3D Game Model- is it possible?

[m0ng00se]

Hi

I just found this site by accident and joined today.
I normally do animation for 2D Games (m0ng00se software© | The Home of BackStreets 3D©) using existing 3D models in programs like DAZ studio.

I would prefer to do my game animation in totally 3D using a 3D engine (eg OGRE) but what stops me is the huge task of creating the levels from scratch in a 3D model program. I don't have enough hours in a day as it is because I do all the code, animation, lighting, camera work, some textures, post render artwork, web stuff etc, etc all by myself.

The prospect of having to create all the 3D models myself from scratch just blows me away. For obvious copyright and legal reasons I can't use existing models even if the polygon count was low enough.

I've got nothing against modelling. I've played with 3DS Max and Blender and really enjoyed it and I already do a lot of my own textures for existing objects.

I'd love to re-create the 2D version of my game as a full 3D version.

So my question is really this:

If I wanted to have a go at a full 3D game using an engine like OGRE (open to suggestions here) then is there such a thing as a simple and fast to use model program for creating the levels? I would want streets and buildings more than anything, with opening doors, steps, windows etc.

Basically I would want to create a grimy suburb of a city. Once I got that sorted then I'd have to work out some other program for creating and rigging my characters. That seems even more complicated from what I've read.

Is it even feasible for a single person to do it all by himself? Wouldn't it take me years? I know the big game studios use large teams of animators, coders and modellers. Can one person actually do it all or am I being completely unrealistic here?

m0ng00se
m0ng00se software© | The Home of BackStreets 3D©
Home of Backstreets 3D

[fabiodan]

If you do it in a simple, easy to work with, engine, it gets a bit easier. There is the unity engine, for example, but it requires you to use a mac os system.

[geodav]

yes one man can make it but you have to be very realistic about what you want and how long it will take, a few blown game will take a team 2-3 years full time to make, on your own that would mean every evening for 10-15 years, you best bet is to start small 1 character + 1 weapon + 1 level. as for which 3d app to use that depends on which game engine you use as not all 3d app export to all games.

not much help i know but if you look about the modding scene you'll find most mods take 2-3 years to reach a final release if at all

[crazer]

Originally Posted by geodav

... as for which 3d app to use that depends on which game engine you use as not all 3d app export to all games...

Importing/exporting from one 3d app to another is pretty easy nowadays. There are a couple of really neat plugins, too.

So, don't let the game engine limit you, work in your 3d app of choice and export from another.

[Lee Fan]

Oh my I'm glad I found this post. Just use blender. Blender has a built in game engine. And it's very powerful btw. Let me get you some video links.


There is a video link at the top of the page. Blender game engine has gotten some huge improvements lately. For instance Real time shadows, material nodes that act IN GAME, normal maps, spec maps, Texture splatting, it has a built in physics engine, face snapping, animation, 2d filters, vertext deformation (shape keys), on my 8800GT I benched 3 million triangles @ 70fps.

Of course in real game it would be lower with AI and materials complexity.

And they are still working on optimization.


Yo Frankie! - Apricot Open Game Project

(I benched 100 fps in this game and they are still working on optimizations for the entire engine.)

A single person made this next video (from my understanding)

YouTube - Blender Game Engine Test





Blender is great, with the recent improvements I think that blender game engine is as strong or stronger than Ogre3d.

With the added advantage of zero export being needed. You're 3d app and game engine are one! So it is possible to model, sculpt, texture, animate, program and then play all within blender.

Real time shadows: YouTube - Real Time Shadows in Blender!

YouTube - Blender Apricot Demo

YouTube - Blender GameEngine Tech Demo GLSL + Shadows

[Ghostscape]

Any major 3d package is going to let you build things fairly quickly if you know how to use it. You obviously do not, however, so it's going to take you a long time to learn.

Since you're used to using DAZ studio I assume you're looking for a "make art" button solution - there isn't an equivalent to that stuff for building buildings like that, but Sketchup will let you quickly make something 3d. I'm not sure how easy it will be to get it into a commercial game engine, though, especially since I'm not sure how good you are with programming.

I don't know what you're planning on doing, but since you clearly do not know how to do much of it, you should really consider making a dirt simple game or two to figure out the pipelines you need. Rome wasn't built in a day, etc.

[Anime7Angel]

If you find that you just can't wrap yourself up in all the model creation then Your best solution is to stick to the things you know and recruit a friend to do the 3d. If you can team up with some to help you carry out your vision it will take a lot of pressure of you and will likely cut the time in half.