Character Design and Modeling 1

CHARACTER MODELING AND ANIMATION (CURRENTLY 26-3086A)

Course Description:

This course builds upon basic modeling and animation techniques taught in prior courses and introduces students to the principles and process of building a bipedal 3D character model and animation for a game engine. Students learn the proper methodologies for character modeling, rigging, and learn keyframe animation for their model. Special emphasis is placed on building the bipedal character model specifically for a game environment that requires disciplined model construction, polygon and animation efficiency, as well as the display of characterization and emotion.

Exercises in stand-alone software packages teach character model texture mapping.

Current Goals and Objectives

The purpose of this course is twofold: to help you acquire a working knowledge of the process of animation using computer tools; and to help you create something tangible, a computer-animated short (very short) that you can show your family, friends, and prospective employers.

Revised Goals and Objectives:

• Design and model bipedal 3D characters.

• Understand techniques and optimizations for low-polygon 3D modeling.

• Understand efficiencies required for character modeling for a game engine.

• Bone and rig 3D characters for animation.

• Create keyframe animations, including single animations and looping animations.

• Export to a game engine and evaluate the model’s appearance and performance in that environment.

• Create models and animation that show character and personality.