Darcy MacDonald

The End Has Come!!!!! :o .......for this blog

2011-08-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

so I took the plunge, and purchased a domain. ( *"i'm a big boy" said to self)

so for now on, you can find my blog on my website *hold for applause

New Website!!!! awwww yeeeee

burned out

2011-08-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

So over the past few months, i've burned out on graphic arts, and took some time away. What i was working on was no longer fun to me, and it was stressing me out, which is the opposite of why I do this to begin with. So I got an idea today, on what my next project could be, and i'm reaaaaally pumped to get it in showable form. So I haven't disappeared, and I do have some new-ish stuff to show from my last projects, but my next project should probably take a month or two, sooner if I really get into it.

Character Walk

2011-06-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Up until last week, I have never used bipeds, or done any character modeling or rigging, or animating. I should say, I haven't touched it aside from some light beginner stuff in college that I should have paid more attention to. So this video is sort of a first for me, and i'm pretty happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to share it. I also accidentally deleted the level I had finished (punches wall), and wanted to post something else.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea to use a white background on a white character, but I'm tired, and this is only showing something new i've learned. There will be alot more, and better looking vids to come when the game goes into beta.

The level that never was part 2

2011-04-03T18:44:00.001-07:00

and one more

The level that never was

2011-04-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

The idea was a level based in the arctic ocean.

Crash

2011-03-13T18:38:00.001-07:00

Level WIP

Better Lighting, and Perspective

Long Needed Update

2011-03-07T14:39:00.001-08:00

Haven't done an update in a long time, so here is a little one. Working on a facebook game with some classmates from college. Here are a couple more recent assets that may, or may not be used.

Murder Scene

2010-12-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Here is also a model i'm working on for a murder scene within the environment i'm working on in unreal.

WIP#1

WIP#2

Final

Motorcycle WIP

2010-12-06T14:08:00.001-08:00

Working on this for several reasons. #1 is I always wanted to do a vehicle properly, and #2 I want to learn how to rig and import a vehicle into Unity for a possible indie game. If nothing else, i'll learn something new.

WIP #1

WIP#2

WIP#3

New Mesh

2010-11-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

Lantern mesh I made for this environment.

New Environment

2010-11-17T16:55:00.001-08:00

So since the last update, I had to reformat. And as you can see, my next update is not the finished version of the last one environment I worked on, because I didn't have my level backed up like I thought I did, and I lost everything. Luckily I think it was enough to get the job done for what it is to be used for. Anyways, here is the second environment.

Update#1

WIP Background

2010-09-29T19:05:00.001-07:00

Update #1

Update #2

Update #3

Prop Sheet

2010-09-21T08:25:00.001-07:00

It's been forever since my last update, so I figured i'd better get a move on. I did a bit of work for Original Studios on their next project "Elementary School Warfare", and I hastily whipped up a prop sheet to show some of the things I did in my few weeks there.

Alot of it isn't textured yet, and the flag hasn't been put in engine with cloth effects added, but I don't know if i'll get around to do any of that, so i'm just posting it as is. I've moved on, and anything that comes next will probably be personal projects i'll be picking at again.

Deer Head Plaque

2010-06-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Another prop for scene i'm working on with Curtis. I'm going with really low poly because it's going to be mounted high on a wall, and won't be seen close up.

Update #1 Fixed up antlers a bit

Update #2 Unwrap and UV

Piano Clean Texture 2

2010-06-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

New piano detail texture. Updated the specularity a bit also.

Piano

2010-06-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. I started working on rocks and trying to find the technique for very specific rocks, but I had no luck. I searched every source I know of, but had more luck just jumping into zbrush and trying to replicate what I was seeing. So after a week or so of that, I was burned out, and getting nowhere, so I took a break. Red Dead Redemption, and Alan Wake came out, it was staring to get nice out, and I just didn't feel like working on anything, so I forgot about it for a while. Now I want to jump back in, so i'm getting started on an environment that i'll hopefully be working on with my friend Curtis. I'm not giving up on the rocks either, you will see them some time in the future, but I'm not showing anything until i'm happy with what I see.

Update #1 UV and Unwrap

Update #2 Clean Texture

I'm not a fan of how max makes models look using a standard renderer (when trying you're doing 3D for games). So here is a shot of the piano in engine in my test level.

Old Plant

2010-06-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Found this old plant I did for Warm Gun. I don't know if they ended up using this or not, but here it is.

Rock'n out

2010-05-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for a tutorial on how to do rocks after seeing the gdc 2010 level in Aprils UDK update, and because I haven't had any luck, I'm going to teach myself (and mudbox along with it) all week. Hopefully by the end of the week, i'll have some ideas on what i'm doing for future reference.

Switching gears

2010-04-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

It's becoming more and more apparent every day that i'm not going to find anyone to help me with, anything, and this level is obviously too big for me to do alone in any length of time, while learning the app itself, so i'm going to switch gears to something else. I'll post something when I decide what it is i'd like to work on.

Updated look.

2010-04-15T19:44:00.001-07:00

As i'm learning this program, i'm picking up a few things the hard way. Here is an updated look at my first area after fixing a couple things.

Both storefronts look the same right now, but the source photos I took were no good, so until I get some new ones, that's in there as a placeholder.

Another Prop

2010-04-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just making stuff to populate the world, and my world is going to consist of a chunk of town, so i'm making the kind of things you would come across, in this case, a parking meter.....voila.

And heres a shot of the hydrant I had from a few weeks back.

A couple of props

2010-04-05T17:48:00.001-07:00

Title says it all. Here are a couple of props from the level i'm working on. I haven't updated in a while because i've been doing alot of planning and tutorials.

Mossberg 500 hi poly WIP

2010-02-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

Here is an updated version of the mossberg 500. This is obviously the high poly version, and you may notice a few changes over my previous version. I did some tweaking to the general shape of just about everything, and from this I will make a new low poly. This is my first time really doing anything like this so the workflow is all new to me.

I also still have a few little pieces to add yet, but i'm a little burnt out for the day, so i'm going to take a little break.

***Update***

Made a few updates to the mesh. I`m having a hard time finding the proper reference images so from here on out, i`m just going to have to wing it.

Shotgun WIP

2010-02-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

Well I got an idea to do a small Silent Hill mod in the udk, and I don't know if i'm ever going to find people to work on it, and therefore get off the ground, but while I was pumped about the idea, I decided to start working on a weapon for it. Here it is.

It's a mossberg 500, and it's a nice beefy looking shotgun for any game. May or may not get used, but I had fun modeling it.

Unreal 3 Exercise

2010-02-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

For my first exercise with unreal 3 I decided to tackle a group of objects in a piece of concept art I still had on my external from the warm gun guys. The next update will have a little more to it, but it's been a long time since I posted anything so here it is.

New Computer!

2010-01-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time coming but I finally got a new rig! Expect to see Unreal 3 developments as they unfold.

Test Level is complete PT 2

2009-12-02T18:45:00.001-08:00

Test Level is complete

2009-12-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics to show what i've been working on over the past few weeks. I went into this completely new to the engine, and i'm pretty proud of what I accomplished on my first try. I already have ideas on other levels i'd like to make in unity, and even some possible game ideas. Unfortunately I couldn't post the level itself on the blog, so you can't hear the sound effects or see the trees blowing in the wind, or the waves functioning, but in the future I will probably make a small fly through video. There's also still a few things I would like to add to the level such as swimming and possibly rain effects, but it was just too much for me right now. I'm still going through house renovations, and my computer is too old to even handle what I have made here well, so until I upgrade, this will have to do haha. Enjoy.

And yet another

2009-11-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Just a little bit of an updated look since the last one. Roughly the same pic, with my new skylight and image effects applied to the camera.

And another

2009-11-21T11:12:00.001-08:00

Here's another pic.

Sneak Peak

2009-11-18T13:55:00.001-08:00

Unfortunately after getting most of my stuff modeled for my test level, renovations began on my house and I had to move my stuff, which of course slowed thing down. I'm just getting back on my feet over the past 2 days, and started a fresh new level. Here is where i'm at right now, which is probably about....40% done I guess. I'm having a lot of problems with the trees, and I'm out of ideas on how to fix it, but i'm sure something will work itself out over the next few days. Anyways, I wanted to show something that i've done over the past month, so heres a peak.

New awesome update coming soon.

2009-11-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I just need to work out a few things in the engine, and then I can start piecing everything together. I'm having a blast with this, and I can't wait to show it off a little bit.

Lighthouse WIP

2009-10-21T18:22:00.001-07:00

Lighthouse i'm workin on for a test level in unity.
Should have alot more to show by Monday.

Gun

2009-10-07T10:51:00.001-07:00

Probably going to wait until I get a tablet to finish the texture, but who knows.

Updizzle

2009-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Haven't had an update in a little while, due to me enjoying this nice weather while it lasts, but I did do this model for a game, but I don't know if it'll ever get used.

It's an alien model, sitting at a little under 1300 quads. A bit different topology from my other "human" models because it is actually meant for a game.

Last Week = Insanely Busy

2009-08-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's Log!

2009-08-10T20:35:00.001-07:00

Here is a WIP of a prop I'm whipping up to try to help out the warm gun guys get this thing out! I don't know if they'll use it for not, but if nothing else, I'm getting more experience with zbrush. Of course if it is used, I will post my further progress, and a shot in engine.

Dinosaur Final

2009-08-08T15:53:00.001-07:00

Well I think this is more then enough for my first zbrush project. I'm pretty happy with it, and I'll keep it around for future use if I decide to do anything else.

Dinosaur WIP 2

2009-08-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

It's coming along nicely. Heres a bit of what I got accomplished today so far. Might try to get the teeth in tonight as well. I have to make a nice alpha for use around the mouth, but other than that the high definition detail is almost done as well.

My very first zbrush project.

2009-08-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

After spending the past two days straight learning as much as I could, I had to try something for myself. I chose a dinosaur because of all the interesting textures on the skin. This is not a tutorial and I am not using anyone elses low poly mesh to start with. This is all me.

Still a work in progress, but I wanted to show what it looks like so far, alongside the low poly mesh I made.

Any criticisms are more than welcome. I'm going to add some skin texture tomorrow hopefully, and possibly eyes and teeth.

New Game?

2009-07-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

EARLIEST

EARLY

Well me and Curtis got to talking about making a new game, and although I won't go into any kind of details about what it is, or how it's going to play, I wanted to show what I made today, and kindof give an impression of what you're going to see. This is an early render and i'm positive it's going to change, but I'd like to show it's progress. The first image is a really early render I made to show Curtis the direction I was going with the room. The second is a more fleshed out version of the same room with some lighting.

UPDATE****

New render, played around with lighting, made things a little grungier, changed the floor texture, etc.

UPDATE_2****

Last pic was a little too busy. Heres a cleaner one.

The Model

2009-06-22T11:14:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted any work in a while, due to health issues, and computer virus's, so I decided to whip something up for show. I always wanted to do a weapon that does the real life object justice, and last year I made an AK-74 that I seem to have misplaced, so this year, I decided on an RPG. Anyways, heres a look at my progress so far. When it's all textured, I will do a proper render.

On to the new stuff

2009-05-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a few things lately that should start showing up soon, but the one that is taking up the most time, is the abandoned house.

Here's a look at where i'm at right now.

Old Renders

2009-05-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start off my "new and improved" blog with a couple of old renders.

One was from my mechanical rigging class in college and the other was a render I did for Southside Air in Miramichi, NB.

The first image is basically a robot wars type of creation I made using a scorpion as my inspiration. The other image is a mobile light tower that was used on the products pamphlet.