console.log ("Word learns to code!")

[Word]

OK if you need archaeological knowledge or crazy ideas, let me know. I got plenty.

[sinewav]

Oh, sounds like you've got some cool stuff going on, Word!

Sine, did you check out C4D?

I decided to start learning Blender. I've made models in it before, but I never understood what I was doing. Now I'm trying to get a solid understanding of 3D modeling basics. It's super hard! 3D stuff has always been something I never felt comfortable with, but hopefully by the end of this year I'll be able to add that skill to my resume, or at least work on simple models with some degree of confidence. I'll post some stuff in a couple weeks. Speaking of which, I would like to see how your modeling skills have improved over the years.

[Word]

Now I'm trying to get a solid understanding of 3D modeling basics

Alright, first some general advice.
In most 3D applications, it's helpful to know how detailed you want your final model to be, so when you start with the geometric primitives, you can set enough subdivisions to start from. Then you use the extrude-function, extrude some faces and move groups of faces/edges/vertices and then the individual vertices/faces/edges until you're happy. Keep repeating those steps until you have a "raw" version of your model. Add the subdivision surface filter/modifier if that's what you need, and look if you have to add more detail - sometimes a number of neighbouring edges that is supposed to look round actually looks cornered, even with subdivision surface enable. Then you just add more points/loops inbetween and move them until you're happy. Likewise, you can always remove points if some parts are too round or not needed for some reason. Once you are finished with that, you can begin sculpting and add one layer after another for every new level of detail.
If you want to include your models in video games you should read about culling, normals, and UV texturing so the models are displayed correctly. I recommend watching a few tutorial videos of people sculpting random stuff, after 7 or 8 videos you know everything important.


Some basic advice for blender:

Blender is relatively easy once you get used to annoying layout. Learn the shortcuts, because then many things will be self-explanatory. The ones which I use most of the time are G (move), R (rotate) and S (scale) in combination with the key for axes (X, Y, Z). A nice feature of Blender which I didn't see elsewhere is that you can easily switch between Edit and Object mode using Tab; and in Edit Mode you can edit the Vertices, Edges and Faces simultaneously if you press shift while clicking on the edge/face/vertex-buttons. The basic tools you need to model are the knife (to add new polygons by dividing existing ones), the bridge (to connect edges) and the extrude feature (select a face or edge and press D). The most important modifier is subdivision surface. Once you have created a raw box-based model by extruding the faces and moving them the way you want, you can add that modifier to make it look smooth and more natural. Other modifiers I regularly use are Bool and Mirror. Until recently I didn't even know that something like "Loop selection" exists, and how to add loopcuts. It saves so much time! If you don't know what you can do with it, you should definitely look into it. Only a few months ago I noticed that most 3D programs have that feature for years now. Anyway, here's a link. Another thing I never really paid attention to was enabling "snapping" so objects don't overlap - I used to work around that by comparing the position coordinates and sizes of my objects. You as a graphic designer will probably figure that out pretty quickly. It isn't that different from Gimp, after all.

[sinewav]

Nice space saucer, Word.

Thanks for the advice! I'm already practicing most of those tips and I have watched about 20 hours of Blender tutorials, including the one you linked to. I guess 3D modeling is just something you have to do all the time until you get good. Today I spent a few hours fixing problems in a fairly complicated mesh. This is hard work, but I feel good about my effort!

[Word]

Thanks for the advice! I'm already practicing most of those tips and I have watched about 20 hours of Blender tutorials

Oh, then you're probably ahead of me in the blender department, haha! Most tutorials I'm watching now are about programming a specific timing for different animations, which is pretty useful when you want to do harmonic movements in a game. (I'm trying to figure out how create a smith whose hammer is emitting sparks whenever he hits a piece of raw metal)

This is hard work, but I feel good about my effort!

Yes, it's so satisfying once you get to the phase where you can simply render a turntable video or play around with it in Unity.

[Lucifer]

I'm trying to figure out how create a smith whose hammer is emitting sparks whenever he hits a piece of raw metal)

Two words: Particle system.

[Word]

Yeah, that was the easy part Now I just have to sync it with my animation and the sound.

[delinquent]

Jobs are no more, I'm working for myself!

Strictly speaking, I'm freelancing and slowly developing a SaaS platform alongside an additional freelancing platform that I hope will ride the results of the General Election over here, and I'm seemingly garnering some venture interest in a few other projects. Perhaps being boosted from HP wasn't as bad as I thought, huh? Funnily enough, the better I'm doing, the less I drink. Unfortunately, that means the worse I am with women... such is the caveat of an Autistic life, I suppose. Nevertheless, I'm beginning to have some semblance of success. How is your development skillset coming along?

[Word]

So far I got everything done I wanted to do, but I didn't have much time to learn anything beyond that. I'll let you guys know if there's anything newsworthy