Another Sickness Break!

I just can’t believe that it’s the third time I’m getting sick during this project. I’ve not been sick even once since the beginning of the uni and now it’s the third time during one, the most important project. This time it was way more serious than before as it was a throat infection and I got really high temperature (38.9), so the doctor actually gave me some antibiotics. Because of all of that I’ve spend a week doing nothing again and taking time to go back to health. This is a huge waste of time, but there was no chance I could work at that point.

This ruined my schedule again. I’ll have to catch up again, even if I was already way behind. This is now stressing me up so badly, that I only have few negligible assets for the lab, and I should already be at the half way of creating this part of my environment. I should be at the place where I’ll be finishing of the next week, but I’m way behind in creating those assets. This will be so hard to catch up, even if I’ve already planned some spare time at the end…

The rest of my work is still in bits and pieces so far (no materials), and it’s really scary how fast that time goes by. I hope nothing else will come up that will destroy this project completely…

At this point the next week I’m definitely planning to continue with creating lab assets. There is no other way I can skip it or shorten it. I’ll try to catch up as much as I can, but so far there is lots to be build, so I’m sure I’ll have to work on it at least one more week. I hope this will be enough as otherwise I’ll be really struggling to finish everything on time.

Building a landscape with new procedural technologies!

I don’t think I have to say it, but I will… Landscape creation is one of the most important part of a world building for games! In the old days, environment artists had to do everything by hands, but now there is lots of software available to speed up the process.

I have already considered a heightmap software in the preproduction stage of this project, as I would like to base my level on the real world location, but I would like to have a look at other software that helps with the process of creating a landscape like Houdini, Instant Terra, World Creator, World Machine or Gaea.

All of those software have their ups and downs, works better or worse in some scenarios. Some of them require additional knowledge and are less intuitive to use than others. Some are free others are paid for, but it’s guaranteed they all do their job well and much faster than sculpting a 3D terrain by hand.

Houdini 17, Terrain Erosion

The newest version have several updates that makes the software works better, but many artists still suggests other software for a much more accurate and detailed results. I’ve decided to do not spend much time on researching this software as it was on the market for a long time and even a new version isn’t as straightforwardly addressed to the environment artists. I know that this software works and is used in the industry, but it’s time for something new ad more exciting.

Instant Terra

The first official version of the software was released in 2018 and since then it slowly become a software used by many artists. The purpose of the software is to create terrains fast and seamlessly for any type of media. The software is able to create realistic terrains in a big scale and was made for artists working on a AAAs productions in mind. The tool is appreciated for it’s fast rendering and real-time visual feedback. The software works with a use of nodes that are combined together to produce a detailed terrain. It works with both procedural terrain generator or heightmap, a satellite data or other images.

Best Features:

  • Large terrains – you can produce huge landscapes without a hassle
  • Combined terrains – especially useful for games where you can have a detailed terrain as a walkable area and the background terrain in the backdrop
  • Paint masks – for a better control over the design of a landscape
  • Size changes – changing sizes dynamically depending on the needs of your project
  • Erosion simulation – creates a realistic erosion to the terrain
  • Compatible with UE4 – works perfect for games!

Gaea

The best news are that the software is available free for the community and works as good as other terrain generation software. The software itself had a long way to become officially released in February this year (2019), but it’s said that it kills the competition in every aspect of creating the terrains. It works with the nodes as other similar software, but also has layers more similar to those in Photoshop or Substance. You can also sculpt or paint directly onto the terrain with a wide use of tools, or use auto-generated terrain, height maps or other reference images to both sculpt and texture your terrain. All of the textures and effects (e.g. snow) can be easily extract to the 2D textures for use to create PBR materials.

Best Features:

  • Frequent Upgrades – what’s better than a software that’s constantly updated with new or fixed features?!
  • Community Forums – get in touch with other users or the creators
  • User friendly layout – the navigation through the software have more suitable for designers look and interface (layers)
  • Multiple export options – easy to export your painted terrain to the 2d textures, heightmaps, meshes, point clouds etc.

The team of Wysilab, (2018), ‘Instant Terra’ for Landscape Creation Released’, Interview for 80level, 15 February. Availiable at: https://80.lv/articles/instant-terra-for-landscape-creation-released/ [Accessed: 29 Jun. 2019]

Thacker J., (2019), ‘QuadSpinner ships Gaea’, CG Channel, Availiable at: http://www.cgchannel.com/2019/02/quadspinner-ships-gaea/ [Accessed: 29 Jun. 2019]

LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABS!

I was so excited to start working on the labs and I’ve made the first assets that are the most recognisable as lab objects – flasks. Not much to say, but I’ve wanted to create several different shapes in order to get a variety of them. I’ve also made the double sided geometry to get the better effect for the glass in UE.

Set of lab flasks

Some of those assets are quite high poly, but all of them will be placed in several different places and in different sizes. That’s why I’ve decided to do not lower the geometry. They are also double sided and round objects, which adds to that tris count and I can’t do anything about it.

I could have made several more complicated shapes flasks, but I’ve decided that those simple ones will work well enough for their purpose.

You may noticed that already, but I’ve reused several parts of my previously made assets (drone, desk lamp). I’ve edited them slightly, so they no longer looks like the original items there were before. Now they are all unwrapped and ready to be placed in a UE.

Last of the Last!

Today I’ve came up with the final assets for the shed. I’ve a perfect idea of what to place in the centre area of it so it will looks natural and properly occupied now. A set of gardening tools – wheelbarrow, shovel and soil bags. These are definitely the last assets made for this area and from now on I’ll be 100% focused on the lab assets. I’ll still have to make the materials for most of the assets so far, but I can now produce the lab objects.

I’ve decided to make the soil with a use of a cloth modifier. While creating a duvet I’ve used several different settings to get things right and I get used to the cloth modifier. I though it will be much easier and quicker, but I had to change settings several times and experiment with the placement of the model. At the end I’ve get the wanted result, but I’ve spend longer that I should.

Shovel (Tris: 670), wheelbarrow (Tris: 4164), soil bags (Tris: 1880)

I was happy that I’ve unwrapped the asset before I’ve started to modify it with the cloth settings, because I have a clear UV map which fits perfectly after it’s deformed. I have already made a texture for it as well.

Soil bag UV and texture (512)

I know that I should probably unwrap the sides as well as back and the front on the same spaces, but I’ve planned to make a different texture on each side. At the end, I’ve only made the front texture as different than the others, but that’s enough for now. I may come back to it later and edit it, but I like it how it is.

Although I know that the soil bag has slightly too much geometry, it looks perfect at the end.

Today, I’ve also been working on the lightmaps resolution for the final outcome. However I think ,that I’ll need to redo the lightmaps entirely (because I have many problems after the build), so I’ve pretty much wasted the time to do all of the settings. I’ve wanted to see if the errors will still appear after the lightmaps set to the proper values, but it did, so I need to redo the lightmaps completely or find another solution. I am not sure why I’ve done it at this point, as I should leave it for the end errors and bugs check…

Lightmaps resolution view in UE4.

I still have some bits that are not working properly, so I’ll have to redo them manually at some point. In some areas I’m not sure why, so I’ll have to find that out as well.

Power up!

Some while ago I’ve made a small power box with the cables that is placed on the wall. It’s a simple asset that I’ve partly reused today to create another one.

Power Box (Tris: 2624)

However the asset is a bit high poly, I’ve reused entire thing in the power generator as I really like the look of it.

Power Transformer (Tris: 23680)

Although I’ve tried to make the power generator as low poly as I can, it still has a lot of geometry. I can’t get any lower (maybe I could only delete the cables from the power box, but it won’t change much), as it’s still a pretty simple, boxy shape. The most expensive parts are on the top area, where I’ve had to copy the same, round shapes several times. I still believe it will be good enough to be placed in a real game, even with the final high level of geometry, as it is a big asset which require to have all of those details.

To go along with it, I’ve also made a separate power towers, that will be connected to the generator by cables. I’ve made these out of the image reference that I’ve seen somewhere on the google. This is how those things works to provide power to the nearby buildings.

Power Tower (Tris: 2384)

These are quite high poly as well, but I don’t think there will be any other way of getting those details in.

At the end of the day, I’ve also made 2 more assets that are for the area outside: fence doors and the doorstep that will work as a locker for the doors as well.

I’ve divided it into parts for the purpose of explaining it in here. The red area will be transparent, but some of those parts will be solid colour as well (that’s why there is some more geometry than required). The blue parts will be lit by the emissive, so they will somehow suggest there is some energy going on through them. I’m planning to use the same material as for the fence to be getting through them. I also plan to make similar doors for the lab interior and main doors as well. I will be editing them a lot (for the main entrance), but this is a base for not only one door, but many different ones.

Final Shed Assets

This is it! That’s all I want to make for the shed internal and it has to be enough to make it looks good. I won’t comment on them as much, because it’s just assets creation, so there is nothing to say really.

Old Fashion Chair (work in progress)

First, I’ve wanted to create an old fashion chair, so I’ve started to work on it, bu I’ve quickly abandoned this idea. I just simply didn’t like the outcome, so I’ve looked at the modern chairs online and decided to make much more modern one.

Final Modern Office Chair (Tris: 7592)

In a few days of work, I’ve also managed to create several different assets:

Cacti (T:1670), Photo Frame (T: 128), Map (T: 54), Ashtray (T: 1349), CB Radio (T: 2486), CB Mic (T: 6753)
Board (Tris: 884)
Drawers (Tris: 1120, 892)
Shelve (T:540), Flower Pot (T: 1550, 1582), Jar (T: 660)

All of those assets have been created in several days (20.06 – 22.06), but I’ve decided to place them into one post. I don’t think any of those assets require any more comments. I was working hard for few days in a row, and all of that is my final work.

In a meantime, I’ve also made a small pieces of a cut wood, that I’ve places all around my shed, to give it a nice feel of an area being used.

I think that the shed is finally over and finished. Although I still feel like there should be something right in the centre, but I don’t know what else I could place in this area. If a good idea will came to my head, I may add something to it, but by thinking about the time, I will be moving on to the Lab facility since now. No more coming back to this (except the textures and materials).

Unreal E3 Awards 2019

Epic was hosting another great event during an Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), giving some awards in many different categories. Judges have evaluated dozens of Unreal-powered games in many aspects of production. The winners have been announced on June 20 and have received some generous prices.

The categories have been very interesting and creative:

  • Eye Candy – most visually impressive and leading-edge graphics
  • Biggest Buzz – the most memorable moment, something so unique
  • Most Engaging – the immersion experience
  • Outstanding Original Game – the potential of the production
  • Unreal Underdog – not just a product but also the people behind it

I wanted to be sure that I’m well aware of the awards as well as the actual winners, because it’s very interesting to see what the company, which developed such a huge and well know industry software, think about the usage of it. It’s also always good to know what’s on the top, to be try and aim to the similar level of quality.

The Winners:

  • Eye Candy: Final Fantasy VII Remake
  • Biggest Buzz: Borderlands 3
  • Most Engagin: The Outer Worlds
  • Outstanding Original Game: Creature in the Well
  • Unreal Underdog: Midnight Ghost Hunt

khawk, (2019), ‘ Epic Games Announces Winners of Unreal E3 Awards 2019 ‘, Avaliable at: https://www.gamedev.net/news/epic-games-announces-winners-of-unreal-e3-awards-2019-r943/ [Accessed: 22 June 2019]

More Shed Assets

At this point, I’ve made more shed assets. This is still require to make the area looks real and occupied by the human beeing.

Long Bulbs (Tris: 332)
Desk Lamp with power slot (Tris: 1930)
Private Lockers (Tris: 185, 430, 450)

At this time there is not much left to do, but I still want to make some more assets to finally finish the area.

Radio Tower

When you think about the radio tower used in a field for a communication, you think of an old, rusty, tall, metal tower. I wanted to have something much more modern and common, so I’ve decided to have a round, hologram radio tower. This idea just popped into my head randomly after making the fence and looking at many google images of a radio tower.

LEFT: A base spine of a Radio Tower, RIGHT: Final model with the hologramic cover (Tris: 6302)

The radio tower itself, didn’t took me as much time and unexpectedly doesn’t have a high tris count, but creating several different parts that will fill the top of it, did. In total, I’ve spend entire day working on the radio tower and its parts, but I think it was worth the time.

Modular Parts of the Radio Tower

I know that most of those parts won’t be much visible from the bottom, but I wanted to give them enough details to at least looks good even in the close up. I’ve also made several versions of a disc just because it will looks more natural to have a small variety. Each part perfectly fit the shape of the radio tower, so there was no problem placing them around.

The final look of the Radio Tower in UE4.

I’ve used similar material as for the fence, but this time, there stripes that goes up, are much bigger. I’ve also added another layer of stripes on top of that to create an even more interesting effect.

The radio tower looks so huge now, but there is no trees that would surround it just yet. The trees themselves will be really huge as they usually are in a rainforest, so the proportions of the tower should work pretty well. If not, I can always make it a bit smaller at the end.

Drone? Maybe not…

Today I wanted to create a drone, but I have failed so hard. I’ve made wings that I wanted to connect to the main body, but I’ve lost my creativity, so I couldn’t finish it.

Drone FAILED (Tris: 16456)

The drone that I’ve made looks more like a grill with wings rather than a any type of drone. I’ve decided that I won’t be using it in the final work, so at the end I’ve wasted some time. Not so good, as I really am struggling with a time right now… So, eventually I’ve made several other assets:

Shed Ceiling Lamp (Tris: 2836)
Pieces of Wood (Tris: 606)
Key Card (Tris: 522)

The key card is an important objective asset, so I’ve decided to give it a depth in geometry. I mean that I’ve could make it out of simple planes, but as far as I want this to be a focus point, I’ve made it nicer that I probably should. The final tris count is still low enough, so all of that explanation is even unnecessary.

So far so good, but I still want to make some more shed assets until the end. I still also need to make many textures and materials, but I’m catching up well.