Traditional Modularity is DeadOver the last few years the use of modular construction in games has been quietly declining. What used to be the de facto method of constructing game environments no longer makes much sense. Of course we still use plenty of modularity in terms of reuse of assets but the idea of a 'kit of lego' that all clicks together has, in my opinion, had its day. Why? Well I would suggest a few reasons:
For Example....For my environment I have lots of curves. Making modular pieces that turn a 22.5 degree corner is virtually impossible as you will go 'off grid' and end up building tons of bespoke pieces to deal with this. I also want the environment to be flexible and quick to construct. My environment is going to consist of ~90% tiling textures, and details will either be modelled, added with decals, or painted in using masks or vertex painting. Here's a quick breakdown of a small part of the environment: Using this method I can easily extrude edges and pull them around curves. Going 'off grid' is irrelevant as I can simply keep modelling. Unwrapping is simple as things don't need to be packed. The whole workflow is fast and efficient.
Okay that's enough writing for another day. By the end of tomorrow I plan to have all of my environment built to this kind of standard, and I'll post again then. After that its all about adding detail and proper materials
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I've been wanting to do this for a while - the obligatory environment art portfolio piece that is the sci-fi corridor.... I've always liked the clean aesthetic of shows like Star Trek (TNG, Voyager) and the film Moon. For my environment I want to mix this with a little of the more chunky/industrial look of Alien. I also want to use lots of curves, primarily to add an original and futuristic look to the environment, but also as a personal challenge (which I'll no doubt regret later). I'm setting myself 2 weeks maximum to complete this project and will be using Unreal 4. The primary purpose of this blog will be to document the technical processes that I'm using. I've set myself a rough schedule:
So to get started here's some quick mood board stuff: |
AuthorMy name is Barry Lowndes. I'm the Art Director at Broken Totem Studios, and a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam uni. This blog is to document my processes in 3D game art and design Archives |