Hey everybody.
So much has been going on recently that I thought it was time to post a blog update and share some of it.
Firstly, I've recently finished my contract at Cubic Motion in Manchester. It was only intended to be short and I actually ended up working there a little longer than expected. It was a great experience and met some brilliant people, and worked on some awesome animation projects that I wish I could tell you all about. Sadly, I can't. However... I will be able to share all soon, as well as some captures of the work I did. I can't even tell you what I was working on, but suffice it to say one of the projects was a AAA First Person Shoot that will be released in the last week of October. ;)
So what am I working on now? Well again, I can't tell you much, and I think this one may remain hush hush, because it's artwork for internal media for a major manufacturer. If I get the opportunity to share in the future, then I will.
The project is completely in modo (which I am thankful for) and one of the things I can share is that I've had to construct a small section of a 3D city. Modo has no tools or plugins specifically designed to do this, and I couldn't justify purchasing something like CityEngine for such a small element of the project, especially when I don't have the time to learn it. I don't even have time to write a quick python script for laying out the street system and filling the spaces with buildings. So instead, I took a few hours off and did some R&D into the creation of a road layout. Using a combination of the pen tool with the wall and inset settings, I discovered a quick way to build the city layout. I've recorded a short tutorial video which explains my approach. Enjoy.
So much has been going on recently that I thought it was time to post a blog update and share some of it.
Firstly, I've recently finished my contract at Cubic Motion in Manchester. It was only intended to be short and I actually ended up working there a little longer than expected. It was a great experience and met some brilliant people, and worked on some awesome animation projects that I wish I could tell you all about. Sadly, I can't. However... I will be able to share all soon, as well as some captures of the work I did. I can't even tell you what I was working on, but suffice it to say one of the projects was a AAA First Person Shoot that will be released in the last week of October. ;)
So what am I working on now? Well again, I can't tell you much, and I think this one may remain hush hush, because it's artwork for internal media for a major manufacturer. If I get the opportunity to share in the future, then I will.
The project is completely in modo (which I am thankful for) and one of the things I can share is that I've had to construct a small section of a 3D city. Modo has no tools or plugins specifically designed to do this, and I couldn't justify purchasing something like CityEngine for such a small element of the project, especially when I don't have the time to learn it. I don't even have time to write a quick python script for laying out the street system and filling the spaces with buildings. So instead, I took a few hours off and did some R&D into the creation of a road layout. Using a combination of the pen tool with the wall and inset settings, I discovered a quick way to build the city layout. I've recorded a short tutorial video which explains my approach. Enjoy.
So, Cubic Motion isn't the only thing that I've recently finished. Yesterday, the last Third Guild Summer of Modo rigging tutorial was released. If you haven't signed up to these already, there's still time - you can do so here. You'll also get access to all previous issues.
They've been a massive amount of fun to do and I'm really pleased that so many people have managed to get something out of them.
The latest issue includes a free biped character rig for modo. You can download it, pull it apart and discover how it works and more importantly, animate it. So get to it!
They've been a massive amount of fun to do and I'm really pleased that so many people have managed to get something out of them.
The latest issue includes a free biped character rig for modo. You can download it, pull it apart and discover how it works and more importantly, animate it. So get to it!
Something else that I've released for free this week has been a new script for modo 501. The script allows you to render a scene of animation from multiple camera setups. So for example, a single scene with 5 cameras all animated shooting the scene from different angles. My script allows you to batch render all of these cameras, and do things like animating them turning on and off and controlling where the renders save out to. It's quite powerful, even if I do say so myself.
You can find out more and download the script here.
You can find out more and download the script here.
So that's nearly everything. My current project will continue for the next six weeks and following that I'll be knuckling down and working hard on something super secret and very exciting; a short animated film that that hopefully you guys should see sometime in early 2012. But more on that later.
So thanks for the visiting, I'll try and post some updates and hopefully some completed work soon.
-Matt
So thanks for the visiting, I'll try and post some updates and hopefully some completed work soon.
-Matt
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Hey guys.
I got a little sidetracked when I was meant to be working today and thought I'd try putting something together for modo users on the mac.
I got a little sidetracked when I was meant to be working today and thought I'd try putting something together for modo users on the mac.
At the moment, there's just a single action. It simply renders out a range of frames of the input scene file. It might make doing batch renders a bit faster, but generally it's pretty useless. I did this really as a test to see how easy it would be to add modo actions to automator, the answer? Pretty simple.
Now I've got the structure worked out, I can link it up to any commands that might need automating. So...I'm trying to put together a list of commands or actions that you'll ever want or need automating. Let me know in the comments below (it could really be anything that modo can do). I'll work out ways that they can work together to create workflows and then put them together as Automator actions. If there's an interest in these, I'll gladly put them online for free. :)
So, let me know in the comments below or on twitter @ matt_cox and I'd love some feedback on where to take this or if you'd find this at all useful.
Cheers.
-Matt
Now I've got the structure worked out, I can link it up to any commands that might need automating. So...I'm trying to put together a list of commands or actions that you'll ever want or need automating. Let me know in the comments below (it could really be anything that modo can do). I'll work out ways that they can work together to create workflows and then put them together as Automator actions. If there's an interest in these, I'll gladly put them online for free. :)
So, let me know in the comments below or on twitter @ matt_cox and I'd love some feedback on where to take this or if you'd find this at all useful.
Cheers.
-Matt
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Hey guys.
Here's another rigging test in Modo. This time it's a wing for use on a robotic dragon.
Here's another rigging test in Modo. This time it's a wing for use on a robotic dragon.
I'll share more about how it was put together and what not in another post, but for now, I need sleep. Sorry for the short blog.
-Matt
-Matt
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