Progress, Questions, and Comments for Loader Arms and Interior Chair on the DOG 434E Backhoe Loader posted here:
Thanks @theluthier As I look back on the model after a good night's sleep, I am really impressed with how it looks overall.
Granted, there are mistakes here and there as you really look closely.
Some lessons I am learning from my mistakes.
1. Issues with Array and Curve Modifiers after having used them and applied them and seeing quads that I didn't want duplicated at the Array line of duplication, hard to explain but easy to see after applying the array haha.
2. Curve Modifier is way more powerful than I originally thought about. Like assigning an An Object's array length to a duplicated small-section of a long curve and then assigning the object to deform along the longer curve to the curve modifier . This makes combining 2 different objects on a long curve really simple and gives a very similar behavior as start and end caps, except it follows the curve and is non destructive ! I think I want to write down all of the cool things and maybe make a couple of tutorials regarding the cool workflows and lessons learned in more complex ways.
3. And getting local coordinates messed up on a few parts and troubles correcting them. Making a plane and getting the local rotation correct on that and then joining the messed up object to that plane and then deleting the plane. Fixes the local coordinates issue. You have to reapply mods to the object after that but knowing in advance makes that not very painful or you can copy mods to the plane before joining. I almost want to do a video on this too.
4. Deciding when Subsurf, Bevel, and/or Topology Flow to my advantage OR when they should happen around geometry corners or complex details. I can't say I am close to being a pro at this. I'm still learning when to do one versus the other.
maybe make a couple of tutorials regarding the cool workflows and lessons learned in more complex ways.
That would be simply magical. Especially unearthing the depths of the curve modifier's potential! I know I haven't tapped into it fully myself.
Looking through your list I noted to go over your #3 point in the stream next week: Fixing messed up local coordinates. Are you OK with me doing that?
Okay here is video #1. It is just an overview video but covers studies that I want to go more in depth on.
Cool idea Shawn! Nice presentation too. (I wish I was less nervous when recording,,probably just a matter of practice, like just about everything else...) Looking forward to seeing this.
In case you haven't seen it yet, I think you should definitely watch. https://cgcookie.com/course/rigging-tank-treads
He shows a unique trick to avoid deformation along a curve.
That is also awesome. I will check that out. Does it involve instancing from a parented object?
Can't remember exactly, but he somehow uses Vertex Parenting, which I didn't even know was a thing uptill then..
Here's my video #2 Introduction to curves. I am actually learning a lot by teaching these topics.
If you want to learn a topic. Try to teach it on Youtube.
Somehow just now seeing this. Forum flow is wacky lol
I appreciate that you bring up the looking back at how far you've come through the project. Truly a MAJOR LEAP from the blockout to the final. It's so satisfying to do so, especially with long projects like this one.
I can definitely say that I have learned a lot during this live stream journey. This is probably the most instructive project I have done and a great introductory into hard surface modeling. Thanks theluthier for guiding us along.
The pleasure has been mine! Just wait till the showreel gets finished. We'll all be walking down the hall of the internet like this:
😎😆
As long as I get to wear the red hat and gold chain. You can have the fox coat!
I am soooo sad about the forum changes as of late. It has become hard to find my way again. Especially navigating to posts on my phone. I made a complete separate forum topic about this hoping more people can chime in.....
Hey blanchsb - Just wanted to follow up on the proposition of you being "Master of Loose Ends" and rigging the DOG.
In an ideal world, all contributors could tie their own lose ends and there wouldn't be a need for this role. But as some contributors may have other important things requiring their commitment, I'm anticipating the need for a single person to ensure:
I honestly don't know exactly how involved this role will be. I'm pretty sure it won't be a simple, straight-forward role at least, and could potentially be too much for one person to handle. Especially that last bullet about finishing all unfinished parts.
I think you're the man for the job. IF you're willing, you can ease into the role and get a feel for the work load. Initially we need to communicate with contributors that have gone quiet to see if they plan to finish their parts.
If you start to feel this role is too big for one person then let me know and we'll reassess the approach. Please be honest! Do not over-commit your time. I know it's easy to do that with passion projects like this.
You're a bigger man than me for wanting to take on this rigging challenge! And I applaud your resolve.
My first choice would be for @waylow to rig the DOG across a multi-part stream series as I've done with the modeling. This would be a fascinating education that a lot of people could learn from. And it means that you could still rig it as you want, even if you choose different methods from Wayne.
If Wayne is unable to fit such a series into his schedule, then I'm interested in discussing what it could look like for you to be the primary rigging force behind the DOG! Rigging in general is one of the most technical things in computer graphics, even more so for something of this scale. I've rigged a dozen or so character in my time and I don't have the stones to take on this monster. So please don't be put off by me asking but I want to make sure you know what you want to get into 😅
Do you have experience rigging or did you intend for the DOG to be your first challenge?
Moar Shawn vids! Soooo cool that you're making these. I'll let you in on a secret: The CGC crew always keeps an eye out for members that develop notable teaching skills with potential to teach officially for CGC. An in-depth curves course would be an excellent addition to the library...By chance does this interest you?
If you want to learn a topic. Try to teach it on Youtube.
Truer words rarely spoken!
Thanks blanchsb for taking the time to share your learning process and knowledge. I've watched many tutorials that use curves, but not seen an in-depth course on curves, I've already learned how much more can be done with curves than the basics and that's just from the intro. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the series here on CGCookie.
Just taking my lunch break. I will get them to you this evening if that works. Look for my post here. I'll reply to the rest of the comments of yours here shortly as well.
@theluthier
MASTER OF LOOSE ENDS: Response
This one is a little wordy so good luck reading my yammering :)
I'm definitely interested BUT.........I want to cover a couple of my bases before committing if that is okay. There are two main obstacles that aren't deal breakers but I want to be up front about.
The ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Obstacle: August 7 -18 I will be on vacation with limited access to do basically anything on my computer. I'll be taking it with me because I consider blender a vacation all by itself but we will be busy doing other things most days. I didn't want to commit to any 'major' modeling during this point for good reason because I won't be around towards the end of the final week before the next live stream. I will need maybe a partner who I can hand this off to for when I leave. Someone just to check in on everyone during the last final sprint before the next live stream.
The SELF-INFLICTED Training Videos and Recording Obstacle: I really want to at least get a first draft recording of the things I have learned with Arrays and curves and their many practical uses and workflow choices (when to rely on deformation versus when you won't want it, etc.) and I was planning on taking some dedicated time to tie up my own loose ends and gaps of understanding on curves and most of their many properties, tools, and options. And how using them with arrays and empties and much much more can help a blender workflow a ton. I currently have tried to narrow scope down in my introductory video but I feel like it can grow to more things which may make for a great course series, but I want to talk about that on your other post earlier a little more. I would love to give back to the community where I have gained so much. This does not have a time limit but it does have a experience/memory limit a little since my memory is really fresh on this stuff right now I fear putting it on hold may cause me to forget some hard earned lessons. I would definitely be willing to "cut a deal" though to get some "teaching/training and how to make my tutorial videos a little better" guidance in return for taking on the Master of Loose Ends Role haha. I could use some tips on good intro practices before the video starts and how to lay out what I want to train. I could cash in on this at a later date but I could definitely use some help in this area. Maybe just a half hour every now and then giving me critique on my videos and how to make them better (not looking for much really but I'll take what I can get). Currently I just sit down and write a couple lines of what I want to cover and then hit record and hope it goes okay lol. That is neither professional or well planned, but I'm new to this and figured I will learn as I do more of them. I don't mind re-recording topics later so that the content lines up more or issues get fixed. I'll talk more about this recording/tuts business in your other response.
I can do support on the Master of Loose Ends from like a project manager standpoint. I don't think I will commit to modeling any major loose ends (there can always be exceptions) due to my vacation but rather check to see who can do what to pick up any slack if we have some (which we probably have some folks who have moved on, which is perfectly fine). I'm hoping @adrian2301 could be a good person to help with some of the loose ends since that dude is on fire modeling all the extra parts already but I would want to weigh in on him and everyone else too. We still want this to be a fun experience and don't want anyone overloaded since this is a community project. I know there are some members who have interest in joining our crew and this may be the perfect time to make some assignments. I could use some guidance to know which parts need additional effort (i.e. swing frame or others).
I don't mind sending messages to member's profiles and seeing where people are at with their own life/interest levels and looking over the model for collisions and other loose ends. That's not a glorious job but I agree someone's gotta do it and out DOG is worth it.
RIGGING THE DOG: Response. This can happen on the following month and maybe that would be for the best, but I wanted to comment here.
I feel like the rigging will be something that I would love to do, but it doesn't necessarily have to happen during this next month/section. Maybe the following month would be better timed for rigging??? Also, I will not be heartbroken if Wayne takes this on, on his own. It's an area I am interested int but not heart-set for. I just want more experience on this topic and felt I enjoyed figuring out the rigging process earlier during the block-out phase.
My current experience with rigging hard surface models is only what you have seen this far. I have some animation experience but it has been a while because my modeling needed a desperate level-up.
I learned a lot regarding animation and rigs when I first started my blender journey about 4 years ago and made some stickers on iOS iMessage. They were called Smashables and I made a teaser youtube video regarding their animations. It can be found here:
The rigging does not seem terribly complex on some of the bigger parts, but I could use some guiding commentary regarding if small parts should just be parented. The main hard part is going to be how the hydraulics dynamically slide and move around while also being constrained at certain sections where they have fasteners or clamps, etc.
I understand it may be something bigger than I realize. So I wouldn't want to commit to rigging and Master of Loose Ends this month based on all of my other commentary. I'd rather handle the Loose Ends first.
Hopefully my comments make sense. And let me know. I am still very dedicated to this project.
@adrian2301 thanks man. I have really enjoyed this topic and knew there is a gap in content on certain aspects where gold nuggets are out there for the finding but not as a series really. I felt it was a worthy topic that deserved some screen time. Just look at our DOG and you can appreciate what these things can do!
@theluthier
The CGC crew always keeps an eye out for members that develop notable teaching skills with potential to teach officially for CGC. An in-depth curves course would be an excellent addition to the library...By chance does this interest you?
First off: Wow, never considered that this was even and option! and Second: Yes this is a huge interest for me to give back to the community where I have learned soooo much. I wouldn't say I am "Instructor" quality when it comes to teaching lol but if y'all see something in me and this goes down that road then GREAT! If not it's not going to change my attitude about wanting to make these videos. I really do love to teach. I do it at my work and feel comfortable doing so, but I rarely have recorded myself so I am sure I have a lot to learn. I have experience making videos and recordings since I was a kid (using camera, and recording programs from Stop Motion Studio,Microsoft Teams Training Videos at work, Snag-It, iMovie). I have been known to teach concepts incorrectly but thankfully spikeyxxx and others still maintains their interest and points me back in the right direction when I make mistakes giving advice here and there. I don't mind being corrected. Sometimes I don't know I'm wrong.
I only began using OBS studio after you pointed me to it), so it looks like you started this fire.
Thanks for all of the guidance up to this point, (you and the Pound and the whole CGCookie team). It has been such a fun journey I wanted to share what I had learned because I remember feeling just soooo new and uncoordinated with Blender and completely overwhelmed looking at that default cube and everyone's work and I didn't even know how to make anything. I can relate to any new person to this program. The add menu "curves" section was one of those sections I often avoided because it was Alien to me and I didn't understand it well. Turns out it is a great tool. There are just soooo many in Blender it can feel overwhelming at times looking at them all and not knowing any of them haha.
Long story short: That would be awesome! But I won't be offended either way. As they say in GREASE "Tell me more, tell me more!"
That is crazy. I didn't even know that you could parent a vertex. Just goes to show how Dangerously POWERFUL this Blender is. What a cool way. I have some more ideas regarding this and using arrays but I want to play a little more. This is definitely going into my video study/training though. Thanks spikeyxxx you really are the Fort Knox for Blender Gold Nuggets.