Worm

My first enemy contribution to the team.

Creating the image didn't really teach me anything new it just helped me work on my rendering and lighting techniques. I wanted to have a specific look that I'm happy to say I achieved.

Texture

Creating the worm texture was the most challenging/ambitious texture job that I've ever been give. I've always created Diffuse textures but Secular and Diffuse maps were new to me. Creating them in mudbox and even exporting them was something i had to go and research and find tutorials on.  

Rig

Rigging the worm was the first time I'd rigged a character in over a year plus the first time  I used the CAT bone system. Luckily the worm has a simple bone system so it was the perfect semi beginner project. After working with the CAT system I now have a better understanding when it comes to IK. One problem that caused me some confused was what i later found was Gimbal Locking thanks to Seth Swanson, he showed me that sometimes bones will appear facing forward but are actually backwards.

Animation

Animating was never something i thought i would enjoy, i always thought it was tedious and cumbersome work. Animating the worms showed me a different perspective.  Besides have the backward bones that i talked about in the rigging portion and having to learning how animate with the CAT Systems. I learned a lot,  how to export animations to unity and how to key frame them correctly.  Biggest regret not having the worm doing the worm as an idle animation... Chum. I'm thinking yes. 

Firefly

Here we have the firefly enemy which was quite a challenge with the Asset cutoff date only a week or two from when I got the task. I finished the base mesh well with enough time, it wasn't until i was told three days before the cutoff date that i should drop the worm and focus on the firefly.

Creating the image didn't really teach me anything new it just helped me work on my rendering and lighting techniques. I wanted to have a specific look that I'm happy to say I achieved it.

Texture

Working on the firefly textured showed me that i can make deadlines and the sometimes simplicity is best. I had less then a day to texture and animate the firefly.

Rig

Rigging the firefly was so much more difficult than the worm it just has to many more appendages and things that need to be animated. I also learned that you can Mirror Cat System bones with ease, this made my life immensely easier. This time rigging the firefly my better understand of IK allowed me to not make any mistakes flipping bones in the wrong direction. 

Animation

Animating the firefly was done on the fly(Ha).  As I mentioned before the completing the firefly was a rush job, i had three days to rig and animate the firefly. Working with this animation I learned that you can't make separate animations i.g wing flapping and expect them to cross over. You need to animate the wings flapping and the attack animation In one key framed cycle.

Half O' Worm & Base Firefly

Worm

Sadly, the worm battle did not make into the build for portfolio night. Creating the half worm was what i thought would be an easy task. It was not. I did learn that you can save Animation Layers from CAT System and import them into different models.  I thought this would save me hours of time instead of reanimating the half worm to do the same animations that the full worm has i would just import then.  This didn't happen that way. So i had to reanimate by hand. Still nice knowing how to import/export Animation Layers.

Firefly 

Here we have the firefly base mesh. Creating it was pretty straight forward, once i finally got the character sheet. Making this model was the first time i had to be more concerned with topology, unlike the worm who has a very simple body anatomy the firefly has a hard shell covering and wings under them. I had to make sure the flow would allow this to be accurately/successfully animated.  
  

Worm Sculpt and Texture Draft

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Creating this was an new experience when it comes to Extreme Exterminators assets, we are going to start using a new toonshader which has the ability to use Normal maps and other specialized maps. Now rigging and animating is up next.
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 Sculpting in mudbox wasn't new to me at that point  but it was new when it came to using it for game assets. I remaindering being told i could use mudbox now for finer details. It kinda filled me with angst  and joy all in one, i knew it meant more work and an even bigger pipeline(NOO!). Not one to stray from a challenge I took it and conquered it. First model in the game to have Specular & Normal maps. Sadly... they haven't been implemented yet.

Defined Worm Mesh

Working with the worm i used a new technique for me, i started with a line and expanded from that it may have saved me hours of frustration. Now i will be unwrapping and texturing. 

Manhole & Particles!

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Working with particles was a new for me, i think i was able to achieve what was asked of me successfully.  Maybe I will take on some more particles in the future. 

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Ahhh particles, working with them at the time was the most difficult thing I had done for Extreme Exterminators. I remembering being frustrated for a full day because I couldn't get them to look the way i wanted. Even Youtube was void of aid (Yes, its possible.) I ended up having to just play with them for few days before getting what you seen below. Which I must say isn't as good as it could be if i have the chance to go back, now i actually know how to time particles to go off on intervals which is exactly what i wanted to do for the cop car. For the sewer drain it just needs a steam texture and it would A-Okay. I don't think the build have the particles so that's something i have to take up with the team.

Sewer drain was a pretty simple model, only thing i did different was using emboss in photoshop.

List O' Props V2

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It literally blows my mind that my team mates don't think I've contributed this semester, alas I guess i just have to do more. To start off this post is the news dispenser I just recently finished.  With the news dispenser instead of trying to use separate materials to obtain the dirty look i used grunge brushes. I like the look so much I'm considering redoing alot of my other props so they all have that nice and dirty feel. From the news dispenser we go into the thrown weapons the slushie and tiki torch these both were completed over winter break. Then to end we have various road props for the police car i plan on dirtying it up a bit, and changing the shape to fit a basic sedan. 
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I will rate each prop as my reflection and maybe write a small summary.

News Dispenser 

My last and frankly best prop for EE the pun was double edged , the texture was nearly perfect. 9/10 

Police Car

Police car learning experience, Instead of unwrapping the whole object i experimented with just unwrapping one side and mirroring it over. This worked for most of the texture, now i know that i need to detach and unwrap things separately if i want them to have text or a logo. If i don't it will end up flipped up side down.  7/10

Slushie

The slushie was one of the throwables that i finished over winter break out of boredom. Sadly neither of them have been implemented in the build. The model was perfect for its purpose and the texture does its job.  8/10

Tiki

The tiki torch was the second throwable that i finished over winter break.  6/10 The model was fine the texture could have used some work.

Road Closed

The road closed sign was a fun prop to work with, the model and texture were both okay. I think the only that would have made this model better would have been a particle effect on the reflective swirl.  7/10

Traffic Cone

The traffic cone was a very simple model it's purpose was just to fill space. 5/10

Fire Hydrant

The fire hydrant was one of my more ambitious small props, it was a simple texture and model but i remeber enjoying this prop.  6/10

Updated Roads

Here are the updated roads, before they didn't really have modular feel to them. Now after learning a few tricks in Photoshop, i was able to change them for the better.

Environment Lead

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This semester I took on the responsibility of environment lead. I felt that since I'm one of the veteran members of that team I should take a leadership role and lead a team. So far it's going after a small qualm with the team member I took the position from.
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Ahh so young and naive, it didn't happen that way. Jeremy ended up snatching the position from me but that kiddos is a story for a different day.