Environment Design

Underwater Ocean Animation

  I started this project in the fall of 2023 and completed it in the   Spring of 2024.

For this concept, I decided to base it around something I am typically drawn to, the ocean.

The first program I used was Maya, a program I have four years of experience in, for the character designs and rigging process. The second program I used was something new to me at the time, Unreal Engine. I used Unreal to create the environmental elements, as well as add animation loops for my models. I created and gave the models a skeletal system in Maya, then transferred them over into Unreal to make them come to life.

At this stage in the project development, I would consider my work to be successful. I have modeled over 12 different underwater models, including fish, mammals, starfish, etc. At this point in my Maya career, I am faster at the modeling process and am quicker to find solutions to problems that may pop up in my models. In terms of Unreal Engine, I wanted to try to expand my skill set and knowledge of 3D modeling and techniques. For someone who has not touched a game engine prior to this project, I have made two entire underwater environments with the correct blueprints and commands. 

Strengthening Resilient Learning

There were many obstacles I faced during this project. The main challenge I initially dealt with was working on a new platform that wasn’t taught to me. I had been learning Maya for years, as it was a basis for my animation classes, however, Unreal Engine was a completely different experience. So, I would say that learning how to use that platform was definitely a challenge, but I was excited about it. Since August, I made great strides when it came to utilizing the program and its assets.

The way I overcame some of the roadblocks I faced was by watching and re-watching tutorials, asking questions to people I knew had experience with the platform, searched the internet for possible solutions or workarounds, and even contacted experts in the Unreal Engine field who could have potentially helped me. It helped that I was not afraid to ask for help and always tried to stay communicative with my peers and those around me.

I have since learned many new skills, and even improved ones I already had by going through with this project. Originally, I planned to create the entire animation in Maya, but I wanted to push my limits and see what I could do. It was, and still is, a daunting task to attempt to use a platform that not even my professor would be able to help me with, but I know that once I put my mind to something, I will be able to accomplish my goals. 

I believe it was an added bonus that Maya was able to import and blend in well with Unreal Engine. I am able to take everything I learned about Maya in class and immediately bring that into Unreal without major issues.