Customer Reviews

Game Development Essentials: Video Game Art

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I could not help feeling that Todd intended this book to be used in the classroom. It is organized very well for a semester in "Game Art". The reader has a chance to do some basic texturing and modeling. The emphasis is on 3d Max 6 and no animation is covered. Personally, I wished less modeling was covered and more visual art and texturing was covered instead. Also, more character texturing. There is a character that you model at the end of the book, but it is just a robot-type without a face and no texturing is involved. However, it is difficult to cover so many topics in one text. You will also find that some of the web links to tools he used for texturing are out of date and broken. If you have the latest Max tools, these tools may not be compatible anyway. In summary, a good text but more on texturing and character texturing would have made it an excellent choice.

Todd Gantzler has put together a very comprehensive book for video game art with 3d Studio Max. He covers from the top to the bottom of creating scenes. From the basics of texture mapping, advanced placement with UVW unwrapping modifiers, procedural modeling, box modeling, the author covers all of the essentials.

The most important aspects of this book are:
1. Very in depth and detailed COLOR pictures (RARE in tutorial books)
2. Tutorials are very relevant to the purpose of the book.
a. Example: You actually model a spider, statue, a human, a sword and texture them all!
3. Steps are taken to explain, then produce products. So you have a reason for the method demonstrated.
4. * ALL LESSONS WORK!!!!

In short, I highly recommend this book it has taught me a GREAT deal about the industry. There aren't many books that explain so SIMPLY yet cover so much.

Anyone interested in intermediate modeling and texturing should purchase this book.

It is for people who:
1. Have a general knowledge of 3d Studio Max
2. Want to develop thier intermediate modeling and texture skills further.

Warning: This book does not teach animation.

Please Todd Gantzler, produce another book on animation!!!!!

This is a great title by someone who really knows his stuff. Writing from actual games industry experience(something which most 3D/Design authors don't have) it's evident that he really knows his stuff, and the book clearly represents that.
The title not only looks at the creative, but also the technical aspects of creating game content that is usable, and easily implementable, with essential techniques that will give you a very strong skillset. Highly recommended.

This book is great for teaching the basics of 3D modeling even if you know nothing at the start. It can be somewhat hard to find the buttons that the author is talking about in 3ds Max 8 but once you do everything follows along with the book perfectly.

If you're thinking of getting into the video game business as a modeler or texture artist, don't waste your money with this book. The cover should tell you all you can expect from this book: pathetic modeling with poor texturing. This is just someone's attempt to cash in on the wave of video game education, without actually having enough talent or experience required in today's video game workforce.