3D artist application

[StonesAndBones]

Position: 3D artist/Animator

Do you understand that Wildfire Games is a non-commercial project, work for 0 A.D. is volunteer, and work is done for free?

Yes

Do you agree to distribute all your work for Wildfire Games under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license?

Yes

Name:

Hovertin Dany

Email:

hovertin.dany at gmail.com

MSN Messenger:

I don't use that anymore...

Location:

Belgium

Availability:

6

Age:

25

Occupation:

Unemployed

Skills and Experience:

Did some studies in computer graphics.

Texturing/baking

Highpoly/Lowpoly modeling

Basic rigging

Skinning

Key-frame animation/posing

Motivation:

Experience, hobby.

Personality:

Oh god ! That question that I never know how to respond to ! Let's just say i'm nice, friendly, that kind of stuff.

Short Essay:

A long time ago, when looking games for Linux, I think it was the very first alpha release I discovered this promising game. I'd like to contribute here to see what I'm capable, if I can match the needs of this work. Plus you develop for Linux, I like to encourage these productions. (Even though I don't have Linux installed on my computer anymore ^^)

Interests and Hobbies:

Guitar, reading, playing.

Staff:

Nope.

Favorite Game:

DOOM 1&2

Space Channel 5

REZ

Shenmue

Agony

Divine Divinity

Work Examples:

Even though I'm OK with animation, I have no example for now. I did some Walk/run/attack cycle for a character, I do understand Keyframes/skinning/rigging.

hovertindany.net

Sorry about the presentation of that site and it quite slow, don't really like web, too lazy to fix that for now...

[Mythos_Ruler]

Hello, Dany. Your work looks nice. I like the little devil guy on your portfolio site. Would you be willing to try a small test project? Just to see how well you work with the art team, how well you take instruction and criticism, and how well your artistic style fits with the game. If so, what would your primary interest lie? We have need for props, nature objects, buildings, and new unit meshes and animations (we're looking to replace all of our current unit meshes with new ones).

[StonesAndBones]

Yes, of course. I think I'm ready to be tested. ^^

I think I'm ok with props, nature, meshes and anim. I'm quite bad with buildings I think, and I don't realy like to model them, unless its ruins that needs to be sculpted. Love to sculpt.

Yet I wonder about programs. I just don't know anything about Blender, so... it could take some time for me to understand it.

Edited April 11, 2013 by StonesAndBones

[Zaggy1024]

What kinds of animations are you good at? Do you have any examples?

[Ludo38]

Salut Dany! Bienvenue sur le forum et dans l'équipe!

Not many fellows french speakers around, eh eh, always cool to have a new one!

Your 3D work is pretty good, you're skilled on characters, interesting!

Looking forward to how your contribution to 0 A.D. will take shape ! (by sculpting I suppose ! )

[StonesAndBones]

What kinds of animations are you good at? Do you have any examples?

I'm not sure if I can say that I'm good at animating, but I can animate. ^^

Here is an example, I just recorded that from an old work. The one and only example. I didn't specialize in animation. I have very few to show then.

It's not perfect since I did that in a rush, without previous experience in animating characters except one or two exercises.

So, here it is 5 animations (Idle/Attack/Walk/Run/Jump) supposed to blend in each other under UDK. The end is quite rough, didn't want to crack or buy fraps just for that. ^^

I had some trouble because of the proportions of the character and my lack of experience, and time !

I did animate some non characters stuff and imported them in a game engine too, and triggered them by script ( Lua )

I like to be able to do a little of everything so, if I can animate here to train, why not, but I'd happily work where you need me the most if I meet the requirements, not just animating.

The skinning and rigging has been made by myself too. Following instructions. Honestly I'm not sure to be able to do a good rig without some more tutorials.

Salut Dany! Bienvenue sur le forum et dans l'équipe!

Not many fellows french speakers around, eh eh, always cool to have a new one!

Your 3D work is pretty good, you're skilled on characters, interesting!

Looking forward to how your contribution to 0 A.D. will take shape ! (by sculpting I suppose ! )

Ahah ! Je m'attendais pas à voir du français ici, ça m'a fait bizarre quand j'ai lu la première ligne.

Thanks. Yes I like to create characters or whatever can be sculpted in fact. I find moving points with a mouse quite boring compared to sculpt. ^^

Edited April 12, 2013 by StonesAndBones

[Mythos_Ruler]

I'll let more active artists, like Enrique and Pureon offer their criticisms... But one thing I'd like to mention, and it's something our hoplite animations do, is that your attack animation incorrectly lunges the right foot along with the right (attack) hand. In fact, in a real fight, the left foot move along with the right swinging hand.

As an exercise, stand up from your chair in your room and pretend that you are a guy wielding a sword or spear or just your fist.. and make a striking motion with your striking hand. Shockingly few first-time animators actually do this kind of thing... You must understand how the body moves before you can correctly animate it, right? That's why animators in Hollywood take dance lessons and acting classes to sharpen their skills.

If you stand up and take a "boxer's pose" you will find that that your left foot is forward while your left fist is forward (if you are right handed). This is the idle or ready position. Then when you make your punch or strike, your left foot takes a step forward while your right fist punches forward. It maintains the "tripod" stance. When right hand goes forward, the left foot goes forward, as if walking. Understand? This kind of thing is fundamental, and I say this not only for your benefit, but for any animator that reads this.

[StonesAndBones]

I see, interesting, I'll remember it.

But about the exercise. I did it in fact, at the time. (- _ -)' And even now, the first time after reading your message I did it the same way I did before... (- _ -)''

I would die so fast in a fight !

I didn't documented at all for that work. It was something due and did it as fast as possible. I was all "I have no time I do that as fast as possible and give the work even if it's bad" ^^

Edited April 12, 2013 by StonesAndBones

[Mythos_Ruler]

I see, interesting, I'll remember it.

But about the exercise. I did it in fact, at the time. (- _ -)' And even now, the first time after reading your message I did it the same way I did before... (- _ -)''

I would die so fast in a fight !

I didn't documented at all for that work. It was something due and did it as fast as possible. I was all "I have no time I do that as fast as possible and give the work even if it's bad" ^^

That's fine. What you are doing is a "jab" in boxing language. It's an attack that softens up the opponent, but does not give the "killer blow" so to speak. Imagine if you are holding a spear or sword in your right hand... it will make you move differently than if you are making a simple jab.

[Zaggy1024]

I'll let more active artists, like Enrique and Pureon offer their criticisms... But one thing I'd like to mention, and it's something our hoplite animations do, is that your attack animation incorrectly lunges the right foot along with the right (attack) hand. In fact, in a real fight, the left foot move along with the right swinging hand.

As an exercise, stand up from your chair in your room and pretend that you are a guy wielding a sword or spear or just your fist.. and make a striking motion with your striking hand. Shockingly few first-time animators actually do this kind of thing... You must understand how the body moves before you can correctly animate it, right? That's why animators in Hollywood take dance lessons and acting classes to sharpen their skills.

If you stand up and take a "boxer's pose" you will find that that your left foot is forward while your left fist is forward (if you are right handed). This is the idle or ready position. Then when you make your punch or strike, your left foot takes a step forward while your right fist punches forward. It maintains the "tripod" stance. When right hand goes forward, the left foot goes forward, as if walking. Understand? This kind of thing is fundamental, and I say this not only for your benefit, but for any animator that reads this.

Heh, that's something I hadn't thought of either... I guess I haven't really done enough biped animations.

Any time I'm animating a human, though, I do test out the movements, so I may have done that correctly without realizing it.