Pollock tweaked
Even tho I'm posting all this its really just catching up to where I am now so I can use this blog to keep my peeps up to date, anyway as I looked at "Pollock" the main characters working title name. I saw that I tweaked it more since that picture so here's a quick update of the tweaks.
and the enemies
there are only going to be 2 types, a guard and a soldier. Both the same but one is more like the SWAT team coming to kick some ace! All only modeled today and last night actually. Just getting some rough assets made. Not looking to make the most original idea evar, just making my first game. The goal was to no make a game with too much new game play, and try to use UDK for what its best/easiest at. I'm learning unreal script but there's so much work to do I don't want to make more work for myself in that area. So a 3rd person camera game is one of the first things, the cameras and an alarm system are what I'll have to script/program. The game is kinda like... a lot like metal gear/splinter cell. But crappier and much shorter, LOL. hey its just me!
On to the Game
So this is a game developer blog of sorts, well really all things UDK that interest me not solely my game I'm developing. So I got to the point of learning rigging from scratch in UDK and realized I needed a model. First asset. Yay! Fun thing is at work I'm learning Fur techniques and Cloth, so that can come later.
Here's the low rez out of Maya characters. I want to learn zBrush and take these in there and uprez them then into topogun or something and get multiple levels of resolution out with normal maps. Thats yet to come, first lets just get these into UDK running around, right?
Here's the low rez out of Maya characters. I want to learn zBrush and take these in there and uprez them then into topogun or something and get multiple levels of resolution out with normal maps. Thats yet to come, first lets just get these into UDK running around, right?
UDK FX Tests
More getting up to speed these are the UDK FX tests I did.
http://vimeo.com/15014234
http://vimeo.com/15862026
http://vimeo.com/18816281
http://vimeo.com/19355289
and a dynamic level loading/unloading test
http://vimeo.com/22177603
not that you have to watch these just to say this is where I've been, some things to see...
http://vimeo.com/15014234
http://vimeo.com/15862026
http://vimeo.com/18816281
http://vimeo.com/19355289
and a dynamic level loading/unloading test
http://vimeo.com/22177603
not that you have to watch these just to say this is where I've been, some things to see...
Learning UDK
Last October I decided I'm going to go all in and learn UDK. My background is FX in film as seen in part on my other blog agentfx.com along with some video tutorials on various FX topics. First I wanted to get good at FX in Unreal so I could get a job working with it full time (which I have now). So I got well versed in Cascade, Lighting, Materials, Kismet, Matinee, etc sort of the back end of things (vs the front making models, rigging character animating creating assets in maya which I already know how to do).
My Process
I scoured the web looking for all the quality video tutorials I could find then bought ever DVD made (or choose the best option for duplicate topics based on instructor exp). As I learned I got to the point were I felt I need to make a game to really test my skills in every area. Initially I wanted to make it with a team but ultimately choose to start out on my own until I get the game to a point in which people can add a few bits of polish and level design type things. To get my friends up to speed and track what I have and haven't seen tutorial wise I made a google doc where I tried to make a fast track to learning UDK, from what's the best on the web to what DVD's are well worth the money. I'll keep updating it, so post links and I'll check them to see if they are worth adding to the list. The point isn't to have all the tutorials but the fewest possible to learn the tools. Its a little rough looking in the "publish to web" formatting but whatevs its the best method for keeping up on it.
My Process
I scoured the web looking for all the quality video tutorials I could find then bought ever DVD made (or choose the best option for duplicate topics based on instructor exp). As I learned I got to the point were I felt I need to make a game to really test my skills in every area. Initially I wanted to make it with a team but ultimately choose to start out on my own until I get the game to a point in which people can add a few bits of polish and level design type things. To get my friends up to speed and track what I have and haven't seen tutorial wise I made a google doc where I tried to make a fast track to learning UDK, from what's the best on the web to what DVD's are well worth the money. I'll keep updating it, so post links and I'll check them to see if they are worth adding to the list. The point isn't to have all the tutorials but the fewest possible to learn the tools. Its a little rough looking in the "publish to web" formatting but whatevs its the best method for keeping up on it.
Review: Eat3D's UnrealScript
As with all recommendations a lot depends on what you want to do and what you already know. My programming experience roughly is advanced MEL, some Python, Java, JavaScript, and familiar with C/C++ syntax. I've already gone through a lot of Allars Awesome Blog, all of wildicv's and The Guild Hall's youtube tutorials. Still, I wanted to get Eat3D's UnrealScript - An Introduction and Application to help fill in gaps and felt it was worth a check out being from Eat3D.
If you're like me, with some programming background, then I'd say its still worth it despite being an introduction. Just realize you're mostly paying for the second half. I'm really happy with the skill level and quality of instruction. I still recommend it, b/c he has production knowledge and good examples. Its nice to have them b/c I'm sure I'll re-reference the second half again and again.
I give this DVD a 3.75 stars out of 5 (4.25 if you have less experience). Great, full of useful information, He doesn't explain a few delete & adds in the weapon example, but does a great job explaining most other things. I'd highly recommend this in combination with the other two tutorial links above. Each one has its strengths and together fill in each others gaps to make a nice big picture.
If you're like me, with some programming background, then I'd say its still worth it despite being an introduction. Just realize you're mostly paying for the second half. I'm really happy with the skill level and quality of instruction. I still recommend it, b/c he has production knowledge and good examples. Its nice to have them b/c I'm sure I'll re-reference the second half again and again.
I give this DVD a 3.75 stars out of 5 (4.25 if you have less experience). Great, full of useful information, He doesn't explain a few delete & adds in the weapon example, but does a great job explaining most other things. I'd highly recommend this in combination with the other two tutorial links above. Each one has its strengths and together fill in each others gaps to make a nice big picture.
Fluid simulations are hard
I would think this post might be sarcastic like CG is hard :'( but no. This post is to explain why fundamentally fluid simulations are hard to control.
Real World Example: I give you a bucket of water and a variable speed fan. For a 3 second shot I need you to get the water swirling at just the right speed, not too fast not too slow. You have 1 second of "run up" time. Go. You take the fan, turn it to a setting try it the water splashes all over you and the floor. Nope too fast. Slower, water splashes all over you again. You feel like an idiot. Slower, The water splashes all over you again. Now you're mad, REAAADLLLY SLOW!!! the water doesn't move. ok little faster, water doesn't move. Ok little faster, water moves right for 1 of the 3 seconds. turn it on and off. 2 of the 3 seconds.... Ok that was a 40x40x40 now you get the titanic sized engine, and a small lake. Turn on the engines! 3 seconds! This should be easier b/c remember all your experience from the bucket? Huh, that's not really helping now is it? no. Not really. In fact its so different the titanic sized engine isn't really the best thing for this. Maybe you should find another way, 1000 motorboat engines! Its expensive but its fast to turn on and off! 2 weeks of trying and it doesn't move much water even tho there are so many. Well that was an expensive test. how much does it cost to bring the titanic engine back in here?
Here's the kicker. That's just 1 setting, magnitude. there are hundreds of settings. Think you are tweaking the right one?
Morpheus, "and that's air you're breathing? huh... AGAIN."
Real World Example: I give you a bucket of water and a variable speed fan. For a 3 second shot I need you to get the water swirling at just the right speed, not too fast not too slow. You have 1 second of "run up" time. Go. You take the fan, turn it to a setting try it the water splashes all over you and the floor. Nope too fast. Slower, water splashes all over you again. You feel like an idiot. Slower, The water splashes all over you again. Now you're mad, REAAADLLLY SLOW!!! the water doesn't move. ok little faster, water doesn't move. Ok little faster, water moves right for 1 of the 3 seconds. turn it on and off. 2 of the 3 seconds.... Ok that was a 40x40x40 now you get the titanic sized engine, and a small lake. Turn on the engines! 3 seconds! This should be easier b/c remember all your experience from the bucket? Huh, that's not really helping now is it? no. Not really. In fact its so different the titanic sized engine isn't really the best thing for this. Maybe you should find another way, 1000 motorboat engines! Its expensive but its fast to turn on and off! 2 weeks of trying and it doesn't move much water even tho there are so many. Well that was an expensive test. how much does it cost to bring the titanic engine back in here?
Here's the kicker. That's just 1 setting, magnitude. there are hundreds of settings. Think you are tweaking the right one?
Morpheus, "and that's air you're breathing? huh... AGAIN."
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