Week 4:

Week 4 saw the beginning of production of the Enemy character model. Hannah provided a coloured image and ‘T-pose’ sketches of the character design for me to use as reference for creating the model:

Model production in Maya was greatly eased by the use of the “image plane” feature a colleague showed me, which allows a flat image to be inserted into the workspace. I was then able to insert a sphere into the workspace and manipulate the vertices of the model to line them up with the model and sculpt the model out of the sphere, which was added to using the extrusion feature to sculpt the limbs and extremities of the model.

As the design was (except the radio antenna) a symmetrical model, I decided to create one-half of the model, and then use the ‘mirror’ feature in Maya to clone the other half and merge the two together.

Testing the finished mesh in the Torque engine.

As production of the model continued, I also began considerations concerning the character animations for the project, focusing on matters of how the body moves in real life when walking, running or jumping etc. This was then compiled into a word file and posted up on the site for the team to refer to as needed. Our course has seen us undertake many animation-based modules (namely one in the first year), and use of Maya in previous work meant the team had a solid understanding of animation within Maya.