#progress update 1

1. The stream that I’ve chosen is Character Development and I would like to take on the second brief - Using an existing character rig, focus on integrating a high quality animated performance into Unreal Engine 4. Demonstrate the use of Unreal Engine 4 and any other required tools to deliver a lit and polished shot.

2. The rig I’ve chosen to animate is the Free TMNT Classic Remake Rig for Maya 1.1.1, made by TheBlueBear. I found this rig on Highend3D and I think it will be really cool to work with. I’d like to animate him doing some simple combat moves. Below are some ideas of combat poses/sequences that I could try or take inspiration from.

The rig has lots of facial controls so I can animate a bunch of different facial expressions to make my final animation more interesting.

3. Work to be completed each week:

Week 7: Blocking character animation in Maya

Week 8: Blocking character animation in Maya

Week 9: Character animation in Maya

Week 10: Character animation in Maya

Week 11: Polish character animation in Maya

Week 12: Unreal Engine 4

Week 13: Unreal Engine 4

For Assessment 2, I have chosen to focus on building and rigging a complete character, specifically the Bipedal Robot character as seen in the concept image above. This character intrigued me as it reminds me of a droid from Star Wars, and as Star Wars is one of my favourite series ever, creating and bringing to life a robot similar to a droid (with hopefully as much character) would be something that I would strive to achieve. This stream will also teach me more about modelling which will always be useful, it will teach me how to rig a character and give me more practice at animating a character. 

Because I was inspired to choose this brief from Star Wars, I will aim to make the character as if I was creating it for Star Wars. With this goal, I will be able to adjust the character and how it will perform to suit the character as a lovable and comedic character such as R2-D2 or BB-8. To setup the rig and sculpt the character, I will have to use resources such as Pluralsight to understand how the programs work and how they will help to create the character.

To create this character, I will have to break down the modelling and rigging into the upcoming weeks. As of now, my plan is as follows:

Week 7 Modelling Week 8 Modelling/Texturing Week 9 Modelling/Texturing Week 10 Rigging Week 11 Rigging Week 12 Rigging/Animation Week 13 Animation

Logbook

30/08/17

10.30 am

Rig chosen, will be using pre-existing rig for final assessment

https://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/character-rigs/c/free-fox-rig-for-maya

Website had some other, very nice rigs.

31/08/17

1.16 pm

Some problems with downloading the .fbx file – contacted the staff of the website, and it was sorted very quickly

Fox rig downloaded, open in Maya, some issues with camera movement might be my own fault. Saved as an FBX to test in Unreal Engine to see if Alembic will be required for later animation

https://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/character-rigs/c/dragon-rig-for-maya-65689

might use dragon rig but will see how I go on time.

1.31 pm

Problem with import, unsure of cause

Happened again with another exported file. Alembic might be needed

1.37 pm

Issue appeared after exporting to Alembic – I didn’t follow the instructions properly on the how-to site, which may have caused this. Because of this error, it didn’t want to save as an alembic file. Tried again with following instructions this time.

7.45 pm

via GIPHY

Small animation test with dragon rig, very easy to use. Need to test the rid and animations in Maya – ask Trendt about adding animations because it’s different to the ART plugin?

7.50 pm

Cannot export dragon rig because of problem with nodes … see about getting that suggested program

7.56 pm

Nvidia Mental Ray is needed – paid version is $300 might have to use fox rig…

8.25 pm

Nvidia Mental Ray has a free trail, but doesn’t have a 2018 version that is compatible with the 2018 version of Maya. Downloading 2017 version to see if it will work with mental ray. This seems as though it’s too much effort for this dragon rig

Speaking of, the rotation in both the dragon and the fox rig is a little weird. Might have something to do with the focus point, ask about this.

Found another rig that I could use as a background character maybe … could be going too far with how complex I plan to make it. If dragon doesn’t work, then maybe fox and eagle

https://www.highend3d.com/maya/downloads/character-rigs/c/bald-eagle_rigg-for-maya

8.33 pm

Not related to the project, but I realise the because number of files that I’m getting I REALLY need to clean up my files … tomorrow

9.00 pm

Mental Ray installed, no issues like before.

9.12 pm

In the 2017 version of Maya, the rotation issue is fixed, and I can save the dragon rig as an FBX, played with the bones and the movements of the rig. Really liking how it’s moving.

Moving into unreal now, to see if it will export over properly.

9.14 pm

Same issue as the fox. Need to test alembic properly this time…

9.26 pm

I got further than I did before, with the importing, but when I tried to open then in unreal, I only got a small sphere, these errors and nothing else. It might be something that I’ve done. I don’t want to continue any more at this point in case I cannot use the rigs I want because if I have to change, the work that I would have put in will be all for null.

However, I am happy with what I’ve done so far for this project as I’m much further than I was this morning.

I hope to be able to use the dragon rig, but as I’m also having trouble with the fox rig, I may need to look for an Unreal ready rig perhaps. I hope not to, as the dragon rig is simple and I like how it moves.

I also need to check if the texture came with the rig itself. I believe that it did.

…I think that’s a jawbone … and eyes. It’s the fox rig, facing the ground in unreal

9.45 pm

Confirm     your chosen stream and brief

Describe     with text and images (or existing examples) of what you're going to do to     meet the brief

Based     on time estimates from the last assignment, roughly work out what you will     do each week (Week 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) to achieve your objective

If     you have done any work towards your brief, state what you have done

Stuff for first stream. Stuff on this doc for #4 .., finish this tomorrow.

1/09/17

2.55 pm

Played with the dragon rig a little more. No animations done yet. I feel as though at this point the animation is going to take a long time. Unsure what I’m going to do for the greybox at this point.

3/09/17

4.28 pm

I didn’t finish the work like I said that I would. I need to do important things now, but I will leave it open and do it when I’m sitting down again. Today I modelled a book in Maya and I was really pleased with it. I need to ask about texturing and such because I don’t know how to do it in Maya.

4.54 pm

I’m going to start my tumblr post now. I don’t know what I’m going to do for the second point at this point, I’ll need to see as I’m working.

5/09/17

9.24 pm

After some further research and brainstorming some ideas, I have decided to stick with my original decision to pursue the stream of integrating a 2D character in a 3D environment. I’ve decided to pursue this stream in part because I really want to work with 2D animation to have the best of both worlds for this assessment, but also in part so that I can challenge myself and learn some new skills and techniques in visual effects, an area that I currently don’t have much knowledge in.

For the assessment itself, I want to try and create a short scene where the camera is moved around the 3D environment and the 2D character reacts, moves and interacts with the environment accordingly. Ideally, I would like to create a scene with animation and visuals similar to that in the short film Destino, in particular between 1:30 and 1:50.

Another option is to create a scene like in Lily Allen’s music video for Somewhere Only We Know, specifically around the 1:00 mark. Despite the animation utilising stop motion and hand-made scenery and props, the snow effect and the character animations and interactions with the world are what I’d like to focus on in this video to recreate.

However, depending on how difficult this will be for me to create, I may instead just create a single scene, such as a room, and keep the camera still, so that only the character will move around and establish interaction. This may also mean that I include some extra visual effects, such as some glowing/flashing lights, fog, wind, etc. to give the environment some sense of realism and movement. If this is the I’d like to create something like the room created in this video.

Based on the problems I encountered in the first assessment, and the understanding and knowledge I gained of the time and effort required for certain aspects of production, such as rendering, I’ve made a rough schedule of the progress and tasks I hope to (or need to) achieve each week before submission. I’ve broken it down as such:

Week 7: Finalise ideas and begin to draft animation/environment

Week 8: Finalise character design. Begin creation of environment and experiment with visual effects

Week 9: Finalise rough animation/begin final 2D animation. Continue building 3D environment.

Week 10: Complete building 3D environment. Have at least half of 2D animation finalised. Continue experimenting with visual effects.

Week 11: Complete 2D animation.

Week 12: Compile into After Effects/Unreal and finalise visual effects

Week 13: Finalise full scene and polish.

I plan on using the Character Development stream. I’m going to use an existing rig to animate a highly polished shot.

I plan on having something similar to a POV at first, where the camera is sitting on the dragon rig’s head, then it will move to a third person position above the dragon’s head. It will pan around to the front of the dragon. I believe at this point I’m going to have the dragon stretching and moving. It will then take off and fly into the air.

Week 7 - Animation

Week 8 - Animation

Week 9 - Animation

Week 10 - Animation and Greyboxing in Unreal

Week 11 - Combining the rig and into the Unreal Greybox

Week 12 - same as week 11

Week 13 - Rendering and After Effects

At the time of editing this post, 5.33 pm, 3/09/17, The work that I have done, in another post, is not uploading properly. When/If it does, I will link it in this post.

Progress Update #1!

Good News!

The good news is that I have found someone who will be designing the Fan Media of the Week. You can find his Youtube account here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/qwerty90221, Qwerty! Formerly known as TrailerMania101.

Note: Fan Media by others will still be included.

Bad news...

The bad news is up to your interpretation, but Horror Stream is undergoind EDITing processes, I'm changing the tags around for easier navigation. As well as this, the theme has changed and a header will be added, please followers bear with me until September, then Horror Stream will be back and running.

Thankyou for your time.