3D: the basics

3D modelling is used in many things such as video games, movies, construction,

engineering, science, education and TV broadcasts. This article will cover what is
used in 3D modelling in games.
Applications of 3D
3D modelling is used in video games, movies, construction, engineering, Science,
educational videos and TV & broadcasts. 3D models are made of polygons. These
are used to shape the 3D model that will be used. The more polygons that are
used the more time and resources it will take to render the image.
When it comes to games 3D modelling is used in everything from little cans to
the scenery. 3D modelling in games is used to make the characters you play as
and with, the weapons, collectables, scenery, etc. 3D modelling in movies is used
to make the main characters and everything else in a 3D animated film. The
process on 3D models on films is quite the same as the process on video games.
Each character is made from primitive shapes and extruded and pulled.
Industries that you wouldnt think use 3D modelling... do. Medical industries and
hospitals use 3D modelling to create prosthetic limbs like arms or legs, and then
they can 3D print them to help people who have lost certain body parts. Also
building companies use 3D modelling to create a visual look alike of what their
building. These can be buildings to console controllers.
Displaying 3D polygon animations
When the 3D model is on screen it is made of polygons. These appear on your
screen because of the APIs in your PC. An API is an Application Programming
Interface. This talks/ translates the code that is sent to the Graphics card. This
then shows what you see on screen and gives you the image in your 3D
modelling software. Two companies make APIs and they are known as DirectX
and OpenGL. These two companies are use in different ways. DirectX is made by
Microsoft and is used on Microsoft products like windows computers and Xboxs
where OpenGL is used on everything else.
The way a API translates the code into what you see on screen is through a
graphics pipeline. Each pipeline has stages. These are Input Assembler, Vertex
Shader, Hull Shader, Tessellator, Domain shader, Geometry Shader, Rasterizer,
Pixel Shader and Output Merger. These all do separate things to what you see on
screen. The Input Assembler builds the geometry so it can be rendered out later
on. The Vertex Shader applies shaders to the vertices; the vertices come from
the first stage. The Hull Shader, Tessellstor and Domain shader deal with
tessellation. This means it increases or decreases the level of detail depending
on your settings E.G faces, buildings, etc. The Geometry Shader operates on
triangles ad can be destroyed or created depending on what you want; it is used
on things such as rain and explosions in games. The Rasterizer determines what
pixels are visible culling and clipping Geometry. This also then sets up the Pixel
Shaders and sorts out how they will be applied. The Pixel Shader takes the

geometry from the other stages and shades the pixels. The Output Manager
takes all the stages and builds the final image from the data collected from the
steps. These are then sent to your screen. For every frame per second you have
is how many times this happens. E.G 30FPS= 30 times through the graphics
pipeline.
When it comes to what you see in 3D modelling use in games there is a Level Of
Detail. This refers to the method of increasing and reducing the number of
polygons on an object depending on how far the camera/player is. By decreasing
the amount of polygons you also decrease the amount of work your GPU has to
do (you get more FPS). 3D modellers create multiple versions of a model (lets
say a gun). When the player is up-close to this model the game shows the best
version of this gun with the most polygons and the further away the character
gets the model with fewer polygons is shown. This avoids wasting your GPUs
processing power and gives you more frames. This how games use Level of
Detail. These are all ways that a games or 3D modelling software display 3D
polygons.
Geometric Theory
Geometric theory in 3D modelling is the use of polygonal models and Nerbs.
However the games industry uses Polygonal models so that is what will be
focused upon. Polygonal models are made of Edges, Vertexs and Faces. Vertices
are points on your 3D models corners, they each have their own co-ordinates
and each of the points is known as a Vertex. These can be moved along the X, Y
and Z vertices to shape models. Edges are used to join the vertices together and
create a wireframe from vertex to vertex. These can also be moves along the X,
Y and Z axis to mould a shape Faces are used to fill in the spaces between the
vertices and Edges and can also be moved along the X, Y and Z axis to mould a
shape. The faces that make up a 3D model are known as a Mesh. A Mesh is made
of polygons. The co-ordinate system they use is based on the Cartesian coordinate system. This is a map defining the position of your mesh in 3D space.
Mesh construction
When it comes to making an object or mesh; they start with a primitive shape.
Primitive shapes are the starting building blocks like cubes, spheres, cylinder etc.
These are used to do box modelling and extrusion modelling. Box modelling is a
technique used to create polygon models. The 3D modeller starts with a simple
3D box and refines it until the modeller gets the shape they want. E.G head,
body etc. This happens because the 3D modeller moves the vertices, edges and
faces of the 3D shape. Extrusion modelling is where the 3D modeller selects one
face of the mesh and pulls it out (extrude) to create more faces. Both box
modelling and extrusion modelling are used together to get a more realistic
looking model. These two forms of modelling are used to make what you see in
your games.
3D modelling software

There are multiple pieces of 3D modelling software which different 3D modelling

companies use. For example colleges use a piece of software called 3DS Max and
Universities use a piece of software called Maya. These pieces of software all do
the same thing but bring a different look to it.
The pieces of 3D software out there are Autodesks 3DS Max, Maya, and many
more. These are all used in different places. Autodesks 3DS Max is used as
commercial use and educational use. This is because it is all led out neatly and it
is all simplified for the user. 3DS Max costs 145 monthly because it is used in
commercial and educational use and it is a good piece of software. Maya is also
an Autodesk piece of software and is 157.25. This is because it is also a
commercial and educational piece of software and it is easy to use.
Constraints
The constraints of 3D modelling in games is everything that you make needs
polygons and the more polygons the 3D modeller uses the longer it takes to
render out. This can lower your FPS because you computer and GPU have to
process the model along with everything else. Every time it has to render an
image it has to go down the graphics pipeline and it has to repeat that for every
frame you get. Games cant drop under 30FPS because then they are very
difficult and nearly impossible to play. Designers get most out of the games
visuals by making multiple versions of the 3D model so as you get further away
the fewer polygons the object has.
Summary of findings
Every object is made of polygons and has multiple versions of that object with
fewer polygons so as the camera or player gets further away from the object the
GPU hasnt got to work so hard on a shape that you dont need rendered. Also
that ever thing that appears on screen goes down a graphics pipeline for every
frame you have. 30FPS=30 times down the graphics pipeline.

References
API
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=GN9tKPl6mH4&index=6&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH
Graphics pipeline https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bFmxMGGdBrk&index=4&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH
LOD https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mIkIMgEVnX0&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH&index=3
Rendering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtfEVO9Oc3U
Geometric Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=KjCudOaZ7P4&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH&index=5
3D mesh construction https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ojtV3PtrFJM&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH&index=8
3D constraints
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2rNzTGe9A&index=7&list=PLsPHRLf6UN4kkES0INlCfxDuf5abZW0OH
3DS Max price
http://www.autodesk.co.uk/store?origref=https://www.google.co.uk/
Maya price
http://www.autodesk.co.uk/store?origref=https://www.google.co.uk/