After a brief sabbatical, we’re back and hoping you had a very happy New Year. We’re ringing in 2013 with another addition to our meet-the-Squids series. This week, we’ve got Adam O’Neal: a 3D modeling, video-game playing, New Orleanian inline skater. Sound interesting? Please continue.
Like nearly all of our inspectors, you often work on your own modeling while at home. There’s certainly a unique dynamic at TurboSquid, in which the line between work-life and personal-life occasionally seems blurred (in a good way). How does it work for you? Is there a clear divide between when you’re in work mode and when you’re thinking more along the lines of an artist?
I think both go hand in hand. While I work, I inspect models for such things as proper topology, UV Mapping, texturing, and much more. As artists, we need to be aware of these things so that our customers get the best quality models out there. Also, by inspecting models daily, I have a better understanding of the correct path I need to take when modeling my own art.
So besides 3D modeling, how do you spend your time outside of work?
Video games will always be a part of my life—for better or for worse. I tend to find myself sticking with MMO’s and FPS, depending on my day, of course.
When I feel like getting away from the desk, I like to participate in aggressive inline skating. I call it my version of a mid-life crisis, but it’s not really. It’s dangerous, yet a great source of exercise!
How does one get into inline skating in a place like New Orleans?
Aggressive inline skating in New Orleans has never been extremely huge compared to the skateboarding scene, but there has always been a dedicated group of inline skaters here since I first started back in 1997. If anyone was interested in skating, I’d say go to www.rollerwarehouse.com and order yourself a pair of skates that fit your style; and come talk to all the skaters on Facebook in the “NOLA Skate Sesh” group. It’s full of people who are always down to skate and super friendly.
Any video games you were particularly looking forward to this Christmas?
Unfortunately none of the games I would like to play came out this holiday season. My normal game of choice is Final Fantasy XIV, but it is currently down because of Square Enix preparing for the new and upcoming release of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. I would love to play Final Fantasy XIII-3 too, but I have no clue when that is supposed to be released. I guess it’s safe to say, give me a Final Fantasy title that I don’t already have, and I’m good to go!
What’s your favorite model on the site right now?
I tend to find myself clinging to organic models more than others, but IllumeStudio really amazed me with his German WW II Tank.
This is one of the first models I ever inspected at TurboSquid, and ever since I have appreciated IllumeStudio and his modeling skills. I love the fact that every object in the model is finely detailed down to the nuts and bolts. The model, overall, has a clean topology and displays a great sense of realism.
One final thing about you.
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.