Post on 17-Jan-2016
Character Design
CSIS 5838: Graphics and Animation for Gaming
Proportions
• Head size vs. body size can give characters appearance of being normal/”cartoony” – Normal:
Body = 7 to 8 heads tall– “Heroic”:
Body = 9 to 10 heads tall– “Stylized”:
Body = 4 to 5 heads tall– “Cartoony”:
Body and head same size
Facial Features
• Often “humanize” animal characters by giving them “human” facial features– Human eyes,
mouth, etc.– Set at distances
common to human faces
Designing for 3D
• Draw characters from front, size, and perhaps top– Easy to project along axes in graphics packages
• Best pose stands straight, spreads arms– Makes it much easier to add armature in future
Facial Features
• Make parts of face that express emotion more detailed– Eyes – Mouth
• Best if formed from concentric circles
Details at Joints
• Additional detail at places in mesh which will bend in future– Elbows, wrists, …– Knees, ankles, …
• Will make it easier to pose rigged character without too much “mesh deformation”
Characters as Groups of Objects
• Often build character from multiple meshes– Separated at clothing lines– Ultimately parented to a single
armature