3ds Max Modeling for Games: Insider's Guide to Game Character, Vehicle, and Environment Modeling: Volume I [Paperback]

Andrew Gahan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240810619 | ISBN-13: 978-0240810614 | Publication Date: August 27, 2008 | Edition: 1

The book will provide insider tips, traps, and techniques on how to create 3d assets for use in computer games and simulation systems. The book will consist of a series of tutorials, starting with simpler models and moving up to more complex builds. As the book comes to us directly from successful game artists within commercial game development circles (Gahan + contributors) aspiring game artists will also find keen insights on how to get ahead in the game industry, i.e. how to prepare your personal portfolio to provide an edge in this extremely competitive world of game development.

The strength of this book is that it teaches all of the important game modeling elements of 3ds Max: character modeling, environment modeling, mapping. The book covers how to model, texture and animate credible game characters and levels using 3ds max. As readers move from tutorial to tutorial, they will be building their own portfolio of high quality work.

The DVD contains countless examples of what's hot and what's not in 3D modeling and also enough support images and photos to keep the budding artist busy for months; Features:
-step-by-step project files for each chapter
-all the relevant texture files and source photos used to create the texture maps applied to the 3D projects.
-extras: panoramic skies, small scene objects and a many texture maps and models so that artists can create whole scenes very quickly without starting from scratch each time.
-royalty free stock photos that artists can use in their own texture maps, models and scenes.
-additional material on the book's bonus website at www.3d-for-games.com

--Author Andy Gahan is a seasoned professional and leading industry expert. Gahan is a key member of an award-winning game team recently scoring number 1 hits in Japan, Europe and America with the Playstation 3 smash hit MotorStorm.

--Game Modeling techniques offered with artist's potential portfolio in mind. Find out what Art Directors and Managers are looking for.

--Essentials of 3D game modeling covered - Characters, Vehicles, Assets and Scenes - including lighting and rendering.

--DVD contains countless examples of what's hot and what's not in 3D modeling and also enough support images and photos to keep the budding artist busy for months.

--Find additional tutorials and even contact the author on the book's website at www.3d-for-games.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is a must-have resource for anyone wanting to learn how to make game art in 3ds Max. It has great support on the forums which is a testament to the author's enthusiasm for the subject. My students would be lost without it. If you want to understand how to really make 3d art for games then this is the book you need"--David Wilson, programme leader, BA (Hons) Computer Games Modelling and Animation, University of Derby, UK

"This is a great book covering most aspects of modeling for games including the basics of 3D, Ambient Occlusion, Normal Maps, Character, Vehicle, Scene Creation and much, much more. It covers everything you need to get you started for your career in games"--Andy Manns, lead artist, THQ

"An extremely comprehensive book covering all the basic theory and techniques with 3ds Max, currently used within the best game development studios in the industry"--Alex Perkins, art director, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

"For a beginner, getting to grip with 3ds Max is a daunting prospect, but this book picks on the relevant features and aims to get you producing usable 3D game art quickly and efficiently. It gives you a great understanding of what goes into make good 3D video-game art and will give you the vocabulary needed to talk with confidence about in-game models."--Don Whiteford, creative director THQ Digital UK Ltd.

"This book is one of the most comprehensive, straight-forward, and easy to follow guides for modeling precise and efficient 3D game assets and environments.  Andrew Gahan has heard everything every educator has said about what a textbook needs to do to meet the broad stroke of students' needs and abilities in learning how to master 3D modeling with 3ds Max. With simple understanding and imagination, this text can be used to transform modeling for games into modeling for animation or modeling for simulation."--Tim Harrington, national assistant dean, Game and Simulation Programming, DeVry University

"Author of this book covers what you need to complete each tutorial; it designed to get you up to speed as quickly as possible producing great artwork and is not designed to teach you how to use all aspects of 3ds Max."--Wonderpedia.wetpaint.com

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Andrew Gahan is a leading industry expert in next generation consoles and digital gaming. His roles have included Senior Artist, Lead Artist, Art Manager, Art Director, Art Outsource Manager, and Producer. Andrew is an expert in all gaming tools for commercial game development, including: 3ds Max, Maya, Photoshop, XSI, Gen Head, Z Brush, Mud Box, and Poly-boost (as well as other 3ds max plug-ins). During this time Andrew has worked on 14 standalone published games as well as sequential spin-off products; as well as developing a number of military training systems for the Warrior - Armoured Fighting Vehicle, Harrier and Tornado aircraft. In the last decade Andrew has been involved in recruitment and development of artists, including theoretical and practical training. Andrew has been a freelance consultant helping companies to develop and improve tools and applications that are used by artists in the digital gaming industry. Andrew is currently a visiting speaker and advisor at Liverpool John Moore University for the MA digital games course; and is an external advisor at the University of Bolton, supporting the development of their forthcoming 3D related courses. Andrew has judged the Independent Games Festival for the past 2 years. He has been a visiting speaker at Liverpool John Moore University since 2005, and will also be a speaker at the University of Bolton for the forthcoming 3D Games Modeling course. Andrew Gahan has given numerous media interviews, of which a recent selection is given below: 15 December 2007. Interview with Gamasutra magazine Media consumption: MotorStorm's Andy Gahan. Television interview for 1-up.com with Pete Smith (Executive External Producer, SCEE (Sony)) in San Francisco, during GDC (Game Developer Conference) in the Sony Store for the launch of MotorStorm. Television interview for GamerTV with Pete Smith (Executive External Producer, SCEE (Sony)) in San Francisco, during GDC (Game Developer Conference)

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (August 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240810619
• ISBN-13: 978-0240810614
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #276,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!!!, September 22, 2008

By 

C. M. Potter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3ds Max Modeling for Games: Insider's Guide to Game Character, Vehicle, and Environment Modeling: Volume I (Paperback)

I've played around with 3ds max for a few years but never really got to grips with it until now.

3ds Max Modelling for Games has taught me more in a month than every other book and DVD I've wasted my money on all together.

The book is extremely simple to begin with, taking you through modelling a box, step by step.

Now I thought that this was a joke initially until I realised that the tutorial was not about modelling a box, but about setting 3ds max up properly with automatic backups, units, scale and the core principles of mapping and unwrapping textures. It even shows how to get a great looking render out of the simplest of models - something I had struggled with in the past.



The book moves on teaching more complex modelling techniques, more complex mapping and even how to take your own photographs and turn them into great looking texture maps - I didn't expect a number of great Photoshop lessons in a 3ds Max book.



Again the tutorials get more complex and cover normal mapping, dirt maps, ambient occlusion, scratch maps, specular maps, and complex lighting and rendering.

But the best thing about the book is that all of the tutorials grow all fit together as pieces of the final finished scene which is an abandoned warehouse. The models, the vehicle, the character - everything all fits together to make a scene with lots of rendering advice to put a good portfolio together.



Finally the book ends with some of the best advice I've ever seen on putting a portfolio together and how to act in an interview.



I haven't been able to put this book down since I got hold of it and I'm now looking forward to the massive character modelling tutorial.



5 stars from me.



p.s. The book has an accompanying website with extra content promised too.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, Bit a little Vague for beginners, December 23, 2008

By 

Jake Suhoversnik - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3ds Max Modeling for Games: Insider's Guide to Game Character, Vehicle, and Environment Modeling: Volume I (Paperback)

I'm new to the whole 3ds Max modeling scene, and I was looking for a book that applied to my interests and goals, and this book does that for sure!

As previous reviews have said, what the author has you do has a purpose in the grand scheme of things, so you aren't just doing little filler throw away pieces. The book is a good length, and the included DVD is nice as it includes the files from each chapter as well as the materials used, and some extra materials so you have something to work on after you finish the book.

As my title says though in terms of beginners, its a little vague. The author tells you the steps, but isn't always really clear on where to go. Mostly this just applies to things like, "now apply (this)" and I was left sitting at the window looking around for where the appropriate button was. Although if your persistent and keep with it, he tells you most of it, but leaves a little for you to find out. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but by the way he leads you through the rest of the processes I sure don't think so.

All in all, Great book, just be prepared to do some digging around the interface and the overall basics while or before reading.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best 3DS Max books yet, December 17, 2008

By 

Pixelmover (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 3ds Max Modeling for Games: Insider's Guide to Game Character, Vehicle, and Environment Modeling: Volume I (Paperback)

I have been in the game industry using 3DS max for over 9 years, and have bought many books on the subject. This one does the best job at not only covering the most essential techniques and tools, but emphasizes planning and working smart.

Even though it is geared more for the less experienced, I found many valuable tips and processes that would benfit many senior level people. Added bonuses are the coverage of third party software like "UV Layout", and how to prepare for interviews. This book is a must have.