Guild of Writers

As some of you may know, I've been learning to use blender and working my way through the first tutorials. Today I put myself to the task to create my own excercise to use what I had learned so far.

I now know how to create new objects using the spacebar and also how to grab, resize, rotate, and duplicate objects in the 3D space. I've learned to use the modifier to apply a subsurf to an object and crease the edges to give objects a beveled appearance. I'm also beginning to understand the long processes involved in creating a 3D environment.

In this, my first render, I've created a replica of the playing field from one of my all time favorite video games from WAY back. So.. I give you my first project.

The Q-Bert Project. Hope you like it.


Your fellow writer and explorer,
DaVinci.

That's great!

If you've mastered all the things you've said, then work a little bit on applying textures, you're ready to start on the tutorials on the wiki for Age creation!

The last week or so has been a little frustrating to say the least, but I've finally learned how to apply textures using materials and UV mapping, but I don't think I've really quite mastered the UV part. I say that because the first time I tried applying colors to the model, I used the UV mapping, and when I came back to the project everything I had applied color to had turned black.

So I kept researching tutorials and forums to figure out what I was doing wrong. Eventually, I learned how to apply materials and properly use the UV mapping tool, which I'm still trying to figure out.

Anyhow.. here is how the Q-Bert Model appeared when I used UV mapping to color it...


After discovering that UV mapping wasn't working, I started over using materials, And this is how it looks now.

Incidently, I also am learning to create reflections and tranparencies.

More as it develops.

Your fellow writer and explorer,
DaVinci.

Here are some new screenshots of the Q-bert model that I am working on. Once I finish this rough draft of Q-Bert, I will start browsing the tutorials again to learn how to apply fur and eyes to him, among other things. Let me know if you have any suggestions or comments. Thanks.

Your fellow writer and explorer,
DaVinci.

Thats much better modeling than i'm doing right now, great work, now onto building Ages?

Golly gumdrops, Leo. Your work is the best advertisement to learn Blender i have seen. But it will be a long time before i get where you are.

Meanwhile, how about practising your 3D moves on the Great Tree Temple?


Really!

Show Spoiler

By the way, did you finish your Ahnonay tram ride, and then get back to Ercana for the big pellet drop?

Grogyan: This is actually very basic modeling, and it been about 10 days (perhaps?) since I started learning blender. Age building seems more advanced than this. I'm certain that I've barely even scratched the surface of blender, cause I know there is still the animation and game engine to learn. I'll definitely being doing some age building once I get up to that point, but for now, I'm going to take it one block at a time.

pappou: Yea.. I did finish up with Ahnonay and Er'Cana. I really loved the last room too. Still doing the pod ages right now, but I haven't gotten into the cavern in the last few days. As for the Great Tree Temple, I could probably build the structure in a few days, but I would need to figure out how to create the tree though, but it's also quite possible that we could work on it together. I looked at your name on the left side of your post, it says that you are from UTArlington. Does that mean you live in Arlington? If so, I do as well, and perhaps we could meet up if your interested?

pappou: I put together a quick model of your tree temple tonight. Hope you like it.



DaVinci.

FANTASTIC, Leo!

How can you do that so quickly? Did you have the dimensions? I can't remember.
Unbelievable.
Can you post your blender files so i can download your model?

And I told Trucker and Jojon that you might be asking them for help. Looks like it will be the other way around pretty soon. That is just too cool, Leo. Do you like good cigars?

Q*Bert!
[and the crowd goes wild! RAAHHHHH]
Here are a couple more screenshots of the progress I have made in learning blender and advancing my work on the Q*Bert model. There are still a few more tweaks that I am going to put into it, but for me it looks well enough to show off. One of the tutorials that I am working on right now, helped to teach me about extruding as well as how to make eyes and eyelids. I also learned about the mirror modifier and how extremely useful it can be when your modeling symmetrical objects, as used in character modeling. In addition I also learned a few short cuts, for instance, when rotating an object, you can rotate a specific number of degrees. An example: Pressing R to rotate, then 90 for ninety degrees rotation, then Enter to confirm the operation.





Ever since I brought Q*Bert to life, he's been complaining why he can't move around, so my next step is to learn how to develop the internal structure within his body to animate him. After that... things should get interesting.

More as it develops...

Your fellow writer and explorer,
Da Vinci.