Planning the project

Approaching the third week of the project, the first milestone was the presentation of the project. After the initial research period, i wanted to create a blockout of the 3d asset. I find that creating a character is easier with a turnaround for reference. I created one for Ax man, especially as he has such exaggerated proportions.

From this i created a 3d blockout of the character to represent what the rendered character would look like.
I am still not certain as to which artistic direction to produce the textures in. Stylistically i want create a sort of pastel pallet like the art design of Valve's Team fortress 2. Although i have considered generating a realistic look to the characters skin texture, in which i wouldn't just use a simple solid SSS material, as skin isn't a uniform substance, it requires various layers. A proper skin SSS shader has a subdermal, dermal and diffuse SSS texture channels, as well as weighting control for front, mid and back scatter.

Here's my initial blockout;

The topology is not representative of the final model. But proportionally, it will not change greatly.

The project requires a great deal of planning, as upcoming milestones alongside the writing of my dissertation leaves me with little time to concentrate on one element of the project over another. I have generated a Gantt chart with the main elements of the project and when i aim to have them finished by.

To summarize;

„Week 1- research/development

„Week2- concept/character & diorama blockout

„Week 3-presentation/ initial planning

„Week4- modelling character

„Week5- texturing character/ high poly modelling

„Week6- as above/ texturing diorama/FX

„Week7- rigging/contingency planning

„Week8-Alpha stage presentation/initial cinematic

„Week9- additional lighting/ composition

„Week10-contingency planning

„Week11-Final presentation/ cinematic video

„Week12 /onward- improving work based on feedback