Animation: Galaxy Dome and Models

          The challenging part of the assignment is the animation. For some reason, I can't retrieve the links of the video where I learned from that guy regarding Milky way images. He said about using a Milky way images because it gives better output on your animation. He even showed some techniques of making a stars like the easiest one is using Noise.

          Before anything else, I imported my first model on my animation workspace. I encountered an error upon doing this. There was a message prompt stating to locate the folder name or the files of the texture that I used. When I imported it, it was barenaked as shown in figure 1. So I locate the folder name from the windows prompted when I encountered an error. After that, bare in mind that the folder should be in the first of the list, it means that it will be the first one the the 3D max will see.

Figure 1. The model doesn't have any texture

          After retrieving the file, I added the texture back to my models as shown in Figure 2. Take note that you should just click the Show icon and not the add to shape from the material editor because it is just hidden.

Figure 2. Adding the texture to the model

          I started my animation by setting the time configuration which is 24fps. It does mean that every 24 frames it will be 1 second. The next thing I did was to build my surroundings. I used the technique of the sky dome. When I added the image, I was so happy because using a Milky way images is indeed look nice. The Milky way image has a bright part in the middle. I added two free lights on it as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Added two free lights with galaxy dome

 
          It doesn't look that bright so I added more lights on it to enhance the middle part of the Milky way image as shown in Figure 4. In addition to that, I added earth on the scene.

Figure 4. Added more lights and earth

          The real animation begins, the setting of keys.  I wanted the spaceship to fly from the left side near the camera to the right then rotate to the left while it fly away from the camera. At first I thought of using the path, but I felt like it will be harder. So I decided to just set the key and do the rotation manually until I got what I needed scene (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Spaceship turns

          I found something that will help me with my animation which is the Trajectory (UM3DLab, 2011). It looks like a path because you can see how your model goes. I use this technique to see how hard my model rotates because I wanted to get a good rotation effect for my model.

Figure 6. Tajectory

          I find it to dark for my spacetank model so I added a target light on it. I also want to highlight that model to show that there's something from far.

Figure 7. Added target light for my spacetank model

References:

Talent, David. Wide angle view of our own Galaxy. [online] Available at: <http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0301.html> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ].  

bbbeto, 2011. Planet Texture 3. [online] Available at: <http://bbbeto.deviantart.com/art/Planet-Texture-3-201242847> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ].  

UM3DLab, 2011. [MAX] 06 - Animation 101 - Keyframes and Time Configuration. [video online] Available at: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfVsPWp4Fyg&feature=related> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ].  

Model 3: Texturising Spacetank

           On this model, I used both techniques from my previous texturising. First, I test some images that will not look distorted (Figure 1) on a particular polygon if I just put it right away. Though other part are okay, others still look distorted so I decided to use the unwrap uvw.

Figure 1. Distorted images on some polygons

           I did some tricks on this part (Figure 2), I just selected the upper polygons because the side of it will blend with the design that I want.

Figure 2. Chose the upper polygons

          Because I was a bit afraid that the small details will become big if I put it on the model, I decided to just do some magic. The magic that I'm talking about is that, copying the images and just manipulate it to cover up everything. As you can see in Figure 3, I carefully attached very images so that it will look goo and doesn't look like a collage.

Figure 3. Manipulate image in Adobe photoshop

          Moreover, some of the texture I made didn't work well on the model like in Figure 4. Did you noticed it? The line of the texture is against the horizontal line of the design model. So I went back to photoshop again and fixed it by just rotating until it looks okay.

Figure 4. Not aligned properly

          I will be using the rockets on my animation, I decided to group the rockets (Figure 5) so that I can use it properly, not cluttered the time I'll import it to my spacetank to my animation.

Figure 5. Grouping the rockets

           So here is my final texture for my spacetank (Figure 6).

Figure 7. Final texture

       
          If you noticed again something, I didn't add textures on some parts of the model. Why? Because the more I added a texture, the more it looks bad. Maybe because I can't find a better images to blend with the images that I already added.


References:
AaronDesign, 2009. Scratched Steel Texture. [online] Available at: <http://aarondesign.deviantart.com/art/Scratched-Steel-Texture-137545405?q=boost%3Apopular%20steel%20texture&qo=1> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ].

Limited-Vision-Stock, 2011. Metal Texture 3. [online] Available at: <http://limited-vision-stock.deviantart.com/art/Metal-Texture-03-214730347> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ].

enframed, 2005. ulv Metal Plate Texture. [online] Available at: <http://enframed.deviantart.com/art/ulv-Metal-plate-texture-19698128> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ]. 

webtreats, 2009. Webtreats 8 Free Fabulous Seamless Metal Textures 5-1024px. [online] Available at: <http://www.flickr.com/photos/webtreatsetc/4682148161/in/photostream/> [Accessed 3 December 2012 ]. 

Model 2: Texturising Spaceship 2

          I used unwrap uvw on this part so that I could be able to practice that 3d max feature. First, I
selected a particular face or polygon where I want the texture to be put as shown in Figure 1. However, it should be planned properly because sometimes, it doesn't look flat enough to add texture on it. What I mean is that, some parts are too small or complicated.

Figure 1. Unwrap UVW

          After properly selecting all the  faces from the model, I carefully arrange it to fit on the box (Figure 2). I had problems on this because I put it outside the box and then when I saved it, some of the parts are gone.

Figure 2. Unwrap UVW template

         
          The easiest way I tried in texturising my model is by deleting the polygons as shown in Figure 3. As you have noticed, I deleted the polygons and add the images under it and delete the unwanted texture. Isn't it much easier? You can change right away if it doesn't look good on your model.

Figure 3. Delete the pattern and add the texture underneath

          When I finally added it to my model, it looks really weird (Figure 4). I think the image is small or because I used a 750 template which denotes a lower resolution. Anyway, I realise that I shouldn't have change it at the first place because it was like 1000+ but I changed it. So I changed it until I get a good looking texture.

Figure 4. Weird outcome

          The next thing I did is the bottom part of the spaceship. I have this imagination of it will look like it will open with lights like a pizza style as what I've seen on some of the movies I watched. Figure 5 shows the failed attempt I made. It was really ugly! So I manipulate it on Adobe photoshop, add some layer style like outer glow and the outcome is much better as shown in Figure 6. And I was able to somehow bring my imagination alive.

Figure 5. Failed attemp

Figure 6. Adding layer style

          Figure 7 and Figure 8 shows my final texture for my spaceship 2.

Figure 7. Back view

Figure 8. Front view

          Some of the textures used here can also be seen in my Model 1: Texturising Spaceship.