Design Process

For this project I chose to create a Medieval Blacksmith, I used this project to focus on learning to use applications such as Maya, Substance Painter, Unreal, and Photoshop.

Throughout this project I looked at how to use lighting to help create the mood of the scene, I wanted to challenge myself using lighting within Unreal and felt that this was something that I could research and develop.

Within Maya I looked at using the techniques I had learnt to create a realistic looking scenario that reflected the research I had carried out. I chose to do a forge as there were a lot of different textures, tools and materials that I could use to further improve my skills and learning.

Side On View

Forge View

Facing Outside

Forge Closeup

These screenshots are of the final product, the project was geared to showcase a medieval style dwarven forge later on in the evening. I thought this would provide an interesting dynamic to learn how to use and implement proper lighting. Finally the idea for the blacksmith came in tandum with the decision of my character art project.

Grey Boxing

These were early iterations of the forge, after extensive research i decided that i would approach it by having the forge attached onto the side of the main forge. I chose to go forward and look at placing blocks that would represent objects I would have within the scene, this gave me an idea of scale, design and an understanding of whether the scene would have cohesion.

This was the final grey boxing iteration I did, it was an updated version of the original grey box that implemented properly created maya models. A final iteration i did tested the idea of a fence surrounding the forge however I decided against it as it felt out of place and would clutter the scene.

Engine Implementation

These are several screenshots of the implemented model, with added textures and lighting tests. I updated the texture of the brick after seeing it implemented within the engine as it didnt capture what I wanted.

The lighting also went through several changes as I was testing different levels of darkness to suit what I had intented to achieve.

Lighting

Spotlight

Point Light

Nighttime Light

General Settings

Smaller Object Lightmap Resolution

Bigger Object Lightmap Resolution

Resolution and Intensity

Lightmass Settings

Since lighting would come to be a crucial element of the project I focused on many different settings to try and capture the eventual feel of the scene. I went for these settings as I felt they appropriately capture the night time lighting, they also gave a good level of detail to the lighting and shadows throughout the scene.

Texture creation

Dirt and Water

Bricks

Damaged Wall

Wall

Wood

Dwarven Blacksmith

For this project I chose to link it with the blacksmith, I used this project to enhance my skills working in Zbrush, Photoshop, Substance Designer, Substance Painter, and Maya.

For this character I wanted to explore creating a model that had a lot of human characteristics, I focused on the research of muscle groups to help with the build.

I used industry standard pipelines throughout the project to create this model. I followed the process of Sculpting, Retopology, UV Mapping, Baking, Exporting, 3D Painting, Lighting and Rendering.

Right Shoulder View

Left Side View

Full Body

At The Forge

On the Grindstone

Rear View on the Grindstone

Sculpting

Ear Practice

Face Side On

Back

Side On

Upper Body

Retopology

Apron Retopology 3/4

Apron Retopology Back Side

Apron Retopology Front

Dwarf 3/4 Retopology

Dwarf Side On Retopology

Dwarf Front Retopology

Dwarf Face Retopology

UV unwrap

Apron UV Unwrap Front

Apron UV Unwrap Back

Apron UV Unwrap Both

UV Unwrap Arm

Full Body Unwrap

Full Body Unwrap Stitched

Head UV Unwrap

Baking

Apron Unwrapped

Full Body Unwrapped

Painting

Painted Apron Front

Painted Apron Side On

Painted Character Front

Painted Character 3/4 Back

Painted Character Side On

Rube Goldberg's Machine

Rube Goldberg's Machine: This project was where we connected with clients to produce a prototype. Our group project was to create an educational sandbox mobile game, it was important that it met the educational criteria as one of the briefs came from China.

Our other client decided the theme of the game. I chose to do UI/UX as it was a skill I felt need improving, this project wouldnt require a level designer.

From the start it was important to understand the project and what we were aiming to create. I promptly started researching the mobile industry, UI techniques, UX, and market competitors for the game.

We successfully met the projects 14 week deadline and met both brief specifications.

Early iterations

Wireframes

Wireframing is such an important tool to use when gaining an idea of how the menu will flow. This first wireframe was to understand how the menus would work and whether or not users could understand them. As such I gathered several testers and gathered feedback from them which could be carried forward into next designs.

The second wireframe looked into the use of symbols,colour theory, and the previously acquired feedback. It was important that we had a set of rules that the users could understand universally, and due to space being limited symbols are integral to any mobile UI. Another aspect that I wanted to address going forward was the colour scheme that we would be going for, this was a science game and as such had to have a sheme that would reflect that. Feedback from the initial wireframe also brought into question visual impairments with harsher colours.

Final Designs

These would come to be the final set of UI elements seen throughout the game. They had gone through many iterations of colour, symbols, shapes, sizes, and layouts throughout the course of the project.

One final note is that due to several issues with GitHub throughout the project added extra pressure when implementing and testing the UI.

Additional designs

These were alternate colour and buttons that were tested throughout the project, they would be unneeded due to change in layouts and the main choice of colour.