Starting Modeler - Tutorial me!

[Angelusz]

Hey guys, so, i need a model for my map, but nothing i can find will suffice, so i take deaddogs advice, and model it myself.
But; i do not know where to start.
I'm familiar with world-mapping for halflife (since modeling is also done with wireframe, i assume that's a good start) so i've got a little basic skill.
What i would like from you:
What do i need to Model?
What do i need to Animate?
What do i need to skin?

For these three, what programs and basic knowledge.
If anyone would be so kind to get me started, i'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,
Angelusz

 

[DeadDogNoGoWoof]

since only part of your post contains wanting the programs, i wont lock this and warn you.

please do not disregard the stickies hovering right over your post.

 

[Angelusz]

since only part of your post contains wanting the programs, i wont lock this and warn you.

please do not disregard the stickies hovering right over your post.

I did read the stickies above, and apparently, i misunderstood. I though requests for models were forbidden.
So i'll rephrase my question;
Can someone explain the basics to me, or write a short getting-started tutorial?

Where can i ask for the programs involved?

Or should i go to the tutorials section?

 

[Horn]

Unless you're willing to pay a lot of money, your best options are at:

http://oinkerwinkle.com/tools/index.html

 

[DeadDogNoGoWoof]

"all programs needed for modeling and skinning here"

i suggest you read it.

 

[RiO]

Hey guys, so, i need a model for my map, but nothing i can find will suffice, so i take deaddogs advice, and model it myself.
But; i do not know where to start.
I'm familiar with world-mapping for halflife (since modeling is also done with wireframe, i assume that's a good start) so i've got a little basic skill.
What i would like from you:
What do i need to Model?
What do i need to Animate?
What do i need to skin?

For these three, what programs and basic knowledge.
If anyone would be so kind to get me started, i'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,
Angelusz

Actually, mapping with Worldcraft, Hammer, etc. is not like modeling a character at all. It shares some terminology, and that's basicly it. Whereas in mapping you usually place brushes and chop bits and pieces off of those (while trying to keep the brush volume convex and keep the bloody editor from corrupting your map...), with character modeling you usually start from a single plane or a cube and use polygon or edge extrusion. You actually add more surfaces, instead of taking them away.

If you're serious about doing character models, then I recommend you walk trough this tutorial: http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials/max/joanofarc/joanmenu.asp
It will teach you some nice techniques for proper character modeling. It's aimed at models that are more high poly than Warcraft III's models, but the same techniques you are taught still apply. The tutorial was written with 3dsMax4 in mind (which is quite expensive), but it should be usable with gMax (3dsMax' free alternative meant for game modeling) as well.

You might also want to take a look at the tutorials at www.planetquake.com/polycount

 

[Angelusz]

"all programs needed for modeling and skinning here"

i suggest you read it.

yeah, just read that before i checked the topic again, read right over it last times.

Thanks rio, i'll start with that.
I think i know what you mean with the adding surfaces part. but i guess i'll find out in that tutorial.
Animating models, is that something totally different, or what am i supposed to imagine with that?

 

[RiO]

Thanks rio, i'll start with that.
I think i know what you mean with the adding surfaces part. but i guess i'll find out in that tutorial.
Animating models, is that something totally different, or what am i supposed to imagine with that?

Don't mention it. Glad to help out. ^_^

As for animating; Ever played with poseable action figures? In principle, it's actually quite a bit like that.

First off you build a 'skeleton' from 'bones'. The vertices of your character model are then glued to those bones. This process is called 'vertex weighting', or a more classic term is 'skinning' (derived from 3dsMax's Skin modifier). Of course the classis term has been deprecated because it now usually stands for creating the texture artwork for a model.
Anyway; after the model has been vertex weighted, you move around the bones, and in turn the software will animate the attached model. You put the bones into position and then set what is called a 'keyframe', basicly a snapshot of the current bone positions.
After that you move forward a couple of frames, move bones again and set a keyframe again.
The software will now animate the inbetween frames by itself.

 

[Angelusz]

Thanks rio, i'll start with that.
I think i know what you mean with the adding surfaces part. but i guess i'll find out in that tutorial.
Animating models, is that something totally different, or what am i supposed to imagine with that?

Don't mention it. Glad to help out. ^_^

As for animating; Ever played with poseable action figures? In principle, it's actually quite a bit like that.

First off you build a 'skeleton' from 'bones'. The vertices of your character model are then glued to those bones. This process is called 'vertex weighting', or a more classic term is 'skinning' (derived from 3dsMax's Skin modifier). Of course the classis term has been deprecated because it now usually stands for creating the texture artwork for a model.
Anyway; after the model has been vertex weighted, you move around the bones, and in turn the software will animate the attached model. You put the bones into position and then set what is called a 'keyframe', basicly a snapshot of the current bone positions.
After that you move forward a couple of frames, move bones again and set a keyframe again.
The software will now animate the inbetween frames by itself.

Ah i see, it's kind of what i imagined it would be.
Is it also possible to move surfaces? like making a sphere rotate as an animation? or better (the thing i need) to make something rotate around an object, following it's contours, like a conveyorbelt. This to make a realistic tank (doesn't have wheels eh..)
Also, where should i look to find tools for this? (not directly requesting a tool )
thanks again rio!

 

[RiO]

Ah i see, it's kind of what i imagined it would be.
Is it also possible to move surfaces? like making a sphere rotate as an animation? or better (the thing i need) to make something rotate around an object, following it's contours, like a conveyorbelt. This to make a realistic tank (doesn't have wheels eh..)
Also, where should i look to find tools for this? (not directly requesting a tool )
thanks again rio!

Sure it's possible to rotate a sphere; Just put a bone in its center, weight all the vertices on the sphere to the bone and then animate the bone to rotate. Make an object rotate around another object? Just treat it like the object you want to rotate is stuck on the end of an arm, swinging outward from the object to rotate about. (Ever seen one of those rotatable solar system models? Think something like that...)

Gmax supports bones just fine, but so do most other 3D modeling solutions, one way or other. Just works with what suits you best. (And what will export to Warcraft III's mdl/mdx format, of course.)

And again; Glad to help. ^_^

 

[RiO]

Ah i see, it's kind of what i imagined it would be.
Is it also possible to move surfaces? like making a sphere rotate as an animation? or better (the thing i need) to make something rotate around an object, following it's contours, like a conveyorbelt. This to make a realistic tank (doesn't have wheels eh..)
Also, where should i look to find tools for this? (not directly requesting a tool )
thanks again rio!

Sure it's possible to rotate a sphere; Just put a bone in its center, weight all the vertices on the sphere to the bone and then animate the bone to rotate. Make an object rotate around another object? Just treat it like the object you want to rotate is stuck on the end of an arm, swinging outward from the object to rotate about. (Ever seen one of those rotatable solar system models? Think something like that...)

Gmax supports bones just fine, but so do most other 3D modeling solutions, one way or other. Just works with what suits you best. (And what will export to Warcraft III's mdl/mdx format, of course.)

And again; Glad to help. ^_^