Pirate Camp Procedural Animation Project – Evaluation

For this project, my task was to produce a 30 second animation using at least 3 dynamic effects using Autodesk Maya, based upon the theme of a ‘pirate camp’.  This was my first time using both the new software, and dynamics such as particle effects, which I feel helped me gain more knowledge and skills of 3D design, not just limited to 3ds Max.

Towards the start of this project, I strongly focused on learning about the software and following tutorials to help me achieve what I may need to make my final animation. Along with this, I then started to research the general theme, and began sketching out some ideas of objects and possible dynamic effects to put within my scene. I also briefly looked at other examples of work to inspire me such as video game environment design, particularly one of my favourites 'Uncharted 3', as well as 'Fable II' which was suggested to me by a friend as containing a pirate based camp.

From my research, the pirate camp themed objects I chose from these sketches to put in my final scene were:

• Pirate flags
• Tents
• Campfire
• Treasure chest
• Treasure map
• Rum bottles
• Pirate hat
• Pirate hook 
• Palm trees

I then decided on my dynamic effects to put in my final animation, linked to these objects. The first would be the pirate flags blowing in the wind, using an nCloth dynamic effect, which I also decided to use on the front openings of the tents within my camp. The second would be the campfire in the centre of my scene, using a particle emitter with cloud particle shapes.  The third dynamic effect would also be a particle emitter, but this time emitting streaks to simulate falling rain. I also decided to make these particles collide with the ground plane and tents, to create a simple splashing effect.

I feel I have learned a great deal throughout this project, particularly about how procedural animation works, and the ins and outs of particle systems within 3D packages such as Maya. For instance, the different types of particle shape and how they function, as well as how to turn any shape into cloth.

Another obvious advantage to this project is the chance to start to learn how to use a new piece of 3D software. Although I currently feel I do not want to go into animation as a career, I am aware that Maya can be a vital piece of software in the 3D industry, particularly in game design, and feel my knowledge of the subject is much more developed now I know more than one way of doing things.

I really liked modelling within Maya, and found it a lot easier than 3ds Max in many ways, but admit I found the texturing using ‘Hypershade’ a lot different to what I am used to and took a while to adjust myself to how it works.

Overall, I feel this project has been a great benefit to me, and feel the final outcome was pretty successful to say how long I had to learn the skills and methods needed to produce it. I particularly think some of my modelling and texturing, such as on the barrels, treasure chest and bottles turned out a lot better than I thought they would when I rendered at full quality. If I had time to improve, I would like to learn about the lighting in Maya more, as well as focus on my camera animation and timing a bit more.