Attention Modacity Digital Art Pros: I want to get back into Digital Art.

[DarkHalo003]

For a while now, I've been on a hiatus to preserve my desire to work in digital art, since I began to feel a ping of overwhelming frustration when I last worked on it. As a result, I'm absolutely miserable and find no meaning in life. Okay, maybe not that drastic, but it is depressing that I don't model as much as I used to. Though many of you either know me as bad at modelling, not a big modeler, or as someone who had promise so long as I kept working on it, my skill when I stopped a year-and-a-half ago was the that of what many could do back in 2003....a decade too short.

That said, I need help. Where do I start from here? What new standards are expected of in the industry and development now-a-days? 3ds Max and Zbrush/Mudbox are tools (hah!) that I need to know like the back of my hand and the skills that come with their use are absolutely crucial, of course, but what I really want to know is where to start in terms of a lot of new tech that's shown up. Where would be a good place to start to learn Hard Surface Modelling properly? I've looked up tutorials before, but I never got a good feel for them by just google+searching. Furthermore, High Poly to Low Poly modeling is something that I'm very unfamiliar with as 2003 techniques all relied on modeling in low poly to run in inferior engines compared to today's engines that can support a LOT more. Since that topic of modeling features a LOT, where would I go to start on that as well?

I know this is sort of a wall of text, but please help me if you guys can. I need to begin working on this stuff once more and although this maybe a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE call in my judgement, I thought you guys would be the best place to start asking questions.

[=sw=warlord]

Sites I use:
http://www.digitaltutors.com/software/3ds-Max-Modeling-tutorials
(http://www.digitaltutors.com/software/3ds-Max-Modeling-tutorials)Eat3d.com

[Higuy]

Step 1:

Find a decent tutorial

Step 2:

Open 3ds max and follow along

Step 3:

Don't watch a tutorial and try it yourself on different things until you can get it down right.

Tutorials are good, but you need plenty of practice on your own to get it down correctly.

[t3h m00kz]

do it every fucking day and put forth the effort to learn new things.

http://ctrlpaint.com/videos/the-drawing-habit

a (http://ctrlpaint.com/videos/the-drawing-habit)pply this concept to whatever you want to do

[Zeph]

It's hard to improve when you're afraid to see how horrible you are and look at what you did retrospectively to find something to improve upon.
One of the biggest problems many people face going in is that their attempts don't come anywhere close to something like a featured work on polycount.

[paladin]

Honestly... Don't waste your time. It won't be worth it.

[PenGuin1362]

When MS is your publisher, that is true >_> Not sure if a job is your end game but to speak to his point it's a metric fuck load of work. So be ready.

Posting is one of the most important things to keep on top of. Posting on places like polycount not only gets you advice from more experienced people but also lets you know when you think something might be awesome when it's really not. Or sometimes people will just notice things you missed. The polycount wiki also has a ton information on it and worth reading through for the technical side of things.

[Amit]

When I saw the title ATTN: MDCTY I thought Nuclear Coffee was back in business to thwart us.

[DarkHalo003]

Who was Nuclear Coffee? Did he have good coffee?

[Tnnaas]

Take a sip.

http://assets.podomatic.net/mymedia/thumb/1351947/460%3E_5154514.jpg

[neuro]

dude just choose something you want to do, and do it

[DarkHalo003]

dude just choose something you want to do, and do it
I agree, some things you just gotta do to learn, but I was just asking for some resources to help me as I begin again. In other words: If you had to teach someone who had only developed games from 2002, what resources would you show them to speed up the learning process?

[neuro]

idk, i learnt all my stuff by just fucking around.

ripping meshes from games, seeing how they were built, what made good meshes, what made bad meshes etc.

the rest was just 'find a picture and build it' and doing that like basically every day for the past 15 years.
it comes down to 2 things.

knowing your tools.
experience.

for knowing your tools, any random tutorial will do, it doesnt matter if its good or bad, if it shows you a shitty way of doing something, it might still teach you how a certain function works etc, which you can apply to other stuff if needed.

experience is just doing it a lot, nothing more to say about that.

really when you get to a certain level (the level where you generally are good enough to get paid i guess) the only real way to keep improving is to be doing it for at least 8 hours per day, because skill ceilings are definitely a thing, and breaking trough them takes a good heap of effort, but it's always worth it if you enjoy you craft.

if it's 3d stuff you want to get into, you can always message me whenevr for stuff, i'm always online bascially, except when i'm sleeping, and i'm happy to help out.

[INSANEdrive]

. . . That said, I need help. Where do I start from here? What new standards are expected of in the industry and development now-a-days? 3ds Max and Zbrush/Mudbox are tools (hah!) that I need to know like the back of my hand and the skills that come with their use are absolutely crucial, of course, but what I really want to know is where to start in terms of a lot of new tech that's shown up. Where would be a good place to start to learn Hard Surface Modelling properly? I've looked up tutorials before, but I never got a good feel for them by just google+searching. Furthermore, High Poly to Low Poly modeling is something that I'm very unfamiliar with as 2003 techniques all relied on modeling in low poly to run in inferior engines compared to today's engines that can support a LOT more. Since that topic of modeling features a LOT, where would I go to start on that as well? . . .

I know people. Smart People. I asked those people. Those people recommend this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Modeling-William-Vaughan/dp/0321700899

I should note that - when I was modding/skinning - I was helped greatly with a Photoshop book for reference. Perhaps this book can help you like the photoshop book helped me ( in what seems like AGES ago.)

Do it. INSANEdrive does not lead those who seek education astray.

It is known. :eng101:



. . . Have fun. :)

[nuttyyayap]

idk, i learnt all my stuff by just fucking around.

ripping meshes from games, seeing how they were built, what made good meshes, what made bad meshes etc.

the rest was just 'find a picture and build it' and doing that like basically every day for the past 15 years.
it comes down to 2 things.

knowing your tools.
experience.

for knowing your tools, any random tutorial will do, it doesnt matter if its good or bad, if it shows you a shitty way of doing something, it might still teach you how a certain function works etc, which you can apply to other stuff if needed.

experience is just doing it a lot, nothing more to say about that.

really when you get to a certain level (the level where you generally are good enough to get paid i guess) the only real way to keep improving is to be doing it for at least 8 hours per day, because skill ceilings are definitely a thing, and breaking trough them takes a good heap of effort, but it's always worth it if you enjoy you craft.

if it's 3d stuff you want to get into, you can always message me whenevr for stuff, i'm always online bascially, except when i'm sleeping, and i'm happy to help out.
Best advice I've seen. Seriously.