Synopses & Reviews
The video game industry is hot! The biggest independent game maker, Electronic Arts, now brings in more than $2 billion in revenue per year and has been added to the Standard & Poor’ s 500 index. Sony, a major record label and movie producer, got nearly 600f its profits last year from PlayStation 2 hardware and software. Universities such as University of California at Irvine, MIT, and Georgia Tech offer game-development courses, and video game institutes such as Full Sail and DigiPen are popping up. But how can one explore this burgeoning field without spending thousands on software and schooling? That’ s where 3D Game Animation For Dummies comes in. This book by 3D guru Kelly Murdock covers everything curious readers want to know about the amazing world of 3D game animation— storyboarding, creating scenery, working with 3D coordinates, keyframing, NURBS modeling, lighting, rigging, skinning, particle effects, and more! A CD-ROM includes Maya Personal Learning Edition (PLE) software and allows readers to model, animate, and render their 3D masterpieces. Tutorial files, 3D models, and bonus plug-ins are also included.
Synopsis
* For readers intrigued by 3D video games as a hobby or a potential career, this book offers an introduction to the world of 3D game animation and provides step-by-step instructions on creating storyboards, scenery, characters, and even software
* Cover topics such as working with 3D coordinates, keyframing, NURBS modeling, lighting, rigging, skinning, particle effects, and more
* Video game sales exceeded the movie industry's box office draw last year by $1 billion
Synopsis
* Video game sales exceeded the movie industry's box office draw last year by $1 billion
Synopsis
Gain the skills that will get you into game design
Bring fantasy creatures and settings to life, and launch a lucrative career
There's gold in them thar games, and here's your mining kit! Find out how to design, model, and animate characters, give your settings detail and dimension, create a storyboard, add dialogue, produce special effects, plan a game, and more. You'll even get an overview of essential software, and tips for landing a job in the game industry.
Discover how to
- Create realistic motion
- Develop a game concept
- Model a complete character from scratch
- Add a skeleton rig to your character
- Find out how to use particles and dynamics
- Sync facial movements with soundtracks
About the Author
Kelly L. Murdock has written about computer topics ranging from multimedia to JavaScript. He has also created 3D models for feature films and worked as a freelance 3D artist.
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Part I: Creating 3D Content for Games.
Chapter 1: Getting Started with 3D Game Animation.
Chapter 2: Game and Art Design, and Creating Storyboards.
Chapter 3: Starting with Traditional Animation Basics.
Part II: Creating Interfaces, Modeling Scenery, and Texturing Backgrounds.
Chapter 4: Creating Game User Interfaces.
Chapter 5: Modeling Scenery and Props.
Chapter 6: Adding Details with Materials.
Chapter 7: Mapping Textures.
Chapter 8: Creating Effective Lighting.
Part III: Designing, Modeling, and Animating Game Characters.
Chapter 9: Techniques for Modeling Characters.
Chapter 10: Discovering the Basics of 3D Animation.
Chapter 11: Animating Characters.
Chapter 12: Animating Facial Movements.
Chapter 13: Automating Reactions with Dynamics.
Part IV: Animating Game Cut Scenes.
Chapter 14: Animating Scene Elements.
Chapter 15: Animating with Particles.
Chapter 16: Rendering an Animation.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 17: Ten Types of Tools Used by Game Companies.
Chapter 18: Ten Creative Jobs in the Animation Industry.
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Land a Job as a 3D Game Animator.
Appendix A: Using Game Engine Tools.
Appendix B: Glossary of Animation Terms.
Appendix C: Directory of Animation Schools.
Index.