This book takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a playable 3D character using 3DS Max.

Offering a complete overview of the 3D real-time character asset creation pipeline. Yancey Clinton will take you through the five major subjects used in the asset pipeline:
1. 3D modeling, including techniques specifically for both the body and head.
2. Unwrapping a model, which is one of the most misunderstood processes.
3. An overview of creating textures for your Unwrapped chararacter using Photoshop.
4. Rigging or Skinning a Character, using the industry standard Character Studio 4.
5. ’How to make your character move’ with an overview of game animation and deeper into Character Studio.

But it doesn’t end there! Yancey also shows you the final step; how to actually put the model into the Unreal editor and compile it for play in Unreal Tournament.

* Convenient learning - the companion DVD contains everything needed to complete the tutorials, so chapters and subjects can be tackled in any order
* Proven techniques - the book is based on the author’s successful course at the Digital Media Academy
* Certified training - co-published with the software developer, Autodesk

Unprofessional and contrived amateur misguide to character development

I looked forward a great deal to the release of this book as I know of no other book out there aimed primarily at game character modelling in 3D Studio Max for UT2004 but I have to say I was generally appalled by the techniques covered in this book and the ignorance of the author (i.e. from a cursory glance of it at least - I’ve seen enough) and this is why:

Modelling:
The author seems to have very little in the way of artistic ability in that the anatomy of the model is ridiculous and this stems from his bizarre, convoluted and laborious technique of developing a character mesh by `drawing’ individual vertices then connecting them together (utter nonsense - most established 3D artists start with approximate primary forms as in fine art; and then work into them with low poly tools) this technique is prehistoric and ill advised as it is unnatural, time consuming and generates an appallingly uneven non-organic mesh I’m open to different ways of doing things; but this is a highly questionable an unintelligible approach to creating a character model and certainly ill advised for those wishing to learn how to model.

Texturing:
The author seems to have very little in the way of artistic ability in that his procedure for generating texture coordinates on his `mutant’ anatomical character involves using lots of dated techniques which although are a means to getting the job done with zero finesse are hardly representative of easier, modern cutting edge approaches to organic texture creation in 3D Studio Max (i.e. like using the Pelt mapping gizmo designed purely for this purpose which has been in 3DS for years now - how long ago did the author write this book exactly?). Again I appreciate there are many ways of doing things but surely as this book has just been released it should be representative of what is going on now. All I can presume is that the author is an engineer posing as a 3D artist.

Its not all bad but there are far more useful, current and informed tutorials out there for free on the web; written by talented 3D artists who know what they are talking about from individual experience - no comment.

Strong Concepts...

I have this book and enjoy parts of it. The book actually covers almost the entire process from conception (concept art) to the finished rigged (biped) character. It also shows you how to bring the charcter into UNREAL 2003 if you want to play as the Pirate. If you are still learning this book can definately help you expand your skills. It goes indepth explaining why you want to do certain things and how to do it. The explainations are a huge plus, for people that are still trying to understand the process.

The example is where this book lacks it’s potential. The concept art used to model from is weak. It is a basic line drawing you would expect from a 14 year old. And from this reference art you can go through the process of creating inproportional character. I believe realism is what many people shoot for and the example is missing some of that realism.

This book I would recommend for someone that is struggling with the process but would just need to preface it, saying the techniques that the book is trying to get across are important, but do not rely on the examples to get a job.