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Creating 3d art work

Discussion in 'Formats & External Tools' started by CryingRaven, May 4, 2006.

  1. CryingRaven

    CryingRaven

    Joined:
    May 3, 2006
    Posts:
    26
    Hi all

    I just downloaded the Unity yesterday and started reading everything I could find before starting the program up (to prolong the lifespan of the demo version, of course :D ). I find Unity to have everything I wished Torque could have. Even down to using my preferred scripting language and using Maya native file format.

    Everything is just perfect!

    I am indeed very impressed with all I have read, but since I already purchased a Torque license, if I am to truly chuck everything in and start with Unity, I have one very serious problem I need sorted asap, please, so that I may try it out while this 2 week trial is still active:

    What are the requirements for creating 3d Art work?

    For example:
    1.Must I create empty mount nodes in the model?
    2. Must I create a bounding box before saving?
    3. How do I attach weapons etc to my model and how do I define the (shall we say) mount points?
    4. Can I simply create a city in Maya and open it in Unity as a level or is there more to it?
    4a. Should each and every building be made separately or does it not matter?
    4b. What kind of restrictions are placed on models apart from OpenGL's 64K poly limit?
    4c. Am I limited to amount of textures for the city?
    4c2. Am I limited with amount of textures for the level?
    4d. How does Unity do poly clipping with regards to levels?
    5. How do I define the animations for my character? I searched all over the forums to figure out how to play animation and then found it in the included documentation... duh! But how do I specify that my "run" animation goes from frame 1 to 32 for example?

    If you could please give me the links to the correct forums or posts that I may figure these things out I would be most grateful indeed

    Sicerely
     
  2. Joachim_Ante

    Joachim_Ante

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,203
    No. You just model in any way you like and it will just import correctly in Unity.

    No, this is all done automatically for you.

    Every node in maya is imported into Unity. The pivot point in maya is imported correctly, so if you want to make a mount point and put a weapon on it, you just make an arbitrary node anywhere in your hierarchy in maya and then in Unity you attach a script to that node which implements your weapon behaviour.

    Yes you can. All should just import without additional work. Just make sure you put your textures in the project folder too.

    Which ever you like better. If you make them seperately it is easier to instantiate them many times in Unity. if you have it as a whole city then you can lay them out in maya already. Which some people prefer.

    At the moment there is a 64k polygon limit but that will be lifted soon.

    Graphics card can only handle a limited amount of textures. If you exceed VRAM with the textures you will see a slowdown but it will still work and look correctly.
    http://unify.bluegillweb.com/scriptwiki/index.php/VRAM_tips

    Every camera has a far clipping plane which you can set.

    You can split up your animations in maya using the timeline.

    http://www.otee.dk/Documentation/Components/class-LodMesh.html
     
  3. joacoerazo_legacy

    joacoerazo_legacy

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2006
    Posts:
    214
    That is support!!!!

    Thank you Joachim
     
  4. CryingRaven

    CryingRaven

    Joined:
    May 3, 2006
    Posts:
    26
    No, really! Thanks for the quick and indepth reply. :D

    I do have one more question. This may be a Maya thing, not a Unity thing, but I have to ask anyway. I just started learning about Maya this year and have only experience in it with Torque so please bear with me...

    In Torque you need to setup sequences where you say:
    run = frame 1 to 30
    walk = frame 31 - 43
    side = frame 46 - 90
    etc etc etc

    Is there a way to do this for Unity as well or how do I say that my walk animation spans the first 3 key frames and the run spans over 10 key frames etc. Do I need to set a name in the Maya file stating what frames to call what name etc or how do I do this?

    Apart from that I think I should be set, then

    Once more, thanks for the great support :D
    It's really appreciated.

    Sincerely
    Jacco

    p.s. Regarding the weapons, am I right to say that if I use an empty node called mount (for example) and just parent that to the writs joint, then I can use that for the weapons? If I understand this correctly... then I really have to take my hat that I took off for you and start throwing it up in the air... Why haven't I heard of Unity before now? This is a godsend...
     
  5. Lallander

    Lallander

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2006
    Posts:
    429
    I believe with Maya you just seperate the Run, Walk, etc.. animations into seperate files then upload them.
     
  6. CryingRaven

    CryingRaven

    Joined:
    May 3, 2006
    Posts:
    26
    i thought that was a workaround they created for 3ds files but since mb is supported it would be a performance gain to include all anims in one file?

    am i understanding this wrong?
     
  7. Joachim_Ante

    Joachim_Ante

    Unity Technologies

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2005
    Posts:
    5,203
    The next release of Unity supports importing a file with multiple animation clips stored in the same .mb file.

    At the moment you have to create multiple .mb files or use a package like MotionBuilder which supports multitake animations.
     
  8. CryingRaven

    CryingRaven

    Joined:
    May 3, 2006
    Posts:
    26
    ahhhh...i see

    thanks for clearing that up for me :eek: