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CHARACTER MODELLING PROCESSES

Polygon Modeling

Polygon modelling is the preferred and the most easiest way to model a game character because polygons could be moulded and edited in to different shapes such as a head, hands etc. They could be also made more or less complex to make a smoother or a more hard edge shapes which is useful if you are planing on making a high polygon character for a game or a low polygon character for a low poly game or a game prototype. These shapes can also  be split, extruded, merged or even deleted by using the various tools in the modelling toolkit which helps to make a more or less detailed character.

Subdivisional Modeling

Sub-divisional modelling is another common modeling technique used in the game industry. You can create low poly characters but also high poly characters.This also gives you more control when you are creating a character because the game engine finds it easier when the models are low poly. You can extrude faces to create limbs,head and even clothes. You can also add more subdivisions to joints so that the animations are smoother so that you don't see the polygons bend which looks more convincing.

NURBS Modelling

NURB modelling lets you modify the primitives and change the attributes to make a totally different shape. You can also create polygon Characters by using the NURBS modelling technique in which you modify the shape of your character.You also have the ability to proportionally cut the NURBS primitive shapes away, you can bevel the mesh edges or sculpt the NURBS so that they look like your character.

You also have the ability to draw curves by placing control vertices ,you can also edit the points on an object. You can find the curve drawing tools in the CREATE Menu.

You can locate the option for modelling with  NURBS in the Modelling menu set and to find the NURBS  in the Curves/Surfaces shelf.

Animation/Motion Generating

Rigging

When a character is rigged it means that the character was given bones which help the animator to animate the characters movements and even facial expressions if an advanced rig has been used. These rigs work like our bones,they have joints on which for example the head or fingers are set on so when you move the bone you also move the hands. 

Motion Capture

Motion capture is one of the most sophisticated animation capturing technique both for films and games. The voice actor is wearing a specialised suit with points on it which are specifically targeted by the camera which then uses the point movement information to create animations which then are applied to the digital character allowing them to move like a real person.

KeyFrame Animation

Key frames let you animate objects in your scenes and also your rigged characters.You can apply key frames to one object at the time. To keyframe you need select the character and select KEY>SET KEY from the KEY MENU in the Animation menu and set or just press the S shortcut. Repeat the process while moving your character.

Intended Application

GAMES

Last of Us did the facial expressions in Maya for the main characters which had any dialog. this must have been a time consuming project because they had to re-watch the same scene a lot of times to copy the expressions of the actors on to the characters.The motion capture data was also transmitted in to Maya at the same time it was recorded and stored so that they would not loose any data.

ANIMATION

3D characters were used in star wars the clone wars. Every character does not look anatomically correct so that the animations look more convincing because the animations might not have been motion captured. For example when the characters in Star Wars the clone wars do these amazing animations the characters were modeled precisely for that animation. so if you have a acrobatic character like Darth Maul his joints would have more polygons so that his animation looks more convincing unlike Yoda which is a small character would have less polygons.

VFX

3D meddled character have become essential and vital to creating a film.  The materials to create costumes and props are very expensive and wont last long but when you have a cg character you can use the model over and over. You can also create explosions or huge characters such as Thanos as you see above. If the studio wanted to make a suit then it would be expensive and dangerous for the actor. Most of the scenes and characters were made using computer software and even the Iron mans' suit and all of the special effect.