Modeling Essay
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:14 am
An essay (i.e. writing) is a form of media correct? If not please move to Off-Topic.
Hey guys, I'm being tutored in Essay writing for part of this year to prepare me for the ACT/SAT. My tutor gave me the choice of my first essay and I thought 3D modeling would be a cool topic. Then I discovered that my tutor knew absolutely nothing about the topic... I mean nothing, she thought I was talking about clay. >.<
So I simplified it.
Anyway, this is it I just wanted to know what you guys think. If you see an error, please do not restrain yourself, I'm allowed to ask friends and such about my writing.
Modeling: the first step into a 3D world.
There are a lot of job options available to young people who are looking to find a career. Some of the fastest growing jobs are in the gaming industry. An important job in this popular field is that of a 3D modeler. Such a person fills many needed roles in a 3D design crew. However, not many people understand the modeling process. The basis of modeling involves geometry, primitive shapes, and the manipulation of these shapes.
As most people who have taken a geometry class in school will know, geometric shapes are made of points, lines segments, and polygons. A point defines a specific location on a plane and has no dimensions of its own. Line segments have only one dimension, length. A line segment connects two points via the shortest path. A polygon is a two-dimensional geometric figure made of straight line segments. Notice that as each part joins with another, their numbers of dimensions grow. Points have no dimension, but when joined with a line, they gain 1 dimensional status. When a group of line segments join they make a 2D polygon. Finally when several polygons join together, they form a 3D shape called a polygon mesh.
Most modeling programs offer sets of primitives to make the modeling process faster. A primitive is a basic 3D geometric shape. Primitives make the modeling process easier by providing pre-made simple shapes that the modeler can alter into other shapes. Typically a modeling program has at least 5 primitives: a cube, cylinder, sphere, cone, and Torus. When creating a primitive, the modeler is given the option of adding subdivisions to the shape. Subdivision is the process of attaching additional line segments to the poly mesh. Extra segments do not initially change the shape of the primitive. Subdivisions make it easier to manipulate the primitive, to a greater extent than would be possible with the basic number of line segments.
If someone was restricted to only using basic shapes for modeling, constructing more complex things, such as an animal would be impossible. This is what manipulation is for; many techniques exist to, manually or automatically, substantially alter the shape of primitives. There are three manual manipulations translation, rotation, and scale. Translation moves the selected item, rotation rotates it, and scale allows you to alter its size. All of these transforms can be used in any or all of the three planes, and can also be used on any part points, lines, or the whole model. Many automatic manipulators are available which complete tasks that would be too tedious, or even impossible to do the manual way. One such example is Boolean which allows you to cut a hole based on the shape of a poly mesh and how it intersects with a model.
Understanding geometry, shapes, and manipulation of those shapes, a job in 3D design and modeling, may sound rather interesting. Building a model point by point, line by line is a seldom used method but vital to know. Primitives make the whole process faster and easier. Finally manipulators help to create something truly fantastic. With the many job options available to people today, hopefully this essay has enlightened a possibility that had not yet been considered.
Hey guys, I'm being tutored in Essay writing for part of this year to prepare me for the ACT/SAT. My tutor gave me the choice of my first essay and I thought 3D modeling would be a cool topic. Then I discovered that my tutor knew absolutely nothing about the topic... I mean nothing, she thought I was talking about clay. >.<
So I simplified it.
Anyway, this is it I just wanted to know what you guys think. If you see an error, please do not restrain yourself, I'm allowed to ask friends and such about my writing.
There are a lot of job options available to young people who are looking to find a career. Some of the fastest growing jobs are in the gaming industry. An important job in this popular field is that of a 3D modeler. Such a person fills many needed roles in a 3D design crew. However, not many people understand the modeling process. The basis of modeling involves geometry, primitive shapes, and the manipulation of these shapes.
As most people who have taken a geometry class in school will know, geometric shapes are made of points, lines segments, and polygons. A point defines a specific location on a plane and has no dimensions of its own. Line segments have only one dimension, length. A line segment connects two points via the shortest path. A polygon is a two-dimensional geometric figure made of straight line segments. Notice that as each part joins with another, their numbers of dimensions grow. Points have no dimension, but when joined with a line, they gain 1 dimensional status. When a group of line segments join they make a 2D polygon. Finally when several polygons join together, they form a 3D shape called a polygon mesh.
Most modeling programs offer sets of primitives to make the modeling process faster. A primitive is a basic 3D geometric shape. Primitives make the modeling process easier by providing pre-made simple shapes that the modeler can alter into other shapes. Typically a modeling program has at least 5 primitives: a cube, cylinder, sphere, cone, and Torus. When creating a primitive, the modeler is given the option of adding subdivisions to the shape. Subdivision is the process of attaching additional line segments to the poly mesh. Extra segments do not initially change the shape of the primitive. Subdivisions make it easier to manipulate the primitive, to a greater extent than would be possible with the basic number of line segments.
If someone was restricted to only using basic shapes for modeling, constructing more complex things, such as an animal would be impossible. This is what manipulation is for; many techniques exist to, manually or automatically, substantially alter the shape of primitives. There are three manual manipulations translation, rotation, and scale. Translation moves the selected item, rotation rotates it, and scale allows you to alter its size. All of these transforms can be used in any or all of the three planes, and can also be used on any part points, lines, or the whole model. Many automatic manipulators are available which complete tasks that would be too tedious, or even impossible to do the manual way. One such example is Boolean which allows you to cut a hole based on the shape of a poly mesh and how it intersects with a model.
Understanding geometry, shapes, and manipulation of those shapes, a job in 3D design and modeling, may sound rather interesting. Building a model point by point, line by line is a seldom used method but vital to know. Primitives make the whole process faster and easier. Finally manipulators help to create something truly fantastic. With the many job options available to people today, hopefully this essay has enlightened a possibility that had not yet been considered.
