their course material/tutorials and great classes really informative.
there's also Animation World Networks (awn) database of schools
If you happen to be in France, then you'd be lucky to go to Gobelins which has produced some of the best student work in the world, IMO. I donno what they're doing but they're doing it right.
Anyway let me know what I'm forgetting, this is just a quick brain dump.
As far as DVD's
eat3d has the best UDK (I haven't tried their other stuff) but you can tell they put a lot of time an energy into the examples. I feel they make a high quality product.
Gnomon has the best in depth (maya and other 3d 2d stuff)
Gnomon also has the subscription service which is one of the best values in online education.
Digital Tutors always get the newest stuff out way before anyone else. Not as full in the FX categories but lots of topics and good introductions to many things.
and 3dbuzz is awesome all around. Really like those guys, and for the most part its free!
Schools:
Gnomon School, produces the best modelers because Alex teaches the best classes and pushes REALLY hard so everyone comes out a really good modeler, altho you can come out a lighter, rigger, animator too... And if you're lucky I teacher there from time to time doing FX Classes.
Full Sail, Ex'pression Center, and other crank 'em out high cost schools are not bad, but you have to work hard to take full advantage of your education. Thats another blog post, I'd recommend them to the right person, ideally someone with some collage experience.
Animation Mentor is the best animation school, pixar guys... and I know people who've gone and speak very highly of it.
fxphd is one of the best TD schools. I've seen some of their course material/tutorials and great classes really informative.
there's also Animation World Networks (awn) database of schools
If you happen to be in France, then you'd be lucky to go to Gobelins which has produced some of the best student work in the world, IMO. I donno what they're doing but they're doing it right.
Anyway let me know what I'm forgetting, this is just a quick brain dump.
Free Gnomon Fluid FX DVD's*
Free if you live in LA and want to pick them up at DD, ro arrange to make it ubber easy for me to ship them to you. I have 2 sets of 3 DVD's Fundamentals, Particle Integration, and Pyrotechnics (that I made years ago but still hold up for the most part) I also have a RigidBody Simulations for Visual Effects from the Kolektiv from 2002, that also has some neat tricks and worth a watch, hah considering those RBD's are still there in maya! Email me if you want them. Thats sort of a trick, whats my email? Not too hard to figure out, or you can find it for sure. Find it, guess it, email me and ask for them, (or linkedin message me) I'll update this post when they're gone.
Update: Gone.
Update: Gone.
CG Jobs are Hard :`(
This article is part of a growing sentiment in the vocal disgruntled CG artists, whom I want to give a general “fuck off” to. Pardon my French. http://goo.gl/BSWvJ and http://goo.gl/ralvJ
A lot of people come into this industry, with false/unrealistic expectations. They think they are going to be making explosions and animating lead characters, and having fun, yaaay! People are going to know their names and see them in the credits! Then it turns out to be hard work and competitive. Guys work hard but not enough work smart. They work tons of hours and a lot of people don’t get compensated for it, or rather didn’t in the early days. Companies pushed them for more and they just fold like a deck of cards then get mad that they got taken advantage of. They lash out by saying how hard this industry is and how many shit jobs there are. There are no shit jobs, just shit attitudes. I loved roto, and did it better than 99% of roto guys, why? b/c I studied the frames and found key frames in action to make the least number of keys in my rotos. Matchmover, I enjoyed that too, b/c I tried to get good, matchmove what others cannot, make clean plates that are next to impossible, use my artistic skill and push myself to be even better, faster. 3d Model clean up, I figured out how to write MEL that would automate what I could, tried to make tricks to clean up geo faster, researched other applications that can re-topo... its all what you make of it. Render rangler is one of the best jobs, you learn one of the most important things, how to trouble shoot render issues. Everything needs to be rendered, and you then become an expert at it, very valuable easy to move into other positions.
Long hours? sure. We had deadlines. I work my best at everything I was asked to do. When asked to do OT w/o pay I said I’m not available to work w/o OT pay. They said but we really need to get this done! I said yeah we do...(pause) they say, “ok fine!” then I’m like, “great lets do it!” Thats an example of push-pushback that everyone in every job needs to have. Don’t get pushed around, or when you see how you are being pushed around push back or quit. If you work hard and smart constantly trying, then you have real job security. Places you worked before will want you back, b/c you bring real value to the company. They make money off your talent = real job security.
I did and still do, go home at night and continue to test and push my FX and other CG knowledge further. Its never enough, there is no end, this is not a marathon! Its running from the “nothing” (never-ending story reference). All these people who bitch about how hard it is can go cry me a river. Work your ass off, and that’s not enough, but FUCK, you’re getting paid $100,000+/- fucking be worth it!!! Don’t cry, make your life better, work smarter, think and rethink how and what you are doing with your time. Or alternatively, leave this industry b/c its not for you (btw “games” is not another industry it’s just another format).
There are too many people already who don’t know what the hell their doing. It doesn’t take long to figure out who’s good and who’s a button pusher. Know how? It’s not 2 kinds of people, talent and button pushers, its people who never stop trying and people who do*
} //End Rant
* with the exception of super talented people who never need to try, I’m looking at you Ben Neall
A lot of people come into this industry, with false/unrealistic expectations. They think they are going to be making explosions and animating lead characters, and having fun, yaaay! People are going to know their names and see them in the credits! Then it turns out to be hard work and competitive. Guys work hard but not enough work smart. They work tons of hours and a lot of people don’t get compensated for it, or rather didn’t in the early days. Companies pushed them for more and they just fold like a deck of cards then get mad that they got taken advantage of. They lash out by saying how hard this industry is and how many shit jobs there are. There are no shit jobs, just shit attitudes. I loved roto, and did it better than 99% of roto guys, why? b/c I studied the frames and found key frames in action to make the least number of keys in my rotos. Matchmover, I enjoyed that too, b/c I tried to get good, matchmove what others cannot, make clean plates that are next to impossible, use my artistic skill and push myself to be even better, faster. 3d Model clean up, I figured out how to write MEL that would automate what I could, tried to make tricks to clean up geo faster, researched other applications that can re-topo... its all what you make of it. Render rangler is one of the best jobs, you learn one of the most important things, how to trouble shoot render issues. Everything needs to be rendered, and you then become an expert at it, very valuable easy to move into other positions.
Long hours? sure. We had deadlines. I work my best at everything I was asked to do. When asked to do OT w/o pay I said I’m not available to work w/o OT pay. They said but we really need to get this done! I said yeah we do...(pause) they say, “ok fine!” then I’m like, “great lets do it!” Thats an example of push-pushback that everyone in every job needs to have. Don’t get pushed around, or when you see how you are being pushed around push back or quit. If you work hard and smart constantly trying, then you have real job security. Places you worked before will want you back, b/c you bring real value to the company. They make money off your talent = real job security.
I did and still do, go home at night and continue to test and push my FX and other CG knowledge further. Its never enough, there is no end, this is not a marathon! Its running from the “nothing” (never-ending story reference). All these people who bitch about how hard it is can go cry me a river. Work your ass off, and that’s not enough, but FUCK, you’re getting paid $100,000+/- fucking be worth it!!! Don’t cry, make your life better, work smarter, think and rethink how and what you are doing with your time. Or alternatively, leave this industry b/c its not for you (btw “games” is not another industry it’s just another format).
There are too many people already who don’t know what the hell their doing. It doesn’t take long to figure out who’s good and who’s a button pusher. Know how? It’s not 2 kinds of people, talent and button pushers, its people who never stop trying and people who do*
} //End Rant
* with the exception of super talented people who never need to try, I’m looking at you Ben Neall
Pulled the Trigger on Sandy Bridge
Upgrade time. Well time b/c my computer died, and the RMA process on a mother board is long and painful. Basically started buying new parts (geforce gtx465) to test if it was in fact the mobo that died, until I was like screw it. The Sandy Bridge, Core i7 2600k went on sale today. The K being the unlocked multiplier, but even still looks like a 20-25% gain on the core i7 920 I had/have. Not as exciting as if I'd waited until 3Q of this year but whatevs, need the new parts so got it.
If only it were that easy, get a new mobo and chip! Argh, I have 12 gigs of triple channel RAM, well guess what, triple channel isn't supported on the P67 platform, yaaaay. I guess the benefits were never shown for triple channel in real life tests.... aaanywho if you've even read this far I'm boring myself. So I got 16 gigs of DDR3 1600 dual channel RAM, and a 120gig SSD for the OS and apps. So all in all about 1.5 years later from my last computer build I spend another $1100 on my desktop. All on the hope that the power supply isn't the bad thing, oh god if it is I'll cry, then buy a new power supply.
I looked into a Dell but they are all, as expected, old PSU's and seem over priced. I do wish I had their support on my computer now but just can't bring myself to go that route. I'll probably go Mac... I keep saying that, if only for resale value, but never want to drop the actual initial money. Funny I hate spending a lot of money on that which I most.
If only it were that easy, get a new mobo and chip! Argh, I have 12 gigs of triple channel RAM, well guess what, triple channel isn't supported on the P67 platform, yaaaay. I guess the benefits were never shown for triple channel in real life tests.... aaanywho if you've even read this far I'm boring myself. So I got 16 gigs of DDR3 1600 dual channel RAM, and a 120gig SSD for the OS and apps. So all in all about 1.5 years later from my last computer build I spend another $1100 on my desktop. All on the hope that the power supply isn't the bad thing, oh god if it is I'll cry, then buy a new power supply.
I looked into a Dell but they are all, as expected, old PSU's and seem over priced. I do wish I had their support on my computer now but just can't bring myself to go that route. I'll probably go Mac... I keep saying that, if only for resale value, but never want to drop the actual initial money. Funny I hate spending a lot of money on that which I most.
CG Unionization
The topic of CG Unionization is heating up, let me say more on the topic since I feel like my views have changed recently.
A Union is as simple as we agree to group together on these issues. Could be enforcement of labor laws, and lobbying for equal laws across states, fighting subsidies inequalities where they can.
Union is not an agent who will get you more money, agents are agents. Unions are not going to keep students/jr level artist from being abused and over worked b/c they do it to themselves. They can’t effect base salaries b/c that has to be able to naturally sway on a number of factors.
Unions could organize health care, but then companies won’t be afraid of that b/c all their competitors pay equally so it’s easier to add to budgets, and not a line item to be removed.
Set up and manage 401k’s to make it easier for artist to keep theirs, this doesn’t mean the company matches contributions. This could even be cheaper for a company if the benefits are already there.
Union will be what the market wants and what will fit naturally.
The negative is the artist will start paying from their own pocket some full time staff people to use their money on union salaries and lobbying. Organizing health care ++ doesn’t come for free. I think another large part is many union members don’t want to be involved and want it to work for them w/o voting or taking part. Union maybe sound scary but it doesn’t have to be. You have a voice.
So, is this what you want? yes or no?
A Union is as simple as we agree to group together on these issues. Could be enforcement of labor laws, and lobbying for equal laws across states, fighting subsidies inequalities where they can.
Union is not an agent who will get you more money, agents are agents. Unions are not going to keep students/jr level artist from being abused and over worked b/c they do it to themselves. They can’t effect base salaries b/c that has to be able to naturally sway on a number of factors.
Unions could organize health care, but then companies won’t be afraid of that b/c all their competitors pay equally so it’s easier to add to budgets, and not a line item to be removed.
Set up and manage 401k’s to make it easier for artist to keep theirs, this doesn’t mean the company matches contributions. This could even be cheaper for a company if the benefits are already there.
Union will be what the market wants and what will fit naturally.
The negative is the artist will start paying from their own pocket some full time staff people to use their money on union salaries and lobbying. Organizing health care ++ doesn’t come for free. I think another large part is many union members don’t want to be involved and want it to work for them w/o voting or taking part. Union maybe sound scary but it doesn’t have to be. You have a voice.
So, is this what you want? yes or no?
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