Alright, I'm tired of Poser and its 'realistic' characters. They're too complex. Don't try to convince me otherwise. What do video games (like Max Payne or GTA3, for instance) use to create their characters? Those look simpler, but at the same time much more photorealistic (especially when splicing with MiniDV). Is it a program I can get? I just wanna make some quick stunt man stand-ins, for shots of a guy flying around outside. Thanks

I believe they used 3ds max for Max pane, but you can also use Maya and other similar programs. They're programs you can get if you have a lot of money. However there is a 30 day trail of 3ds max available at discreet.com and a learning edition of Maya at alias.com (although it puts a watermark on all your renders).

To give you an idea of what these programs are capable of - they are used in almost every single blockbuster hollywood action movie, epic, or anything that requires special effects. War of the Worlds, Lord of the Rings (Maya), Spiderman (3ds max), The Matrix, any other movie with CG stuff, a billion action movies, and at the same time, simple cartoons and games models.


There are free programs available, such as Blender and Wings3d. (google it)

It's not easy to model characters, it'll be a long time before you can make them look even half decent. So if you want digital standins I suggest you head over to Cgtalk(.com) and get a modeler there to help you out. Because it's going to take a while to fully model, rig, texture and animate a character.

Good luck!

-Chris

If a program like Poser is to complex for you, I would reccomend not spending money on even more complex software like Maya and 3ds Max.

Video game characters are a lot less complex than cg movie characters. They just spend a lot of time texturing them so they still look good (they spend a lot of time texturing movie cg characters too). They can't make video game models too complex though, otherwise the games wouldn't be able to run all that well.

I use Maya for all my 3d, but i also have a degree in 3-d game design. Max Payne was created using 3d studio max, and render in engine. Making a character model is a lot of work for someone that knows nothing. You first need to get reference pictures, front and profile, unless you think you are that good and think you can model everything to proportion. Then you start modeling you need to know about edge looping and how things work and flow, because if you don’t have fun rigging the character, then when its time to texture you unwrap the geometry and paint your texture with Photoshop or painter, whatever you enjoy using, Then your ready to go. Then animation and the timing is another B**CH you have to mess with, or it will just look really silly. So if this is something you want to do go for it its fun I enjoy doing. Just one more thing Practice, practice, practice
I enjoy using Maya more than Max just can’t stand it, personal preference.

LmB

I've been messin around in Lightwave 3D for a month or two. Modeling is a tough game, and the learning curve is really damn long unfortunately. I've recently bought some books to help me out, but it's still tough. Well noone has mentioned Lightwave yet, how does it compare to Maya and 3ds max?I've heard it's generally easier to use, than Maya and max, that's why I've been using it instead.

XSI is nice I know a few people that use it. Valve uses it for halflife, soo it not bad, I have only messed with it here and there. I like maya because that what i know best, I started with Max though for a few year, but once i went to maya I will never go back. Maya in my mind is the best to script for, which make it easy to do whatever you need it to do, and that is why its used in soo many movies, you can do anything.

LmB

There are a LOT of movies using the Half Life 2 editor.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BigBudgetPlease,

There ARE?!? Can you name some?

Check out City 17...its real video mixed with HL2 models...pretty interesting and realistic.

That's not heaps of movies though. And City 17 is a Half life movie, not a film you'd go and see at a cinema. The Half life editor is for making low poly game levels isn't it?

@FashtheStampede - yeah, I forgot Lightwave. Indeed it's pretty good, cheaper than max and maya and can produce some really good results. Either way, modeling is hard and unless you've been doing it for a while you're not going to be producing anything convincing, especially animated characters.

But defenately check out Cgtalk, you should get some help there.

-Chris

quote:

That's not heaps of movies though. And City 17 is a Half life movie, not a film you'd go and see at a cinema. The Half life editor is for making low poly game levels isn't it?

Half Life Ed you can create level or you can import levels and character as well as other odds and ends for you level. But one thing that is becoming huge is what is called Machinima. A Machinima is where you create you level and your props and characters and use scripting to link different animations together to form a video games style movie. it was really cool back in the day but I am sick of it because everyone does it, its the left brain person way to feel like a director because its more technical. I find it kind of boring now because everyone is doing it and everyone can. Most people use all the levels and characters in the engine to create their machinima and there is no skill in that. Once in awhile a really good one comes out, with an actual story and original character, and I just think its because they don’t have money and they are using all mean necessary to make their vision a reality and I praise that.


LmB