cheshyerrproductions-blog

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

ANC230 Post-Mortem

This trimester, I help created a minute animation of two characters with a small group. I was in charge of making environments with a second teammate and animation when the characters were modelled and rigged.  The purpose of the project was to make a short animation and starting story for the character; Celine. We wanted to give a taste of this character’s life and play it like a trailer for a series, similarly to how Rooster Teeth promote RWBY for one of their main characters.

Key Accomplishments

There was a number of things I’m proud of during this whole project, while I put a hand in almost every creative role in the project

Designing the inside of the carriage

Animating Celine and Derus through tricky clipping and issues by smart thinking.

Breaking Celine and Derus’s models in order to give more life. 

Modelling the interior carriage

Helping everyone with their roles

Key Problem Areas

There was some problems while making the animation, some issues were technical while some were social that halted the project at some portions, but lucky due to some quick problem solving.

Celine was a re-purposed model what was edited for four weeks

Derus was in design phase for three weeks

I had no set role, thus I was toss around different roles, doing a mixture of things.

Team wasn’t organised well due to lack of leadership

Assignment being merged with Studio 1 cause role problems

A studio 1 student/teammate did not do their portion of their work, causing us to scrap the first scene and work on the carriage as a whole.

A number of my works were scrapped due to time or disagreements.

Key Lessons Learned

I learned a number of things that I didn’t in previous projects or was things I’ve learned previously and improved upon it thought out this project. These lessons will help me in the future.

Being more vocal with the team about tasks, issues or for help

Breaking the character models can help hugely in animating them and making it more natural

While animating for the camera is ideal, animating the whole character while only adding details to areas on the character that will be seen is a lot better and easier.

Spend as much time on working as possible to help the team in the long run with schedule so they can work on certain things sooner.

Address problems within the group as soon as possible, it might take a huge turn for the worse if left alone.

Overall, this project was a coaster. There was some ups as well as downs, we got though them even if some of them took longer then expected to be solved. I wasn’t in my best form, there were some times I let myself sit back and let everything unfold when I shouldn’t have and should have spoken up earlier. Yet what is done is done and this project is finished to a degree that I cannot argue with. I enjoyed this project as a whole and has inspired me to do more in the future and work on more things that I felt wasn’t good enough and left in the dark.

ANC230 was fun, I enjoyed it.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio 3: Animation Progress

When it came to the animation of Celine and Derus, there was some struggles that I had to solve through some smart problem solving. While Celine was modelled, rigged and skinned beautifully, she did have some problems when it came to pushing her limps to certain limits that we needed them to go. None of the animation called for fast movement besides the final scene, but even simple poses were a little much for the model and parts collapsed on itself. So how does one fix such a problem without editing the skinning and keeping the pose. You hide it. 

The one thing I learned in 3d animation from watching and listening to behind the scenes works for movies or even games like Overwatch and League of Legends, where they stretch the characters to help with the movement. While Ceilne wasn’t doing fast movements, I still stretched parts of her dress to hide the fact her knees were collapsed inward.

Derus on the other hand, was a nightmare to deal with. Due to the fact he’s in armour is problem in of itself as the skinning has some some of the chest acting like skin then metal, especially on his back. But the biggest issue was posing him with his shoulder pads. They’re ridiculously big and it makes it hard to move without clipping, a design problem that should have been thought of before.

But okay, how does one pose Derus’s arms without the should pads clipping thought his chest? You break his shoulders and arms.

Because Derus is always viewed from the front, we didn’t need to worry about how he looks in the back, since we need him to have his hand pushing on his back like he was stretching, I had to pull his shoulders and upper arm away from his body slightly, the giant shoulder pads, that caused the problem, hiding the deformation. 

In the end, I animated my portion as much as I could with as less viable clipping as possible. I’m happy with the results.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio 3: Pre-Production Progress

I was place into mostly environment creation due to change of plans. I drew up some concepts for the room for the project and the inside of the carriage. While the room was scrapped due to lack of time, while the carriage was not suppose to be our job and was suppose to be given to the studio 1 students, but things didn’t go as planned. 

I had asked my teammate to make a floor plan of the room, from that I made an isometric drawing of the room to get a better idea of the room. Place furniture in and get a clear idea of how the room should look like. I was inspired by Thomas Romain, seeing their tweet on how they designs rooms and I wanted to try it myself. Tweet: https://twitter.com/Thomasintokyo/status/590355340731920386 

This as far I got in the creation of the room as I let my teammate make a master asset to test the textures and design for the models. Afterwards the room was scrapped due to time. 

After that, I was assigned to the creation of the carriage when one of our studio 1 teammates didn’t do the work to the date and load that we need it to. I designed the inside of the carriage while my teammate who helped me with the room did the outside of the carriage.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio 3: TSM Blog

We were to score ourselves in a TSM in the middle of the project, was to score myself under “Masterful”, “Successful” and “Room for improvement”. I was in a meeting with my teacher in comment on what I picked and how he viewed I was going.

Well that’s how it was suppose to go, but my teacher ended up just talking to be about the project itself and how I felt about my team with my position.

So, I’ll just have to talk about what I scored myself with in comparison with what my teacher scored it.

First is strong work ethic, I scored myself with successful application. I wanted the project to succeed as much as everyone else, but I had some problems with the group with made it difficult. My teacher actually commented on this one by agreeing.

 Positive attitude was successful and the teacher agreed. I’m keeping a positive attitude as much as I can, even with the issues revolving around the team and how things are being organised.

 I place myself under room for improvement for Communication Skills, but the teacher place me under successful. I didn’t feel that I wasn’t talking to my team that well due to being shut down, so I started not doing so. Yet the teacher didn’t think it was my issue as he put “Communication is hindered due to organisation of team and other elements.” He knew my team wasn’t exactly the best at the time.

Time management skills, I felt I was successful. Anything I asked to do, I would do it, even if I struggled I tried to finish it in the amount of time given and my teacher agreed once more.

In terms of Problem solving skills, I felt I needed to improve on that due to the fact that I really didn’t put as much into the work and help solve easy to fix problems. Of course my teacher disagreed and through I was doing a successful job at it, but also agreed? I’m not too sure, he didn’t write a reason, he just put his tick in between successful and room for improvement.

Acting as a team player, I thought I did okay, so I marked myself as successful and my teacher agreed. My comment on it was honest though, I did feel like I was being tossed around like a hot potato but I still did the work I was given, even if most of my work wasn’t used.

Self Confidence, this was not a good time for my confidence and while my teacher felt I was successful in that, I didn’t. The first few weeks, was damaging to my self confidence due to being toss about to completely different tasks and then removed from them the next day. It’s been a rough project.

With ability to accept and learn from criticism, I felt I was successful in that aspect and once more, my lecturer agreed. I’ve always asked for criticism to learn from and have done so a few times during the beginning project.

With Flexibility/Adaptability, I marked as successful and like previously, lecturer agreed. I was always fine with being given different tasks, I always worked on them and tried to get it done as quickly as possible.

Finally there’s Working well under pressure. I place myself as success, since I barely got stressed in general, I did well in that. Any project I do, I don’t get stressed due to due dates, so I’ve never felt that I would need improvement on working under the pressure.

That’s all the subjects and I marked myself as honestly as I possible could and possibly too harshly on myself, but I marked it as it was. Hopefully after all this, I can improve.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio Blog: Post Mortem

Thirteen weeks of working has come to a close, and it was a huge task.

When looking back at the project, how it was started, how it was make and the final project, I see a few things I could have done differently and improved on the final project. Firstly was the pre-production, there was little wrong to this. The character design was to how I wanted it to, but for the sake of modeling I should have toned down on some details or even more since I wanted to have a detailed texture although was unable to do so due to time. I should have spent less time on the modeling, since I spent a good seven weeks on the model alone. There was a number of thing that was hard to model on Yut, such as his horns, feet and tail. There were also clipping issues with his belt and sash around his waist which trying to fit it on without anything clipping took a while.

Yut’s model also has a few noticeable anatomy problems, such as his waist and ankles. Since I’m not use to drawing feets/paws that isn’t canine or feline, modeling a type of reptile or attempt to, feet was hard. But unlike the torso it looks good when posed in certain ways, but can look horrible of posed incorrectly. Although positioning the camera at an angle helped hide the anatomy problems. Other issues with the model was the UV, Yut had so many parts, it was a nightmare trying to unwarp, split and position the UVs together for texturing. The back of the head was smaller than the rest, thus the texture is low quality, although it’s blocked by the ponytail and the angle of the camera so it’s not noticeable at first glance.

Texture was incomplete. I wanted to do the flat colours then take it into a program I’m more used to, to add the extra details, shading and highlights to the model, but I didn’t get the time due to the modeling, rigging and animation.

The animation was possibly the only successful thing in this whole project besides the 2D animation, I had to cut the last animation due to time and also due to the rig. I learned very quickly that biped was possibly one of the worst rigs to set up to your model, it was better if I made my own bones but in the end it worked up with some irritation.

The 2D was started last and finished the quickest. Due to my ability to work quickly once I understand a program for 2D work, I thought I would be able to full do what I wanted to do and I did in some why but no without some problems.

Firstly, Adobe After Effects was a learning curve for me. As predicted, once I understood how the puppet rig worked, I was able to quickly do what I wanted to do with all the puppet pieces I made. Although with that came some issues, due to time constraints and just plain procrastination, I was unable to create an extra set of assets for the animation, but I had a backup plan that worked much more better the original idea. Originally, Yut would gentle life the light upward and light up the whole forest revealing the bodies hanging in chains. Now, it changes perspectives and shows only a hand of a victim before going though the chain filled forest back to Yut.

There are a lot of things I want to change, but there are also a lot of things I’m proud of in this project. I might work on him in my own time, but for now. I feel this project was a success.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio Blog 3

Making the model was a challenge, a huge challenge. I spent 7 weeks modelling him, the biggest problems keeping his silhouette to him and just modelling him. Yut isn’t like my last model, he hold somewhat of a human shape but the feet, tail and ears was an annoyance. There was so many pieces to him to make, his horns was a nightmare as antlers are just horrible to work with, thankfully I only had to make one. 

He has some clear anatomy problems around his torso that I unfortunately didn’t noticed until later, but he was rigged well enough to animate.

After making the character model, I made his weapon and added it to the rig, how that went will come later.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio Blog 2: TSM

At some point we had to fill out a TSM for a meeting, long story short, we had to rate ourselves based on a few sections around the project. 

Since we has to do them last time I have an idea of how to answer the questions and rate myself. In terms of Strong Work Ethic and Positive Attitude for the project I put it as “successful” since this assignment was my chance to an old project I’ve always wanted to do for a good year or two. My lecturer agreed with me in the meeting.

The next two on the list was; Communicating Skills and Time Management Skills, both I put as “Needs improvement” which my lecturer agreed with as well. I don’t do will with talking with new people and having to collab with an audio student didn’t bold well with me and in the end it didn’t work out too well. I got what I need but not what I wanted due to miscommunication and honestly what felt like laziness from the student. Time management was never my strong suit, I know it’s something I’ve always had to improve on, especially if it’s any kind of written work.

My problem solving skills and Acting as a Team Player was put as Successful as well, since I’m good at thinking around issues and problems I come across and also because I’m pretty working by myself so acting like a team player only applies if I help my classmates with their animation. My lecture agreed with me was well. Again.

The last three was Ability to accept Criticism, Flexibility and Working well under Pressure. All of them I set as Successful, since I’ve learned that taking criticism and learning from it and I still do thus I set it was successful, flexibility was similar to learning from criticism and problem solving skills so it was no problem for me to adapt to certain situations. Working well under pressure was set as such since I wasn’t good nor bad at working under pressure and the lecture seem to agreed.

All in all, it seems I know my strength and weaknesses and my lecturers know that was well, although they have said that some can be set as masterful application.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Studio Blog 1

The given assignment is to make two animations with a max time of 30 seconds. One has to be 2D and the other 3D, an alternate is going a mixture of 2D and 3D animation. I decided to make one 2D and one 3D animation for a single character, both will showcase the character in two different ways. The 2D, a teaser or introduction to the character while the 3D will him in a game model form.

 After some quick thought, I decided to pick a character I made in the past and redesigned them into a more appealing design for the theme and goal I had in mind, which was to attempt to mimic the style of League of Legends. 

It was different from what I’m normally used to drawing, with added details and style. It’s not exactly a complete mimic in style, but I’m still happy of the design. It was a learning curve for me, as much as I like to draw from time to time, trying to learn different styles and feels was an experience.

After the design is done, I start making the model after making the model sheet.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

Another animation assignment

12 Weeks ago

NOW

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

ANI210 Blog 4

 Showcase was on, we set up one computer to play the game in one of the computer labs. We had a small set back with the game as none of the computers could connect to the internet, complicating things, but we managed to get it working for others to play. We did get our music and sound at the last minute, a day before the showcase to be exact, but they were placed in the game just in time.

I wasn’t too sure how many played through our game, but I know it was a few. Apparently according to Jake who was set at the computer for the whole night, the game had good reviews and about two people noticed the memes that our teammates had decided to add in there. At some point a little girl wanted to play, but Jake didn’t let her and her father soon took her with him out of them room, despite being no jump scares or enemies, just a walking game, there was enough sound ques and scary themes so it was best that she didn’t play it.

We did have a few problems, some people would get confused on what to do next, missing sound ques and missing the only open path to them to get out. The cell doors in the cell hall was missing its texture, so we had to use a material in replacement, but it messed with the lighting on them, but there was little we could do. There was also some models that were textured and was to be added, yet was not added, but it was just small things so it wasn’t a huge problem. We had a sound issue with the steps, not sounding like normal steps, like the player were wearing thongs/flip flops, of course we didn’t have any time to change it so it stayed like that.

In the end we managed to finish this seven week project and in at the end of it all, I’m happy with what we made.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

ANI210 Blog 3

 Finishing up on the game, we have successfully made all of our models and textured most of them and all of the environmental textures, at this point we’re just adding in extra things that we want to put in, unfortunately that means some of my teammates decided to add in some memes. Its fine, they’re not that noticeable, although they might ruin the horror feel if anyone test sees them. But the team leader seems fine with it…at least I think he does.

Although we have run into a problem, a few weeks ago we had showcased our ideas to a class of audio students and we actually got a few willing to work with us. Yet they have no replied to any of our messages nor sent us the sound or music we need for the game. At this point our team leader is getting backup sounds and music to use in case they still don’t come though.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

ANI210 Blog 2

We were asked to do a test of some sort, although it was more like filling in questions on how we think we act during our production. So more like a self-reflection. We were asked simple things, like our ability to solve problems, how we hand stress, etc. Ì tried answering as close as I could to the questions, although my lecture argued I viewed myself lower than I thought. Example being that I said that I needed some slight improvement when it came to how I work under pressure, but my lecture said that I seemed to work just fine under pressure at the moment of the self-reflection, so it would be at successful application.

The reflection helped a lot on how I viewed myself, since I’ve never seen much good in my actions during these group assignment, which is always a roller coaster ride regardless of who you work with.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

ANI210 Blog 1

In this assignment for this tri, we were asked to make a walking simulator of some type. We first of course were placed in to teams, only two this time with about six members or more in each team. Followed by that was picked what we would make, we had a couple of ideas thrown around, the two most suggested was a walking sim placed on a ship, mixing between sea ship and space ship, and an insane asylum based in the old ages of lobotomy and poor medical care for these patients.

We soon went with the Asylum to avoid making a sea and copying the other team. Naturally with our asylum idea, we went with a horror/thriller theme, making it abandoned and dark. I was place on the texturing and concept team where I drew up a number of ideas for the place. Soon enough we had a project in the making.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

The finished product. I added in a background and plane to set the scene. I also added in the two rocks that poke out from the ground when the sword hits the ground, giving the idea that it dug into the ground when it landed.

This project was differently better then my last one and regardless if I get the same mark or maybe more, I don’t mind. I enjoyed making this one.

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

So I started on animating the model. I wanted to cheat a little and add physics to the chain part of the sword so I didn’t have to animate it. I tried getting add-ons or scripts from the internet.

One always crashed the program and the other...well. It fell apart as the video shows. So I went with adding bones, defeating the purpose of the whole attempt which was to prevent me animating each individual link, but I but the bones though two links per bone so it wasn’t too bad. 

I had to scrap the orginal idea of how the blade first falls, flying though the air spinning like they have it in anime or even how I’ve seen it in DC animated movies. So now it just lands into the ground, impaling itself into the dirt before it shifts back slightly. 

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

CIU111 Blog Post 3

In this week, we learned a little about Copyright and Fair use in the creative industry. It’s not an interesting subject at all, but it’s important from out line of work or study, still this has been done before so there’s not much to learn about Copyright.

Examples used in the lesson was music made by Bob Dylan and how similar to older music it is or that it was copied. There were more examples, mostly in the music industry where it appears where the main copyright problem is compared to other industry, since it’s easy to use other parts from other musics or videos and use it in their songs.

It’s impossible for us as human to create something completely new and orginal without drawing out from other sources or inspiration. What we can do is create an idea by being inspired by others and merging other things together to create something new. 

Although to take something and claim it completely yours is what copyright is for, so you CAN’T do that. Of course not all things can be copyrighted, like ideas for example. You can make a movie about bugs, but you can’t stop other people from making a movie about bugs with copyright since you can’t copyright an idea. 

[cheshyerrproductions-blog]

CIU111 Blog Post 2

On this week, we learned about Social Media and Your Career. It was mostly about how to use social websites to put yourself out in the world and creative industry. It was mostly about how you can start your freelance career though the internet by posting your works up online and start up a portfolio for others to see your works.

This is important for me as a “freelance” artist myself, still setting up an online portfolio. It’s good to know what are the best sites to start a online presence and online portfolio. Places like Instagram, Art Station and Twitter are good websites for starting a professional online presence and portfolio.