Winter 2000

Project 1 : Modeling

Date Assigned:    Thursday, Jan. 6, 2000.
Due Date:         Tuesday, Jan 18, 2000    

• Critique (in lab)
• Reading - Chapter 1

• Project 1 Setup: Scene1.mb
• Project 1 Setup: Scene1.mcc

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  This first assignment introduces you to the process of creating a model using Maya. This assignment has two parts. The first part is two tutorials on 3D modeling. For the second part of the assignment you will work in a group of three or four. Groups will be assigned during class and will change after every project. The work you do individually or as a group will vary for each assignment. For this assignment, the purpose of the group will be to create models which will populate a restaurant scene. Each group member will work alone, handing in their own models.

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  Part 1 - Maya Tutorials

  What to do

  You will be completing two tutorials which will be available on the web. 

  You will only be handing in the finished product from each tutorial. Don't wait until the last minute to start the tutorials. (They take a bit of time).
  
  Turn-in

  When you save your models from Maya, a Maya Binary (.MB) file is created. You will only turn in this  file.   Specific instructions for turning-in and saving projects will be given in class.

   

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  Part 2 - Modeling

  What to Do
  
  For this part of the assignment each person in your group will choose two objects which might (even if its only in some strange world) be found in a restaurant.   You will be given a bare restaurant scene and your eventual task will be to bring it to life with many different types of models.  Meet with your group as soon as possible to brainstorm ideas for this project. Make a list of related objects and choose a grouping that seems fun and challenging to each of you. Try to imagine a group of objects that tell a story, or will at least make a compelling scene, when placed together. In future projects you will be working with this restaurant scene and the objects that you create, so the more interesting you make them now, the more fun future projects will be.  Each member of the group will be responsible for two of the models through all phases of modeling.   The first model can be something simple, like a glass, or plate or chair.  The second, however, should be considerably more involved, e.g. flowers, food, fountains, etc.  Go out to some of your favorite restaurants and see what kinds of objects you can locate.  Each person should prepare some preliminary sketches of the objects they will create by Tuesday, Jan 11.  As a group, you should arrange a meeting time with the TA assigned to your team to discuss your plans.

  Note: There is one caveat for choosing an object.  You must choose an object which you can bring into class (no 10 ft. tall purple elephants, unless you have one, that is).  This is for your benefit as it will be very helpful if you can see a real object in all of its visual complexity while modeling. 
  
  
  What we're looking for

  The important thing to remember when working on your model is that we will be much more concerned with quality than complexity. Here are some tips to remember when designing your models:

  • Too much detail is as bad as too little -- remember that more detail can be added later with texture mapping.
  • Try not to use too much geometry (or too many CV's ).
  • The model should have no cracks or seams.
  • Your models should not be too regular (noise and asymmetry are good).
  • One-sided surfaces (with outward-facing normals) render much faster.
  • The group's related models should be built to the scale of the provided restaurant scene.
  • Be creative! Don't just make plates and chairs.
  
  Technical Requirements
  

  Your scene should be uncluttered and easy to read:

  • Delete any extra cameras and lights
  • Delete any unnecessary geometry such as construction curves or histories.
  • Group the entire object under a single node.
  • Name your object something sensible, and also name any major components. (For example, the front wheel of a bike should be called "frontwheel", not "torus#31".). 
  Turn in

  Projects will be critiqued in the lab on Jan. 18th.  Turn- in instructions will be given out during class.

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  Tips

  Be sure to start early so you can bring your questions and problems to the help sessions.
  
  Name your components as soon as you create them. It'll be much easier than changing them all later. Name your objects something simple. The idea is that the names should be easy to type. When you have a complex model and need to pick one little part, it is MUCH easier to pick it by name than with the mouse
  
  Take the time to learn keyboard shortcuts (especially for transforming the camera), the marking menus, and how to customize your workspace.