Particle Attachment with Animation

I recently tried to use particle systems inside of maya and, trying to transfer it over to unity to see if it was possible to keep the animation. I tried swapping out the particles inside maya for sphere shapes and then baking the animation. But that didn't give me any results. As a back-up plan i will try to do all my particle effects inside unity. I've been playing around with particle effects inside of maya and got some interesting results, as you'll see in the youtube video. I planned to make glowing line effects on the sword itself. I will consider using lights and animate them moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hptHyBAAwQ

Project 2 Proposal: Bringing life to the sword

Description:

For this part, I decided I will be advancing further with my previous project. I want to see if i can bring in textures that have dynamic elements to it like glows. Also use different dynamics like fluids and particle systems. I would like to see if this is possible to have this done in either maya/ 3d max and then bring it all over into unity. Just from what i researched so far, it doesn't seem possible to import full dynamics from maya to unity. The only way you can do so, is by baking the dynamics into an animation and then sending it out. Since there isn't much on the subject, it would be really interesting to find out if it's possible.

Objectives:

• Create a simple particle/dynamic system test send it to unity
• Create a glow texture on a simple cube model send it to unity
• Further development of the Living Sword

Expected Results:

• Knowledge on the best way to use particle systems in different programs
• Understanding different textures that have different elements
• Have another piece of the living sword done that has some kind of animated texture or environment to it.

Weekly Scheduler:

• Week 1: Dynamic Glow test
• Week 2: Particle Smoke test
• Week 3: Importing into Unity test
• Week 4: Final Sword test with effects applied to it
• Week 5: Extra Time Trouble Shooting/ Adding more textures/ etc.

References:

• http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/511979/surround-an-object-with-a-particle-effect.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfuyVYLhlxk
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmDHo9ToNIA
• http://lesterbanks.com/2011/02/getting-a-tron-glow-in-maya-using-mia_light_surface/

Research Steps:

• How to make glowing animated texture
• How to a looping smoke animation
• How to make a looping liquid animation inside a container

Resources:

• Unity
• Maya
• Mudbox
• 3ds Max

R&D Tests:

• Baked liquid dynamics import/ export
• Glowing texture import/ export
• Baked smoke particles import/ export

Pipeline Test #1:

1. Create simple model cube
2. Create a glowing texture on the cube
3. Make the glowing texture pulse or do some kind of looping animation
4. Bring it over to unity and see if it carries over the texture with the animation look

Final Pipeline:

1. Create dynamics in maya (by baking animation) or unity by using there built in dynamics
2. Create particle smoke in maya or unity
3. Apply dynamics/particles it to sword model
4. Bake animation if needed
5. Export by .fbx into unity
6. Test in game scene

Project A: Final Paper

            The development of a video game model/ character was always interesting to me. Finding the work order needed to create something from nothing and bringing it into a game with all of its details. Having to go through 2 to 3 programs can be difficult because they don’t all interrupt the modeling work the same way. 

            I took this task as my first research project. Looking into the different stages required to get an ingame modeled object. Starting with a simple concept art and building upon it in maya. Then further development of the model in mudbox by adding textures and color to it. I couldn’t just go through the pipeline from the start I had to do different tests to see if it was even possible to bring something through to the end.

            So my main idea was to create a living sword that had different aspects of it that would move and bring it life. I did some research on how I wanted to design the sword. I decided to go with a futuristic cyber punk look to it. The reason I did, is because it allowed me to bring my project further if I need too. I would be able to add liquids and light elements that would help push the design further. And I was fascinated by the cyber punk look of things. This research got me a set of images, I wanted to reproduce in my textures. The neon’s with metal bolts look. Once I got my look research done, I did some research on how to model in maya again, because it’s been a while since I used the program. Also did some research on mudbox and how to keep my model from losing its sharp edges, keep the sharp look of a sword. Then I had to understand the way unit work. I did some basic research on how to setup a simple first person controller on a terrain with some lighting.

My first test I decided to start with a simple shape, and see if I was able to pass it through all my programs and make it to the end of the pipeline. I decide to use a simple cube. I started by creating it in maya and then importing it into mudbox. Where I textured it and painted on it. From there I got it into unity using .fbx, and turned out to be the easiest way to carry over files from different programs. That test showed me it was possible to get to the end of the pipeline without many problems.

            I knew I was able to get to the other side of the pipeline, so I decided to work on my concept sword. There was no problems during the modeling portion. Once I got to transfer the entire model into mudbox, I found that many of my edges were stacking on top of each other. It was because I modeled each piece of the sword separately, I knew I would have problems because it wasn’t one big model. I didn’t have much time to texture the entire thing,e a simple cube. I started bythbringing models over to other programs, i n ven useful because i  inclusion of animated textures so I just used the top of the sword. I had a problem with my UVs at this point, I thought I was able to use the mudbox UVs for pretty much anything. But the mudbox UVs are only good for quick modeling jobs and exporting out as .fbx with a high poly count. I wanted to make normal maps for the top of my sword so it wouldn’t have a high poly count. But I wasn’t able to do so with the mudbox UVs. I tried using ptex, but that didn’t help change my UVs. I remade my UVs in maya and tried to import them on my model, but it messed up my paint layers because of the old UVs. I didn’t have time to repaint the model so I exported out as an .fbx and used maya’s reduce poly tool to lower the poly count a good bit. Once I got past that problem the importing the model into unity as .fbx was no problem and lastly I created a simple game scene.

            From this I found out that making your UVs before bringing it into mudbox is the best way to keep your model from keeping a high poly count. It also allows you to extract your maps from your mudbox model a lot easier. I didn’t have much time to see if it was possible to bring a model into unity with normal maps. Also the inclusion of animated textures and liquids were not possible because of the lack of time. Overall I was happy I was able to build something from an idea and bring it into the game scene. I feel this research has proven useful because I plan to enter the video game industry. I already know what to avoid when bringing models over from other programs, and it will save me a lot of time.

Download Links:

Web Player Files

PDF Final Paper

Bibliography:

-          Modeling Wire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4SqKzrQn8

-          Creating Basic Unity Game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86_W7yIZEIM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tifwNtCXek

-          New Features of Mudbox:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVbyLyD_ts

-          Normal Maps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz-hjR3R-LQ

Texturing and Painting

I took my time to working on the top piece only of the sword. Or else i would of took me another 3 weeks to get everything textured and painted. Took me a while to get sharp edges in mudbox, when it came to sculpting. I learned of the "Mask" tool and how to use it. It came really handy in getting the sharp edges i wanted and not start pilling layers in other areas. Also took me a while to decide on the colors i would use. I got some textures from the internet to get the bolted metal look. I did some research on unity and how to create a basic game. I will make a simple plane in unity with the modeled sword in the middle with a spot light, and a first person character controller so you can walk around the sword and see it from all sides.

Turntable of Model:

Modeling Living Sword

For this week i took the time to get all the basic shapes in place for my sword. I did most of the modeling in maya. Then i plan to texture and color a piece of the sword for next week. But for this week i just took the time to get my basic shapes in and make sure i can transfer it over to mudbox. I didn't encounter any problems while modeling. It just took me a while to remember how to do specific things like using the EV tool.

I'll also be looking into how to create some type of in game turntable inside of unity. Hoping to be able to use it inside a web browser and just have close ups of the modeled sword.

Cube Tests

Test#1 - Maya - Mudbox - Unity with Ptex

The first one, i decided to use ptex. I had problems with ptex when exporting it out back into maya. I wasn't able to get all the textures and paint layers back onto my cube model in maya. I followed a video tutorial and i wasn't able to get the same results. So i decided to try and export the model from mudbox as an .fbx just to see if i can bring it in unity. I did manage to get the model into unity without any textures or color on it. So i know i can import .fbx models to unity with no problem.

Maya Model

Mudbox Textures and Paint

 Import into Unity

Test#2 - Maya - Mudbox - Maya - Unity with UVs

For my second test i decided to look back into UVs and researched how to do UVs. Because it's been a while since i used them. It turns out using UVs for textures is a lot easier to manage and carry over between programs. I found out i could just drag and drop my texture image into my assets folder for unity, and then just drag and drop it onto my model to apply it. I still used .fbx to get my model into unity. Other then that it was a lot easier to go through this pipeline for this test.

Maya Model

Mudbox Sculpt and Paint

Back to Maya with Textures

Into Unity with Textures

 In game Viewer in Unity

Living Weapon

Proposal: Living Weapon

Description:

The goal is to use texture based animations bring this living weapon to life. Having pieces of the sword move and breath by themselves. Having liquids inside of tubes past through the sword and around it. Also create electric glows flow through and around the blade. Using these animations to give an intimate object personality and movement. I also want to learn the pipeline of importing a model from Maya to Mudbox to Unity. And then using the model in a future game environment.

Objectives:

•           Concept art
•           Model simple cube
•           Research how to import and export models from Maya -> Mudbox -> Unity
•           Import cube to Mudbox add detail
•           Import cube to Unity
•           Modeling of the weapon
•           Further development of the model in Mudbox
•           Import the weapon into unity
•           R&D animated texture and apply it to the weapon model (If I still have leftover time)

Expected Results:

•           Have new knowledge of modeling for games
•           Understanding the pipeline
•           A final product of modeled sword that can be interacted with, within Unity

Concept Art:

References:

•           http://vimeo.com/38122472
•           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP6Nj3oyS2

Research Steps:

•           How to import models from maya to unity
•           How to apply imported texture maps from mudbox
•           How to use object in unity to create some kind of interactive object display game

Resource needs:

•           Unity
•           Maya
•           Mudbox

R&D tests:

•          Texture test between Maya and Mudbox
•           Texture test between Maya and Unity
•           Import test with basic cube between all software’s
•           Import test with textures for final weapon model

Pipeline Test:

• Model cube in Maya

• Import model to Mudbox

• Add texture and color to model

• Create Ptex/ Displacement map

• Import back to Maya for render test

• Import model into Unity and see if all textures/colors work