I want to create short 3rd person game set
in ancient like environment. My main aim is to try to create emotional reaction
to different scripted events, camera position, lighting, sound, etc. Taking for
consideration time limit for this brief I decided to focus on technical aspects
of creating 3d assets and a scene in UE4. I didn't manage to incorporate any
gameplay elements.
In the beginning my intention was to create
a unique design language for my architecture elements, something that would
combine art nouveau style with ancient architecture. But in the end, I decided
something like that will take more research than I have time to, so I end up
doing something simpler.
In this blog post I listed most video
tutorials that I watched while working on this project. They all have proven to
be very useful and helped me develop my skill and understanding of the software
during this project.
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore?sort=score
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/GettingStarted/index.html
both Autodesk maya and UE4 official databes proven to be excelen source of knowladge.
https://uk.pinterest.com/kamilsroka/architecture-ancient/
I created this pintres board long time ago and it was very good source of reference photos of ancient architecture.
I'm nearly done with this project. After this 3 week I feel more confident about my ability to create game environment and 3d models. I tried to keep all my low poly models below 1k poly, keeping in mind that they would repeat quite a lot throughout the scene. But now I think I could have gone for the higher polycount.
Modular pieces in UE4:
Here are some walls models. In retrospect, I should think more about the different ways I could use any model. Most of them had only one purpose in the scene.
I only modelled seven bricks and create different variation of them to use thought the level. Every type share the same material. Both for convenience and to minimize data usage.
Floor tiles.
The column on the left side is one piece model, and column on the right side is 4 separate models that share the same UV space, textures and materials. That allowed me to use that one model in several different ways.
Screen shots from UE4 editor. The scene is almost done, I need to add few more details and built lighting.
I decided to showcase some things I added just before final submission.
I created special material and use build in UE4 function called vertex painting. It allows to apply more than one material to the mesh. Of course you can do a lot more with meshes with more vertex.
I created landscape material combine from 3 different materials. And apply it to landscape mesh with paint landscape materials function.
And I did some basic particle effects.
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
During this week I work a lot on assets and
I feel more comfortable with using zbrush. I plan to do ancient ruins like
environment.
I started with the pillar on the left. I
did some surface details in zbrush,
But in the end, I didn't really like the
end result, so I redo it (pillar on the right). Adding overall more details. I
uv mapped it and retopologize inside zbrush. Though it might not be the
cleanest way to do it, it allowed me to save a lot of time.
If anyone has some suggestion or advises I
would appreciate it. I'm still relatively new to 3d modelling and need to learn
a lot.
First approach to the wall. In the end, I
scraped it. Though I like overall shape it end up as something with too many
polys for model that would repeat a lot.
Low poly model of floor tiles. I still need to make high poly one.
Few variations of floor tile. Low poly base
model and high poly ones. I still need to retopologize high poly models.
Second approach to wall. Low poly base and
high poly model. I'll have to correct a few things with high poly one and then
I think I'll bake maps with xnormal. I feel it will be the easiest approach
with something like that.
For the brief I decided to do small level,
a vertical slice of my project. I hope this small section will illustrate what
I'm going for with that project.
I don't think my level will be too engaging
if it won't look, at least decent so I conduct some research in UE4 materials
to remind myself different technical aspects of building levels and learn some
new things along the way. The focus of my study will be materials and camera
work.
I will update the list below as I gather
more research materials.
I’m not planning to focus on creating
complex mechanic for my game project I want to put more emphasis on the game
world, aesthetic level design. Doing so I won’t be able to induce players’ involvement
and interest in what is happening on the screen through gameplay. That’s why I
want to put a lot of emphasis on camera movement and positions to make every
scene emotional and involving.
Creating emotional reaction with a camera
is something that filmmakers mastered over the years.
For the next few weeks I plan to learn about some of the camera tricks used in
cinematography. Of course I realize not every trick will be easy to transfer to
the game. Most films focus camera on characters, their acting performance,
facial expression and body language. Shots can present characters from
different angles and different distance often putting focus only on parts of the
characters’ body; face, eyes, hand, etc. For my game project I don’t intend to
model a character with human like face, or expressive face. And I’m not sure
how well I will manage to animate its body, but I don’t think I’ll be able to
create complex animations. So naturally I can’t rely on convening emotion
through main character expressions. That’s
why I want my main character and focal points of scenes to be always in frame. This
way, putting more emphasis on the relation between the protagonist and the
world it finds itself in.
I don’t want to make cut scenes. I don’t want to take away players’ control
over the character for one moment. I’m thing of arranging camera that will
always follow the character, but change position and distance from it to best
capture what is happening on the screen. I want the camera movement to be fluid
and elegant. I prepared some example of camera flow I’m thinking about:
1. The camera is close to the protagonist as he approaches exit of the corridor.
The position of camera emphasis being in close space and close distance to the character
makes it easier to empathise with it.
2, 3. The camera is pulling away from the character
to show how small he is in relation to the environment it travels.
4. The camera zooms in to the character as
he approaches structures. It stays on the low angle, so that players can see
the environment from the perspective of the main character. Showing how big
those structures are from its point of view.
As for the “bad example” I don’t want a
camera to drastically change position from frame to frame.
Research:
I found this composition and framing
tutorial for beginners. It gives some good advices about camera position in
relation to characters and how to use it to provoke specific emotional reaction
in viewer.
Composition tutorial:
Creating emotion with camera movement:
In next post I will analise some research materials and write about it.
Monday, 3 October 2016
Some things I want to focus on my research
in the next few weeks:
1. How to use visual feedback to create emotional
reaction?
- Use of camera movement, perspective and camera
position in comparison to player character.
- Shapes language, silhouettes, colours,
use of light, size of object in comparison to a player character.
2. Environmental storytelling.
- Use of sound, particle effect, lights to
create atmosphere.
- Understanding through associations,
seeing familiar elements in new design.
- How to incorporate familiar elements in
new design?
- How to mix design languages?
3. Level design.
- Creating linear levels with open feel.
- How to use down time, quite time?
- How preserve pacing of the story in not
linear sections?
- How to create open levels without hurting
pacing of the story, game?
4. Animations
- How animations affects our perception of the
characters?
- How to use animations to create an
emotional reaction?
