With last week’s release of 3DVIA Shape version 2.0, we provided a free, online 3D modeling application with powerful tools and almost no learning curve. This week you’ll find this familiar tool in the next version of Microsoft Virtual Earth.  Among its many new improvements is the fantastic ability to import models directly from the expansive 3DVIA.com content library. Now you can take advantage of 3D models on 3DVIA to populate your urban or business development projects, or your own neihborhood!Microsoft Virtual Earth is the 3D mapping application used by millions of consumers to view, find, edit and create 3D destinations for personal, domestic, international or buisiness projects. Virtual Earth-3DVIA is a unique, free modeling tool for beginners and profesionals with almost no learning curve.

How to Get Started!

-Log onto Microsoft Virtual Earth: You can use Microsoft Virtual Earth without logging in, but if you want to save your model collection or use some of the great free features of Microsoft Virtual Earth, you will have to use your MSN or Live account, or create a new account.

-Find Your Location: At the top of the page you can type in your destination. Press enter or click on the search icon and Microsoft Virtual Earth will immediatly locate and zoom into the exact location you choose!

-Right Click to Add a 3D Model:  Right click any part of the map to open the context menu. Select “Add a 3D Model”. This will launch Virtual Earth-3DVIA or start the installation process. After a quick download you will be ready to create and publish immediatly to your Microsoft Virtual Earth collection!

-Import Models from the 3DVIA.com Library: Find models by entering a word in the bottom, left search window of Virtual Earth-3DVIA.  You’ll get an instant inventory of items to choose, select the model you want and click on “insert” to add to your composition.In minutes you can easily create and arrange full scenes of 3D models at the exact geographic location you choose! Visit these pages for more information:

Introducing Shape Version 2.0
Can your model be used in Virtual Earth-3DVIA?

ShareThis

This is not only exciting news for Shape users but for every 3D artist looking to promote their work online. Now there is no telling how far your 3D artwork and name will reach. Especially because every remix on 3DVIA provides credit back to you the artist. Just look under each model for the “Models used in this remix” panel for your 3D models.

However, not all 3D models can be used in a 3DVIA Shape remix. Here are some guidelines to ensure that your model will be available (or not available if you prefer) for other 3DIVA Shape users.

Keep Your File Size Under 2MB:
Regardless of the application that you used to create your content, make sure the “3DXML” file size of your model does not exceed 2MB. We automatically convert all content to our 3DXML format and use this to import content into Shape.

You can find this information on the right-hand side panel when you view your model.

Use the correct Texture Image Format:
Use JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG or DDS formats for your textures.  Avoid using TGA and TIFF image formats.

Make Your 3D Models Public:
The 3d model must be a public model; private models will not show up in the 3DVIA search functionality. All YOUR own models, private or public, will show up for YOU when you are using 3DVIA Shape.

Use the Commons Attribution:
When you upload a model, you must use Creative Commons Attribution (Default) license from the license pull down menu for your content to show up in Shape.

Shape Users, Turn the Remix Tag to TRUE:
When you publish a model from 3DVIA Shape to 3DVIA.com, the Remix Tag must be set to True.

Older Versions of 3DXML
Older version of certain applications that publish 3DXML will not show up in Shape today. We are in the process of providing a patch that will allow both of these types of files to be found by 3DVIA users.

Still need help? You can always leave a comment here or join the 3DVIA Shape group to ask your question.

ShareThis

3DVIA Challenge 6: RaceTrack Remix!

This week is Shape 2.0 Week and we are doing something special.  We have a racetrack in 3DVIA Shape 2.0 that you guys are going to populate using the newly revamped Remix feature.  Create cars, Rv’s, Trucks, stands, tv cameras anything that would go in a racetrack! Full participation rules bellow, start adding to your track today!

3DVIA Users: How to participate in this challenge:
1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here

2. Download or Upgrade to Shape 2.0
Starting on September 15th and running through September 26th  2008, upload your best Race Track models to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Import the 3DVIA RaceTrack into Shape 2.0
Type in “3DVIAChallenge6″ into the search bar on the bottom left of the Shape 2.0 interface, select and add the 3DVIA RaceTrack.

4. Upload 3D Models by Friday, September 26th
Starting on September 15th and running through September 26th 2008, upload your models to 3DVIA before Friday, September 26th!

5.  Models uploaded  must adhere to the following requirements to be used in Shape 2.0:
-Under 2mb 3DXML files- 3DVIA.com automatically creates the 3DXML convertion of any models uploaded. You can find the size of this 3DXML file on the right hand side panel when you view your model.  It must be under 2mb to be used in Shape 2.0.
-Textures file types - Textures used cannot be TIFF or TGA.  Please only use JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from September 29th through October 3rd
On September 29th, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best 6 models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff. During the Finalists week, the 6 models will be judged on 3 categories by our 3DVIA Judges and by popular vote from our community.

The 3 Categories are:

Artistic Design- Eye catching design, the coolness of the model.
Technical Accuracy - Mechanical or realistic accuracy and detail
Modeling Efficiency - Polygonal construction, modeling skill.

Current 3DVIA Judges Panel:

Matthew Baron - 3D Enthusiast Judge
Juan del Rio - DCC Judge
Don Swavely - CAD Judge

Each category will receive a value from 1-10 from each Judge. Each model will receive the average value of all the judges votes combined plus the percentage of their community vote multiplied by 10 (ie. if you received 45% of the votes, you would get 4.5).

2. The Winner Will Be Announced on Monday October 6th
We will post the winner here on October 6th…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

ShareThis

3DVIA is proud to announce 3DVIA Shape version 2.0! With this latest version of our popular free, 3D modeling tool, it is now easier and faster to create, edit and publish any 3D object or scene in minutes. This is made possible with the newly revamped Remix feature! With Remix you can create 3D content using models pulled from the 3DVIA.com Content Library. With a new interface, faster productivity, ability to use content from our vast 3D community in new and creative ways, upgrade now or install and become a true believer in fast and easy 3D.

Whats new with 3DVIA Shape 2.0?

Modeling:
We’ve cleaned up the interface, streamlined controls and added new functionality, keeping Shape simple to use and at the same time making it a full-feature application.

Remix:
This new feature is amazing! For example, you could create the floor plan of your home, and using the search function, quickly fill it up with a wide variety of furniture in seconds! It’s community 3D modeling at its best! Watch remix at work here!

Publishing:
You can publish and share your work directly on 3DVIA.com, making your work available anywhere! You don’t have to worry about file sizes, formats, options or extensions. We even have the code readily available for you to embed or include our 3D model viewer anywhere you want!

Take the Shape Tour!

How can I start using 3DVIA Shape 2.0?

This is the coolest tool for anyone whether you’re a 3D Artist or a novice looking to put a presentation or model together in 3D.  It’s so simple to use it’s addictive!  Here’s how you can get right down to it and experience it yourself.  You’ll need your 3DVIA.com account info, so keep it handy:

Download and install or upgrade to Shape 2.0
 It’s a mighty program in a small package!  Downloads fast and installs before you can get a drink! Upgrade or install from this link. Download 3DVIA Shape!

Launch 3DVIA Shape 2.0
Here’s where you’ll need your account info. Logging into the program gets you connected to the Content Library and allows you to publish your models immediately to your 3DVIA.com account. You can also save your unfinished session to open at a later time.

Search for Content!
Besides the spiffy new interface, you’ll notice a new search box on the bottom, left corner of the user interface. Search any key word and you’ll immediately get a list of matching results from the Content Library! Add as many models as you want into your scene.

That’s all it takes. Within minutes you can be up and running, compiling content to make your visions a reality!

Download and try it for yourself

Model not showing up in 3DVIA Shape version 2.0 search?  

So you just finished a model or found a really good model that fits into your Shape project but when you search for it, you can’t see it in the search results?  The information in this post will help you get your model into Shape quickly and easily. Check out “Can Your Model Be Used in a 3DVIA Shape Remix? post.

You can also join the 3DVIA Shape Group and ask other users questions.

ShareThis

Check out the winning entry below!

Congratulations MVComputers!  Everyone get ready for the next challenge!

ShareThis

Now its time to choose which one among you is our Champion!

Early Nokia Designed By BillyBobSue		9mm Cell Phone Designed By Emag
LG ENV2 Designed By MVComputers

ShareThis

 Check out the winning entry below!

Our next challenge will be more focused and is a tie-in with our Siggraph 2008 presence. Read all about it!

ShareThis

3DVIA Challenge 5: 3D Cell Phones

This week’s Challenge is all about 3D Cell Phones.  Create your own cell phone, the one you want to buy or a brand new creation!  This contest ties in to our Siggraph 2008 Booth where we’ll be showing our own cell phones along with many other demonstrations of our software.  Add as much detail as possible while staying under 30,000 triangles. 

 Challenge Extended by 1 Week!!   All Entries and Edits accepted till this friday August 29th!!

Our team is at NVISION 08, if you were one of the lucky one to attend Nvisions first tradeshow, please stop by our booth #320!!

 NEW!! Contest Rules based on USER FEEDBACK!

3DVIA Users: How to participate in this challenge:
1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here

2. Upload Your “3D Cell Phone” Model by Friday August 29nd
Starting on August 11th and running through August 29nd 2008, upload your best 3D Cell Phone to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Tag Your 3D Model “3DVIAChallenge5″
Tag your model with the keyword 3DVIAChallenge5 - you must use this exact tag to enter.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from September 1st through September 5th
On September 1st, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best 5 models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff. During the Finalists week, the 5 models will be judged on 3 categories by our 3DVIA Judges and by popular vote from our community.

The 3 Categories are:

Artistic Design- Eye catching design, the coolness of the model.
Technical Accuracy - Mechanical or realistic accuracy and detail
Modeling Efficiency - Polygonal construction, modeling skill.

Current 3DVIA Judges Panel:

Matthew Baron - 3D Enthusiast Judge
Juan del Rio - DCC Judge
Don Swavely - CAD Judge

Each category will receive a value from 1-10 from each Judge. Each model will receive the average value of all the judges votes combined plus the percentage of their community vote multiplied by 10 (ie. if you received 45% of the votes, you would get 4.5).

2. The Winner Will Be Announced September 8st
We will post the winner here on September 8st…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

ShareThis

Now its time to choose which one among you is our Champion!

The Luau Paradise Designed By Machdoem		Margarita with Lemon Designed By Master Chief
Private Island Luau Designed By MVComputers		Luau Island Designed By Emag

ShareThis

Challenge #4: The Luau has just begun, head over to the Challenge page and prove you have what it takes to be the next 3DVIA Champion!

Pontiac Dragster

ShareThis

3DVIA Challenge 4: The Luau

This week’s Challenge is titled “The Luau.” Make a tiki torch, beach hut, palm tree’s, roasted pig,  or any other single piece that would belong on an island beach party, or be ambitious and create the entire scene!

NEW!! Contest Rules based on USER FEEDBACK!

3DVIA Users: How to participate in this challenge:
1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here

2. Upload Your “Luau” 3D Model by Friday August 1st
Starting on July 21st and running through August 1st 2008, upload your best Luau model to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Tag Your 3D Model “3DVIAChallenge4″
Tag your model with the keyword 3DVIAChallenge4 - you must use this exact tag to enter.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from August 4th through August 8th
On July August 4th, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best 5 models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff.  During the Finalists week, the 5 models will be judged on 3 categories by our 3DVIA Judges and by popular vote from our community.

The 3 Categories are:

Artistic Design- Eye catching design, the coolness of the model.
Technical Accuracy - Mechanical or realistic accuracy and detail
Modeling Efficiency - Polygonal construction, modeling skill.

Current 3DVIA Judges Panel:

Matthew Baron - 3D Enthusiast Judge
Juan del Rio - DCC Judge
Don Swavely - CAD Judge 

Each category will receive a value from 1-10 from each Judge. Each model will receive the average value of all the judges votes combined plus the percentage of their community vote multiplied by 10 (ie. if you received 45% of the votes, you would get 4.5).

2. The Winner Will Be Announced August 11th
We will post the winner here on August 11th…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

ShareThis

Now its time to choose which one among you is our Champion!

Pulsar Drag Racer Designed By Emag		Pro-Street S10 Designed By Ice-Child		6 Wheeled Dragster Designed By Machdoem
Pontiac Dragster Designed By MVComputers		Spider Dragster Designed By Smike		Guadro Havoc Dragster Designed By Unlimitedguy

ShareThis

3DVIA Virtools is organizing a competition for students in partnership with Le Cube  and Arte-tv.   3D³ Competition rewards the best student projects using 3DVIA Virtools in the field of real-time 3D³ creation to applaud their technical and artistic prowess.  Any student in a public or private training program that delivers a full diploma are eligible to enter the competition. The Awards Ceremony will take place  October 18 at Le Cube in Issy-les-Moulineaux, so what are you waiting for, enroll today!

The Awards

You will be judged and eligible to win under the following categories:
-Grand Overall Prize
-Special Le Cube Prize (Artistic Expression)
-Special Virtools Prize (Technical Design)
-Special Arte-tv.com Prize (Cultural Content)
-Graphics Prize
-Sound Design Prize
-Narrative Design Prize
-Playability Prize
-Innovation Prize

The Contest

To Submit your project for the 3D³ Contest:
- you must be a student or have been a student between the 2007-2008 academic year
-you must fill out and submit the pre-enrollment form
-Entries must be received (postmarked) by July 19 2008. You can modify your entry unlimited times untill September 8 2008
-Projects must be submitted in the form of an executable program, on CD-Rom or through a URL
-Projects (.vmo file) must be submitted by the student, student team, their teacher or administrator of the academic institution
The full rules and guidelines can be found here: Rules and Conditions.

The Judges

After submitting your project you will be judged by a panel consisting of authorities in new technology and cultural sectors. Last year at 3D³ 2007 the panel consisted of:
-Florent Aziosmanoff, Directeur de la Creation au Cube
-Arnaud Ribadeau Dumas, Directeur de la recherche de Dassault Systemes
-Jose Correia, Editor of Arte-tv.com
-Stephane Natkin, Directeur de l’Enjmin
-Erwin Cario, journaliste de Liberation specialise dans le jeux video
The 2008 Panel will be posted in September.

About  the 3D³ Competition

This year marks the fifth year of the 3D³ Competition. It was designed and created by Le Cube and Virtools in 2004 with the goal of networking students and professionals, exploring new forms of expression using real-time 3D and breaking the barriers between artistic creation and cultural production.

You can check out the winners from last years competition here.

ShareThis

Blake Metzler is the Associate Director of 3D Animation at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University(CDIABU). As a man of many talents, Blake has worked as a teacher (New York Film Academy), writer, director, musician, actor, editor, and master of ceremonies (among other roles). His 3D art has appeared in films, video games, architecture, websites, and print.   His work on Episode 604: The Final Project won him the prestigious EVVY Award for Best Animation in 2004. He has also done commercial work for the likes of Polaroid and The Thoreau Society.  He’s an accomplished guitarist and his band PBR has been featured in AMP and Loud Fast Rules Magazine. 

Q1: How did you get your first break in the Gaming/Entertainment Industry?

Ha! That’s assuming that I got a “break” at some point. In all honesty, my first professional job was to create 5 different 30 second animations for an educational DVD. I got that gig through a fellow student and friend I made in grad school who didn’t think he could do it. To be honest, I didn’t think I could either, but that didn’t stop me from grabbing it! I really learned a lot on that project and am a firm believer in trial by fire. So the ‘how’ I got it was by being social, networking and above all having confidence in myself to take on something new. I think that these are all still the key today.

Q2: How much time do you spend, on average, on one particular model?

The answer to that question is not short and is going to depend on tons of variables that would change from project to project: Will the model deform and/or animate? How close to the model will the camera get? Is there a poly count? Etc….. Obviously, I spend much more time on character modeling because of the need for clean geometry and appropriate flow lines. But if it’s a mechanical model, I will care less about n-gons and get it done faster. Ultimately the budget and schedule determine how much time to spend. Artwork is never finished (only abandoned) and I only abandon it after putting in as much time as possible without missing a deadline. On average, I’d say one to two full days of modeling for one model.

Q3: What program do you use for modeling and what 3rd party software do you use to make your job easier?

I’m a 3D generalist through and through. Although I think XSI, 3DS, and even Lightwave have amazing attributes that are better than Maya individually, pound for pound, Maya gives the most ability in the 3D pipeline. Since I think that, I generally use Maya to model, with a heavy dose of Mudbox and/or Z-brush for detailing. Ultimately these are just tools and the tools are bound to change over time, so I don’t get too comfortable with any of them. Oh yeah and (of course) all of the Adobe stuff…

Q4: What is your day like?

I really wish I could answer that with consistency. Currently, I’m the Associate Director of 3D animation at the CDIA at Boston University. On any given day I will be teaching, freelancing, doing research, interviewing, answering e-mails, and working on curriculum from when I wake up until I hit the pillow. The day is impossible to predict and that’s why I like it.

Q5: What influenced you into becoming a 3D Artist?

I was a film major (minored in theater), so naturally after college I made films and got a real job to pay the bills (carpentry and renovation). I was in the emergency room getting stitched up from a table saw injury and thought it might be good to do something a little less hazardous to my health and a little more kind to my wallet. I went to graduate school (originally for web design) and when I took my first 3D elective, it was over.

Q6: Favorite game?  Movie?  Comic Book?

I don’t do favorites… but I’ll give you 3 good ones of each. Game wise, I think the Grand Theft Autos, the Guitar Heroes, and The Final Fantasy series are pivotal. Movie wise, I don’t get behind a flick just because it has good computer generated imagery. The Evil Dead movies, Fight Club and Star Wars (you know which ones) are the first that come to mind. I was a big comic fan when I was younger, so this one is pretty easy; X-men, Spiderman, Spawn.

Q7: What are your tips to staying focused on a large model/project?

Honestly, keep track of everything you do! Even if it means keeping a little journal documenting what you do each day. Also, make schedules, follow through on them and don’t put stuff off! I’ve gotten burnt (as all of you either have or will) by waiting until the last minute to tackle a big project. And leave nothing on the cutting room floor!!! Until super computers all render final gathering and ray-tracing in real-time, we don’t have time to do that!

I want to thank Blake for taking part of this interview.  Apart from being an excellent personage, he is a fantastic resource and a great educator. After a few minutes of working with him, you get the feeling that he puts a great positive energy into whatever he’s working on and brings you along for the ride.  You can view more of Blake Metzlers work from his website.  

ShareThis

3DVIA Challenge 3: Dragsters

This week’s Challenge is titled “Dragsters.”  Create a Top Fuel FunnyCar, Prostock, Super Street or any other type of car you can race on a Drag Strip. If you use 3DVIA Shape to create the model or keep the model under 15000 polygons you recieve bonus points during the Finalists Selection Week.

3DVIA Users: How to participate in this challenge:
1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here

2. Upload Your “Dragster” 3D Model by Friday July 11th
Starting on June 30th and running through July 11th 2008, upload your best Dragster model to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Tag Your 3D Model “3DVIAChallenge3″
Tag your model with the keyword 3DVIAChallenge3 - you must use this exact tag to enter.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from July 14th through July 21st
On July 14th, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff. You will then be able to vote on what you think is the best model. Anyone can vote, but only one will be picked as the best!

Make sure your friends and family come to the site to vote on your creation.

2. The Winner Will Be Announced July 21st
We will post the winner here on July 21st…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

ShareThis

Saint Basil

And here is our Champion! A very recent member of the 3DVIA community, meet Arrigo_Silva.

User Name:Arrigo_Silva
3DVIA Member Since: 06.14.2008
Job: Web Designer/Artist
Description:Unknown
Skills: Unknown
Stats:
Number of Models: 1
Total Number of Polygons: 63,195
Total Number of Models Viewed: 50
Total Number of Models Downloaded: 26
Total Number of Comments on Models: 2

Are you the next Champion? 3DVIA Challenge #3 Dragsters! has just begun, head over to the Challenge page and prove you have what it takes to be a 3DVIA Champion!

ShareThis

Use the form at the bottom of this post to pick your favorite model from the group. Voting for the best entry will be open through Sunday with the winner being announced on Monday of next week.

Our Finalists: (Voting Box Below Images)

 vahearmenia: Citadel of Erebouni

ShareThis

Peter is a Production Artist at Turbine Entertainment working on Lord of the Rings Online Massively Multi-player Online Game.  He’s also worked for Electronic Arts, Sony Interactive and Vivendi Universal on such titles as Bulletproof, Everquest II and James Bond: From Russia with Love.  Along with his professional duties, he also teaches at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University (CDIABU) in Massachusetts USA.  His 2D illustration work has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald and the Chicago Tribune.

Q1:  How did you get your first break in the Gaming/Entertainment Industry?
 
My first few opportunities were as a subcontractor for some rather unsuccessful titles.  I had interviewed with Ballistic Pixel (BP) Lab back in 2003 to work their then Middle Earth Online contract with Turbine Games. I unfortunately had to turn the job down due to pay requirements, but I guess I left a good impression.  When I worked at CDIA BU, BP contacted me to do some subcontract work.  I mainly did some props, but I did get one character. The important thing for me was the end client names like  Sony Interactive, Vivendi Universal and Electronic Arts.  Doing less than glamorous work was okay.

Q2:  How much time do you spend, on average, on one particular model?
 
When you’re in production, you need to be aware of deadlines. You have to learn to not only produce high quality, but also in a timely matter.  I typically spend anywhere between 5-15 days on a character depending on its complexity and importance.

Q3:  What program do you use for modeling and what 3rd party software do you use to make your job easier?
 
I mainly model in Maya, but I use Zbrush for high resolution models.  It’s a Maya to Zbrush work-flow at the moment.  I imagine in the future I may cut out Maya altogether. UV layout by Headus is by far the best 3rd party software I have come across in a while. The hardest part used to be getting your UV’s just right, now UV layout takes all the guess work out.  It’s awesome. I also have to mention Crazybump and Xnormal, both incredible software to produce high quality Normal Maps with ease.

Q4:  What is your day like?

Work, work and more work, but that’s how I like it :)
 
I usually get in around 9:30 and get right to work. I take lunch at 11:30 for an hour or so. The afternoon is where I spend my time really getting into what I’m working on, surfing the web for textures, etc.  I make sure to keep EVERY image I find for reference or overlays. I typically listen to my favorite TV shows or movies while I work.
 
Sometimes I skip lunch and practice Zbrush, but I’ve always got a good cup of cereal to get me through.

 
Q5:  What influenced you into becoming a 3D Artist?
 
Well, I started off my career in traditional illustration. I was pretty successful, but was always concerned about full time employment.  I am not the sort of illustrator to get into concept; guess I’m not all that imaginative, but I love to create.  Being a Production Artist just seemed the perfect fit. Maybe someday I’ll paint again, who knows.
 
Q6:  Favorite game? Movie? Comic Book?
 
My favorite game… that’s tough.  I’m kind of old school, but you have to remember the roots.  Let me give you my top 5 in no particular order: Bionic Commando (NES), Metroid (NES, N64, GC,  Wii), Dragon’s Lair (Arcade), Zelda (NES, N64, GC,  Wii), Pac Man (arcade). 
 
My favorite Movie? Here’s a few: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Van Wilder, Billy Madison, Clerks, Naked Gun, Airplane, The Natural, Unbreakable, Raiders of the Lost Ark, August Rush, Austin Powers, Major Payne, Office Space, Strange Brew, The Rundown, Better off Dead, and One Crazy Summer. I could go on and on but I’ll stop with just one more:  Spaceship… horribly awesome!

Q7:  What are your tips to staying focused on a large model/project?

That’s easy, I just think of all the crappy jobs I had before this and remember how much fun it is to do anything on LOTRO!

Peter was one of my teachers at CDIA, and I was always impressed by his energy and endless instant knowledge of Maya and how things work.  He’s tirelessly tinkering and improving on his work making all of his art look fantastic.  Peter’s website is currently going through renovations but as soon as it’s available I’ll edit the post and add a comment so you can all see his jaw dropping images.   And we may be adding some images soon of his work with Lord of The Rings Online.   Thank you Pete for doing the interview!

ShareThis

3DVIA Challenge 2: Monuments of the World

This weeks Challenge is titled “Monuments of the World”. Create the building, statue, memorial or ruin that is the pride of your country.   If you use 3DVIA Shape to create the model or keep the model under 5000 polygons you receive bonus points during the Finalists Selection Week.

UPDATE! Microsoft Virtual Earth - 3DVIA Users Scroll Down for your way to enter.

3DVIA Users: How to participate in this challenge:
1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here

2. Upload Your “Monument” 3D Model by Friday June 20th
Starting on June 9th and running through June 20th 2008, upload your best World Monument model to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Tag Your 3D Model “3DVIAChallenge2″
Tag your model with the keyword 3DVIAChallenge2 - you must use this exact tag to enter.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from June 23nd through June 30th
On June 23nd, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff. You will then be able to vote on what you think is the best model. Anyone can vote, but only one will be picked as the best!

Make sure your friends and family come to the site to vote on your creation.

2. The Winner Will Be Announced June 30th
We will post the winner here on June 30th…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

Microsoft Virtual Earth - 3DVIA Users

Users of our 3D modeling application for Microsoft Virtual Earth can submit their models for the challenge as well. Simply post a link to the shared collection that contains your entry as a comment below. The collection should contain that model only!

If your Virtual Earth submitted model is selected as a finalist, we will post a thumbnail of your model on the voting post with a link to the collection that contains it.

ShareThis

The Tank

And here is our Champion! A very active member of the 3DVIA community, MVComputers is also a member of a prominent Unreal Tournament clan! 

User Name:MVComputers
3DVIA Member Since:   09.22.2007
Job: Computer Engineer
Description:   I’m a computer junkie and a hard core Unreal Tournament gamer. I became interested in designing my own maps for UT and discovered 3DS Max was the best way to create meshes for the game. It’s just a hobby at best but I have only been using 3DS Max for about a year and a half now. I am self taught so it will take some time before I get really good at it. LOL

Skills:   3DS MAX, PS CS3, Unreal ED, Computer systems development.

Stats:
Number of Models: 15
Total Number of Polygons: 9,274,542
Total Number of Models Viewed: 1086
Total Number of Models Downloaded: 2281
Total Number of Comments on Models: 37
Affiliation: Aardvark Warrior Klan

Are you the next Champion? 3DVIA Challenge #2 has just begun, head over to the Challenge page and prove you have what it takes to be a 3DVIA Champion!

ShareThis

 

Welcome everyone to 3DVIA’s first Featured Artist interview!  In these posts we aim to ask industry veteran 3D Artists a few questions and showcase their work for our community members.  Today’s Featured Artist is Bryan Silva.  Bryan  worked for Rockstar New England (formerly MadDoc Software) creating a wide variety of game models and is currently working for Image Movers Digital, the company behind Polar Express and Beowulf.  The bad boy in the image above is none other than Danny Trejo, and is one of the models created by Bryan in 3D. 

  How did you get your first break in the Gaming/Entertainment Industry?

 I spent a lot of time at online forums like Polycount and CGTalk posting my work and getting critiques. I sought out tutorials that would help me learn the software I was using. Then I started getting emails from people working at game companies that had seen my work on the forums. None of those materialized into a job offer for me, though. I had a few art tests sent to me that also never materialized.  I sent myself to GDC two times before ever landing a job in the game industry. The experience of attending was great. They have tutorials that you can attend where industry professionals share their knowledge with conference attendees. I learned a lot from those tutorials. Plus GDC is a great environment to network with industry professionals. I remember I had gone to Kinkos and printed business cards with my name, number, my online portfolio url  and what I was good at doing in 3d. I started to apply to game  studios and it took a little over a year to get an onsite interview. The developer that ended up hiring me had my resume on file from a year earlier when I had applied. It was so out of the blue I was very surprised and happy.

  How much time do you spend, on average, on one particular model?

While in the game industry two weeks to a month to do a character. When it’s a personal project I tend to spend more time on it than I could on the job. Im now in the film industry working on blend shapes. I usually spend one to 3 days on a shape depending on its complexity.

  What program do you use for modeling, and what 3rd party software do you use to make your job easier?

3dsmax with Polyboost, Polygon Cruncher, Crazybump, Maya with NEX, proprietary scripts at my job, Mudbox, Zbrush.

  What is your day like?

I work on blendshapes for a film that is completely CG. There are actors that I create shapes for as well as shapes for the characters based on those actors. There are rounds daily where your work is reviewed by your superiors. Weekly meetings. Dailies, where artists submit their work to be reviewed by other departments and studio heads. It’s a really great environment. Its really exciting to see progress. In games, you get to do a whole character which is great, but you don’t have as much time or technology to devote to the character. In film you work on one part of the characters’ creation, and everyone who works on it, nails the part he or she is working on. Its really nice to see it come together.

  What influenced you into becomming a 3D Artist?

My love of comic book art from McFarlane, Greg Capullo, Dale Keown, Steven Platt, led me indirectly to 3d. I remember recreating a panel for a comic book. Falling in love with all the details those artists put into their work. I wanted to be a part of animation and the lack of details in traditional animation led me to 3d animation.

  Favorite game? Favorite Movie? Favorite Comic Book?

I think my favorite game was Resident Evil. I remember being so captivated and actually jumping from the suspence. Movie, man, I can’t call it. Too many favorites. Spawn was my favorite comic of all time.

  What are your tips to staying focused on a large model/project?

I think 3d is a pleasure to do. I am so happy that I don’t wake up dreading going into work. I even work on personal projects outside of work. Staying focused shouldn’t be a problem in this line of work in my opinion.

We want to thank Bryan for taking part in this interview.  I personally learned a lot from his answers and by just looking at the work on his site.  Make sure you guys check out his website, and post all your comments here!

ShareThis

This competition was inspired by the success of the Khufu experience, a VR show which simulated the creation of the pyramids in Egypt. The Khufu experience was first debuted as a one-day exhibit at La Geode in March 2007, and was such a hit that it is now a daily exhibit. Learn more about the Khufu VR Experience here.

The competition consists of 2 Phases, after which, your team could be the winner of a 75,000 3D Projector from BARCO!

Phase 1

Due Date: September 12th, 2008
Create your team, and build your project write-up, storyboard and technical specifications.  Submit them by the deadline with your application pack.

10 Projects will be selected from the submissions to continue on to Phase 2, receiving 1,500 euros and Virtools licenses for each team.

Phase 2

Runs from October 1st, 2008 to March 1st, 2009
Create the pilot using 3DVIA Virtools for online broadcast and in a virtual reality environment.

The pilots will be judged by jury at the March Laval Virtual 2009.  Top 3 winners will win 75,000 euros worth of software and equiptment including a  3D Projector from BARCO!

It seems to me that our 3DVIA Community is the perfect place to start something like this; we’ve just hit 20,000 users, you guys have work constantly moving through the warehouse, and we’ve already started making the connections. Shape power-users, I’m looking at you — let’s get something going!

Find out more, download the rules and register your team at www.3ds.com/vrexperience
Download the registration pack here.

Employees and representatives of Dassault Systemes, La Geode and Barco NV are not permitted to participate in the VR Experience Competition.

ShareThis

Use the form at the bottom of this post to pick your favorite model from the group. Voting for the best entry will be open through Sunday with the winner being announced on Monday of next week.

Our Finalists: (Voting Box Below Images)

ShareThis

 Often once you build a vehicle, you want it to do everything well, to handle any obstacle and take on entire countries by itself!  What started out as a troop transport, is now an amphibious Monster Truck with 8 gun turrets, 18 missiles, 40 rocket launchers and 2 miles per gallon that has the seating capacity of a small stadium!  We get carried away in our excitement and lose focus on what the vehicle’s role is.  In this blog we’ll look at some of the things we usually forget when creating a new vehicle, and talk about the design.

Whats Missing?

 Each vehicle is designed and created to play a particular role or fulfill a tactical need: Recon/Scout, Anti Personnel, Anti Armor, Troop Transport, Main Tank, Long range support, Infantry Support, Bombers, Assault.  Keep in mind that your vehicle is not all of these at the same time, but it can be a hybrid of two.  For example a Fighter-Bomber or an Assault-Tank.

Another thing we usually forget are the things that our vehicle needs:  Engines, weapon power sources, ammo drums or compartments, crew space, emergency escapes, armor panels.  Sometimes we stack so many things in a vehicle and then realize we only left space for a AA battery or 2 sleeping quarters in a space ship with a crew of 30.

You may think I’m crazy but all of these details matter.   These are things you may not notice, but you feel something is missing on the model.   Models that are functional, are more exciting than models that make you guess at how many chickens are powering the 2 square foot engine.

Design

Who’s driving the vehicle?  What environment is the vehicle most likely to be in? Whats the daily routine of the vehicle?   The more you know and figure out about your vehicle the more detailed and alive it becomes.  For example, a large cammoflauged tractor with a mini gun might do great against that alien bovine invasion but do nothing for the wheat field the farmer is supposed to be using it in.  Change it to a bright red tractor with an air conditioned cab, a cooler in the back, a shotgun in a golf bag and a large radio antennae on the top and its the farmers dream vehicle.   

Combat vehicles follow the same line of thinking.  You figure out its combat role and give it 2-3 weapon systems that will help it fulfill its role.  Don’t add things “just in case” you run into an aircraft carrier!  If its a troop transport, its main role is to carry infantry safely to  where they can be best used.  Its main armament is actually armor, second would be a machine gun to provide cover fire,  and third maybe smoke launchers to protect itself and its passengers as they disembark.   Another great addition would be to allow the infantry to shoot through gun ports adding to the fire power of the transport.   Its definitely vulnerable to heavy weapons but it has the tools to fulfill its role.

 Look back over some of the vehicle’s you’ve created so far, and see if there is anything you can add to make it more life like and functional.  Use them as a stepping stone and make the next vehicles you make that much better.   In my next blog, we’ll talk about creating units for a game, faction influence and game balancing.

-Juan

ShareThis

I recently posted a 3D Model on 3DVIA that asked you to spot the fake crate from the “real” crate.  I am going to go through the process of how I made it in this blog.

Modeling the full detail Crate

This was fun to make! A nice simple crate that everyone can make at home.  I started with a cube in Maya.  Made a few cuts around the sides and pushed the faces in.  I then did a similar step to the top and bottom by selecting the face, extruding, shrinking it a little and pushing it in.

Next I made a long cube . Make it just the same length as the pushed in sides.  I then used the bevel tool to smooth the corners of the this cube along with the corners of the crate. I then duplicated the long cube and scaled it so that it became thinner, and used it as the wood paneling on the sides, top and bottom.  Crate Complete.

 Texturing
This is where all the work happens.  In order to make the simple box look like the real box, I used an occlusion and a normal map.  I’ve spoken about occlusion before.  Its a process by which you create realistic shading based on distance to other object, giving everything a real weight. 
A Normal map, is a process that records the surface normals of an object as a texture, so when light passes over a bumpy object, it changes accordingly. Now because this object is the same on each of its sides we can either render the occlusion and normal maps to a texture (this process is called “baking”) or we can do an occlusion and normal render of one side of the crate and repeat the texture on each side by stacking the uv shells.  I chose to stack my uv shells for this demo.

Layer the occlusion with the wood texture in Photoshop and then apply to both the simple crate and the real crate.  They should look pretty much the same now except for one thing.  You can still tell the box is flat compared to the real crate.  This is where the normal map makes its magic. After I apply it to the box, the light will react to the flat surface as if it had all the groves and bumps of the real crate, making them really difficult to distinguish.

These techniques are the foundations of great game modeling, able to keep the quality of a high polygon model with the speed of the low polygon version.  Go ahead, try to Spot the Fake!

http://www.3dvia.com/jdelrio/media/9159758799ABBD8F

ShareThis

Every other week (or so), we’ll announce a new 3DVIA challenge asking you to submit your best work based upon a set list of guidelines. Each challenge will be different and will have you testing your 3D modeling skills against thousands of other modelers. For our first challenge, we start with a very popular content type on the site…military vehicles under the theme of ” The Military Might”.

3DVIA Challenge 1: The Military Might!

With Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day coming up, we thought we would celebrate our first contest by asking you to submit your best 3D military vehicle. That means no sci-fi models for this contest (we’ll save that for another challenge) just current or previous era military related vehicles. Planes, tanks, ships…you choose, just upload it today.

How to participate in this challenge:

1. Be a Registered User of 3DVIA
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here.

2. Upload Your “Military Themed” 3D Model by Friday May 30th
Starting on May 19th and running through May 30th 2008, upload your best military vehicle model to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

3. Tag Your 3D Model “3DVIAChallenge1″
Tag your model with the keyword 3DVIAChallenge1 - you must use this exact tag to enter.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

>> How this challenge will be judged:

1. Voting on this challenge runs from June 2nd through June 9th
On June 2nd, we will post and announce the “finalists”…or the best models as chosen by our 3DVIA staff. You will then be able to vote on what you think is the best model. Anyone can vote, but only one will be picked as the best!

Make sure your friends and family come to the site to vote on your creation.

2. The Winner Will Be Announced June 9th
We will post the winner here on June 9th…and announce the next challenge.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Remember to comment on other users models and tell your friends to submit their own!

Like the 3D Tank in the Banner? Courtesy of 3DVIA User Tool.

ShareThis

I have to say that I was a little cautious about Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark but he was excellent in the film and the Iron Man model was amazing.  In this blog we’ll talk a little bit about the suit and what it took to make it real.

The Movie

The movie was fantastic!  It takes you through the transformation of Tony Stark.  From a careless billionaire weapons manufacturer to a self made hero, fighting the good fight. First movie produced by Marvel, and it shows.  Jeff Bridges also surprised me, although I kept thinking he was going to say “Duuuude!” in reference to “The Big Lebowski.”  If you haven’t seen Iron Man, you owe it to yourself because, its not only a good movie, but the first in a series of Marvel productions leading to the Avengers Movie. 

The IronMan Suit

The suit is extraordinary! Over 1,933 pieces of geometry for the Mark III suit.  Most of those pieces were animated as the suit was being assembled or while the suit was in-flight as control surfaces. It took 3+ hours to render each frame of Iron Man when he was in motion.  Film is 24 frames per second,  that’s a heck of a lot of processing power! They did build a physical suit for Robert Downey Jr. to wear but when he found out how well they could composite the suit over his frame, he told the director he was not wearing the physical suit!  He wanted full range of motion, so they ended up doing the CG Iron Man suit for most of the film, about 410 separate shots for ILM alone.

So where do I get one of them there whatchamacallits?

So you think Superheroes are all fiction?  We are closer than you may think to having Powered Armor.  Recently the US Military purchased a company that built a powered exoskeleton, that can lift hundreds of pounds for hours with out the user getting tired.  And in Japan they have redesigned the exoskeleton to be as sleek, and sexy as the Iron Man armor.  It gets better,  the company creating this cybernetic armor is called Cyberdyne, as in the company that created Skynet in the Terminator franchise. The development of these technologies is mainly for the assistance and replacement of lost or non working limbs.  But imagine, a few more years down the line and I’ll be my one One Man Army!  Super powered Storm Trooper Armor, here I come!

-Juan

Ironman

ShareThis