Polishing and Preparing for Rigging

Week Four – Polishing and Preparing for Rigging

As we near the end of the month, we are finalizing our Substance Painter textures and importing them into Unreal Engine. A key focus has been refining hair cards to ensure they look full and natural, avoiding any noticeable gaps.

In my Design course, we completed our adventure game references and are preparing for hard surface modeling. Soon, we will begin creating a modular environment kit, but for now, we are using basic cube layouts to establish level flow and ensure proper spacing.

On the programming side, we are refining voice lines and sound effects, fine-tuning movement controls, and integrating animations from the provided animation depot. The goal is to make our characters feel unique rather than relying on default assets.

Overall, the past few weeks have been filled with learning and refining skills across multiple disciplines. I’m excited to continue developing this project and seeing how everything comes together!

Textures, Techniques, and Teamwork

Week Three – Textures, Techniques, and Teamwork

This week, we continued our work in Maya and were introduced to using alpha cards for hair, rather than sculpting, for a more realistic approach. We referenced games like Uncharted (Naughty Dog) and Diablo to guide the art style of our adventure game.

A major milestone was starting Substance Painter. We learned how to efficiently use layers instead of multiple materials on an object to optimize texture density. Since we are limited to two 4K texture maps for both our character and weapon, proper texture management is crucial. My goal is to have a polished result by next week.

In my programming course, we focused on attack animations and implementing damage mechanics. We worked on binding the sword to a bone in the rig, ensuring that it properly moves with the character across different animations, including idle, walking, running, attacking, and even death animations. I ran into some challenges with this and reached out to a friend with more Unreal Engine experience for guidance.

Blocking Out and Leveling Up

Week Two – Blocking Out and Leveling Up

This week, we continued refining our ZBrush models and began importing them into Maya. Our focus was on retopology and improving UV mapping—an area I personally wanted to improve, especially after facing challenges with my car model last semester. I’m aiming for cleaner UVs to minimize visible seams on my character and weapon models.

In Design, we explored map layouts, conducting walkthroughs to ensure our environments align with the characters we are sculpting. We also factored in dimensions and mechanics like the wall fade-out effect to maintain a seamless experience.

On the programming side, we started working on animations and implementing the sound system. We set up basic walk and run animations while beginning to integrate audio elements, helping bring the game to life.

Kicking Off the Semester

Week One – Kicking Off the Semester

The spring semester of my sophomore year at Ringling College has officially begun! In my Design course, we started off by refining our presentation sheets from last semester for our adventure game project. These sheets will serve as references for character models, weapons, enemies, maps, and environments.

In my 3D class, we were introduced to ZBrush, where we received in-depth instruction on using the software professionally. Although I’ve experimented with ZBrush before at Warren Tech (also known as 3to1 Studios), this is my first time using it in a structured, professional setting. We were provided with a default Unreal Engine character as a reference to ensure correct proportions and compatibility with rigging and animations.

Meanwhile, in my programming course, we began laying the groundwork for our adventure game’s mechanics. This included implementing a system where walls fade out when the player moves behind them, ensuring clear visibility at all times. We also worked on the foundation of the movement system and programmed a placeholder for static hazards, which will later be replaced with finalized models.

First Post

We are approaching the conclusion of the Car Project at Ringling College of Art and Design. This project serves as the semester final for the Game Art major during the sophomore fall term. The assignment requires selecting a car from a list of approved models or proposing one that meets the specified criteria, followed by modeling it to a realistic standard.

For this project, I have chosen the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. Below are some progress images showcasing the work I have been refining since the project commenced in November of this year. The final model is due on Monday, November 25, 2024.

Throughout this process, I have gained significant experience with Autodesk Maya, enhancing my proficiency with its tools and features. Notably, I have developed a deeper attention to detail and mastered techniques such as edge support for smooth surfaces, the use of Duplicate Special, and other essential modeling practices. I will soon begin creating UV maps for the car, marking the next stage of the project.

Following the modeling phase, we will begin texturing the model, which is expected to take two weeks to complete before the final submission. This submission will be incorporated into our exploration game.

As part of the exploration game, we plan to include intro and outro cutscenes within Unreal Engine. This is my first time working with Unreal Engine and its Blueprints system, and I have found it more challenging than initially anticipated. However, I have learned a great deal in a short period and am extremely proud of my progress, especially considering that within a few months, I will have a packaged game featuring assets that my classmates and I have created from scratch. The exploration game will include an internal outro cutscene, several game mechanics, and a developed story. As part of the project, we are required to feature the final car model, which, in my case, is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. We are also currently incorporating sound effects for dialogue, and I am editing the script for the in-game dialogue.

In addition to the Car Project and the exploration game, I am taking a Digital Painting class, which is separate from my other courses within the Game Art major. In this class, we are preparing for the Adventure Game project, which will be the focus of our spring semester. For this project, we will create a game entirely from scratch, with an in-depth story that guides the player character on an adventure. This will be my first experience fully coding a game on my own, as well as creating a playable character, animations, video effects, and sculpting in ZBrush, in a more professional setting than my previous work, which was more for personal practice or my high school projects in ZBrush and Blender.

In my Digital Painting class, we are currently working on pre-production. I have already completed the character design, weaponry, and player progression, and am now focusing on architecture and player environment concepts, some of which are displayed below.

Thank you for reading!