Graphics

I was wondering how you made this pic: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/custom/i...mage=pog_01.jpg

what did you use, cause unless you took about 3 weeks on it by using photoshop, the only other way for using photoshop would be having multible people looking at it. i was just wondering cause i have a great artist, but hes not that good, and i need to make some 3D graphics for my game. either that or is there a tutorial for 3D Studio Max, cause we have that, and i know thats one of the best programs there is, but, theres one problem, i dont know how to use it.... :blink: go figure, you get a good program completly oblivious to how to use it......hehe, its all greek to me. but either way, i just need to either get someone to make 3D graphics for me, or i just need to learn how, because i just figured out how to make a 3D game using coldstone.....whew, that was alot of typing!

gamingstaff, on Sep 30 2004, 04:32 PM, said:

I was wondering how you made this pic: {image}
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First let's point out that there is absolutely nothing about this picture which is 3D. It is nothing more than a two dimensional piece of art. The artist, whoever he/she is, was hired by Beenox. Dee Brown, who is still nominally a moderator on this board has not posted in about two years and has, to my knowledge, not visited here since that time. He has been the sole link to Beenox, so your question will probably go unanswered.

While it is possible to make this kind of picture with many computer art programs, it is also possible to paint a picture with more traditional brush and paint and then scan the artwork into the computer. The secret is in being an artist, rather than just somebody who has an art program on their machine. You say you have a great artist, but he's not that good. Not many persons are that good. As for a tutorial - - I'd say a few years of college level art courses ought to do it if one has the eye and talent to start with.

I'm reminded of the tutorial on how to carve an elephant out of a block of marble. You start with a huge block of marble and chip away anything which doesn't look like an elephant. The tutorial, you see, is very simple. It is the eye of the artist which makes the difference.

oh, whoops, sry about that, i kinda tried to change the question in mid topic, let me rephrase it the way i wanted it to sound.... I have 3D studio max, which is one of the best, but have no idea how to work it, so was wondering if anybody else had anything that helped them in a short amount of time....cause ive been kinda slow (with deadlines and stuff ive put on myself, because ive been slacking). so yeah, i was just wondering if anyone could help me or, better yet, someone that has it could tell me how they found out (i know the best way it to figure it out just by...well, figuring it out, but like i said, i dont have that much time anymore, school in the way). and RD, im way ahead of you with college courses, which i decided to take quite a while ago, at least, that is, take it when i can.

So you were saying that your artist was hired for beenox, and that shes really good?

oh! and another thing (im on a role! lol) i forgot to tell you why i need 3D graphics, i have everything i need to make a 3D game with coldstone! (my artist specials in characters, and i have 3D studio max, and terragen, which as you probably all know, is a program for making terrains, so all i need is, well, knowledge on how to use 3D studio max for making the 3D graphics lol). WHEW!!! that was some nifty typing!

gamingstaff, on Oct 1 2004, 07:30 PM, said:

I have 3D studio max, which is one of the best, but have no idea how to work it, so was wondering if anybody else had anything that helped them in a short amount of time.
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I'm not sure what the best forum for this is. It really is not a question about Pillars of Garendall so I shall move it to the Coldstone forum because you will have other graphic users there.

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So you were saying that your artist was hired for beenox, and that shes really good?
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Not my artist, the person who did the picture to which you linked. I don't know if that person is a "he" or a "she."

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and RD, im way ahead of you with college courses,
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Don't be too sure of that. I've spent nine years at two universities to get three degrees.

for the college thing, i meant planning to do that, not like i had taken it and finished. and i thought it was a she, becaues who else but a woman would have the name Dee...ok, so i know a few, but still.

gamingstaff, on Oct 1 2004, 09:31 PM, said:

who else but a woman would have the name Dee...ok, so i know a few, but still.
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Dee Brown is not the artist but rather the lost contact with Beenox. I believe it is Mr. Brown.

ah, you didnt explain that earlier, that helps

For the 3D Studio Max tutorials I would suggest that you use the mythical relms of Google. I don't know much about it because:
a. I have never used it
b. It is only for the PC (to the best of my knowledge)

If you are talking about flexibility then 3D Studio Max is meant to be pretty good, rendering-wise, Lightwave is very good and Maya is brilliant for animation. Though if you are looking for a (relatively) cheap, easy to learn 3D package then Strata 3D is good. The modelling is good, the rendering is kick ass and it has one of the best texturing systems in the buisness.

And as for the PoG graphic, it looks a lot like it was hand painted and then the game options were put on in photoshop.

Oh, and BTW, your game will technically be 2D. 3D games use 3D models and are navigable on 3 axis (x,y & z). 2D games are often just made up of renders of 3D models and are only navigable on 2 axis (x & y). The closest you can get to 3D is by imitating isometric.

well, no, i could make it 3D...i think, this was my plan:

Basically, do what FF did, everytime you walk somewhere, the scenery is just a map drawn or done by a 3D renderer, and as for animation, i guess i would use maya....simple as that!

nods nods, as if comprehending
shakes head

That's still not true 3D... In true 3D you can jump off things, fall off things, climb over things, etc. There's a z-axis. It doesn't exist in CS. That's why my game is probably going to be switched over to CS (Crystal Space). Only downside is I need to learn C++ (blech, I was gonna learn it eventually anyways...). Anyway, bottom line is that you can make a 2D game with 3D models, maps, and objects, but it'll still be 2D.

gamingstaff, on Oct 2 2004, 07:52 PM, said:

well, no, i could make it 3D...i think, this was my plan:

Basically, do what FF did, everytime you walk somewhere, the scenery is just a map drawn or done by a 3D renderer, and as for animation, i guess i would use maya....simple as that!
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Imagine this. And orange is a 3D object. Now if you take a photo of that orange, it is 2D. You are basically taking photos of all your models and laying them over each other.

gamingstaff, on Oct 1 2004, 08:31 PM, said:

and i thought it was a she, becaues who else but a woman would have the name Dee...ok, so i know a few, but still.
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Mr. Dee Brown is from Canada. I'm not sure if this name is more masculine in Canada, or more gender neutral such as "Pat" in the United States is.

Well, in the context of a 'z' axis, yes, its true, you could not look around, but in FF i dont think you looked around...what im saying is my artist will draw a whole scene, then i'll put the character there, and when it comes to climbing somthing, NPC's & 'stamps' will kick in, then once you get up, you just keep going.

Now, in a way you were right, it will only be 3/4 3D because of you not being to control the camera or anything, but still...

This post has been edited by gamingstaff : 06 October 2004 - 04:27 PM