Why I Chose 3D Modeling and Animation

Why did I take this class? Well, I decided to take 3D Modeling and Animation in order to begin taking my first steps needed to begin learning how to make video games (and also because I wanted to take Game Design but I had to do this as a perquisite.) I've always loved video games and it's not been until recently that I've started to actually want to make them.  This past summer, I had done a video game design summer camp and I got to experience what it was like to make video games for the first time. I had really enjoyed it, but I also knew that if I wanted to do more, I was going to have to take other classes that would help aid me in designing video games. This brought me to 3D Modeling and Animation, my first class that I will be taking on this journey to becoming a game designer.

Now, as to what I expect to learn and get from this class. I hope to gain a better understanding of 3D Modeling and creating different meshes and materials I can use when designing video games. I also hope to learn how to animate certain meshes, materials, and NPCs through the use of rigging. This will allow me to add more life to the video games I'll hopefully make. Finally, I hope to better understand the creation process as a whole for designing and animating different models.

Module 1 Reflection

9/10/2025

In Module One, I learned about the many different tools, windows, and terms within 3D Modeling, and the software we are using, 3ds Max Autodesk. I learned about how to make the different gizmos such as boxes, cones, and pyramids. I learned how to modify them using modifiers, move them around the scene, and use tools for rotating and uniforming (making them small or bigger). I learned how to navigate the Scene Explorer panel, the tool bar, as well as the Command panel. I learned about the scene, the space where we model and animate; the 3d world we work in. Finally, I learned how to save all of my work, and keep it nice and orderly in my files.

After having completed Module One, I now know the basics of modeling and I can use this across different other websites as well. Some examples of ones that I hope to be using are Unreal Engine, Blender, 3ds Max of course, and also Block Bench (Similar to Blender but for Minecraft). I'll also be able to use these skills to design scenery and backdrops, often times based off of a single picture. A good example would be my Temple of The Primitives project where I had to block out a photo based off of the photo itself and using it as a guideline. Another example of my skills would be the Four Corners assignment which shows some simple scenery objects such as a snowman, igloo, trees, buildings and pyramids.

Module 2 Reflection

9/15/2025

In Module Two, I learned more precise ways of modeling different objects.  I learned about putting in exact numbers in order to place an object specifically somewhere. I learned about using snapping in order to make moving objects a lot easier. I learned how to import other objects from different scenes into the one I am currently working on. Finally, I learned how to connect objects together in a parent-child relationship so that when i move the parent, the child/children will move with it as well instead of just painstakingly moving every individual one.

With my newfound knowledge, I can make more precise placements with my models so nothing is out of line. This is good for making video games as I can help prevent others from finding ways to escape the map they're playing or possibly trying to cheat a puzzle as well. I can also bring in a more clean look with nothing being just placed randomly. I can also make importing objects for my worlds a lot easier as I can just take objects I like from other projects, which makes the whole designing process a lot easier.  A good example of this would be my project of Alfie Hitchcat in The Temple Of The Primitives. In it, I had to make Alfie using the snap tools, as well as bring in other pieces of his bodies from already supplied material. I then also had to move him into my Temple Of The Primitives scene in order to get the final result, instead of just making a whole new temple from scratch.  

Module 3 Reflection

10/8/2025

In Module Three, I learned many different ways on how to model objects using modifiers. I learned how majority of modeling involves the edit poly modifier, which allows me to use other modifiers like bevel and extract. I learned about the different vertices, edges, and polygons of a model, and how to pull them out, rotate, and resize them using my basic modeling tools.  I learned about Turbosmooth and Meshsmooth, the first for a quick general smooth over the entire object, while the second allows for more control.  I learned about the many different modifiers like slice,  mirror, boolean, and many more.  Finally, I learned how I can transfer a spline (2d drawing of a shape) onto a line to transform it using loft.

With the large amount of knowledge i gained, I now have a lot more tools that I can use to create more complex models, than just using primitives. This gives me a lot more creative freedoms in the video game industry as I can make my own models a lot easier now with the tools I have rather than having to download them from elsewhere. I can even turn a single box into a complex object with the help of modifiers! An example of this being my spaceship model, having originally been a box primitive, I used a selection of bevels, extrudes, and the general shaping tools to make it. An example of another complex model I made that's more reminiscent of video games is my anchorblade model, which is actually based off a Minecraft series I really happen to enjoy. Some more examples of complex objects I made using modifiers are the Screwdriver using the loft modifier, the Submarine which used Booleans, and the Lego Minifig model which required a bridge modifier for the leg.

Module 4 Reflection

10/15/2025

In Module Four, I learned about lighting, cameras, and the beginnings of rendering. I learned the different lights such as spotlight, omni light, and sky light to name a few. I learned how to increase and decrease the intensity of lighting, changing the starts and ends of when lights begin to fade out. I learned about the different shadows I can make, and how I can make them sharper, softer, smaller, bigger, or even more realistic. I learned how combining both lights and shadows can add more depth to your scene, making it more than just a few random objects. I learned how to utilize cameras for rendering, and how I can make cinematic shots with them. 

With my new knowledge about lighting and cameras, I can now effectively add more depth to my scenes using lighting and shadows. Objects that originally seemed plain before, now have more depth and look more real, more solid compared to just a simple 2d image. I can also now make, say, lamps seem more like lamps with actual lighting coming from them. As seen in my lamp model (in the gallery below), the lamp looks as though it's emanating light. I did this by using a combination of omni and spotlights, all to help make it seem as though light is not only being casted outwards, but also up and below. And with the use of shadows, the lighting from the lamp actually feels as though it's bouncing off objects, casting realistic shadows.

Module 5 Reflection 

10/31/2025

In Module Five, I learned about materials and a more thorough deep dive into rendering. I learned about the process of making materials, using maps (Ex: Noise, Checker, Marble) and editing the parameters before adding them to objects. I learned about the Slate Material Editor, and the different UI's that make up it, as well as how to make materials within it. I learned about Bitmaps, and how I can turn images, say the ones you find on the web for example, into materials. I learned about the five main renderers of 3ds Max Autodesk: Arnold, Scanline, Quicksilver, ART, and VUE as well as the many settings and parameters that come with using them. I learned how to edit renders to make them more or less detailed, and how to change how they're made, as well as what is in the render, quickly and effectively. 

With my added knowledge of rendering and newly gained knowledge of materials, I can now make my objects look a lot more realistic, instead of just some colored objects with lighting and shadows. I can give more variety in coloring to my object so it's not just specific primitives and/or objects that are colored. This can help me a lot in video game design as I can now add a ton more detail the maps and assets I make for my games. With also the knowledge of the Quicksilver renderer, I'll be able to take a large advantage of it in video games as it is meant for such, able to render my scenes fast without sacrificing too much of the quality. I can also use the renderers, such as Arnold and ART, to really help make my final renders look a lot better, especially combined with the lighting, shadows, and materials. This is especially true in my renders below, where even the first image I feel looks very realistic upon first glance. 

Quarter 1 Reflection

11/1/25

So far in 3d Modeling and Animation, I have learned a lot within this first quarter. I began with learning the very basics of 3d modeling, making primitives, moving them and reshaping them, and organizing them in 3ds Max. I then learned about modifiers which gave room for a whole lot more modeling tools I can use, to extrude portions of the object, connect them to other object, making portions of it bigger and smaller, just a lot in general. On top of that, I learned about lighting and shadows, and how to use them creatively, as well as rendering objects and adding materials onto them to give them more detail. And while this technically is for quarter two, although I learned in quarter one as I finished models very quickly, I did learn how to make materials look better on objects and not seem glitched in a sense.

I think, one of the main aspects in this first quarter that I've now achieved a great amount of skill in, although it was most certainly not true in the beginning, is definitely the Edit Poly modifier. It was a lot for me at first, having to learn the many different controls and options within it, I think it definitely messed me up in the beginning. I really did rely on the tutorials at first, not exactly sure how to make my objects look the way I wanted them to do quite yet. However, as I got more practice with it, and began to do things lot more quickly and based on repeated use within it while doing the tutorials, I definitely grew to have a better grasp on it. And this was most definitely proven true I feel in the anchorblade model! I ended up being able to traverse and use the Edit Poly modifier easily while making the model, and my issues instead ended up being with other areas really, and not the Edit Poly. 

Above are Screen recordings of the whole Edit Poly Menu

Overall, quarter one taught me a large amount when it came to 3d modeling. For next quarter, I hope to get a better understanding of not only the things I have learned so far, but also the new info as well, especially since we'll begin learning rigging and modeling. I've already began unit 6 actually (which is apart of quarter 2) and it has most certainly given me a pretty tough challenge already, but I definetely need it. This class has been testing a lot of my abilities and I want it to continue to. More challenges mean I'll be learning more which is great in grand scheme of things. As a goal I want to be able to have more of these challenges, to test myself, and really master the 3ds max interface and modeling system. 

Quarter 2

Module 6 Reflection

11/18/2025

In this module, I learned about UVW and how I can use it to make materials on my objects look less warped.  I learned how the different faces of an object can be "unwrapped" and shifted in order to make materials look normal. I learned about pelt which is often meant for more organic looking objects, and unwraps the faces on it, almost like an animal pelt. I also learned how to add and delete edges on an object, sewing them or dividing them in order to help adjust materials. Finally, I learned how I can change the position of the gizmo so I can project materials and mappings onto an object in different ways.

With my further knowledge of materials, I was able to be more precise with them and make my objects look nicer. For example, one model I added materials to was the Tank. Initially, some parts of it had looked warped, more accurately the ones that weren't square shaped or a proportional rectangle. So, after using the UVW editor on it and editing the different faces so the materials would line up, suddenly my materials didn't look so warped anymore. I also used the UVW editor to help add materials to the Lego figurine in order to make an Indiana Jones outfit. I utilized the pelt option as well for it, and also a kind of mapping in the UVW editor called "Box Mapping" in order to automatically line up the material to the different faces. 

Module 7 Reflection

12/2/2025

In this module, I learned how to rig an object, more specifically, a model called "Frankenstone." I learned about bones and how to add them, and edit them via removing a bone, refining a bone, deleting a bone, or just adding another bone. I learned about the skin modifier and how I can add it to an object, and then add bones to it, so I can give the object a skeleton. I learned about bone weight and how it can affect my objects movement, but also how I can correct it so the movement is never warped beyond extremes or barely able to move. I learned about the biped and how I can use it for more human like models in order to add another level of rigging, that's more organic. Finally, I learned the beginnings of animation and how I can use constraints to limit an objects movement. 

With my newfound knowledge of bones and the skin modifier, I can now adequately rig models and objects alike. An excellent example would be the Frankenstone models below, with the inclusion of the Lego Figurine. In it, I've used a biped for the Frankenstone so I can move it more organically, while the Lego Figurine utilizes orientation constraints, so certain portions of the model can only move specific ways (up, down, left, or right). I have positioned the two models in three unique ways below, to test out the rig. Now, in the forseeable future, I can use rigging to make it easier and more consistent when animating models, especially more organic ones.

Module 8 Reflection

12/14/2025

In this module, I learned how to fully animate my scenes, all of the lights, objects, and cameras within them. I learned how many different images called "frames" make up an animation, and the number of frames per second can make an animation seem choppy (low amount) or smooth (high amount). I learned about the Curve Editor and the Dope Sheet and how I can edit tangents by accelerating or decelerating them, or view all keyframes as a whole, even able to add or remove some. I learned how to animate my objects, or characters really, in a more organic way, setting keyframes of the main positions I want them in, and letting the software do the rest. Finally, I learned how to fully render an animation and edit all of animations together to create one fluid animation.

With my newly gained knowledge of animation, I put together the following animation below. I used lots of repetitive keyframes to make the lego figurines animation seem exagerated and cartoonish. I used the rigs I made/learned from the previous module to help set these keyframes, making the process a lot easier and smoother. I used my knowledge of a "walkthrough" animation and how I can establish shots with it, putting a camera on a path and animating it going down that path. I learned how to animate bipeds and with it, I could animate the Stone Monster to walk easily. I can use all of these new tricks with animations to help animate future models, giving more fluid and organic or robotic movements. 

Quarter 2 Reflection

1/14/2025

This quarter, I learned how to add materials for an object, rig a model, and then animate it. All of this new knowledge, as well as the stuff I learned in Quarter 1, was combined into one final project for the end of the semester. I learned about the different aspects of materials, and how the UVW editor is crucial in making sure your materials don't look warped. I learned about how rigging can help make it easier to put models into more dynamic poses, via the bones modifier or a biped. I finally then learned how to animate a model, using the Dope Sheet and Curve Editor to edit and manage my keyframes and render them all together to create one fluid, solid animation.

As much fun it has been to learn lots of new things this quarter, I definitely enjoyed using and evolving my skills for aspects of 3d modeling I learned last quarter, such as lighting. Lighting has more often than not been an aspect of tech that I have thoroughly enjoyed, both in 3d modeling and also theater as well! So as I have gone further into my projects and deepened my skills, I have also worked hardon my lighting to create some really fun scenes. Some of my favorites include the Anchorblade model I made in quarter 1, furnace model, and also the main scene for my PBM.

Finally, one aspect of 3d modeling that I feel a lot more fluent in now compared to the beginning of the quarter is definitely animation. A rather repetitive and time consuming process, it was definitely a bit confusing for me at first, especially with the added learning of the Dope Sheet and Curve Editor and how to manage all of my keyframes and speed them up or slow them down. In the end though, I certainly got the hand of it! One of the key things I learned about animation that has helped me become fluent in it, has definitely been how I can copy key frames and repeat them for say, a walking cycle. These key frames are certain portions of the walking, that can then get filled in automatically by 3ds Max, which results in an animation! These keyframes make the process a lot easier and helped me a lot during the learning process, and especially still now as I'm working on my animation for the PBM. 

All in all, this quarter I finally learned the animation portion of 3d Modeling and Animation. I learned about the different aspects of how an animation can be made, and also how to elevate my scenes with materials as well.  And with the PBM, my final project, I can combine all of my skills throughout this whole semester and put them to the test, as well as continuing beyond my class to elevate my skills and become even more skilled at 3d Modeling and Animation.