Gladiators!

   Last week marked the end of the Gladiator project and the beginning of more stressful beginnings. Meaning, we are now learning how to use UDK.

   Back to the Gladiator though! I adored this project! Apart from rigging. That can go away. I think part of the reason I enjoyed this project so much though was because I was starting to incorporate some of the concept and design techniques that I had learnt in Visual Design. I started by researching classes of gladiators and creating inspirational mood boards to help me whilst designing my own.

   From here, I started creating some simple designs to build on, picking my favourite variation and taking it straight to orthographic designs. I was working out the problems as I went along where possible, but I didn't want to labour too long on these possibilities because I knew that time was draining away with this project. 

   I drew a very quick digital final, eager to get on with my model. I enjoyed the modelling process, because I feel I am becoming quite comfortable with that now. It certainly doesn't cause me the same stress that it did in the beginning! UV unwrapping was a bit tricky at first, but that worked out fine too and I was really proud of my textures once they were done. The design of my model changed in very minor ways as I went along, so I did another final piece. I spent longer on this, and drew it to look like the model I had created.

   The only thing I really didn't get on with was rigging. That's unfair, I suppose. The main problem with rigging was that it felt kind of like treading on eggshells. The labs were filled with voices of 'Whatever you do! Don't collapse the skin modifier!' and someone groaning when trying to reset the x-form and the model practically imploding. Those groans may or may not have been from me. 

   I think that really, like with the rest of Max, I will become more comfortable with it in time, and with practice. Which is what I intend to do! Practice practice practice!

   This is a final presentation of renders for my model for this project. I am most proud of the textures on this model, and although it isn't perfect, I can honestly say I have enjoyed this project more than any other in Game Production so far and raised the question in my head... someday, could this be what I want to do? Be a 3d character artist? I would have to practice like crazy to nail the rigging down to a T, but conceivably, I think it would be something I would enjoy doing, and is something I'm starting to consider for the future.