Modeling

FWDREV Modeling Header Image

Modeling is the process of creating all the objects you will see in 3D in the computer. For most of the modeling in FWD-REV we have primarily been using Wings3D. Wings3D is a multi-platform Open Source software originally developed for 3D modeling. Some modeling was also done in Blender the program we are using to animate in this project.

FWDREV Modeling Example

For those new to computer or 3D animation, modeling can best be described as building a wireframe of an object the same way you take wire, paper and glue to build a model of an object in real life. Every 3D model is built up from vertices and edges. In the image above the blue dots represent the vertices or points, the black lines between the points are the edges. Together points and edges build faces or polygons. The shape and size of these polygons are what give the objects their shape and size as well. As you can see from the objects above, some objects can have quite a few more polygons than others. The more polygons you have the more detail you can create. Though having more polygons is also more memory intensive and takes longer to manipulate and work with.

This task has definitely been the most cumbersome to accomplish on this project. The modeling has taken probably 3 to 4 months time. Again, this is spread out as we also have real jobs during the day as well as other obligations, such as family and friends. But we’ve created everything for this project from scratch. No premade models were used in whole or in part. Everything was created by us for this project. Some of the objects are just duplicates but we wanted to make sure we went through and new what we would need for the next step, which is texturing or the painting of the objects.

Below is one of our lists we used as a checklist for objects we definitely needed. There are others but this will give you an idea.