Asset Creation

For those of whom are following my blog my Live Client is full swing into production. The bain of most 3d artists is learning unwrapping techniques properly, as it is a lengthy process to learn effectively. From my previous posts you have seen my door model, to which here are the finished moving parts of the door, with all the maps applied (normal,diffuse,specular,custom light maps). Using a combination of Photoshop, 3dsmax, and UDK editor here are the assets in the game editor. The first image shows the door closed and second shows the door open.

Image 1



Image 2

Normal Mapping

As a part of building assets, getting used to different styles of mapping seems to be a necessity. Normal mapping is where a high poly object is projected onto a lower poly model to give the illusion of a higher poly piece using less geometry.

Here is a image of the wire frames of my concepted door concept (see older posts) and another with the normal maps applied. Enjoy!

Wireframe Image



Normal Mapped Model

Beginnings Of Concept Finalisation

The identity of the game so far is starting to shape up quite nicely, so now to get more of a idea as to what the game flow is going to look like, I drew up the best ideas I had on mini games. This so far brings my blog up to date.

I have been working on my Personal Research Project in the time since my last massive upload onto my blog so im going to see if I have the OK to post that up here before my hand in on January 10th.

Idea Building for Live Client Project

With my baseline research together with reference images and ideas beginning to formulate, the time came to get out the trusty pencils and pen and put those ideas on paper. My ideas for this game were starting to formulate around a multi room puzzle game, each room presenting a element of skill and problem solving applied in a different way to progress to the next stage or room. For this kind of idea for the game to work I had to get lots of ideas down as possibilities as potential problems and challenges I could build using the games engines systems I had most understanding of. The sketches below show some of my ideas I bashed out as preliminary ideas.



Now I had some preliminary ideas down it was time to take a quick break from them to consider which ideas were going to work best in the game. In this break I cracked out some rough designs on designs of items that could be made to go in and stylize the game. These designs are shown below.

Live Client Project: Initial Research

As with all projects its good to start at seeing what other people have produced on the subject area I will be making things for. As the theme set out by the brief is Atlantian, here are some of the images I looked at that other artists have done on conceptualising the Atlantis style.

Looking at the different conceptual designs it was clear to see most people had used either Roman or Aztecan style architecture as a base to build on their concepts. From this I went and searched into images on Roman and Aztec structures and buildings. Here are a few of the research images on their areas.

With these images as a reference point, I could now start to think about how I wanted the level to feel and also how I am going to go about structuring the puzzle and skill games that were going to be built into the overall game.

Live Client Project: Brief

For one of my projects in my final year I have to gain a client that works in the industry to over see the working progress of a project, that could in theory be used by them professionally. After much searching for a client, I finally got a brief that I could work to that is outlined below.

Brief description of the business need.

Design, build and construct a working computer game level.

The theme that will run throughout the game will be based on Atlantian Ruins

The aim of the project is to create a original map based on either a new game or pre-existing game.

The map can be of any style of play or design.

The level should be geared to target audience ages 12 and above, including intuitive design features that will challenge a player's in problem solving.

Design elements must be conservative to accommodate for medium spec computers to produce minimum lag.

A development diary must be kept to show the clear choice of design and development for the theme in achieving the best possible feel to the game.

Pre-existing assets (that have permission to be used) can be used but must be made up of mostly original assets.

Brief description of the multimedia products to be produced. E.g. website with database or broadcast quality format video or 3d animation of 30 seconds length etc.

Working model that can be played on hand in on disk at submission .

Full design diary or blog submitted with final product showing conceptualisation, design flow and problem solving throughout the project.

This pretty much sums up what I will be working to for the next 10 term time weeks. This should help people who are following my blog see what I am working to =)

Life Drawing and random sketches

As the title suggests I've been doing some work outside my course to keeping my drawing skills up. Here are some of the images. Enjoy =)