Ident 2

Ident 2

This ident was done slightly differently, using and demonstrating different skills which are part of the 3D studio Max software. These include different material editing, reactor effects and surface effects.

I began by creating the map. To do this I created a plane, then used the edit poly modifier to make it a bit more realistic by creating a textured layout with higher and lower sections of the plane. To make this look smooth I also used the soft selection tool. This enables me to move a small section of the plane, and a certain amount (user adjustable) of polys nearby the selected one, will move with it but only slightly, so the raised part of the map will have a smooth slope. I

then created the material for it by using a bitmap which comes with 3D studio max called 'GRYDIRT2' which looked like the right texture I was after. By changing the tiling and offset I got a good material to use as the main surface.

Creating the Water

To create a realistic looking water effect I first created a plane and then went into the material editor. From here I used the reflection and bump maps, and by adjusting the settings on them created the water. I also changed the specular level and glossiness to similar amounts as real water does. To make the water move in the animation I used the auto key. This was done by creating a key frame at the start of the animation, then moving to the end of the animation and adjusting the 'Phase' amount in the bump map to about 20 so the ripples in the water would change through the timeline. I then aligned the water up with the main surface and adjusted the height of the water to make it look as if the water was right up again the rocks.

Lighting and Background

To create the background this time I created a huge cylinder in which I placed a sky material which comes with 3D studio. This cylinder encased the whole of the scene so that it looked like the sky was curving round giving it a realistic view. I then adjusted the lighting on the scene to make the water look extra reflective and show up the ripples in the water. To do this I just created an omni light which I strategically placed to give the best effect and also look like a sun against the sky which I had created. I then tured on shadows and adjusted the effects of it to make it less bright and more effective.

Animation

The animation on this scene was done purely using reactor effects. To do this I made the eye, the rocks and the water all part of a rigid body collection. I then set the water to concave mesh and ticked 'Phantom' so the eye would go through it, and the rock part to concave mesh so it would bounce off it. The eye was then given a mass and set to 'bounding sphere' so when the reactor was used it would have realistic properties. Next I positioned the eye in a place where it would fall in an interesting manner, and used the auto key to follow it with a camera. Then, underneath the whole scene I placed a box with the 'Watch Logo' on, which also had its own light as the main scene blocks out the other light. The camera would then follow the eye underwater to reveal the logo.