Modelling

When I had time outside of engine, I modelled frequently. Ranging from small assets, as tiny as a candle-- to large foliage, which populates the majority of the scene. Relate to the style document, for how we went about creating our assets-- sticking to our chosen style. Also how lattices were implemented in asset creation.

With our low poly style, I've focused particularly on the optimisation of the asset; while retaining the necessary silhouette. Especially for static assets, "good" topology isn't a high priority, as long as the final product is degraded in quality. Furthermore, I planned extensively the arrangement and layering of UV's to ease the process of hand painted texturing. Allowing for quick gradients and efficient texturing through the duplication of textures across layered UVs. This aspect can be exaggerated, through warped UV's, stylised textures are less dependent on optimal UV's that obey the need be for baked textures.

For some more organic models, I would frequently sculpt the asset loosely, decimate, and finally clean up any messy topology. Doing so keeps the model loose, silhouette accurate and the topology as optimised as possible. For example, this candle below.

Many thanks, to Harrison and Abbie's phenomenal texturing.

Below are a few examples of assets I modelled for our game, mainly being larger assets across the scene. Plus a hero asset-- the bamboo cannon.

To add more visual flare to the hero asset, I included some swaying leaves, a dynamic layer of detail. Seen up close while the player is holding said cannon. Using a similar method discussed in "Foliage Wind"

Below is examples of some foliage I modelled, that is finalised and in engine. These first foliage assets acted as templates for future foliage. By rearranging UV's, scaling and shifting vertices, new foliage can be created -- with vastly different silhouettes. With minimum effort and the same texture maps.

Below are some unfinished foliage assets of mine. All our foliage takes heavy inspiration from Jessica Dinh's style, which is heavily dependent on texturing alone. Because of this, modelling can be boiled down to extremely low poly trunks and stems, focused on silhouette alone. Leaves, petals can be simplified down to planes. They can be painted in detail using opacity maps, pulling the most detail out from an asset, with the lowest needed tri count possible.

My largest asset is a dock. To tackle said asset, it was split into modular parts, which can be textured separately. Then finally recompiled into the full dock, which can be exported, then imported in whole into engine.

These rocks follow an alternative method I attempted. Usually we hand paint every asset, but for these I baked high poly, sculpted, rocks onto low, decimated, rocks -- with somewhat loose unwraps. They came out great. With this bake, various generators and effects can be used within Substance Painter to quickly create a stylised look, which will be imprinted upon the albedo map -- using the baked data as a foundation. Taking more weight off the hand painting. When finished, the albedo alone will be exported.

These rocks were never finished and finalised, so we unfortunately never attempted said method again.

References