Asset list
Video portfolio storyboard
3D Portfolios research
Good points
The models were all high poly so they had a lot of details, the video also showed the wire mesh. there was a wide variety of models so everything looked different.
Bad points
The wire mesh didn’t stay on the model for long enough, there were too many camera effects, the camera would zoom around the whole model and into detail which made it harder to see the whole model. Sometimes the backgrounds were more interesting than the actual 3D model.
Good Points
Most of the models went with a similar theme so the video mostly fit well together, the models had animations so the model could be seen in different ways.
Bad Points
There is a model that doesn’t fit with the theme of the portfolio and looks out of place so it is remembered easier than any model that fit with the theme. The models only had the textures removed but the wire frame wasn’t made visible. There was lots of unnecessary camera movements which took away from the overall effect of the video.
Evaluation
Project proposal
In the project proposal is about what we were expecting to achieve during the project and the problems we might face during it. The 3D problem was to create 3D models based on our concept, The time based problem was the video show reel and the blog, the gannt chart helped us plan this. My final outcome resembles the vision laid out by the project proposal. The project proposal could be improved by allowing time for more research.
Research and idea generation
I developed my ideas by researching the continent and choosing out of the limited number of objects which I wanted to create. I think I could’ve done more research but it was difficult because the continent we were given doesn’t have many objects that could be made into 3D models. I also used other peoples show reels to give me ideas on what is good or bad.
Video show reel
In my video I made sure not to have any distracting backgrounds like some other 3D portfolios I researched. The font I used was easy to read and it was white so it was clear to read on the black backgrounds. My storyboard was simple which made it easy to follow during the making of the video.
3D Models
I am mostly happy with my 3D models, I think the shack turned out the best but the Koala could’ve been better. I like the wood textures on the shack because it makes it look more realistic. I dislike the way the Koalas body seems to stretch across the joints. I used Maya to make the 3D models and I feel that most of the models stuck to the theme but the shack didn’t. This could easily be fixed by adding cell shading to the model.
Development blog
The research into existing development blogs was successful because it showed me what a good blog looks like and what to avoid to make sure I don’t make a bad one.
The 3D project could’ve been better but that was because of the limited number of creatable props in the continent but the most of the props I could make turned out well. I feel that the gannt chart gave use enough time to create all the props we needed to.
The time based problem was planned well and I had enough time to make the video show reel.
The overall project was planned well but I feel there wasn’t enough time to complete everything to a high quality and some parts had to be rushed.
Evaluation
The 3D and Time Based Problem
In our Assignment we were tasked to create 3D models of our concept art from the last project. For our time based problem we had to showcase our models in a video show reel which we used Adobe Premier to create and continue to post our work to the blog.
Project Proposal
The first thing I did in my project was write a project proposal showing the requirements and parameters of the 3D and time based problem. I think that my project was good and I outlined all of the requirements and parameters of the project accurately. I felt that my time based problem had very few parameters and requirements and found it difficult to think of ones that I had not already previously written for the 3D or 2D problems. I think that my project proposal did not clearly outline my goals for the project and therefore I found it hard to follow. I could have improved my project proposal by making my aims more clearly and also making it seem more professional. Next time I have to write a project proposal I will research briefs and proposals more and find out how to make my own look better and help me more.
Research & Ideas Generation
I did research into video show reels to find out what made them good and what makes them bad. I looked at multiple show reels that I found on YouTube and then chose two to right about, one good and one bad. I found this helpful when creating my video show reel as it showed me what features of a show reel I should use. It also helped me see what a good show reel looks like so that I had an idea on what I’m aiming for. I made a storyboard to help me generate ideas for my video and help me figure out how I would lay out my video. I could improve my storyboard by making it longer and more in depth. I wrote short notes for each scene so that I would know what to do when it came to make it but I think these would have been more helpful with further explanation.
Project Management
For my project management I made a Gantt chart, an Asset list and a Checklist. My Gantt chart showed which parts of the project I would be doing and when. My gannt chart didn’t help me as I didn’t ever look back at it once I made I found my checklist to be a lot more helpful. My asset list showed what models I would be making and certain information about the models such as estimated poly counts and the save location for them. I found this useful for when I had to choose which models I had to make but after that I didn’t use it again. I think that I should have included more information making the asset list more useful. I made my own checklist but I never used t because I found myself using the assignment checklist we were handed out instead as it was clearer and easier to access. Too improve my project management I would need to spend more time on it to make it more helpful and useful.
3D Models
I created two 3D models that are fully textured and I’m happy with them, I think they are made to a high standard and look good. However I originally planned to make three models but I didn’t manage my time well enough and did not have time to complete my final model. It also would have been very challenging to create and I think that I’m not good enough at Maya yet to make it to a good standard. I think that the elements of my models I’m most proud with are the textures. I thought that the textures would turn out bad as I had a lot of trouble getting the UVs right but they turned out exactly how I wanted and I think they look really good. I used Maya to create my models because we had been practising previously in Maya and it was the program I felt most comfortably with and I was the best with. I also used Photoshop to make the texture maps because I had used it before and knew how to use it. I think my models stuck to the theme well. My theme was Australasia and they had to be in a cartoon style. I think I stuck the Australasia theme well as both my models were obviously from Australasia. I had more of a problem trying to make my models have a carton style as I didn’t really know how to do it. To improve I could have research into styling models more and found out how to make them represent a certain style.
Video Show Reel
To help me create my video reel I practised using Adobe Premier by making a practising video using sample music and video footage from windows. I practised making title scene, using transitions, fitting music in and adding media in to my video. This helped me hugely when I came to making my video as before the practice I had no idea how to use premier but after I felt quite confident with premier. My storyboarding and research were also very helpful. The storyboard helped me have an idea before I started so I had some sort of guidelines for my videos and the research helped me find out good and bad features of I video so I knew what to aim for and what to avoid. I think my video show reel was good, I found it easy to make and it showed of my models well. However it was short which is because I only made two models and I would like to have made another but I didn’t manage my time well. It also did not contain any music as I couldn’t find any that I felt fitted well to the video. I thought it was better to have no music than music that didn’t go well.
Development Blog
I conducted research into other development blogs to see what made them successful I looked at a blog by the creator of Gunpoint and looked at what made it good. I found this helpful when I came to making my blog as it gave me guidelines to go by because I knew what a good blog was like. I also found certain features of development blogs which made them more professional and look better and more appealing to the reader. I didn’t do any planning for my blog as I feel that it did not need any. My final blog shows all my work for the 2D and 3D problems so I feel that it went well however as I went through my blog I found that I started to write less and started to find it hard to think of stuff to write when uploading to the blog.
Conclusion
Overall I’m very happy with my project. I think my models went very well and I’m quite proud of them however I would have liked to make an extra model but I didn’t have enough time to do my other model. I’m also happy with how my video turned out but once again I would like to be longer which would have been solved by having another model.
Evaulation
Evaluation
Project Proposal
What was the 3D & time-based problem?
The first Problem was the 3D problem that we had to fulfil in our Project Brief by creating 3D props for a fighting game that was set in a continent that were given to us which was Australasia. Whilst using different forms of research like the internet and books I came up with three different pieces of props to create. Our Second problem was the time based problem that had keeping track of our progress through a blog on word press which we updated as we created more work.
What were the goals you laid out in your project proposal?
The first goal that I set myself was to be able to gain a better understanding of Maya and the interface so that I will be able to create 3D props good enough so that I would be able to put them in my video and I believe that I have because I have made three good props that in my opinion are good enough for the video, the way I achieved this was by simply messing around on Maya and also help from the tutors.
The Second goal was to make sure that I was constantly updating my blog at all times to ensure that all of my work was up there and up to standards as well. I personally think that my ability to continually update my blog was good as all of my work is up there and to a good standard.
Did the final outcome resemble the vision outlined in your project proposal?
In my project proposal I didn’t really talk about how I wanted my video to look as much but I was constantly thinking about how I wanted it to look and shaping my decisions around that.
How could you have improved your project proposal?
One way I could have improved it would have been by talking more about how I wanted the outcome to look so I could have referenced back to it but apart from that I don’t think the project brief needs that much improvement because I have talked in depth about the problems, research and solution.
What could you have done to better achieve the goals laid out in your project proposal?
Again I think that I’ve achieved my goals effectively without any problems because the first goal was to gain a better understanding of Maya and I think that I’ve done that and my props are evidence of that because I used tools that I didn’t know before this project like the Extrude tool and the append polygon tool as well as others, I also learnt how to UV and texture as well.
The second goal was to keep track of my work by using a blog on word press which I have so I don’t think that any improvements are necessary.
Research & Ideas Generation
How did you develop your ideas?
The way I came up with ideas was down to the concept art that we did in the previous project because I based my props of the concept art.
How/Why did your project change throughout the project?
Nothing really changed throughout the project because I made my project plan clear and achievable and I just followed it as I went along there were some small hitches but that was down technical issues that was soon resolved and didn’t really affect the project
How much reference material/research did you find?
For the ideas of the props I didn’t really research anything for them because we already had the ideas there for us because of our concept art but for the video as a class and individually we looked at other peoples show reels on YouTube and discussing the good and the bad aspects of them so when it came to making my video I would know what to do and not what to do.
Do you think you could have done more/less? Why?
I would have like to have spent more time on texturing my props and adding greater detail to them because some of the props aren’t properly textured and look bit odd in the video.
What particular research inspired you? Why?
No particular pieces of work really inspired me because the research part of this project wasn’t that big if I had to say what the main research was I would say that the concept art was a really help to design the props in Maya or even looking at the videos on YouTube were a big help to come up with ideas for our videos.
Project Management
How effective was your Project Management (Gantt charts, asset list, check lists, proposal, etc.)
I found that my project management was quite effective as I have completed all of my tasks whilst referring to the asset list and check list but I haven’t really looked at my Gantt chat because I don’t find it that much help I prefer getting on with the tasks at the time instead of allocated different tasks at different times.
How could you have improved your project management?
I can’t really think of anything to improve on because I feel like my project management was up to standard and the thing that I’ve made for my project Management helped greatly apart from the Gantt chart.
What made you decide on which materials, tools, and techniques to use for the project?
I didn’t really have a wide choice of tools and materials because we need to make 3D models in Maya so we dint have any choice there the only place that I could think of that we were able to choose was the software for creating a video, we had the choice between using Adobe Premier and Adobe After Effects the reason why I chose Premier was because we were already taught how to use it and at the time felt most comfortable with it.
Are there any aspects of the project that you wish you had explored further? Why?
No not really I felt like I spent a good time exploring all of the aspects within the project in depth.
Is there anything you would change about the project? Why?
I don’t feel like anything needed changing in the project I feel like having a blog instead of having to put everything on a PowerPoint was a good change but apart from that I wouldn’t change anything.
3D Models
Are you happy with your final 3D models? Why/Why not?
I am very happy with my 3D model because to say that I have never used this software before I feel like I have created some really good pieces of work. There are some areas in which I would have like to have improved on in my model like that some of my textures aren’t edited properly and I would have liked to added finishing touches to them up to make them look more professional in my video but these are only small things.
What elements of your models do you like/dislike in particular?
The main element of my props that I liked most was that fact that I was able to recreate a 2D image into a 3D model I found that very satisfying I also like how realistic some of my props looked as well, thing the that didn’t like on my 3D models was the texture on one of my props that wasn’t edited properly and I would have like to changed that.
What materials, tools and techniques did you use and were they successful or unsuccessful?
The software that I used to make my 3D props was Maya I found that this was good software to use because it was easier enough to use and get a hold of but at the same time advance enough to create good pieces of 3D models. I used Adobe Premier to create the show reel and like Maya I found it easy to use mainly the interface what made it easy to find things and edit my video.
I wouldn’t say that there were any issues with the materials that I used.
Do you feel you successfully stuck to the theme?
Overall myself and the group feel like we stuck to theme successfully when it came to our continent which was Australasia but the art style however I felt like it was hard to make our props look cartoony apart from the texture that I used but the models themselves I felt didn’t really resemble a cartoony style.
Video Show Reel
Was the research into existing video show reels successful? Did it help your project?
I found that the examination of other peoples video show reels helped me massively because it show me what they would look like and what thinks I show put in it to make it look good like the development of the model from wireframe to it becoming fully textured and what not to put in like over the top transition that will distract the viewers.
How effective was your story boarding?
I found that my storyboard didn’t really provide that much helped because I already had the idea for my video before I did the storyboard the only thing that I did do was make sure that I wouldn’t steer of track and forget my ideas when it came to making the video.
How successful was your final video show reel?
I think that final video was really successfully because I managed to put in all of my props and display them professionally by showing them from the wireframe to them being fully textured I also managed to put in my concept art as well as some music, intro and outro so overall I think that my video was a success. The only thing I would have like to have change would be the intro and out animation to make them look more professional but that is manly for the aesthetics more that the quality of stuff I have in my video.
Development Blog
Was the research into existing development blogs successful? Did it help your project?
I didn’t find looking at other blogs that much help because I already knew what would make a good blog like having relevant updates on the blog that didn’t go on too much and also images and videos which help break it down and easier for the viewers I did make it clearer on what they should look like but apart from that they weren’t that helpful.
Did you conduct any planning for your development blog?
The only planning that we did was to look at other people’s blogs and analyse them and come up with what makes a good blog and things that doesn’t make a good blog like the things above.
How successful is your final development blog?
Overall I think that our team’s development blog was really successful because we all uploaded all of our work with the right amount of detail and placed them in the right categories as well I think we have nearly 100 posts on our blog which shows how much we did.
Offer a summary of the 3D project
Overall I feel like the whole of the 3D project went really well for me I managed to create 3 props that matched the theme that we was doing and also texture them as well creating the props went relatively smoothly with hardly any problems and also all completed within the time that was given to us.
Offer a summary of the Time-based project
The Time Based project also went smoothly; I have uploaded all of my work to the blog and to the correct standard. I found that using the blog to upload all of our work felt better than having to upload it to a PowerPoint document as it felt more professional overall I feel like I’ve achieved and completed the time based problem.
Give a final conclusion of the overall project
In conclusion I feel like I have completed this project to the best of my ability, I have upload everything to my blog created the right amount of 3D props and textured them and created a good video show reel I feel like apart from some small areas that there is nothing I can improve on.
The Video Showreel
Here is my Actual Video That I made in Adobe Premiere
Show Reel Practice
Here is a Practice video I made
Independent Evaluation
Independent Evaluation
Project Proposal
My 3D problem was to individually create at least 2 3D props in Maya for a scene in a fighting game by using your concept art as reference. I successfully met this criteria and created 2 fully textured 3D models.
My time-based problem was to continuously post to my development blog and update it with proof of my work. I have also met this criteria and posted all of my relevant work within their required categories.
I accurately discussed both my 3D and time-based problem in my proposal even though I did not write much for each one.
My final outcome resembled the vision that was outlined in my project proposal as my props were made and fully textured.
My goals were to research existing models on the internet and to practice making them in Maya. I have already done this in the first part of the project when I made a barrel, a table and a weapon using images from Google as reference.
The writing in my project proposal lacked depth and so it did not help me when I referred to it whilst doing the tasks that were at hand. The next time I write a proposal I will do more research into the requirements and goals.
Research & Ideas Generation
I decided to research existing showreels on Youtube and write a full analysis for three videos. I wrote what was both good and bad about them as well as explaining what aspects I would include in my own showreel and why. There were lots of videos to choose from and I chose both good and bad examples so that I had something to talk about for each one. I thought that three would be enough so that I had a good example, a bad example and one that was average.
My project stayed the same throughout. I did not change any of my ideas and kept the same props from start to finish.
There was not any particular research that inspired me. Instead, I took extracts from each piece of research and incorporated it into my final piece.
Project Management
In order to help me with my project I created a personal gantt chart and a ‘to do’ list. These were supposed to help me stick to a schedule but unfortunately this did not happen. The proposal and asset list I made didn’t help me either and I did not need refer back to them.
I could have improved my project management by continuously updating the ‘to do’ list on my blog each time I finish a task.
The only aspect of the project that I would have explored further is the research. I only did secondary research in this project and it was by the internet.
If I were to do this again I would have conducted more research into the elements of video showreels by using more materials and by using primary methods as well as secondary.
3D Models
I have created 3 fully textured 3D models in Maya and I made the UV maps in Photoshop. I am not really happy with how they turned out as they do not properly resemble their concept art and are of a mediocre standard. They were also supposed to be in a ‘cartoony’ style but I made them realistic as I was unsure how to create cartoon-style props. This means that I have failed a criteria as I did not stick to the theme.
The colour schemes are mostly light (with the exception of the windmill) to fit in with the light colour schemes of the outback. The main texture used is old wood which is a common material that is found in the outback.
My favourite model is the windmill as I think I structured it quite well and I like the texture on the blades.
I used Maya as the 3D model program because I have more experience with that than any other modelling software, even though it was very little.
I mostly used the standard polygon shapes and manipulated their size. The main tools I used were the rotate, scale and extrude tools.
The next time I make 3D models I will practice more beforehand and gather more reference pictures.
Video Showreel
The research I conducted into professional video showreels was effective as it helped me to identify the key components that make a good video (e.g. plain backgrounds and smooth transitions).
My story board was quite rushed and looked rather messy. I didn’t go into as much detail as I’d have liked to (e.g. shot type and shot length). I also used my concept art instead of re-drawing the props because I did not have enough time.
My final video showreel is not to the standard that I hoped it would be. As I do not have any experience with Adobe Premiere I found it quite difficult to navigate around the program and I had to have a friend help me. It didn’t take me as long as I thought it would to make it but the production value is quite poor. The transitions were poorly executed and as I did not have enough time to find a basic royalty-free song I just inserted a sample track from my computer which doesn’t really fit.
Development Blog
In the last project I analysed an indie game development blog on TIGSource and identified the key features that made it either good or bad. I then compared this to my own and tried to incorporate the good aspects.
I used the checklist on my blog as a plan so that I knew what to upload to the blog.
My final development blog includes my concept art, research, project management documents and my video showreel. I think it is sufficient enough but the work that was uploaded could have had a lot more detail in it.
Time Management
Like the last project, I found myself to be unfocused and distracted most of the time. I did not stick to my gantt chart and did not have a schedule that I followed. This means that I waited until the second half of the project to start most of my work. In future projects I should make a schedule that is easier to stick to so that I can manage my time better and not get side-tracked.
Conclusion
I think that this project turned out okay but the standard wasn’t as good as the last project.
If I were to do this again I would gain more experience in Maya and Premiere by practicing with the programs. In turn, this will mean that my work will be of a higher standard than it is now.
I will also work on my time management skills and do portions of my work at home to make sure that I do not fall behind.
3D Model Renders
These are renders of my 3D models. I have completed them and textured them. They are based on two pieces of concept art I made in the last project. I’ve tried to keep to the originals as much as possible and kept referring back to the concept art whilst making them. I also tried to make them look as cartoon as possible as that was the visual style that we were aiming for.
This is a model of a Boomerang based of my concept art I created and posted in the blog earlier.
This is a model of a Kangaroo Sign which is also based of concept art I made and uploaded earlier.
Team Squid 