masteringMaya: The Fundamentals

Basic Shaders = Done

With all the new games I played, the photo retouching job I had, and my bad back, I didn't have much time left for Maya. Stephanie recently got the flu, so she's been resting a lot. Yesterday I decided to whip up to 'ol Maya project and work on completing the Basic Shaders lessong. Lo and behold! Here's how the backyard looks shaded.



I realize some of the saturation is off, but I haven't yet started to properly light the scene. With better lights, there's going to be minimal tweaking to the shaders for them to look better.

I loved working with the ball shader (the beach ball). It doesn't look complicated, but there's a ramp (gradient) that's feeding into another (Ramp2 -> Ramp1). It's the first shader-network of the scene. This enables us to create the effect of the vinyl cap on both ends of the ball with perpendicular stripes between them.



The stripes Ramp feed in the red color of Ramp1.

I should be starting the Advanced Shaders lesson. This is going to be a lot of fun. I always loved Networks (Native-Instruments Reaktor <3). Expect a lot more updates then usual for this lesson.

Made it on Matrix

I recently (yesterday) uploaded a picture of my Korg Electribe MX-1 (EMX-1) on my Flickr. Not long after, I get a comment from MatrixSynth (a gathering blog for synth-freaks from around the world) saying that my picture was posted there.

It's an honor, really. Check it out!

Great News About Stef'

Instead of editting, I decided to create another post so that this announcement doesn't lose any importance.

Stef' got called today by the College admission that she applied for, but seats were filled. During last week's first-day admission, someone didn't show up leaving a seat open. Stef' got called... she's going to NBCC Miramichi in Arts Fundamentals.

She starts tomorrow, pretty early. Congratulations, dear =)...

New PSP Faceplate

Yesterday I mentionned the PSP Faceplate I ordered. Well, Decalgirl.com doesn't mess around. When I got home for lunch, there was a package from them at my door step.

Inside was the faceplate, neatly packaged with everything I needed to install it and even extra screws, just in case. I previously had a DGX Flatblack Faceplate. The thing is with the DGX one is that it's not OEM, so installation was a pain and there was a huge issue with the Analog Nub hole of the faceplate not being centered with the analog module, so the upper sensitivity was cut when there was minimal pressure on the nub (tilting the nub fully up didn't make a character run, but walking or tip-toeing instead).

The Camy Pro Gear White OEM Faceplate was really easy to install and remove (dust and tweak) and I no longer have the Analog Nub problem. The faceplate is great. Take a look...

masteringMaya: The Fundamentals and more

Backyard Update

With all the things that could slow me down, I finally did it. I finished modeling the backyard.



I should be starting to create the shaders very soon.

I mentionned things that slowed me down. There's Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, Planet Puzzle League, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption just to name a few. I'm really surprised with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. My Wii is finally getting some lovin'. I should be posting my impressions after playing through once.

It was also my birthday on the 7^th (yay! me!). Stef' knows that I love Micro-R/C stuff (things I can play with in the apartement in random moments of boredom), so she ordered a Air Hogs: Reflex for me. I can't wait to get it. I ordered myself a replacement PSP faceplate for the non-OEM Flatblack one that Geo gave me. The Flatblack is pretty cool (no finger smudges, yay!), but since it's non-OEM, the Analog Nub hole is not aligned with the Nub itself, so any thumb pressure "numbs" the sensitivity of the Upper vertical axis. I got the new Camy Pro Gear White PSP OEM-Faceplate since the Asterix white-one seems to be always sold out. Reviews are great for the Camy line of PSP Faceplate and tested to be true OEM, so this is going to fix my Analog Nub problem. I'll post pictures once I installed it (I first need to get it :P).

So that's pretty much it for now. Now that my vacation is over, that work is starting to become normal again, and that my birthday is passed. I just hope I won't be too stucked on Metroid Prime 3...