Teaching 3D Modeling to High Schoolers?

[MetKiller Joe]

This scares me. I'm not that great of a three-dimensional modeler, but apparently, a lot of people, including my librarian who runs the animation club, told me that they like me work, and so my librarian told me to come in to the animation club and show people how the process is done.

Since this is school, I'll be using Gmax, which is a better alternative to 3ds max than blender is, in my opinion (3DS Max is industry standard, and Gmax is the closest program to it). I'm also going to be using the HEK to try to get these guys familiar with the nitty gritty processes of going through compilation of a game environment.

Couple of things I want to ask:

-I chatted the the librarian and she brought up a good point - why use a proprietary format for models, bsps, textures, etc? I told her that its because each engine needs data (be it geometric or otherwise) optimized for its code (This is just what I've deduced using reasoning, and maybe I'm wrong).

So, that's a concept I'd like to clear up before I start teaching these people the [wrong] fundamentals.

Also, if these guys started modeling levels, what tutorials should I start them on? I followed Kirk's tutorials on level design (over at HM), but it seems that many people disagree with that kind of method nowadays.

So, any tips on what I should get these guys to do first? To clarify, I'm not "box-level" newbie, but I'm not great, as stated earlier. So, I want to make sure that if they learn something, its the right way of doing things, and not the wrong way of doings things as I learned.

Thanks for any feedback.

[klange]

Gmax is three years old and completely deprecated, regardless of the quality, why would you be using something you can't get support for in the least bit?

(And Blender can do more, the interface just takes a completely different approach to work with... And Blender has a built-in game engine you can use to teach that sort of thing with, and it's powered by Python, so you can do virtually anything with it)

[Zeph]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE7VzlLtp-4

Blender can do things very well.

To start out, get them making things on paper first. They wont be good modelers if they cant think with shapes in 2d first. Get them to understand the tools before having them make something. It will do them no good to try and make a level if they dont understand the fundamentals of working with editable poly or how to decide the process of making things. Essentially, if they cant see how the whole is comprised before they start, it will be a long and painful process for them to figure out.

[MetKiller Joe]

Now that I think about it, the only thing I can use is blender because we only have macs to work on.

Thanks for the advice. This will help me as well.

[legionaire45]

XSI Softimage free version thingy.

And teach them something they will actually be able to use in the real world (eg. Source, UT3, Cryengine, whatever).

[Apoc4lypse]

To start out, get them making things on paper first. They wont be good modelers if they cant think with shapes in 2d first.

Speak for your self.

I couldn't draw jack **** when I started modeling...

Then again when I started modeling I couldn't model Jack **** either...

I worked that whole thing backwards... modeled for like 3 years, then started learning how to draw.

The bright side of which, I have a natural ability to draw perspective objects now with out even thinking about it. (although sometimes my perspectives off a bit if I don't check my vanishing points).

But yeah.. gmax is very outdated... I never used Bender though so I wouldn't know.

Also I don't understand how this school is teaching 3d using gmax, this is a highschool? I guess it makes sense then though... doesn't cost anything.

Also... if its a modeling class... not a video gaming class, don't even go near the whole "hek set up" blonga...

Teach them to model clean meshes. (no overlaps, no useless polys, and no holes). Its a good skill to have being able to model like this, it gives you way more flexibility when if you ever want to add models to a game engine, or simply want to make the models detailed yet as optomized as possible to cut down rendering times.

Also try to teach them efficient techniques, and not to be lazy, normally on a good mesh you should touch almost every part of it, if not then your wasting polys.

As for how to teach well... depends on the classes understand of computers, and also your own ability and how you model.

I'm taking an autocad class... the teacher is good, but I feel like we should be moving about 30 times faster than we are, its mostly because theres slower people in the class though (less computer experience).

Sort of leaves me sitting there with nothing to do...

e: question... does 3dsmax or maya work on mac pc's?

Or what is the standard when it comes to modeling using a Mac pc?

Just curious and don't feel like it needs its own thread.

[legionaire45]

Maya will work on Mac, Linux (some distributions, not sure which ones) and PC. 3DS is limited to the PC.

[MetKiller Joe]

Also... if its a modeling class... not a video gaming class, don't even go near the whole "hek set up" blonga...


It is as club not a class. I'm only teaching them the fundamentals and even then, I hope to be just showing them how the UI works (of blender let's say), and then show them some links to various tutorials.



Teach them to model clean meshes. (no overlaps, no useless polys, and no holes). Its a good skill to have being able to model like this, it gives you way more flexibility when if you ever want to add models to a game engine, or simply want to make the models detailed yet as optomized as possible to cut down rendering times.


Even for me, this one is, in a way, obvious. I'm not going to tell them, "Tessellate and pull some vertices," like I did in my early days as a modeler.
But yes, I understand the need to make a nice solid/optimized foundation on which to build more.

[FRain]

Speak for your self.

I couldn't draw jack **** when I started modeling...

Then again when I started modeling I couldn't model Jack **** either...


You do know, shit isn't censored, rite?

Also, be honest with them. If it looks like shit, don't necessarily say it looks like shit, but tell him it isn't great and tell him how to improve, much like we do here.

[MetKiller Joe]

You do know, shit isn't censored, rite?

Also, be honest with them. If it looks like shit, don't necessarily say it looks like shit, but tell him it isn't great and tell him how to improve, much like we do here.

Yes, I realize.

[Kalub]

Fuck this is going to fail, and by all means don't use Kirks way. Tell them if they want to learn then its better for them to learn at their own pace with their own motivation. Link them to the Beratta plane modeling tutorial, and your job's done.

[MetKiller Joe]

Link them to the Beratta plane modeling tutorial.

I will thanks. That was also a thought of mine.